New UTSA program helps international students sharpen English skills, earn college credit

JANUARY 5, 2023 — Making the transition to graduate school can be challenging for any student. International students often face an additional set of unique roadblocks when moving abroad to pursue an advanced degree. To ease their transition, the UTSA Office of Global Initiatives will once again offer the International Pathway program, which is designed for international graduate-level students needing to build their English language skills while earning credit toward a UTSA degree.

In its inaugural cohort this past fall, the pathway program welcomed students from India, China and Mexico, according to Lisa Montoya, UTSA vice provost for global initiatives and senior international officer. This semester, students from Uzbekistan, Kenya, Nigeria and the Philippines will join a community of over 1,000 international scholars who already call UTSA home.

“(The) program opens the door even wider to talented students from across the world who will benefit from our Tier One language training and degree programs.”

In addition to helping international students adapt to life at an American university, the International Pathway program is raising UTSA’s profile around the world.

“The International Pathway program opens the door even wider to talented students from across the world who will benefit from our Tier One language training and degree programs,” Montoya said. “At the same time, when these international scholars choose to pursue their bold dreams at UTSA, they help us to connect with other communities and enhance our reputation around the world.”

International Pathway provides comprehensive English language instruction and personalized support outside of the classroom to ensure that international graduate students can smoothly acclimate to UTSA. While students improve their language proficiency in non-credited classes at the Global Initiatives’ English Language Center (ELC), they also take courses that count toward their degree.

There are currently one- and two-semester pathway options—depending on the student’s English language level—with guaranteed admission to their desired field of study upon successful completion of the program.

Following admission and arrival to campus, each student is matched and regularly meets with a designated student development specialist who provides them with personalized assistance and resources throughout their time at UTSA.

The pathway program also offers a wide range of services that are tailored for international students to guarantee their success from admission to graduation, including:

• Dedicated orientation geared toward international students and their families to familiarize them with UTSA
• Visa application and interview assistance
• Personalized degree planning and advising
• Professional development workshops and career counseling
• Access to internship opportunities, job fairs and networking events

In addition to a positive educational experience, building a community on campus is a key component of international students’ overall success. To encourage social connections outside of the classroom, the ELC hosts numerous extracurricular activities, clubs and events, such as Coffee & Conversation. The weekly coffee hour welcomes international and American students, promoting intercultural connections while allowing international students to further develop their English-speaking skills in a more casual setting.

“The graduate pathway program has greatly reduced the time spent honing my English language proficiency,” said Shilpa Shilpa, an artificial intelligence graduate student from India who is currently enrolled in the pathway program. “The welcoming environment and outstanding teaching here have given me skills that I can carry with me even after the program is complete.”

The International Pathway program is currently open to graduate-level students and will open to prospective undergraduate students in fall 2024.

— Chloe Johnson