The University of Washington’s international student population is raising concerns about the lack of mental health support provided to them by International Student Services, particularly in the context of visa revocations.
“I've personally sacrificed so much to get to UW,” first-year Kaira Wullur said. “I know my parents have also sacrificed so much. It is super draining to think that what I've been working towards could be stripped away from people who don't even know who I am.”
The concerns first arose following President Donald Trump's administration’s declaration to terminate the visas of foreign students. The decision was met with fierce opposition from courts nationwide, which issued restraining orders to protect international students in the United States. While the visas have since been reinstated, the unsettling feeling of uncertainty among University of Washington students remains.
“Before coming here, my parents warned me,” Wullur, originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, said. “I always kind of like shot them down, like, oh, it's going to be fine as long as I'm studying. But obviously that changed a month or two ago, where even people who haven't necessarily done anything bad have had their visas revoked. So, definitely comfort levels right now are not good.”
While Wullur acknowledges that UW’s International Student Services does its best to keep students updated through a weekly newsletter, she believes their services could extend further, specifically through counseling with an assigned advisor.
“I think what helped me a lot in the fall academically was having an advisor because every student kind of gets their own advisor and you know them by name,” Wullur said. “But because the International Student Services is like an organization, they don't necessarily have a personal connection to you. You don't get a [specific] International Student Services advisor. I think that should be introduced at the beginning of the year to all international students going to UW.”
Establishing a sound relationship with an advisor who understands the unique situations international students face is vital in creating a welcoming environment. Through personal connection and extensive knowledge of international student life, more students will come to advisors when they know all aspects of their experience are understood.
“If we're going to talk about how this whole situation, this thing [that is] draining and taxing to our mental health, we wouldn't want to talk about it to somebody who just met us on that day,” Wullur said.
According to a study at Purdue University in 2021, roughly 50% of international students screen positive for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, an eating disorder, non-suicidal self-injury, or suicidal ideation. Their study also states that international students are significantly less likely to seek out help or assistance from mental health services compared to domestic students.
By installing a more accessible path to mental health therapy and medication services, Wullur believes international students will be more likely to utilize them, resulting in a 50% decrease.
“I didn't have anybody to talk to about this because I'm not friends with a lot of international students,” Wullur said. “Most of my friends are, if not in state, out of state, and definitely not out of the country. So I don't think their support was sufficient in regards to mental health.”
International students’ mental health is just one part of a mental health crisis spreading across college campuses nationwide. By catering to their specific needs, the University of Washington’s large international student population will grow not only in strength but in numbers.
Unfortunately, the university is facing significant budget cuts, and introducing a new program with a multitude of new faculty members may not be the ideal solution. Instead, a solution can be found in expanding the counseling center with the addition of a few counselors who specialize in the intricacies of non-domestic student life.
The University of Washington’s mental wellbeing website already has a statement that reads: “To our international students: We see you, we support you. We know these times can feel overwhelming and uncertain. You’re not alone—if you need someone to talk to, we’re here for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out. #YouBelongHere #MentalHealthMatters #InternationalStudents #uwcounseling”.
A branch of UW’s counseling dedicated to the international students that make up 16.2% of its student body would join many other campuses nationwide with programs similar, such as American University, Tufts University, and the University of California, Los Angeles, all of which have a smaller population of international students than UW.
“During all of it, I would have a really hard time enjoying myself at UW,” Wullur said. “I knew that at any point, that could be taken away from me without any valid reason, and I wouldn't even have the power to do anything about it. I feel helpless, and I know it can’t be solved, but it can be mitigated in some way.”
Laney Jordan is a third-year Journalism and Public Interest Communications student at the University of Washington.
Laney was a student in Hugo Balta‘s solutions journalism class at UW. Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum. He leads Fulcrum's NextGen initiatives. Balta is also the publisher of the Latino News Network and an accredited Solutions Journalism as well as a Complicating the Narratives trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network.
The Fulcrum is committed to nurturing the next generation of journalists.
First image: Moreno and Joe Medina in the mail room. Medina has worked there since 2019 and was a former Keys to Change client. Second image: Medina sorts through envelopes to find mail for the unhoused community the facility serves. Ash Ponders for ProPublica