KRISTEN'S STORY

Even though she had already made plans to return to her old university, she heeded God’s directions. By staying at Southeastern, Kristen learned a crucial lesson: to bloom where she was planted… >>

International Student Resource Office

International studentsIf you’re from another country and preparing to study in the U.S., you’re about to make a big leap. Southeastern wants to make that leap easier. Let’s take a look at your possible future. Imagine it: You’ve considered your options, you’ve prayed about them, and God has given you a go-ahead signal, your acceptance to Southeastern University.

As you set out on this life-changing journey, you make one final check for the essentials: Passport? Got it. Visa? Right here. Faith? Couldn’t leave home without that! But wait—here’s one more: the phone number of Southeastern’s International Student Resource Office (ISRO), (863) 667-5215. Once you connect with ISRO, your arrival at Southeastern starts to seem a little like coming home.

Like every student who comes to Southeastern, you enter a loving, Christ-centered community that simultaneously boosts your intellect and your faith, preparing you to honor God in whatever profession you choose. As an international student here, you receive a particularly warm welcome. We realize that in leaving your home country, you make a bold, brave choice.

Shalini Newbigging, who came from Bombay, India, to study at Southeastern, says, “The atmosphere of love and encouragement here exceeded all my expectations. At first I did feel homesick for my family, but it soon passed. People took me in like a sister.”

Now busy and flourishing, Newbigging shares her wisdom: “It’s not always easy to live in a culture different from your own, but trust God’s purpose. He’ll take care of the details.”

In the task of detail-managing, one of God’s best helpers at Southeastern is ISRO.

ISRO: ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED

The International Student Resource Office, headed by our international student advisor, exists to smooth the wrinkles in your experience of entering, understanding, and enjoying Southeastern University.

Besides the occasional bout of homesickness and the daily challenges of adapting to American culture, your new life includes bureaucratic details that can make your head spin: the exact number of course hours specified by your F-1 visa; the regular check-ins required by the U.S. immigration system; the rules for traveling outside the U.S.; the government regulations you must satisfy if you want to work at an on-campus job or drive a car. But help is close at hand. Whatever you need to know, you can start with ISRO. Have I registered for the right classes? How can I get a job on campus? Should I set up a bank account? And can someone take me to the bank? For questions like these—and countless others—our ISRO staff members have ready answers. What’s more, this office also keeps your future in mind. Through programs that anticipate your needs and stimulate your independence, ISRO supports the vision that Southeastern holds for all our students: a life of world-changing leadership.