Georgetown ranked number one in a recent survey of international relations programs and prides itself on its high percentage of international students, but faced with tasks like applying for jobs or getting a credit card or cell phone, students from abroad often have to jump through hoops.
The Office of International Programs provides international students with a list of cell phone providers that don’t require credit checks and a list of banks that will allow international students to open accounts, according to Sheila Miller, the Assistant Director of International Student Scholar Services. OIP is also working with the Credit Union to hold special hours during this year’s International Student Orientation to help students open accounts.
But despite the University’s best efforts, international students still face logistical problems.
With the semester already half-over, many second semester seniors are submitting their resumés to potential employers. But for Georgetown’s international students, the “submit” button for many Hoya Career Connection job postings is replaced with the message: “You do not match the desired work authorization for this position.”
Velina Luther (SFS ’07), a native of Indonesia, is one of Georgetown’s international seniors looking to stay and work in the United States for a few years after graduation.
“Global industries in Indonesia are still trying to figure things out,” she said. “And because of differences in the economy and attitudes toward business back home, things just wouldn’t work out for me as well there.”
Without U.S. work authorization, Luther is ineligible for most jobs that she wants to apply for.
“We are limited in our choices and there is certainly a large incentive for us to apply to big companies because there you have the best chance of getting [H-1B] visa sponsorship,” she said.
The H-1B work visas sought by many students require sponsorship by a U.S. employer, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“It’s no fault of their own, but lots of employers don’t take international students. H-1B visa sponsorship requires companies to hire immigration lawyers. Small companies are not willing to devote resources to that,” Daniel Thomas (COL ’07), who is from India, said.
Thomas recently accepted a job with Deloitte and Touche Consulting. But despite his prestigious job offer, Thomas still does not have a credit card.
“I applied for two and didn’t get either,” he said, attributing that to the fact that his parents’ income is in rupees instead of dollars.
Thomas was also unable to get a cell phone until this year, when Cingular Wireless’ launched the GoPhone, a pay-as-you-go plan that does not require a credit check or a deposit.
