International Students
Welcome to Carlisle, Our Global Community
The Dickinson campus radiates a diversity of ideas, worldviews, and approaches. Students and scholars from vastly different backgrounds and experiences come together in Carlisle to form a truly global community. International students hailing from more than three dozen countries across six continents animate and enrich the campus conversation on issues of international importance and contribute to the life and character of our community in innumerable ways.
International Student and Scholar Support
The International Student and Scholar section of the Center for Global Study and Engagement provides a broad range of support for all international students -- from assistance with essential visa documentation to guidance on winter break housing, storage, and tax requirements.
The College's guiding philosophy with respect to international students has always been one of integration. Dickinson strives to integrate international students into the campus community to the maximum extent possible. But it does so while recognizing that certain types of support are necessary and appropriate for helping international students to manage the transition to academic and social life at the College. The International Student and Scholars section coordinates closely with a number of campus offices to ensure that international students have the tools they need to be successful. Enhancing the quality of the academic, cultural, and social experience of our international students and scholars is central to the mission of the Center for Global Study and Engagement.
Current International Students
There are many services our center provides for you. Perhaps our most visible role is to assist new students upon arrival and provide orientation sessions that are designed with international student needs in mind. For F-1 visa and J-1 visa students, we also serve as the primary advisors for visa requirements and visa benefits. No less important is our role as a referral center. If you are unsure where to find a particular service on campus or how to navigate through student requirements, our staff can provide direction and explain which offices and departments are relevant to your query or problem. Throughout the year, our staff will send messages to you about social events, information sessions, important deadlines, and international student issues such as Winter Break housing, summer storage, and tax requirements. While much of our communication will come as emails from our staff to you, we want you to feel comfortable reaching out to us when you have questions or when you simply want to have a chat. Our center holds monthly Coffee Chats, usually the first Thursday of each month, when you can drop in to share coffee, tea, and treats with our staff and other international students. At least one of our staff is also generally available in our offices (Stern 17 and Stern 18) during business hours.
Some of our services are best requested via email so we have a record of your exact request and the date you made the request. Following are services you can request by email at intl@dickinson.edu:
● verification letters for applications to the Social Security administration and Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation
● verification letters for students who must document long-term enrollment or visa status for their home government for purposes of postponing military service, exemption from national health insurance, and similar
● verification letters for students whose family members need supporting documentation for tourist visa applications to visit for graduation
● follow-up information from orientation about applying for a Social Security number, Pennsylvania ID card/driver license
● answers to questions about F-1 and J-1 visa regulations
● F-1 students only: general information about off-campus employment authorization
● F-1 students only: updates to your US or home country address for your SEVIS record
● F-1 students only: transfer of your SEVIS record to another US school
Other services are best handled face-to-face. Contact us to schedule a meeting for the following:
● questions and problems related to your adjustment to US life
● official signatures on immigration forms ("drop-in" hours will be scheduled for students needing travel signatures for Winter Break and Summer Break)
● questions about how F-1 and J-1 regulations apply to your specific situation and plans
● F-1 students only: changes to the program or financial information on your I-20 form, including changes of major, graduation date, and financial aid
Prospective International Students
International students are an active and important part of the Dickinson Community. If you are interested in applying for admission to Dickinson as a degree-seeking student, please visit the College's Office of International Admissions for information pertaining to application procedures and relevant deadlines.
Dickinson also maintains a host of semester and year-long student exchange programs with partner institutions abroad. Each year, the College welcomes dozens of exchange students from its renowned partner universities across the globe, including the University of Bologna, the University of Málaga, the University of Bremen, and the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza, to name but a few. The exchange programs are based on existing agreements with partner institutions. Contact your school's international office to investigate available exchange options.