Services for Current International Students

Welcome!

The Office of International Services and Programs is located within the International Center. The International Student Advisor (ISA) is there to provide a variety of academic and support services to all undergraduate and graduate international students at Central Washington University (CWU) who are in F-1 status.

These services include academic advising, immigration advising and issues related to culture shock and adjustment.

Academic Advising:

As an international student, the U.S educational system may be completely new and unfamiliar. The ISA works closely with the Academic Advising Center, Credit Evaluators, the Testing Center and faculty in academic departments to help international students understand the system. Academic issue include:

• The U.S education system
• CWU academic procedures and policies, including graduation requirements and the general education program.
• Identify and define educational goal while studying at CWU.
• Registering on-line
• Determining the courses you need to take (CAPS reports)
• CWU classroom culture and what's expected of students at CWU

F-1 Visa/Status Advising:

F-1 regulations can seem complicated and confusing. As an international student in F-1 status, it is important for students to become familiar with F-1 laws and be responsible for understanding what they mean. These laws include:

• Maintaining legal status while studying in the U.S
• Making academic progress toward completion of a program of study
• Determining how long you may stay in the U.S
• MExtending your stay, if necessary
• Employment
• Travel outside the U.S
• Transferring between schools within the U.S
• Changing from one immigration status to another

The ISA is available to help clarify immigration procedures and inform students of their rights and benefits.

Culture Shock and Adjustment:

Being away from home, international students might experience culture shock and homesickness. Having been a foreign student in Europe, South America and Asia, the ISA understands how students might feel, and talks with them regarding:

• Transition and adjustment into life at CWU, ellensburg and the U.S.
• Ways to resolve academic, financial, personal or culture problems before these interfere with academic goals.
• The phases of culture shock and that the experience is normal

400 E. University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7408
Email: intlprog@cwu.edu