Graphic by Maddie Carr
Many students struggle to support themselves while earning a degree, but international students experience a much greater pressure. A combination of higher tuition rates and limited work opportunities makes student living difficult at Emporia State.
International students pay the University’s non-resident tuition and fees, which apply to all locations outside of the continental United States. The Office of International Education’s webpage indicates that the cost of non-resident tuition and fees for undergraduate students add up to approximately $15,675 per year, an amount more than twice as much as in-state tuition.
When factoring in additional expenses such as insurance and housing, the OIE estimates the annual cost to be $28,625 in total. Non-resident graduate student rates are also more than double the resident rates, with a difference in tuition and fees of over $7,000. According to Brian Powers, director of the OIE, while some international students come to ESU through partner organizations that establish different tuition rates, a majority of students pay the non-resident rate.
International travel can also present a problem for potential students. The application for an F-1 student visa requires a nonrefundable fee of $185, and the total cost to obtain a visa is often over $500. Getting permission to enter the country can be a lengthy, confusing process, and the University offers help during that time.
“With every student that we admit, we give them information on exactly what the process looks like, because ultimately, they have to do all these things to get the visa,” Powers explained. “So we do provide them the information, and if a student has deeper questions or just isn’t understanding exactly what needs to happen, then we’re always happy to schedule a call with them, and, you know, help them with the process, because it can be confusing.”
To handle the financial burden of international education, many students take advantage of scholarships, internships and job opportunities. Powers explains that students are only explicitly permitted to work on-campus jobs, but they can also work off-campus with permission from their exchange program. However, virtually all of the scholarships afforded to non-Kansas residents are available to international students, and a number of programs like the Intensive English Program and Partnership/Diversity Award are designed to mitigate school expenses for highly motivated students.
Amid the struggle to compensate for a costly education and new fears of visa revocation, international students continue to enrich the communities they reside in, both economically and socially.
Scores of data indicate that the presence of international students supports economic growth. In the fall of 2023, the Association of International Educators published research finding that over one million international students at colleges and universities across the U.S. contributed over $40 billion to the national economy during that academic year. They also found that international students supported over 368,000 jobs.
Director of Media Relations Gwen Larson, too, talks about the economic idiosyncrasies of international presence in Emporia. However, she and Powers suggest that the presence of international students in Emporia should not be “reduced to a dollar sign.”
Larson explains that the popularity of the International Food Festival has inspired local grocers to expand their selections due to the cuisines that international students have introduced. Emporia families often offer their homes during holiday celebrations, allowing for cultural exchanges.
Powers emphasizes that the “two-way street” between the University and its international students is about more than just money.
“International students bring so much to the University and they bring so much to the community,” said Powers. “But I also love seeing the reverse of that, and seeing how much the community then supports the students, and is interested in, you know, who they are as individuals, and learning more about them.”
Powers and Larson stress using campus resources like Student Wellness amid the recent confusion surrounding student visa revocation and record termination.
“I think the statements that we’ve been saying is that we’re here to obviously listen to them (international students) and, you know, provide what resources we can,” said Powers. “And a lot of times that may be referring to somebody else who knows more and is the expert, but you know, we can always be a good starting point for any student that has questions or concerns.”