The experience of studying in the United States also comes with immigration requirements that can shape how international students experience college. International students typically must maintain their student-visa status throughout their studies, and changes in U.S. immigration policy and visa processing can affect students\u2019 ability to travel, return to the United States and plan for life after graduation.<\/p>\n
For some students, those restrictions can make going home during college more difficult.<\/p>\n
For Alessandra Perez, a sophomore fashion merchandising major from Panama, coming to TCU meant preparing to spend much of the next four years far from home. Before coming to Fort Worth, Perez wasn\u2019t sure what to expect from the people and the community at TCU.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat surprised me the most was the way people from the United States are very nice, and they really try to make you feel welcomed at TCU,\u201d Perez said. \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was going to be like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, she said being welcomed into a new community has not eliminated the difficulty of being far from family.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest challenge of living in a new country is not having my family nearby and having to travel six hours or more to see them,\u201d Perez said.<\/p>\n
For Mia Fondevila, a junior fashion merchandising and communication studies double major from Panama, adjusting to TCU meant getting used to being surrounded by people she did not already know.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Panama, it\u2019s a very small country, so everybody knows each other,\u201d Fondevila said. \u201cI\u2019m very used to knowing my whole school and many people outside of my school, so coming to TCU and not being able to have friends in all my classes was very different for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Nicole Diaz (left) and Mia Fondevila (right) at a game day tailgate for Nicole\u2019s birthday. (Courtesy of Mia Fondevila)<\/p>\n
Since arriving at TCU, Fondevila has built friendships with students from both the United States and countries including Panama, Ecuador, Honduras and Bolivia.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving made friends with so many different backgrounds has been an amazing experience,\u201d Fondevila said. \u201cI feel like now I have a much better understanding of how small the world is, and I love that I have so many friends from different parts of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
The distance from home can make ordinary parts of college feel different. Some students have to plan around visa requirements, international travel and the cost of flying home, while also adjusting to life in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n
For Monique Chalmers, a junior strategic communication major from Panama, one of those adjustments has been getting around Fort Worth without her own car. At home, Chalmers was used to having a car, but bringing it with her to Fort Worth was not possible because of the distance. Over time, she has found other ways to get around, including using the bikes available around campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest aspect for me in the change of being in another country would be not having my own car, which is something that I have back home,\u201d Chalmers said. \u201cI love riding the bikes that are around campus, which is another way to transport myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
International students could also encounter different expectations surrounding class participation, relationships with professors, group projects and assignments.<\/p>\n
Adrian Toledo, a senior finance major from Guatemala, said he noticed that classes in the U.S. were more discussion-based and encouraged students to participate more actively.<\/p>\n
At first, speaking up in class and adjusting to the more interactive classroom environment was difficult. As the semester continued, Toledo became more comfortable participating in discussions and learned to adjust to the expectations of his classes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like here, professors really want you to participate and share your opinion, whereas back home, it was more about listening to the professor and taking notes,\u201d said Toledo.<\/p>\n
For students who cannot easily return home, building a community at TCU can become especially important. Valeria Suarez, a junior supply chain major from Honduras, connected with other students through her classes and campus activities.<\/p>\n
Through attending campus events and spending time with other students outside of class, Suarez began forming friendships that helped TCU feel more like home.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to meet people here and have friends to spend time with has made TCU feel like a second home to me, especially since I can\u2019t just go home whenever I want,\u201d said Suarez.<\/p>\n
Those connections can also provide a way for international students to maintain parts of their home culture while living in the United States. Andrew Motta, a senior business management major from Panama, said spending time with other Panamanian students and eating familiar foods helps him stay connected to home.<\/p>\n
Motta says he tries to stay connected to home through food and has developed a close group of friends at TCU who have become a support system while he is away from his family.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have many friends from Panama, which is where I\u2019m from, and I also try to eat some home-cooked meals twice a week that remind me of home and make me feel as if I\u2019m home,\u201d Motta said.<\/p>\n
The broader immigration picture<\/p>\n
The experience of international students at TCU comes as international enrollment in the United States faces broader changes related to visas and immigration policy.<\/p>\n
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The Institute of International Education\u2019s 2025 Open Doors report found that U.S. colleges and universities hosted 1.2 million international students during the 2024\u201325 academic year. (Courtesy of the Institute of International Education)<\/p>\n