AIT Cultural Affairs Officer Talks on Study Abroad and Culture Exchange in the USA
To increase the international mobility of students, the Center of General Education of NTNU invited Cultural Affairs Officer of AIT Luke Martin on a livestream talk on March 26th with Vice President of International Affairs Liu Hsiang-Lin on the topic of Study Abroad and Culture Exchange in the USA.
Officer Martin talked about the mission of AIT and his role of facilitating cultural and educational exchange as the Cultural Affairs Officer. At the beginning, VP Liu talked about the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative, signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an increased cooperation on Mandarin and English language education. He encouraged NTNU students to go to the states to teach Mandarin and welcomed American students to come and learn Mandarin in Taiwan and assist English teaching in schools in rural areas of Taiwan.
There are Education USA and a U.S. Department of State network providing free advising services. Furthermore, The Fulbright Taiwan Program provides scholarships for Taiwanese researchers, professionals, and graduate students to go to the United States to conduct research and pursue a degree study.
Officer Martin answered to these questions during the livestream and explained the 5 steps to U.S. Study. They are: Research Your Options, Finance Your Studies, Complete Your Application, Apply for Your Student Visa, and Prepare for Your Departure. He emphasized that it is important to show your personal strength in the application.
When foreign students graduate from American universities, they can apply for one-year Optional Practical Training (OPT). It is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students with F-1 status who have completed or have been pursuing their degrees for one academic year are permitted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to work for one year on a student visa towards getting practical training to complement their education. It is possible for them to acquire work visa if the employee is willing to hire them after the OPT. The American workplace values multiculturalism and offers abundant opportunities. Students majoring in humanities or science can intern or work in related fields.
Officer Martin said that there are over 4,000 universities in the states. Students can choose from research universities, small and medium-sized community colleges, short-term training courses, and specialized schools. The one that fits your need is the best school for you.
Lastly, Officer Martin reminded students to pay attention to updates on AIT Facebook fanpage and website. Intern opportunities are also offered by AIT Taipei and Kaohsiung offices. Officer Martin and VP Liu encourage students to go abroad and embark on a transformative experience.
Videos online：https://www.facebook.com/ntnucge/videos/1168547636916299