Study-in-the-States Portal Helps International Students

Foreign students studying in the US play several important roles. Students from abroad are important in research, particularly in science and engineering, where there continues to be a shortage of U.S. students. Another reason many research universities are seeking to expand their international research capacity is that foreign students can bridge together an international network, thus improving foreign relations with the U.S.

Nearly 820,000 international students were enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities in the 2012-13 year, thus the need for an efficient website which is able to assist both international students and school officials. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched the Study-in-the-States Initiative in 2011, to “examine regulatory changes, expand public engagement between the government and academia, and provide a central on-line information hub for DHS and its agency partners to provide current and prospective students with updated and relevant visa requirements in a streamlined, user-friendly format.” The goal is to encourage the best and brightest foreign students to study and remain in the U.S. by providing a portal which can serve as a liaison between the students and their respective institutions.

Through the Study-in-the-States portal, the government has made an effort to keep the most up-to-date information available, with the most recent enhancements being added at the end of June 2014. The following updates were made:

• An ask a question section;
• An interactive glossary;
• An improved school search page;
• A mobile-ready version of the website;
• Streamlining for ease of navigation.

With hundreds of thousands of international students studying in the U.S., it is important to make their transition as easy as possible, and the Study-in-States portal serves as a good resource for reliable information when attempting to navigate the complex U.S. foreign student process.

Sharma Law Offices, LLC is a highly rated boutique immigration law firm operating out of Atlanta and is always available to assist you with any questions or concerns about the international student system and/or process. Please feel free to contact us.