Amid uncertainty and different learning models related to the COVID-19 pandemic, international students are having a very different experience this year than what they had hoped when deciding to study abroad. More than 31,000 international students from 180 countries attend nearly 750 NAIS day and boarding schools. The majority of international students attending NAIS schools are from China (nearly 15,500 as of 2017), and now that most have returned home, schools are working hard to maintain connections with their students and parents, build community, and help faculty and staff members navigate social and cultural differences and other issues.Many international students attending NAIS schools were not able to return to the U.S. this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They had challenges securing their F-1 visas due to embassy closures or interview delays, there were travel restrictions and virus outbreaks in the U.S., and some schools decided to open entirely online. Meanwhile, some international students are in homestays doing distance learning, while others have opted to transfer to schools outside of the U.S., given the many attractive educational alternatives available to them in countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.K., or in their home countries.
Independent schools have long recognized their ability to prepare all students for a world in which global competencies are vital. This is why it remains critical, especially this year, for schools with international students to deepen their focus on retention and recruitment strategies, enhance communication to students and parents, provide additional emotional and academic support, offer flexible learning approaches, activate alumni and parent networks, and design new ways to build community in the online environment. The contributions international students make to their schools are prodigious, and they will continue to be so post-pandemic.
What Does Recruitment Look Like Now?
Admission directors are looking at how international recruitment could change post-pandemic and are developing best- and worst-case scenarios as the academic year continues. Schools are beginning to think about how they can visit with international families and agents if travel is not an option. Even if travel is an option, many admission directors may wait until later in the year. They are being even more flexible to accommodate online meetups in different time zones.Because of the uncertainty around travel, schools have the opportunity to leverage online connections. Zoom, along with WeChat and WhatsApp, are powerful tools that schools can use to share presentations they have traditionally used on the road to recruit new students and retain current ones. A communication plan, with a strong slide deck, video clips, and a virtual tour of the school, can help a school share the true essence of its program.
Recruiting homestay families will change, too. Schools that have homestay programs should start planning early and be proactive. They should also allow host families to learn from the families who have served in this role with the school before—it’s important to understand the school and what is required in terms of policies and practices. Onboarding a new family might be a bigger challenge because of the many unknowns, but schools must open the lines of communications and share scenarios, get to know their families, and understand the family and student potential health risks.
Work with agents remains important. Regular newsletters or emails can keep them up to date on school policies and COVID-19—related decisions. If distance learning continues through the academic year, it is important to communicate the ongoing value of the school to both ensure retention of current students and to encourage prospective families. Schools should consider participation in virtual fairs or information sessions, and during those events, share videos, online classes, performances, and more.
Relationship-Building with International Families
One of the most important retention strategies is to nurture and grow relationships with parents and students and to convey that the school genuinely cares about the child and their education, including their academic and social experiences. An essential component of this strategy is being aware of and well-versed in the social and cultural norms of the student’s country of origin.In China, for example, parents are practical, transactional, and relational, and they often make their life decisions on the basis of their children’s education. In many countries, including China and Vietnam, the mother makes most of the education decisions for the child. In other cultures, it may be the father. Identify those who make the decisions for your school’s international students, and tell them that you know their child and what they are going through; keep them informed about how the school plans to support the child’s journey and experience while at school or in an online environment. As much as possible, the head should connect with international families because they value knowing that the senior school leader knows and cares about their child.
Many parents of international students do not speak English, and messages can get lost in translation. For Chinese students, it can be helpful to identify a staff member who speaks Mandarin and who can communicate with parents about their child and their educational and social development. Many Chinese students come from a school system with large class sizes and where students are not well-known or supported, which is why Chinese parents (and other international parents) are keenly interested in an independent school’s personal connection to their child.
Schools have surveyed parents to find out whether they are communicating enough with international families, and they have received mixed responses: Some families want more communication, while others want less. Identifying the right communication strategy and the best communication channels by country is important.
Student Health and Well-Being
Schools should be aware of international students’ health and well-being. Many students had to quarantine for two weeks when they departed their schools in the U.S. and arrived back home. Some of them may be dealing with grief or sick family members, while others have to wake up in the middle of the night or stay up late to sync with their classes in the United States. Empathy is especially critical now.While student social and emotional wellness is a top priority for independent schools, many societies do not openly discuss the subject. School counselors should learn more about the needs of international students and develop a strategy to work around the challenges of counseling students online during the pandemic.
Many school advisers and counselors are devoting significant time to guide students through this difficult period. Students who have been in on- or off-campus residential accommodations are adjusting to living at home again, while other students are sad about not being able to say goodbye to friends who are graduating this year. Advisers and counselors are helping students navigate these and other issues, such as improving emotional and mental health and navigating the college counseling process.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all facets of life and education, and schools with F-1 international students have had to navigate additional pandemic-related challenges. Students are at the heart of our international programs, and as schools navigate these challenging times, they must better communicate with current and prospective parents as well as those who are involved in recruiting the students we need in our schools.
The article was adapted from NAIS resources at nais.org/learn/knowledge-center/global-and-international.
Go Deeper
Explore the many NAIS resources related to international students and global education in the time of COVID-19.Overview & Best Practices
- Resource: “An Overview of School Options for International Students in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
- NAIS Webinar Takeaways: “International Student Best Practices Before, During, and After COVID-19”
- NAIS Webinar Takeaways: “Recruiting International Students During and Post COVID-19”
- Resource: “International Students and Parents: Building Stronger Relationships During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
- NAIS Webinar Takeaways: “Supporting International Students During and Post COVID-19”
- Resource: “Supporting Your Chinese Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights from NAIS Schools”