As a new coronavirus, known as COVID-19, sweeps the globe, it has set off a long chain of events affecting everything from education and social gatherings to travel and community events. Millions of people around the world are experiencing a dramatic shift in their everyday lives. And while medical professionals and researchers work diligently to learn more about the virus, it’s difficult to say what the future will bring.

Of the many diverse groups of people affected by COVID-19, perhaps one of the most significantly impacted are international students in the U.S. According to the Institute of International Education, the number of international students is at an all-time high, approaching 1.2 million as of 2019. That’s hundreds of thousands of students who have found themselves in a place of uncertainty, wondering how the coronavirus will impact higher education and their future as a whole.

With its far-reaching implications, COVID-19 will certainly change the course of this school year – and perhaps, even the next. However, a number of U.S. schools are working very hard to mitigate the negative effects of the virus on international students. By taking a solutions-oriented approach to the global crisis, colleges, universities, and technical schools in the U.S. are rising to the occasion and easing the worries of international students everywhere.

Here are just a few ways that schools are getting creative and doing their best to answer the question of what education looks like in the era of COVID-19:

Challenge: Some international students are unable to come to the U.S. to attend school due to travel restrictions in their home country.

Solution: Many schools are taking a flexible approach to admissions policies for the international students affected.

As a growing number of countries experience the devastating public health impacts of coronavirus, many have closed their borders to international travelers. In particular, individuals who have traveled to “hot spots” such as China and Italy are finding themselves stranded, unable to enter various countries. As national governments attempt to contain the global outbreak as best possible, many leaders are opting to halt international travel almost completely – if not totally shutting down their borders.

For international students who were planning to come to the U.S. to begin their education, this is obviously a massive problem. There are others who were in the middle of the school year at an American school, only to be stuck abroad after traveling to their home country during a school break. In the initial stages of the global health crisis, China was extremely hard-hit, and much of the country remains shut down.

And yet, Chinese students make up just over 33 percent of international students, enrolled across the U.S., from schools in Miami to campuses in Colorado and beyond.

One of the biggest questions in education right now is: what will happen to students who are unable to come to the U.S. to attend school? While each educational institution is choosing its own response to the situation, many have elected to take an extremely flexible approach to their admissions policies for the time being. Depending on the school, this could mean relaxed testing requirements, extended grace periods, leaves of absence, or options for distance learning.

Challenge: With CDC recommendations resulting in closed campuses at many schools, international students in the U.S. are concerned that their projected graduation date could be pushed back.

Solution: Many schools are offering distance learning as a way to minimize the disruption to the semester.

The large majority of schools in the U.S. are closed as a result of COVID-19, in an attempt to adhere to CDC-issued recommendations for avoiding large gatherings. From elementary schools to higher education campuses, schools are shutting down – many of them for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. However, administrators have found a range of creative solutions to this new obstacle, offering different ways to continue learning even while students cannot be physically present on-campus.

Distance learning, often called online learning, has become the present standard for education in America. Teachers are giving lectures via platforms such as Zoom or Skype, and students are submitting assignments to online systems. The entire learning environment is being translated to its digital equivalent so that students don’t have to worry about their progress being negatively impacted due to school shutdowns.

Challenge: International students attending school in the U.S. may be experiencing significant stress, as a result of worrying about family and friends in their home countries.

Solution: Schools are making an effort to connect with international students to provide resources and additional support as needed.

Of course, the effects of COVID-19 on international students reach much further than assignments, grades, and learning formats. With the world facing a crisis unlike anything dealt with before, it’s understandable that stress levels are at an all-time high. And for international students who are away from family and friends in their home countries, anxiety can be even more difficult to deal with.

Thankfully, schools are assembling a wealth of resources whenever possible, responding to students’ increased need for support. Services such as phone counseling have been implemented at some campuses so that international students can have help reducing stress during these unusual times.

Move Forward with Your Education at the Media Schools, Located in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Miami

These may be uncertain times, but that doesn’t mean that you have to give up on your dreams of a career in the media industry. At the Media Schools, located in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Miami, we are taking carefully-considered steps to ensure that all our students are still able to pursue their goals. With the globe still in the midst of the crisis of coronavirus, international students are wondering how this could change their education – but here at the Media Schools, we’re prepared to mitigate the impact as much as possible.

We understand that for many students at the Media Schools, located in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Miami, there are a wide variety of questions regarding how we will all move forward during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Our team is dedicated to finding solutions to resolve all concerns, whether you’re a new or prospective student.

If you’ve been considering enrolling in a sports broadcasting, audio production, media sales, and marketing, or broadcasting program in Miami, Colorado, Ohio, or Illinois, the Media Schools can still be the right fit for you. Our enrollment team is available to answer questions about our multimedia programs, as well as provide details about how to enroll.

For more information about our multimedia programs, or for details about our plan to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on our students, contact the Media Schools, located in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Miami today.

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