iThrive: An International Student’s Guide to Thriving in the U.S. is designed to support prospective and current international students to develop a growth mindset, deeper awareness of themselves, and a broader understanding of the resources available to them.
Section 1: “Getting Started” provides reflection questions to help readers examine why they want to study abroad and includes tips on applying to schools/programs.
Section 2: “Surviving Thriving in the U.S.” explores adapting to cultural differences, attending to holistic health, making friends, and planning for finances, academics, and career steps to help readers build a more balanced life in the U.S.
Section 3: “Advice for Staff and Faculty on Supporting International Students” focuses on practical ways that professionals working in higher education can support students in from before they arrive on campus through graduation and beyond.
By completing this workbook, international students will find themselves more prepared when facing challenges. They will be ready not just to survive but to THRIVE during their time in school.
Inside iTHRIVE You Will Find:
✅Tips and recommendations that go beyond getting into universities, colleges, undergraduate programs, and graduate programs.
✅U.S.-specific resources and examples related to academic success, physical/spiritual/mental health, financial wellness, and more from published research and the author’s own experience.
✅Practical suggestions for staff and faculty members to better support international students.
Author
Meet Dr. Lei Wang
(she/her/她)
Lei Wang, Ph.D., a former international student, is now an international scholar and licensed psychologist. She earned her doctorate in counseling psychology with a minor in health behavior from Indiana University Bloomington. Prior to that, she attended the University of Missouri to pursue her master’s in counseling psychology and the National Taiwan Normal University for her bachelor’s in educational psychology and counseling. She studies mental health among Asian international and Asian American college students. Her clinical specialties are English/Mandarin bilingual therapy and working with college students with historically marginalized identities. Lei is committed to serving the international community and working with them to become the best versions of themselves.
References and Resources
Take a look and enjoy!
Section 1
Getting started
Chapter 1: Why do I want to study in the U.S.?
- Reasons why everyone wants to study in the U.S.: https://www.mastersportal.com/articles/839/5-reasons-why-everyone-wants-to-study-in-the-us.html
- 7 Reasons why students think U.S.A. is the holygrail of higher education: https://www.mastersportal.com/articles/1216/7-reasons-why-students-think-usa-is-the-holy-grail-of-higher-education.html
- Open Doors Data fromthe Institute of International Education: https://opendoorsdata.org/
Chapter 2: Now that I’ve decided that I want to pursue an education in the U.S., what’s next?
- U.S. News Rankings: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/
- Open Doors Data from the Institute of International Education: https://opendoorsdata.org/
Chapter 3: Help! What do I do with the applications and interviews?
- University of Missouri Career Center on writing a resume: https://career.missouri.edu/resumes-cover-letters/writing-a-resume/
Chapter 5: Planning Ahead: Connecting with currentstudents, securing housing, purchasing textbooks, and making travel plans
Securing Housing
Section 2
Thriving in the U.S.
Chapter 7: Learning about U.S. history and culture
- Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Chapter 8: Homesickness, psychological adjustment, and facing discrimination
Homesickness
- Wang, K. T., Wei, M., Zhao, R., Chuang, C. C.,& Li, F. (2015). The Cross-Cultural Loss Scale: Development and psychometric evaluation. Psychological Assessment, 27(1), 42-53. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000027
Psychological Adjustment and Identity Shifts
- Schartner, A., & Young, T. J. (2016) Towards an integrated conceptual model of international student adjustment and adaptation. European Journal of Higher Education, 6(4),372-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2016.1201775
- Berry, J. W. (1994). Acculturation and psychological adaptation. In A.-M. Bouvy, F. J. R. van de Vijver, P. Boski, & P. Schmitz (Eds.), Journeys intocross cultural psychology (pp. 129–141). Swets & Zeitlinger.
- Fries-Britt, S., Mwangi, C. A. G., & Peralta,A. M. (2014). Learning race in a U.S. context: An emergent framework on the perceptions of race among foreign-born students. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 7(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035636
Discrimination and Stereotypes
- Walton, J., & Truong, M. (2023). A review ofthe model minority myth: Understanding the social, educational and health impacts. Ethnic & Racial Studies, 46(3), 391-419. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2022.2121170
- Ukpokodu, O. N. (2018). African immigrants, the “New Model Minority”: Examining the reality in US K-12 schools. The Urban Review, 50, 69-96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-017-0430-0
Chapter 9: Attendingto your physical, mental, and spiritual health
Mental and Emotional Health
- National Suicide Prevention and Crisis Support Lifeline: 988 and suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Chapter 11: Takingcare of your financial well-being
H1B Visa and Green Card
- https://h1bgrader.com/
- GetGood with Money written by Tiffany "the Budgetnista" Aliche
Chapter 12: Thriving in academics
- The Guide to Thrive: http://wp.due.uci.edu/ucifirstgen/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/09/SSI-Guide-to-Thrive.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0ZMEWtdyRoxJmWgcveXVXdlWio4SpFvTOlXIESki4yvJCuOjklG81eZck)
- Letters to My Sisters and Brothers: PracticalAdvice to Successfully Navigate Academia as a Student of Color by Dr. Nelson O. O. Zounlome: https://letterstomysistersandbrothers.com/
- Developing a Graduate School Thrive Mindset course: https://grad-school-thrive-mindset.thinkific.com/courses/developing-a-graduate-school-thrive-mindset
- National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity: www.facultydiversity.org
Advice for Staff and Faculty on Supporting International Students
Supporting International Students in the Classroom
CIP Code
- https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/additional-resources/eligible-cip-codes-for-the-stem-opt-extension
- https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/stem-list.pdf https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Default.aspx?y=56
Additional Resources
- Bender, M., van Osch, Y., Sleegers, W., & Ye,M. (2019). Social support benefits psychological adjustment of international
students: Evidence from a meta-analysis. Journalof Cross-Cultural Psychology, 50(7), 827-847. https://doi.org/110.1177/0022022119861151 - Zhang, J., & Goodson, P. (2011). Predictorsof international students’ psychosocial adjustment to life in the United States: A systematic review. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 35(2),139–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2010.11.011
- Onyenekwu, I. U. (2017). Providing culturally relevant services for international Black African collegians in the United States: A guide for student affairs professionals. Journal of International Students, 7(4), 1113-1125. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1035975
- Cho, J., & Yu, H. (2015). Roles of universitysupport for international students in the United States: Analysis of asystematic model of university identification, university support, and psychological well-being. Journal of Studies in International Education, 19(1),11–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315314533606
- Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard--Erin Meyer: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5R9vPmkDFBi4iWaEY7fMS6?si=Hd-9vNT8TbmS8QumYBoGiA&utm_source=sms
