International Students
According to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS), the number of international students in the US amounted to 1,411,397 as of 2018 (SEVIS, 2018), of which 1.2 million hold an F or M visa 1. Roughly 85% are enrolled in associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programs; nearly 50% are from China or India: and approximately 35% study at SEVP-certified schools in California, New York or Texas. 1
UTRGV enrolls over 700 international students from 62 different countries, with 22% of graduate and 78% of undergraduate students. 2
International students may experience adjustment difficulties due to:
- Language
- Cultural barriers / culture shock
- Lack of a supportive network
- Pressure due to high academic expectations
- Feelings of isolation
- Lack of resources (financial, academic, medical, etc.)
These factors could increase the potential of being victimized.
International students at UTRGV have access to multiple resources to assist them in responding to incidents of power-based violence. The Office of Advocacy & Violence Prevention is committed to providing FREE, ACCESSIBLE, and CONFIDENTIAL resources to all international students associated with UTRGV. In addition, staff and faculty may access the following resources:
- International Admissions and Student Services (IASS) provides support to our UTRGV international student population. Their services include: Advising on international admissions requirements from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Conducting orientation and cultural events to help international students to integrate and adjust to the new academic, cultural, and social life at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Serving as a liaison with U.S. governmental agencies, U.S. Consulates, and sponsors that support international student education; Connecting international student population with the community, volunteer programs, student organizations, and campus services available to them. You can contact IASS by emailing international@utrgv.edu or calling (Edinburg) 956-665-2922 (Brownsville) 956-882-7092.
- The Office of Title IX & Equal Opportunity (OTIXEO) promotes UTRGV's commitment to provide a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment that is free of discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. OTIXEO investigates and responds to internal and external complaints of discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation and coordinates and administers the University’s Title IX response and compliance requirements. You can contact OTIXEO via email at otixeo@utrgv.edu or by calling 956-665-2103.
- UTRGV Police Department protects and serves the campus community of students, faculty, staff and visitors throughout the Rio Grande Valley Region by providing professional law enforcement services and actively promoting community involvement through progressive community policing partnership strategies and a commitment to education. The department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the event of an emergency, please call 956-882-4911. For non-emergencies, you can call 956-665-7151.
- Student Health Services Clinic has the purpose to meet students’ health care needs, so that they can focus and achieve their academic goals. Office visits are free of charge and they provide the same types of services as a family doctor and much more. Their services are confidential and at low costs to students in both the Edinburg and Brownsville campuses. You can contact the Student Health Center by calling (Edinburg) 956-665-2511 (Brownsville) 956-882-3896.
- Student Food Pantry assists students in need at UTRGV by providing food supplements to those who have been impacted by financial problems/conditions and subsequently are experiencing difficulty meeting their basic need of adequate nutrition. You can contact the Student Food Pantry by calling 956-665-7126 (Edinburg) or 956-882-3663 (Brownsville)
- YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM VIOLENCE IN YOUR HOME: Questions and Answers for Immigrant and Refugee Women produced by the Family Violence Prevention Fund . This resource is available on their website in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Russian, and Korean.
Please view our comprehensive lists of campus resources and community resources.
1 SEVIS (2018) SEVIS by the Number Report: Biannual Report on International Student Trends, 2018.
2 UTRGV International Admissions and Student Services (2018) Facts & Statistics.