International Student News - Issue 149, July 2011

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Issue 149 - July 2011

An InternationalStudent.com Publication

Welcome to the 149th issue of the International Student News! We cannot believe that it is already July, and in about 5 to 6 weeks, students will be being arriving in the USA for the new school semester. Those students coming this year will be finalizing all their documents and making sure everything is in place - and with our lead item about student loans, we can also help with financing your education. We hope you enjoy the newsletter and remember to check us out on Facebook too! Ross Mason Editor, InternationalStudent.com	In this issue: Student Loans Study in Florida Sim Cards Student News From the Mailbag Fun Site of the Month ESL School Options Final Word Forward to a Friend
> Compare International Student Loans
Financing your education abroad is one of the hardest tasks for most students. With the recent worldwide recession and credit crunch, many lenders were hit and had to scale back on the available loans to international students. The good news is that international student loan options are slowly starting to come back - and we have some of the best options available to you. The loan comparison tool at InternationalStudent.com allows you to enter in your basic details and then displays the best loan options that are currently on the market for you. Start searching today and finance your education!
> Study in Florida
Florida continues to be a top destination for international students from around the world. Of course, the weather is a huge draw for most but the state of Florida also has some of the best schools in the country and at a fraction of the cost of other schools throughout the USA. The Princeton Review, for example, ranked the University of North Florida (UNF) as one of the Best Southeastern Colleges and also the Best Value College for 2011. UNF is not alone, Florida has 5 other colleges that are among the elite schools to make both lists. Further information for international students who want to study in Florida can be found on our Florida State guide, and you can search all schools in the state by visit our school search.
> International Sim Cards
Are you traveling or studying abroad this summer or for the new school year? If so, then check out the range of international sim card options that are available around the world. Avoid the cost of high priced roaming charges and take your GSM phone with you. You can easily switch out the sim card and you will have not only have lower calling charges, but no roaming costs and cheap international calls. We have sim cards for the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, plus you can also visit our international sim card page for a full list of countries from around the world. Check them out today and purchase your sim card now!
> Student News From Around the World
California Recruiting Success As states continue to struggle with budget woes, international and out-of-state students look more and more attractive than subsidized state residents, particularly in California. According to the San Francisco Chronicle online, the University of California's campaign to recruit more high-paying nonresident students appears to be paying off. New data released Thursday showed big jumps in out-of-state and international students who intend to enroll at UC's nine undergraduate campuses this fall. The number of out-of-staters among incoming freshman and transfer students rose 58 percent to 2,613, while the number of international students increased 25 percent to 5,723. The number of incoming students from California dipped slightly to 51,715. For more information, read the complete story in the San Francisco Chronicle.
> From the Mailbag
This month we feature a question from one of our forum members - they ask: "Hi Everyone! I have some difficulties in applying for J-1 visa to enter USA for an Internship. My nationality is Vietnamese. I have come to Finland for nearly three years to study Business program. I have not graduated yet ( i still have my thesis left). Recently i have got an internship in USA and i have worried a lot about the process of J-1 visa since the USA embassy in Finland wants me to prove a strong social, economic and family ties to Finland. Apparently i just come to Finland to study, i don't have family here. I can prove the economic by bank statement with the amount of money they want me to have, i can prove a good social aspect by friend letter recommendation. I have worked as volunteer for a non-profit organization before in Finland and i still hold that volunteer position so the CEO of that organization can also write me a good work certificate. Going back to Vietnam for a J-1 visa is much expensive than anything since i have to flight back and after that forward to USA and after finishing in USA, i have to flight back Finland for my graduation thesis...So can anyone have any experience in this and help me out. Are there any solutions or suggestions for this situation. I appreciate a lot for your consideration. Thanks so much! If you would like to help out and answer their question, or join in the conversation and post your own questions and answers - please see our international student forums online.
> Fun Site of the Month
We all look at the weather, and most forecasts provide you with the same boring interface and facts. Swackett aims to change all that with their new Web and Mac OS X applications that show the weather in a completely different way - by showing you what people are wearing. It's a fun way to look at the forecast, and you can still get all the usual information you typically need. Check it out and let us know what you think!
> Choosing the right ESL School
We often get contacted by students who are looking for an ESL school so they can improve their English language capabilities. Of course, this is not an easy topic to cover as the right ESL school for one student could be totally different for another. To help students work through this, we have come up with a short article which will guide you through the various options such as your budget, accommodation options and much more! Check out the article today for choosing the right ESL school for you!
> Final Word
We hope you enjoyed this month's newsletter, and best of luck to you as you pursue or help others pursue an international education! As always please contact us with any questions or comments you have about the newsletter - we'd love to hear from you!

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