How can students thousands of miles away from home feel at ease in a foreign place? The experience of homesickness is taken to new heights when your home is outside the United States. At Howard University, where students receive the typical “run around,” the confusing logistics of financial aid and housing overwhelm those far from home differently than the average HBCU student. 

HBCUs were curated as a space for those who were not allowed to attend PWI colleges to feel safe, but some students attending HBCUs face a different struggle as non-American citizens.

 As one of the top HBCUs in the nation, Howard has a tremendous influence on the advancement of Black youth, especially in foreign countries. A 2020 study from College Factual reported that 1,159,798 international students study abroad at American colleges and universities, with Howard comprising approximately 517 international students. 

The Mecca can be seen as a place that welcomes students from around the globe. According to BET, ”In terms of HBCUs and international students, Howard University in Washington, D.C. has one of the largest cohorts.” Let’s take a deeper look into the experiences of those migrating across the country for a chance to receive a higher education.

One of the issues international students face is travel barriers. The post-holiday season can be difficult due to inflation and high travel expenses for anybody. When your homeland is a high-demand vacation attraction that benefits from tourism, returning home for the holidays isn’t always feasible.

“I especially feel homesick around holidays or breaks like Thanksgiving that aren’t native to my culture because domestic students can typically go home, but these breaks don’t typically warrant an international trip home,” shared Christy Cambridge, a senior biology major from Nassau, Bahamas.

International students must find ways to create community and make a home for themselves away from home. 

Kelsey Gilfillian, a junior supply chain major from Kingston, Jamaica, feels having spaces with students who share similar experiences helps international students assist each other through the college experience.

“Having a large diaspora at Howard, I’m constantly surrounded by people who share the same background. There’s a Caribbean Society association at Howard that most Caribbean students are a part of,” said Gilfillian.

The Caribbean Student Association is an integral part of the Howard experience for many international students from the Caribbean, providing a safe space for them to receive support when there is nowhere else to turn.

As foreigners in this country, other students who may not be used to being immersed in such a melting pot like Howard can make international students feel uncomfortable. 

Unfortunately, Gilfillian has experienced ignorance from her peers on campus.“There’s a small language barrier even though I’m speaking standard English. My accent can make it difficult for others to understand [which leads to] experiencing xenophobia with students,” she added. 

Cambridge had a similar experience. “We do often encounter cultural insensitivity. We often joke about some of the crazy things we have been asked, like ‘Do y’all live in huts?’ or ‘Does your country have wifi?’I try to exercise patience with those who are genuinely curious, but it can feel like people look down on our countries because they are not as developed as America.”

Financial issues disproportionately affect international students. In a study titled “International students: a vulnerable student population”, research showed that “international students experience adapting to a new culture, English language problems, financial problems and lack of understanding from the broader University community.” Hence, recommendations to alleviate these issues include nurturing the international student population in addition to offering financial aid scholarships and assistance.

Tristan Charles, a Biology Major, is familiar with the realities of financial aid issues, as he was offered a scholarship to attend Howard. Charles found, “As an international student, funding for college was hard to come by. Many universities said they didn’t offer scholarships to international students, but Howard gave me the opportunity that others wouldn’t”.

However, future generations facing the same struggle to find funding will not have the same assistance from Howard as he did. Financial aid—once a treasured opportunity that helped with financial hardship- changed when Howard University no longer provided need-based scholarships to international students.

Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, the International Students Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) became merit-based instead of need-based. This means that scholarship is based on grade point average instead of financial circumstances.

Cambridge feels that the lack of need-based scholarships creates a barrier for incoming international students interested in Howard. ” Continuing students will be allowed to keep their aid, but it is disheartening that many underprivileged individuals from International countries won’t have Howard as an avenue out of their current circumstances because they can’t afford it.”

Howard University African Student Association (HUASA) addressed this issue in a press release on June 30 of last year, refuting Howard University’s claims of dedication to serving the educational needs of students from all cultural backgrounds. “ Our members deserve to be seen by the administration and deserve the protection that students born in the U.S. currently have. They deserve a chance at funding for their education, and we are willing to fight for them,” reads the release.

Most importantly, international students at Howard want to feel seen and heard rather than looked at like second-class students. 

Cambridge recalls the International Student Orientation, which aims to welcome students to the Howard community but consists of “Do’s and Don’ts if you want to keep your visa.”

“[International Students Department] is overlooked, and I think it speaks to a larger issue that overall, as a student population, we are overlooked,” Cambridge expressed.