International Students Become CASNR Cowboys
by Becky Rowles

Oklahoma State University is now “home” to many international students. They attend OSU because of its reputation in other countries, but what does it take for them to become Cowboys?

OSU has a prominent College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. As of spring 2006, 2,231 students were enrolled in CASNR. Among those enrolled were 127 international graduate students.

“OSU is a very prestigious university in the USA,” said Claudia Cerruto, food science master’s student from Bolivia.

When international students come to OSU to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in agriculture, many say they hope to one day return to their homelands, help better rural lands and improve food safety.

“Think of the graduate program at OSU like a machine,” said David Henneberry, assistant dean of international programs in agriculture. “The domestic students are the machine, and the international students are the sprockets that keep the machine running. Without the international students, OSU’s graduate program would not be as strong as it is.”

To be eligible for enrollment at OSU, an international student must go through a series of exams and applications that can take months to complete, according to the OSU Graduate College. The process is long and grueling, and many do not realize the extent of the process.

First, the students must apply to the OSU Graduate College and meet specific enrollment deadlines. The international admissions application can be completed online or be mailed to the student.

A $75 fee is due with the application. If the student is not accepted on the first try, a $25 fee will be charged for every additional application.

All transcripts or foreign mark sheets must accompany the application. If the student has received a diploma or a degree certificate, all verification is sent with the application.

Liliana Ramos, veterinarian and an international meat science master’s student from Chihuahua, Mexico, came to OSU for an internship before applying to the OSU Graduate College for a degree from CASNR.

“I knew Dr. Henneberry from a trip he had made to Mexico,” Ramos said. “Dr. Henneberry invited me to tour the college and gave me the opportunity to come for an internship to learn the English language.”

Ramos, like many other international students, had to learn English before applying to OSU.

“I am fortunate that I had a semester at OSU before applying to the graduate college,” Ramos said. “I got to know the people on campus, found an adviser and decided what I exactly wanted to do.”

The second step for international students is to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The prospective students must score above a 213 on the computerized test or they can take the written exam scoring a 550 to pass the TOEFL, according to the OSU Graduate College.

“I didn’t know English when I came to OSU,” Ramos said. “Before I could apply to the graduate school, I had to take a semester to learn the language through the English Language Institute. After an intense semester was over, I took the TOEFL.”

For an international student to receive employment or an assistantship, the student must demonstrate an acceptable level of English as a second language. Employment requires demonstrated proficiency on the Test of Spoken English or by taking OSU’s version of the Spoken English Assessment Kit. The test score is used as a condition of employment and doesn’t affect admission into the university.

“I ended up being very lucky,” Ramos said. “I got an assistantship.”

Once students pass both the TOEFL and the TSE, they must participate in the international teaching assistant orientation and evaluation workshop to teach in the classroom. After orientation, the students who pass the Spoken English Assement Kit and International Teaching Assistant tests will be eligible to teach.

After a student has applied to the university and passed the language tests, the third thing he or she must do is apply for a visa. Students have two options when applying for visas.

Students can apply for an F-1 visa, which allows them to stay in the United States and gain work experience upon graduation.

Students also can apply for a J-1 visa, which allows them to attend a U.S. school, but must return to their country upon graduation.

“I applied for an F-1 visa because I was unsure what I wanted to do after graduation,” Ramos said. “Food safety is a large concern in Mexico. I want to help improve our export relations and the safety of the food, and so I will return to Mexico.”

After students have their visas, financial verification has to be shown.

“Students have to show that they have financial support, either in their bank account or through their government,” Henneberry said.

The cost of education is high for international students. They have to demonstrate financial security to ensure the university they will be able to repay their financial obligations.

“I had to show that I had money in the bank to cover my expenses while at OSU before my visa would be issued,” Ramos said.

International students are not eligible for U.S. financial assistance. Students are, however, able to apply for financial assistance through their home country to help pay for their schooling. In addition, the students are eligible to work on campus or receive an assistantship that is paid through a grant.

“I received the Fulbright Scholarship to attend OSU from Bolivia,” Cerruto said.

The experience an international student gains at OSU is memorable and will last a lifetime, said Linda Guenther, meats lab manager.

“The experience I have gained at OSU has been great,” said Stanley Thomas, food science master’s student from India. “I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.”

Thomas is not the only international graduate student glad to be at OSU; Ramos agrees.

“OSU is famous in Mexico,” Ramos said. “Everyone wants to come here to go to school.”

 

For more information about international admissions, call the OSU Graduate College at (405) 744-6368 or visit www.gradcollege.okstate.edu.