As the twenty-first century progresses and the world gets ever-so-smaller, Yale University hopes to play a larger and larger role in shaping and producing the next generation of global leaders. Yale’s plans for international expansion are apparent: During President Levin’s tenure, international enrollment in Yale College has doubled. International students now comprise around 10 percent of the entire undergraduate student body, with students hailing from 70 different countries from all corners of the world. International admissions are at an all-time high throughout the University, with more than 1,600 foreigners studying and working at Yale. The explicit goal of the college is, in President Levin’s words, to “educate leaders…for the entire world.”

The history of international scholarship at Yale is a long one. The first batch of international students arrived at Yale from Latin America in the 1830s, and ever since, the University has been on the forefront of welcoming international scholars. The first Chinese national to attend an American institution matriculated at Yale in 1850. Rapidly expanding programs in language study and a myriad of opportunities abroad, as well as on-campus resource centers such as the MacMillian Center for International and Area Studies and the Center for Language Study, make Yale a forerunner in international scholarship in the world today.

Yet despite the wealth of international resources and opportunities, international students still face significant hurdles when applying and studying at Yale. The definition of “international student” has changed within the past few years. Now, not only does your place of residence determine whether you qualify as an international student, but also—more importantly—does the citizenship of your parents. This means that an American national living in a foreign nation will no longer apply as an international student.

Financially, this change should have no impact. Unlike the vast majority of American colleges, Yale’s admissions process is need-blind, even for international students. Yale states that the financial aid for international students works exactly the same way as for students in the United States, so the University pledges to meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need, regardless of country of origin.

But international students are still at a disadvantage when applying to Yale. Even if the admissions committee treats them no differently than American students, internationals feel that they are applying to a system that is unfamiliar to them. Even students that applied from countries similar to the United States like Canada said that they felt disadvantaged when it came to admissions.

“The American system is just completely different,” remarked Isabel Chen, SY ’10. “In Canada, admission to college was a completely numbers-based game. You would put your test scores into a computer and that’s how they determined admissions. There was no personal statement, no essays and no interviews. It was really different for me to write all these essays; I was unfamiliar with the way things worked.”

Julian de Freitas, SY ’13, a student from South Africa, said that “the essays were especially difficult because I was not aware of the social taboos in the United States. Something that I would feel free to discuss here in South Africa might be completely off-limits over there,” she said. “I was feeling a bit lost, unsure about what I could or couldn’t write about, and had no idea what the admissions officers wanted from me.”

Even after being admitted to Yale, international students face several substantial challenges coming to study in the U.S. Said Chen, “Even though I’m from Canada, there are several very fundamental differences between Canadian and American culture.” As an example, she cited subtle linguistic differences that people could use to identify her as a non-American.

For Angela Omiyi, SY ’10, hailing from Nigeria, cultural differences were highlighted even further. “It’s interesting for me because I am both a foreigner and a minority,” she said. “People have a very different conception about what ‘my culture’ is—a mistaken conception. Ultimately, it’s all part of a learning experience, and I don’t find it offensive at all, but it is amusing when people say things like, ‘Oh! I have a friend from Kenya,’ and they expect me to be able to connect to that.”

The difficulties do not end there. “Every culture has its own little in-jokes,” Chen said, “and if you haven’t lived there, you simply don’t get them.”

And even after fully adjusting to American culture, international students find themselves isolated. Legally barred from working more than one year, international students find it much harder to find summer employment, as they are limited to on-campus positions and internships. In addition, many U.S. government-funded opportunities are inaccessible to international students. Even after graduation, students wishing to continue their education in the U.S. find themselves limited, especially those who wish to enter medical school—most American med schools do not even consider international students, and those that do often require students to open an account and deposit anywhere from a year to four years’ worth of tuition in escrow. Such financial constraints place the largest burdens on foreign students.

Because all international students face the same financial and legal issues, some tend to get along best amongst themselves. “My closest friends are definitely the international students,” said Chen. “I can relate to them and their issues.”

Other international students agree: Foreign students bond over the lack of a common bond. All students interviewed pointed to OIS (Orientation for International Students) as integral to forming lasting friendships. “It’s just easier to talk to people who are undergoing the same things that you are,” said Omiyi. “American students can’t really relate to our situation because they aren’t faced with the same problems.”

As Yale’s international student body continues to expand, the University will continue to accommodate them. Yet, no matter what official policy Yale has towards international students, the inherent challenges of culture shock and financial burden will remain. Even though Yale will always be a welcoming home for them, these students will always feel that there is a subtle, but fundamental, difference between their Yale experience and that of their American peers.