BMC WILL PAY NEW FEE ON BEHALF OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

A new $100 fee required by the federal government of all foreign nationals applying for first-time student visas will be paid by Bryn Mawr on behalf of affected Bryn Mawr students, Assistant Dean and Director of International Programs Li-Chen Chin has announced.

"We'll pay the fee up front for students who are accepted and decide to enroll next fall," Chin says, "and send them the receipt to present with their visa applications. We're assuming a small risk by doing this, but we wanted to ensure that the fee doesn't present an obstacle to qualified students."

The fee, which was instituted last fall by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is intended to cover some of the cost of SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Service. SEVIS is the Internet-based system the government uses to track international students while they are in the United States, mandated as part of the Patriot Act after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

News media have reported a nationwide decline in the number of foreign nationals studying in the United States; many attribute the drop to post-9/11 policies that make it more difficult for international students and researchers to obtain or renew visas.

At Bryn Mawr, the percentage of international students has remained steady, says Jennifer Russell, director of international recruitment for Bryn Mawr's undergraduate admissions office; in fact, the total number of international students rose slightly last year.

"Ensuring that we retain a significant population of international students is very important to the College," Russell says. "Paying a $100 fee would be a real hardship for some students. Many of our international students apply for and receive financial aid from the College, so it makes sense for us to cover this cost as well."

"It's already difficult enough for international students to come to this country to study," Russell continues. "It's a big leap. We want to support and welcome them and not add another hoop to jump through."

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