International Student Stories
As the pandemic first exploded in the United States in early spring, international students had to make a tough call: Should they find a way to stay on campus or return to their home countries to wait for the situation to resolve itself? The crisis intensified in many locations across the world, making it nearly impossible for international students who had returned home to make it back to campus by the start of the 2020-21 academic year.
The hurdles were significant for these students, as they faced travel restrictions, limited flight options and closed U.S. embassies. The University was charged with creating viable and accessible solutions that supported all students in their academic progress. Notre Dame International was also working with partners on campus and abroad to create innovative programs that keep students engaged with the Notre Dame community. Determining the available options was not an easy task, specifically for first-year international undergraduate and graduate students.