Queen's International

Yudi: "I made some friends here in just a few days after I arrived at Queen's. This period was much shorter than I expected. People here don't care about my accent; they are willing to talk to me even though I sometimes mess up with what I mean...I volunteer at the local hospital. I feel that it's always good to be able to contribute to the community I'm living in...My advice is to make sure you manage your time well. Don't leave any assignment to the last minute - it will drive you crazy!"
Home Country: People's Republic of China.
Program of Study: Life Sciences.

Miki: "Meeting many people from various backgrounds is a good point here at Queen's. The best part is that it is easy for me to ask my friends when I learn about new things. I also greatly appreciate Queen's diverse environment...For incoming students, I would advise to be well prepared for the cold weather! "
Home Country: Japan. Home University: International Christian University, Tokyo.
Program of Study: Film and Media.

Kristine: "I quickly felt comfortable within the Canadian culture and the Queen's campus in particular. In the following years, I have considered myself a true Queen's student and (almost) a Canadian!...I would advise new students to be open-minded, outgoing and try to be involved as much as possible. Also, speaking to professors about difficulties with the work and language may give you some benefits, and contacting Queen's University International Centre to make international friends!"
Home Country: Norway.
Program of Study: Sociology.

Jenni: "I'm really fascinated by the multiculturalism of the society here and the mix of customs, traditions and foods...On the academic side, the amount of coursework surprised me, and the expectations in relation to assignments or writing style are different from what I'm used to...My advice is to get involved in clubs and associations; going to many different events is a great way to meet people and learn about the town, country and culture...Leave any prejudices aside and try out new things - it's a once in a lifetime opportunity! "
Home Country: Finland. On Exchange from: University of St. Andrews.
Program of Study: International Relations/Politics.

Chinedu: "What surprised me the most about Canadian culture was the level of respect and courtesy that people show to one another irrespective of age or rank. For instance, you meet your professor in the corridor and he is the first to say "Hi" to you. Even your landlord tells you "Thank you" for paying your rent!...My interaction with Faculty and fellow students has been superb. Also, there are a number of extracurricular activities that one can use to balance academic work...My advice to incoming international graduate students is to arrive at Queen's early so you can fully settle down before the academic term starts. It will also be extremely helpful to enquire about course contents from professors and then brush up on pre-requisites before coming over. Lastly, if you are arriving from the tropics, prepare for the cold weather."
Home Country: Nigeria
Program of Study: Master's in Electrical Engineering.

Alex: "I was surprised by the organization of the University. There are people here who you can contact for almost everything...My first big challenge was to find a place to live. I came late in August when there were a lot of people searching for accommodations. The second was to get to know a new way of life...I would say to other graduate students that if they find the adaptation here in Canada easy - that's great. But if they don't, they should be patient. Every new start has its difficulties."
Home Country: Greece.
Program of Study: PhD in Computer Science.