Ready for You! International Student Program

Attention! Calling all international students to Washington Adventist University for the Fall 2021 semester! It’s been a long year away from campus, working at home overseas or safely quarantined elsewhere in the United States. WAU has pulled all the stops to prepare for your return. The International Student Program wants to welcome our new and returning students to a new year full of exciting opportunities.

The International Student Program is an integral part of WAU, dedicated to serving both undergraduate and graduate international students during their time here. “The program’s top priority is to support Washington Adventist University’s mission in helping its students achieve their academic and personal goals and in empowering them to become moral global citizens,” said Dr. Beulah Manuel, Director of the International Student Program/Designated School Official (DSO). From new student orientation and advising immigration and academic matters to providing resources for cultural adjustment, co-curricular programs and events, and opportunities for student engagement, the program is here to serve.

As a “home away from home,” we want to ensure that each of our students enjoys their university experience and integrates comfortably with the community around them. Therefore, the international student club, Global Thinkers, plans several activities to meet, converse, and enjoy local and international cuisine with other students. In addition, the club organizes events that celebrate cultures, heritage months, International Day, and even their home countries’ national holidays. Students are also welcome to join our Student Unions and other university clubs.

WAU’s proximity to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., has always been one of its greatest boons. One of the reasons a potential student might decide to attend school abroad is not just for better education but also to become immersed in the culture surrounding them and broaden their worldview. Washington, D.C., is a “salad bowl” of different cultures, races, religions, and ethnicities and offers a wealth of access to historical sites and monuments, art and history museums, theatres, libraries, and more. Our location also provides numerous churches with differing denominations for those who do not affiliate with the Seventh-day Adventist religion. With regional buses and the public metro system readily available, finding accessible transportation to any site is easy.

There are also opportunities to study abroad–from abroad–with some of our sister universities and colleges. Adventist Colleges Abroad (ACA) provides students with a chance to study in other countries like Argentina, France, Israel, Germany, and Taiwan. It is a unique opportunity for students to become immersed in another culture and learn their language while completing their program requirements from their home school.

Through and through, Washington Adventist University is an international campus. Much of our faculty and staff come worldwide, and the university offers several job positions that students can apply for on campus. International students automatically receive an international scholarship and can apply for academic and departmental scholarships to help with tuition costs. Our classrooms are the right size for inclusive learning, allowing students to work with teachers individually and become accustomed to the new environment. WAU and its International Student Program are here to support and make accommodations for each of its students to ensure the quality of their university experience.

The International Student Program is Ready For You! We have been hard at work to prepare a safe campus for our new and returning students. For our new international students, check that you have all your immigration and travel documents and the campus officials’ contact information once you have arrived. Be prepared to make the best of your experience at WAU!

Learn more here: Ready For You

For international student services, contact Dr. Beulah Manuel at bmanuel@wau.edu.