International Students

International students comprise nearly 16 percent of the Mount Holyoke College student population and represent over 65 different countries. Their unique global perspective enriches campus life both in and outside the classroom, as they are actively engaged as leaders in student organizations. The primary academic issues in advising international students have to do with previous language experience and the advanced nature of courses in many international educational systems. An additional component of advising international students is the recognition of social and cultural adjustments that are superimposed on the normal developmental transitions for these students. We urge you to read the section on cross-cultural advising in this handbook. Use the information in this section to gain insights that will make your relationship with your advisee an interesting and more effective one.
Special Requirements and Policies for International Students
Language Requirement
Please note that international students do not automatically fulfill the College language requirement merely because their native language is not English. However, many students for whom English is a second language may fulfill the foreign language requirement by virtue of the fact that they have studied their native language in school or have attended a school in which their native language was the language of instruction. Students who wish to fulfill the requirement in this manner must contact Donna Van Handle, Dean of International Students, after they have reviewed the information on the Global Initiatives web site.

Permission To Work
International students are permitted to work on campus, but normally cannot work off campus. In some instances, students may obtain special permission from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), depending on the nature of the employment. There is more detailed information available on the Global Initiatives web site.

English as an Advising Issue for International Students
The English language skills of international students range from those who read, write, and speak fluently to those who need to polish their grammar and/or work on their speaking skills. No matter their level of fluency, most international students benefit from taking an English or appropriate writing-intensive course during their first semester. Even the most fluent international student is usually unfamiliar with the conventions of American academic English. Most will need to learn how to construct an argument, structure an academic paper, and prepare a bibliography and footnotes consistent with U.S. standards. Students are best advised to learn these things in their first semester.

All students admitted to Mount Holyoke are able to do college level work in English. However, it may be useful to talk with advisees about their comfort level with the language. This should be taken into consideration as they select courses with substantial reading and writing components.

Some students for whom English is a second language may wish to consider two English courses, which have been designed to address their special needs. Note that neither course fulfills a distribution requirement:

English 103: English for Multilingual Speakers I
This writing-intensive course will enable international and multilingual students to refine their English writing skills by focusing on subjects such as grammar, style, usage, textual analysis and research techniques at the college level. It can be taken as a single course in the fall semester or as part of a two-course sequence with English 104s in the spring semester.

English 105 (01): Writing Across Cultures 
This course is designed as a workshop for international and multilingual students who want to improve their critical reading and writing skills. We will explore the forms of academic discourse through analysis, argument, and research. Readings may include short stories, poetry, drama, and essays. In class, we'll explore themes of culture and identity. Attention will be given to speaking skills through class discussion and oral presentations.
Advanced Standing Credit
International students may be eligible for advanced standing credit based on their results for exams such as the A-Levels, the International Baccalaureate (I.B.), the French Baccalaureate, and the German Abitur. The Registrar makes the final decision on the award of transfer credit.

For all of the exams discussed below, general credit toward the degree is awarded. Credit is not really awarded to specific subjects/course work. No department is bound to recognize any of the subjects toward major requirements if it does not wish to do so. If a student does not receive credit for an exam, she may still petition a department for distribution or for entrance into a more advanced course in the subject. English and economics).

A-Levels (General Certificate of Education)
For A-level exams, Mount Holyoke awards 32 credits if a student does the normal set of four exams or more with grades of A to C. Otherwise, she will receive 8 credits for each individual exam. The college does not award credit for O-level exams.

International Baccalaureate (I.B.)
The "full I.B. diploma" consists of 3 higher level and 3 subsidiary exams with a total grade of at least 24 required. If a student obtains the "full diploma" with a total of 36 or more, Mount Holyoke will award 32 credits and list all subjects passed with grades of 6 to 7. If a student does a partial diploma or receives a total score for the full diploma below 36, Mount Holyoke will award 8 credits per higher level exam completed with a score of 6 to 7. The college will not award credit for subsidiary exams in such cases.

French Baccalaureate
Mount Holyoke awards 16 credits for receipt of the French Baccalaureate.

German Abitur
Mount Holyoke awards 16 credits for the German Abitur.
Reclassification Based on Advances Standing Credit
Upon receipt of an official copy of the exam results, the Registrar will note the amount of elective credit. Generally students bring official copies with them in September, and the transcript information is entered at some point during the fall semester. Students who receive 32 credits of advanced standing for their work may accelerate and be reclassified as sophomores at the beginning of their second semester. Reclassification is not done until after the start of the second semester.

Students need to think through carefully the decision to accelerate with advanced standing credit. For those students who have decided upon a major and have done advanced work in that major, completing the MHC program in three years might make good sense. Some students will want to complete their programs in three years for financial reasons. On the other hand, students who are uncertain of their major, or who change their majors, generally need the full four years to meet all the requirements to graduate.

International students should be aware that their financial aid will be affected if they reclassify. Please read the document entitled Important Information for International Students and their Advisors.

A formal request for reclassification should be filed with the Registrar. If at a later date the student wishes to be reclassified back to her original class, she must file a petition with the Dean of the College.
Course Selection
Number of Courses
Some international students pre-register for fewer than 16 credits or more than 20 credits in their first semester. This usually means that they have misunderstood the system of credits at MHC or have evaluated their academic abilities inappropriately vis-à-vis the academic workload. The latter case often occurs when a student comes from an education system where she has been regularly studying six or more academic subjects in her home country. She believes she can and should maintain the same number of courses at MHC.

Some students may have incorrectly assumed that physical education classes carry academic credits and mistakenly count their PE units as credits. Alternately, an advisor might need to counsel a student to reduce her academic load because it exceeds 20 credits. In this case a student might have identified all the courses she intends to elect in both semesters of the academic year and pre-registered for them all in the first semester.

As is the case with all other students who are new to the college, international students should be encouraged to take a 16-credit load in their first semester, but certainly not exceed a 20-credit maximum. Please be advised that visa/immigration regulations require international students to elect at least 12 credits per semester in order to stay “ in status.”