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With the number of international students growing year by year, the recent economic downturn hurt many international students at Cal State Long Beach.  

“I think the university takes too much money from international students,” said Ahn Songyi, an exchange student from Korea who currently has a hard time meeting the rigorous demands under a tight budget.

International students attend school under conditions which are different from domestic students. According to the U.S. Department of State, international students cannot get a security number which is a basic requirement to makes a contract such as housing. The only way they can take action without a social security is if they can get a campus job, so everything costs higher than students who are residents.

Moreover, the international students must take 12 units of classes to meet the requirements for their visa status and stay in the United States, but the colleges often cut class sizes due to the bad conditions of the economy, making it difficult for the students to enroll in enough courses to prevent deportation.

“I want to finish my degree as soon as possible so that I don’t have to waste my money anymore,” said senior theater art major Miho Nakamura from Japan.

Students must rely on their parents for support, but are made to feel guilty because they are far away from home and their parents are still working.

International students meets on campus at Cal State Long Beach
Photo by Nabih Faour