Your International Student Guide to the University of Miami

I won’t lie to you, moving away from your home country is not an easy experience. Venturing into the unknown, you'll get lost and confused. From personal experience, maybe you'll even cry a little bit now and then. Fortunately, however, the University of Miami guides you in the right direction, and the advantages outweigh the challenges. I am here to help you make the most out of the resources available on campus for international students.

To start off, meet your new best friend, the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS).

By offering information, services, assistance with acclimatization, and culturally appropriate activities, ISSS helps foreign students enroll, remain enrolled, and graduate as well as ensuring effective experiences for the international community. As an international freshman, when first arriving on campus, the ISSS sponsors an International Student Orientation, a pre-orientation program. Incoming students can benefit from the orientation by getting knowledge and experiences that will make it easier for them to adjust to living and studying in the United States. They go through every topic, from exploring the city of Miami to managing your finances. Pay attention, it's worth every minute of your time!

Another University of Miami benefit comes from their health department, with an insurance plan that is added to the tuition for each student. It makes it so much easier to have easy guaranteed safety, right next to campus. I promise you, it will be a sigh of relief for your parents to send you away. As for some government-related benefits, with your SEVIS registration, you may apply for a Florida driver's license and Florida ID after only the first 10 days of living here. The campus also has amazing job opportunities that allow you to apply for a Social Security Number.

There are around 300 student groups on campus. As you start your college experience, this is a fantastic chance to meet local students and make friends. All international students at the University of Miami are immediately members of the Council of International Students.

They always host amazing events that will let you meet people from over 110 different countries!

The Brazilian Association at the University of Miami (BRASA) is one of the groups you can join. BRASA fosters an understanding of Brazilian culture and customs, as well as further integrates the Brazilian population at the University of Miami. They have many traditional events, including trips to meet the Brazilian Association of other universities.

Always remember, your feelings are valid.

Moving somewhere new may be both exhilarating and unsettling for everyone, and it may be particularly difficult for those going to a culture that is vastly different.

In additional to group and individual counseling, the Counseling Outreach Peer Education is a student group available on campus. They are dedicated to helping the University of Miami students and the Counseling Center interact, with the goal to promote programming that will lessen the stigma associated with mental health.

Essentially, the campus will stay beautiful even when heavy rain pours, lightning strikes or the sun fries your head in ninety degrees Miami heat. The bad freshman-year communal bathroom scenario will prompt a slew of funny stories. You will eventually figure out how you have more commonalities than differences with the people around you. You will start to finally have classes about things you’re actually interested in. You will grow more independent, and most importantly, learn so much about yourself. Enjoy!

By Nina Batista