An international student’s experience

by Azikile MaVthule | Mar 22, 2024 | News

On 21 February, PDBY spoke to a final-year BA (Law) international student. This follows the confidence on how UP provides high-quality education for international students expressed by Prof. Sunil Maharaj, UP’s Vice-Principal: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education. The Study Abroad Aide has placed UP in the top 8% worldwide when it comes to providing affordable high-quality education.

Affordability and the ability to provide high-quality education is one of the few reasons this institution is deemed relevant for international students. However, those receiving this service have a broad spectrum on how they are accommodated as international students, including how the institution is able to make their South African experience worthwhile. The institution has an international students buddy program, which assists first-time students with assimilation.

The final-year Law student has outlined that the obstacles these students encounter can easily affect their mental health and that the student counselling unit plays a key role in helping them process the difficult experiences they face in South Africa. Leaving a familiar environment for a new, unknown environment can be challenging. That transition is easier when there is inclusivity. Unfortunately for this final-year student, that was not the case. She said, “The stereotypes that have been meticulously woven to create a perception of migrants through the effects of South Africa’s apartheid [trickle] into our day-to-day survival.”

Common challenges faced by international students include how long it may take to access their funds due to administrative reasons. The influx at Home Affairs also contributes to the challenges, and the renewal of academic visas may take up to six months. Unfortunately, the university cannot always intervene, leaving students to deal with the Department of Home Affairs alone. Language barriers are also an obstacle, as these students struggle to understand what their peers communicate to them. “If we speak in the common tongue, we are perceived as bougie, when in actuality, it is the only medium of communication we have to engage with the world,” said the Law student.

The University of Pretoria has an annual day celebrating international students. This year on the UP calendar, it is indicated to take place on 4 October. Such efforts are appreciated, as according to this final-year student, it helps demystify some of the stereotypes that have been imposed upon them as a community.

Azikile MaVthule
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