The new statistic marks a slight increase from last year, when six percent of the class was comprised of non-U.S. citizens. Yet, none of these figures include permanent U.S. residents, U.S. dual citizens or U.S. citizens living or raised abroad. "There's more of an international flavor here than the numbers reflect," noted Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Tom Parker.
The incoming international students come from 20 different countries including Bulgaria, Canada, China, India, Republic of Korea, Romania, Vietnam and the United Kingdom, among many others. According to Parker, the greatest number of international applicants tend to come from Bulgaria, Romania, India, Pakistan and China
Parker explained that the decisions of international students to apply to the College and other U.S. institutions depends largely on the quality of higher education in their home countries. "Very few Western European students apply to Amherst or other U.S. institutions because the education system there is adequate enough to accommodate them," said Parker. "In Eastern Europe, for example, the infrastructure is not adequate for the students who want to go to university, so the excess demand looks to Great Britain and the U.S."
Bogdan State '09, a student from Romania, explained that higher education institutes in the U.S. appealed to him because of the option to attend a liberal arts school. "You cannot get a liberal arts environment anywhere else," he said.
The College invests substantial time and resources to recruit international students. Each year, representatives from the admission office travel extensively to destinations including Africa, Asia and Europe to recruit students. Parker reflected upon his own travels as a representative of the College. "It's a lot of hard work, but I enjoy it," he said. "It feels worthwhile to be making a difference not only for Amherst but also for the rest of the world."
Many international students claim to have heard about the College in a variety of ways. A few international students first found out about Amherst through the college rankings in the U.S. News & World Report. Others were introduced to college admission representatives in an international college fair in Europe.
Although the College makes a point to introduce Amherst to students around the world, the same rigorous standards for admission, including academic achievement, extra-curricular involvement and high test scores, apply to international student applicants.
The admissions committee is well-informed about various education systems around the world. For instance, international applicants to the College commonly take part in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at their high schools. "The IB program," Parker said, "is seriously devoted to the idea that these students will become leaders in their own countries and that they will develop an international outlook."
Amherst is not need-blind for applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada. The College is currently taking steps to reevaluate its capacity to offer need-blind admissions to international applicants.
Although the College is not currently need-blind for this group, other financial alternatives do exist. The prestigious Davis United World College Scholars grant program underwrites Amherst's recruiting trips to affiliated schools and provides need-based grants of up to $10,000 for each student that the College accepts.
For many international students, affording Amherst tuition may be the most challenging part to beginning a successful career at the College. To make every other facet of adjusting to American life as stress-free as possible for new students, team of returning students dedicate their time to making international students feel comfortable.
The International Students Association (ISA), a student-run organization on campus, makes special effort to welcome new students to campus. The group arranges trips to pick up new students at the airport and organizes orientation events. The upperclassmen also advise the incoming students on various tricks of Amherst and U.S. life such as how to set up their phones and computers with international connections and where to shop.
Jonathan Andicoechea '09 was thrilled when he arrived at the airport and students from the ISA were there to greet him, "I had bags full of clothes, and they helped me carry them to my room," he said. "We had dinner together, went shopping and went out for ice cream all through orientation. It was a very nice way to transition. I was able to meet people who were all relating to each other before being overwhelmed with school."
This is State's first time in the U.S., and his experience has been positive so far. He appreciates the open and accepting environment on campus. "I was warned that people would ask silly questions like, 'Do you have central heating in Romania?' This has not happened," he said. "The College has likewise exceeded Andicoechea's expectations. "I thought the campus would be flat, not a small mountain. But other than that, it has been everything I expected and more," he concluded.