Welcome to SDSU, and the U.S.

Nearly 950 international students from 63 countries are wrapping up a week of learning about SDSU and the basics of living in the United States during the annual International Student Orientation.

Staff, faculty and students from departments and organizations across campus participate in the multi-day event for undergraduate and graduate students from around the globe.

“Orientation is an especially important part of a student’s introduction not only to SDSU, but also to life in the U.S.,” said Noah Hansen, director of the International Student Center. “We want to provide not only a welcome and important information during orientation, but ease the transition to a new school, a new country and in many cases, a very different culture.”

In addition to reviewing the basics of attending SDSU, including defining terms such as “unit” and “crashing a class,” how to access WebPortal and Blackboard, and where to pay fees, students are introduced to campus resources and the City of San Diego itself through tours and other events.

Veronica Perondi, programs coordinator at the International Student Center, said that, in many cases, students attending orientation end up developing friendships with other international students and the more than 50 American volunteers who give of their time to make the event a success. Friendships between the U.S. students and international students often continue long after international students return to their home countries.

“Many of our international alumni recount meeting some of their dearest friends during their first days in the United States at our orientation,” Perondi said. “We always try to provide lots of ice breakers and social activities so students can have fun with other students while adjusting to campus life.”

Candice Shen, 18, an international business major, said spending some of her first days in the U.S. at orientation was time well spent.

“It’s good to hear other international students who have been at the university share their experiences,” Shen said. “I think attending orientation will help me be a better student.”

Shen’s friend and classmate Jing Ting said even though she started at SDSU a year ago by attending classes at the American Language Institute, orientation was a good way for her to learn about campus rules and guidelines.

“They did a really good job bringing in organizations and people to tell us what is going on around campus and how to be more involved,” Ting, 20, said.

Ting and Shen’s home country of China is also home to the second highest number of students attending orientation this year with a count of 175. India is the country with the highest international student representation at SDSU for the fall with more than 200 students. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Germany round out the top five countries with the most international students this fall.  

Of those international students attending orientation, more than two-thirds are pursuing a bachelor’s degree, and about 350 are pursuing a master’s or doctorate degree.