International Students

Resources for

International Students

Image
Jefferson stature in front of Rotunda with fluffy snow on the ground
Essay

Ambassador Steve Mull, Vice Provost for Global Affairs, affirms UVA's commitment to global experiences, despite a rapid cascade of executive orders and other policy changes from the federal government over the past several weeks.

Cover Image for Event

09

Feb

English language learners from the UVA international community gather monthly for a casual chat over pizza.
February 9, 2025 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

29

Jan

Join us for the Polyglot Social to practice languages, share your own, and connect with fellow enthusiasts. Snacks provided!
January 29, 2025 5:00pm
New Cabell Hall - Language Commons
Cover Image for Event

03

Jan

Join us at the International Center for an International Potluck to celebrate the new year!
January 3, 2025 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

05

Jan

English language learners, join us for a casual chat over pizza!
January 5, 2025 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

14

Jan

English language learners gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center.
January 14, 2025 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Image
side view of a Lawn pavilion
Essay

This fall, the University of Virginia welcomed 416 students from India to Grounds, a significant increase from previous years and part of a larger trend in international education in the US.

Image
Two students dance on a podium, one holds a microphone
Essay

The Graduate and Professional Students of Africa (GAPSA) hosted its inaugural ball and awards ceremony this month. Founded just two years ago as part of the International Student Citizen Leader Fellowship, GAPSA began as “a small, informal gathering of African graduate students sharing food and fellowship in their apartments during the pandemic,” said Nnenna Onyima, a Nigerian PhD candidate in French and GAPSA’s founder. Today, GAPSA is a registered CIO with over 100 members and a six-member Executive Board representing diverse programs across Grounds.

Image
Omokolade Omigbule headshot
Essay

Omokolade Omigbule is a third-year anthropology doctoral student and an interdisciplinary doctoral fellow in Indigenous studies at the University of Virginia. He is a budding Black Atlantic archaeologist from Osun state, southwest Nigeria. In this interview, he discusses his journey into archaeology and his hopes to empower communities through history, and the importance of open-mindedness in the pursuit of knowledge and cross-cultural connection.

Cover Image for Event

19

Dec

For students in the Charlottesville area and on Grounds, please join us for an Open House at Carr's Hill.
December 19, 2024 12:00pm
Carr's Hill
Cover Image for Event

08

Dec

Join us for a casual chat over pizza! This is a great way to practice English conversation and meet other members of our community.
December 8, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

10

Dec

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
December 10, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Image
Global Week tent in front of Peabody Hall, framed by fall foliage
Essay

With a robust lineup of over 30 events, this year’s Global Week engaged students, faculty, and staff in learning and celebrating UVA’s global connections and featured an exciting range of activities, including panels, cultural showcases, and information sessions.

Cover Image for Event

17

Nov

Join us for a casual chat over pizza! This is a great way to practice English conversation and meet other members of our community.
November 17, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

08

Oct

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
October 8, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

15

Oct

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
October 15, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

22

Oct

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
October 22, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

29

Oct

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
October 29, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

05

Nov

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
November 5, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

12

Nov

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
November 12, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

19

Nov

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
November 19, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

03

Dec

Participants gather weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for informal conversation at the International Center, September 10 - December 3.
December 3, 2024 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

01

Nov

Drop in and enjoy a featured drink from around the world! We will have board games, puzzles, snacks, and space to relax and connect with others.
November 1, 2024 5:00pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Image
Hang Nguyen standing with hands on her hips in front of brick walkway and grass
Essay

Hang Nguyen is a third-year PhD student in Statistics and a former Citizen Leader Fellow (2022-2023). For her Citizen Leader Fellowship project, she set out to understand the disproportionate number of Honor reports among international students and conducted a year-long ethnographic study on international students’ perceptions of academic integrity. This project paved the way to her ongoing advocacy and involvement in Honor. She is originally from Vietnam and went to high school and college in North Carolina.

Cover Image for Event

07

Jul

Join us for a teatime cooking class where a volunteer will teach us how to make chai and pakodas, a type of gram flour fritter often enjoyed alongside an aromatic cup of chai. Space is limited.
July 7, 2024 2:00pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

13

Jul

Join us for a Bollywood dance class led by a volunteer at the International Center! Learn some new moves and have some fun moving to bollywood beats. Space is limited.
July 13, 2024 5:00pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

15

Sep

Join us in the International Center's backyard for a catered picnic to honor the memory of Mary Ellen Brown. Bring your family, friends, and outdoor games.
September 15, 2024 3:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Image
CLF students
Essay

The International Student Citizen Fellowship is celebrating its third successful year of student-led, community-focused projects. The fellowship, which started in 2021, encourages and enables international students, student-athletes, and transfer students to play a leading role in making UVA a place where their communities can thrive. “We provide students with a set of tools to carry out an original community building project which grows out of their experiences, interests, and values,” international student and scholar advisor Caren Freeman said.
 

Image
Alotaibi presenting at ASU
Essay

This spring, Abdulelah Alotaibi completes his MA in Linguistics in the department of Anthropology. Originally from Saudi Arabia, he first came to the United States in 2014 on a Fulbright Language Teaching Assistantship. He spent that year teaching Arabic at the University of Maine and came back from 2018-2019 to participate in a one-year exchange program for Saudi teachers, Building Leadership for Change through School Immersion, at Arizona State University. Alotaibi chatted with UVA Global on his varied experiences in the U.S., his teaching, and his plans for the future.

Cover Image for Event

17

May

May 17, 2024 10:00am
Hotel A, West Range at UVA
Image
Pieter Giliomee in Graduation Regalia
Essay

Pieter Giliomee is graduating with M.S. in the McIntire School of Commerce this year. In a conversation with UVA Global, he shares his international background, his reasons for choosing UVA, and his plans for the future.

Image
Yafrainy Familia in a gallery next to a painting of a woman lying down
Essay

Yafrainy Familia is a PhD student in Spanish at UVA. She spoke about her project where she analyzes the work of a series of contemporary Caribbean artists through the lenses of colonial resistance, gender, and race.

Image
Ricahrd Tanson with Adrienne and Caren Freeman
Essay

As Richard Tanson, director of the International Students and Scholars program retires after 30 years of service to UVA, a look at his incredible career dedicated to helping international students from around the world.

Image
Elizabeth Mirabal headshot
Essay

Second-year Spanish graduate student Elizabeth Mirabal traveled from Havana to UVA to expand her studies in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Latin American literature, Caribbean literature, and Cuban studies. She spoke about ways nostalgia permeates her intellectual interests, as well as her personal experiences in Charlottesville, and shared her advice for students interested in international research.

Image
Cav Man at Global Week
Essay

It’s a wrap for another successful year of Global Week at UVA! Global Week is organized by the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs every year and is an opportunity for those interested in global topics to learn more about the research opportunities, global collaborations and services available at UVA. This year more than 30 events across Grounds featured art, politics, and culture from around the world and exciting new contributions from students, including five CIO-sponsored events.

Image
Hana Bakhit headshot on the lawn at UVA
Essay

Hana Bakhit is a first-year graduate student UVA’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. As war rages in Sudan between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese citizens are seeking refuge in neighboring Egypt, South Sudan and Chad. Bakhit spoke about how her experiences in Sudan spurred her interest in democracy and governance, how UVA can help with the current humanitarian crisis, and her goals to use her time at Batten to fight for a better Sudan.

Cover Image for Event

10

Oct

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
October 10, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

12

Oct

Drop in and enjoy a root beer float at the International Center this week!
October 12, 2023 6:00pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

17

Oct

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
October 17, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

24

Oct

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
October 24, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

26

Oct

Drop in and enjoy some healthy snacks and a new international drink each week.
October 26, 2023 6:00pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

31

Oct

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
October 31, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

14

Nov

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
November 14, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

28

Nov

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
November 28, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

05

Dec

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
December 5, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

12

Dec

Participants gather weekly for informal conversation at the International Center.
December 12, 2023 5:30pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center
Cover Image for Event

02

Nov

Drop in at the UVA International Center to enjoy an international beverage and snacks in the Center’s homey environment.
November 2, 2023 6:00pm
Lorna Sundberg International Center