Participate in UofM’s engagement with the world
Supporting Students
No matter your role at the University, the Division of International Affairs is here to support you as you interact with our more than 1,700 international students. Our goal is to help them feel comfortable and ready to succeed. The International Student Services Office maintains a wealth of information about U.S. immigration laws and the University’s processes and is available to advise students on a range of topics. We offer some tips for supporting international students academically at the bottom of this page.
Education Abroad
A university education, no matter what the field, needs to integrate learning that helps students become globally aware and globally competent. Employers value study abroad experiences in future employees because of the multitude of skills students learn overseas – resilience, adaptation, languages, and more. As an advisor or faculty member, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the programs available through the Study Abroad Office that could best meet your students’ needs. We know affordability is a major concern, so we offer scholarships that can offset most or all of the extra costs of studying abroad. Reach out to one of the study abroad advisors for a personalized assessment. With more than 200 semester, academic year, and short-term programs in over 60 countries, you will likely find multiple options that will give your students the credits and experiences they need.
Faculty can also participate in international education by leading short-term programs abroad. Contact the Study Abroad Office for more information.
English Language Programs
The Intensive English for Internationals program, part of the Center for International Education Services, offers non-credit English language study for university-bound students and others. Students who do not have the required English language proficiency may apply for conditional admission to an undergraduate or graduate degree program at UofM and be granted admission upon successful completion of the advanced level in the IEI program.
The SPEAK Test: Graduate students holding F-1 visas for whom English is not the first language must take this test of spoken English in order to serve as an instructor for an undergraduate course. (Certain other test scores may be used instead of the SPEAK Test; see the IEI website for a list of acceptable substitutes.) A department may also require the test if the student’s duties require a high level of English proficiency.
International Tiger Family Program
This program offers an opportunity for staff and faculty to engage with international students through mentorship and social events. Find out more at International Tiger Family Program - The Center for International Education Services - The University of Memphis.
International Faculty and Staff Association
This association provides a network for international faculty and staff to connect with each other and with domestic colleagues in order to form an inclusive and supportive community. It is open to all UofM employees of any background. To join, see www.memphis.edu/ifsa.
Tips for Working with International Students
Promote Listening Comprehension
- Slow down - enunciate carefully so that words are not run together.
- Provide concrete examples for any difficult concepts.
- Use visual aids.
- Provide an outline of the lecture for students to follow or use for note taking.
- Be aware that cultural references (including most jokes) will not only not be understood but will make international students feel even more like outsiders.
Promote Student Speech in Class
- Encourage students to speak.
- Provide opportunities for students to practice speaking with a partner or in a small group before speaking to the entire class.
- If possible, provide a list of discussion topics and questions before the day of class.
- Because international students often sit together in class, it may be beneficial to assign students to mixed (international and domestic) working groups who they sit next to and collaborate with during class.
Working with International Students’ Writing
- For any written assignment, provide at least one example of a final product (the same or similar assignment) and discuss it carefully in class.
- When reading and commenting on papers, focus on content.
- Realize that rhetorical structure is not a universal - students may need help organizing the paper the way you want it, but this may not be a sign that they do not understand the content.
- Try not to be distracted by surface errors and mistakes with articles, prepositions, punctuation, spelling, and grammar that do not obscure meaning. This is not to say that these misuses are ok, but that they should not be of primary importance.
- It bears repeating that knowledge of English does not correlate to intelligence or potential.
Help Students Adjust to U.S. Academic Culture
- Compile a list of relevant background information that you expect domestic students to bring to a class but that international students might not.
- Emphasize to students both the percentage of the final grade that assignments are worth and a suggested amount of time that students should use to complete the work.
- Encourage students to teach each other about their cultures so that they can understand the cultural implications or background of what is going on.
- Help international students to understand that U.S. universities often require assignments more often rather than just 1-2 exams in an entire semester.
- Discourage word for word memorization of content whenever possible unless it's simply to learn vocabulary terms. International students may be from academic cultures where memorization is highly valued while critical and independent thinking is much more valuable in a U.S. academic culture.