International Students

Welcome to the Nicholas School! Here are some tips, mostly things we’ve learned from current international students, to help you before you arrive at the Nicholas School and after you are here.

Before you arrive:

The best resource for general information useful to international students from all parts of Duke University is the International House (http://ihouse.studentaffairs.duke.edu). The International House will host a New Student Fall Orientation for international graduate and professional students on Thursday, August 13 at 9:00am. Please take a moment to read this letter that provides further details about the Orientation session (International House Orientation pdf). You can also visit their web site to find information on various things you’ll need to know both before and after you arrive in Durham – finding housing, learning English, arranging for banking, etc. 

Another resource for international students is the Duke Visa Services Office, which is the department that handles all visa processing. For information regarding visa status or any other general visa information, please visit their website directly (http://www.visaservices.duke.edu/main.html). According to Immigration regulations, all international students entering with an F or J visa are required to register with the Duke Visa Services Office. Please read this Visa Registration (pdf) memo that includes important information about when and where you can go to complete your registration with their office.

Please take a moment to read this memo [Memo from Lynn Maguire and Cynthia Peters (pdf)] from Dr. Lynn Maguire, Director of Professional Studies and Cynthia Peters, Assistant Dean for Enrollment Services. It contains important information regarding the diagnostic testing requirements for all international students.

The Nicholas School tries to assign a second-year Nicholas School student as a “mentor” to each international student so that there is someone you can email to ask questions before you arrive. Please feel free to ask your second year mentor questions about both academic and non-academic aspects of enrolling in the Nicholas School.

After you arrive:

Orientation:

1. International students are required to take both written and spoken English placement tests to make sure they are ready to do well in graduate classes at Duke. You may view a schedule for the English Language Diagnostic Exams that will be given on Tuesday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 19, here (English Language Diagnostic Exam pdf). Please make sure you register for the speaking exam starting July 15, 2009. You do not have to register to take the written exam. If you need more English instruction, you’ll be required to enroll in one, or possibly two, classes in speaking or writing English given through the Duke Graduate School (these classes generally do not count toward the 48 credits for the MEM/MF degrees, but if you are required to take two English courses, you may count 3 out of the 6 credits toward graduation).
2. The student-led orientation to the Nicholas School Honor Code Policy is required, so be sure you attend.
3. Choosing courses – be careful not to take too many classes with heavy reading and writing requirements (e.g., policy, law) or with grading based largely on oral presentation during your first semester, while you are adjusting to the English language.

Improving your English:

1. Speak English at school (even with others from your home country)
2. Live with English-speaking students
3. Take advantage of English language partners, English classes – see International House web site and Duke Continuing Education (www.learnmore.duke.edu)
4. Listen to news programs in English

Classes:

1. Listening to lectures and taking notes – if you’re having trouble
   1. Ask the instructor to write out key vocabulary words
   2. Ask permission to tape-record the lectures
   3. See if there are lecture notes available on the course web page or from the instructor
   4. Ask to borrow notes from an American student
   5. Go to office hours of the instructor and/or teaching assistant to clarify your notes
2. Study groups and group projects
   1. Get into groups that include American students
   2. If you are having trouble organizing a group, ask the instructor to help set up groups
   3. Be sure you are clear on what work (e.g., homework problems) can be done in groups and what can’t
   4. Ask American students to help proofread written work for group projects
3. Exams
   1. Ask instructor if any accommodations for non-native speakers are acceptable – e.g., more time, use of English-native language dictionary, use of “bullet points” instead of complete sentences
4. Written reports
   1. Take advantage of writing consultants provided by Duke's Writing Studio and, if more extensive help is needed, writing consultants paid for by the student The Writing Studio has resources specific to nonnative English speakers (e.g., http://uwp.aas.duke.edu/wstudio/resources/eslefl.html).
5. Oral Presentations
   1. Take advantage of the coaching provided by the English for International Students (EIS) Program.

Tips from current students:

1. Plan to arrive the week before the NS orientation, so that you can attend the orientation given by the International House.
2. The International-House orientation gives an especially helpful session on academic integrity and the Duke University honor code and on differences in style of courses in American universities.
3. International students get priority for on-campus housing in the Central Campus apartments until May 1.
4. The Duke Community Housing office web site surveys students about apartment complexes and neighborhoods (http://cho.duhs.duke.edu/survey_results.php).
5. You cannot apply for a Social Security number until after you arrive in the US. You must have a job offer from an on-campus employer in order to apply for a Social Security number. When you check in with the International Office upon your arrival on campus they can provide you with more details about the application process.  International House takes students to the Social Security office once a week in the early part of the semester.
6. There’s a student discussion board on the Nicholas School web site that can be used to ask questions about housing and other issues (http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/people/students/bb-down.html). Caution: sometimes these boards aren’t used very frequently.
7. The International House also maintains a Wiki site to put international students in touch with each other before and after they arrive in Durham.
8. The Nicholas School has a listserv (profinter@nicholas.duke.edu) for all current and new international professional students.  You are added to the list as soon as you accept admission to the school.  You may post any questions, doubts or concerns you may have to this list, and current international students will try to help you find answers. When you write to the listserv you must send the email from your Duke email address or your message will be delayed for review and approval/rejection by the list administrator.

Working

Note that many on-campus jobs prefer to hire work-study students, and international students are not eligible for work-study.  However, international students do often find jobs on campus, including at the library and at the Nasher Art Museum. Be very cautious about agreeing to work more than 10 hours per week, including any assistantship work that you do in the Nicholas School.  Especially in the first semester, your Nicholas School coursework will be a full-time job in itself.

CPT/OPT

CPT/OPT requirements for internships and post-graduation work in the U.S.:

Duke International Office is the authority on what’s required of you to arrange for CPT or OPT, so visit their website here >: and talk to the I-Office staff about your plans.

CPT applies to internships while you’re a student (e.g., in the summer between academic years). In addition to the form from I-Office , the NS Career Services office has a template for the letter you need explaining how your internship fits into your MEM/MF program – you can add your own information to that template for your MP advisor’s signature.

OPT applies to students planning to seek employment for 12 months in the U.S. following graduation. OPT does not guarantee employment in the U.S., but it is necessary documentation for accepting an offer to work in the U.S. Again, I-Office is the authority on forms and who signs what. Start your application a few months before your graduation date and do your best to anticipate when you are likely to start working in a U.S. job (because your 12 months of permitted work using OPT will start on that date whether you actually have a job then or not).

Link to Sample OPT Recommendation letter >

Link to OPT travel Checklist >

For more information, contact the Office of Professional Studies