Universities and colleges in the United States are trying new programs for international students to increase enrollment and income.International middle school

Some universities are experimenting with bringing international high school students to their campuses. These programs permit students to complete their high school diploma while earning college credit at the same time.

University campus, high school and college credit

One example of this model is at the University of Southern Maine, or USM. The program is called the “International Academy”. The school is expecting its first class of international high school students this fall.Joanna Evans is the director for the academy. The program is officially a “boarding school on a university campus” that serves 11th and 12th grade international high school students only.

The students will take classes at the University of Southern Maine to complete their high school diploma. However, because the classes are university-level, the students will receive college credit at the same time.

According to Evans, the students they recruit will have to be very strong. Their course schedule will be the same as taking only advanced-placement courses. The goal is that, by the time they complete their high school diploma at the academy, they will be ready to start college as a third-year college student.Their English language skills also must be strong. The Academy looks for students with a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL score of 79, or a 6.5 on the International English Testing System, or IELTS. However, there are classes available to provide additional English language training when the students arrive if they need it.

All incoming students at the academy are required to take a college writing class their first semester. If English is not their first language, they will take a class taught by instructors with a background in teaching students who speak English as a foreign language.

Although they are only high school students, the expectations are the same as for college students. Evans says that faculty are not asked to change how they teach.“Students need to be ready to take university classes, and that is the deal” Evans said.When the University of Southern Maine first decided to create the academy, the goal was to increase the enrollment at the university. Enrollment was down at USM. Evans noted that “any institution that offers a broad range of programming has to maintain enrollment to maintain programming.”

The university also wanted to increase school revenue. For state institutions in the U.S., in-state students pay much less than out-of-state or international students.

Schools across the U.S. have found that increasing their number of international students brings in more money. International students simply pay more to enroll.

However, there are many academic benefits for students as well, Evans says.

“What’s really important, in terms of offering a high-quality education, is helping students have the opportunity to work with people who come from different backgrounds,” Evans said. “Learning to work effectively with people who are different from themselves is a world skill, a life skill, and a 21st century skill.”

By increasing the diversity in lower-level university classes, Evans explains, the American students get experience with international students, and vice-versa.