Moving to a different country to live can be harder than expected. There are countless differences in the United States relative to living in areas like Europe, Asia, Africa, etc. Going to a graduate program is already challenging but a combination of starting a new graduate program and living in a different country is even more challenging for an international student who may not be as familiar with the education system in the United States. I am currently a faculty member at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and my nationality is Japanese. Prior to this position, I graduated from Springfield College with a master’s degree, University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a PhD, and was a former Pennsylvania State University faculty member. Here are 5 tips/suggestions for you to be aware of before moving to the United States for your graduate studies.

1. Language Barriers

Communicating using a second language is not easy and learning at a graduate level often makes this process harder than expected. Even those who already have a good understanding of the English language may need to adjust to the different way of communicating in the U.S. as it may be difficult to communicate with local people. Having a conversation with the types of people you will encounter before moving is encouraged for easier adjustment once you start living in the U.S.

2. Social and Cultural Barriers

Having social support, in other words, making friends helps makes university education interesting and helps one gain the full experience of studying abroad. Humans generally like to be associated with people who share similar interests and background. Moving to the U.S. from a different country means that you are less likely to have individuals who share similar interests/background to yourself. Although it might be difficult at first to break out of your comfort zone, it would make your academic experiences more meaningful and enjoyable once you start to associate with individuals with different interests and backgrounds.

3. Adjustment Barriers

Adjusting to a new system is always difficult to do, especially at the beginning of your journey. Going to colleges/universities in your country was probably a lot different than going to high school. Going to graduate programs from colleges/universities itself is different regarding the types of assignments or work you will be assigned; however, you – as an international student – are automatically asked to adjust to the U.S. university system. Having a conversation with people who have already experienced the U.S. education system would help you to be aware of what could possibly happen even if you have a chance to speak with an individual who studied in a different major.

4. Academic Challenges

A graduate program is meant to be challenging in many ways. Be prepared to put all of your effort in, even on Sunday, to be ready for the up-coming week’s class material. All of the above three factors increase the stress you might experience; however, staying on top of the classwork, such as reading, completing assignments, preparing for exams, and preparing for getting a job while being a graduate student, might be a nightmare if you did not expect all the tasks might be assigned to you at the same time. It would be beneficial to use support each university provides to students such as an academic success center, study group (if appropriate), and counseling center if you experience difficulty in managing all the assigned tasks and feel overwhelmed or possibly depressed. Asking for help is totally normal.

5. Safety Concerns

As far as I know, at least Japanese people think that the U.S. is maybe a bit dangerous knowing that people can carry guns and social media disseminate different types of violent sentiments or crimes. Make sure to be aware of the areas that you should avoid when in your new city. Unlike some countries where you can walk around alone at night, it is probably not recommended that you walk around at night in the U.S., regardless of sex, and be conscious of your behavior.
In sum, being aware of these differences in the U.S. relative to your own country will help you put your best foot forward to study in the U.S. If you would like to learn about 5 tips on how to choose the right graduate program or the right advisor, here are the links (Right graduate program: Click here) and (Right advisor: Click here), respectively.