International Students in the Covid Housing Crisis

Haochen (Andy) Long

With other UC campuses announcing a further delay in their return to in-person instructions, more uncertainties on housing situations await international students. Since the UCs decision of returning to in-person instruction in October 2021, students, both domestic and international, have been caught in an unprecedented housing crisis (Sherman et al., 2021). With campus-owned dorms and apartments unable to house a growing incoming class and a returning second-year class that had never been on campus since then, students have had to look for alternatives. Here are the reasons why international students, while shouldering similar burdens as their American peers are, are also confronted with distinct challenges.

First of all, for first and second-year international students moving to Santa Barbara for the first time in their lives, a completely foreign housing system could induce enormous stress. As someone that was in the same shoes two years ago, I could attest to how confusing and stressful leasing could be for the first time, especially in an area with limited options such as Isla Vista. For most domestic students, even with prior knowledge of leasing, they might still run into unexpected issues throughout the process. There are just so many things that could go wrong, from finding reliable co-leasers to being interviewed by some landlords. Now add language barrier and cultural differences on top of all that and we might be able to imagine what it is like for international students.

I still remember the stressful and confusing feeling when I had to learn about finding co-signers and received a call from the landlord for an interview. That was something completely new to me and given my not-so-fluent English, I totally blew it with all the questions the landlord was throwing at me. I also remember the feeling of suspense when I had been on a waitlist for weeks after the interview, with no reassurance of my chances of getting the place.  

In addition to unfamiliarity with leasing processes, international students also have troubles networking and connecting with other peers. Conventionally, first-year dorm socials are the primary way new students socialize with each other. They can construct a reliable support system and even foster some long-lasting relationships (Lopez et al., 2010). Unfortunately, however, a lot of international students this year have been deprived of that opportunity because it is very unlikely for them to find a future roommate before they even come to the U.S. This separation from their domestic peers also greatly undermines their overall educational experience as cultural immersion and exchanges with American students are some of the most valued elements of their college journey. 

Last but not least, as a result of the aforementioned obstacles, international students are often left with pricier housing options, which leads to the third issue of financial difficulties. At this moment in time, the myth that all international students have tremendous wealth at their disposal has been debunked over and over again. Nevertheless, there lies another contributor to their financial stress that is often overlooked, which is the issue of currency conversion. It is simply a fact that the majority of international student families do not have random hordes of US dollars sitting there in their bank accounts, especially if it is their first time needing the currency. It can take a long time for the process and there are even caps on the amount allowed to be converted in some countries such as China, the major home country to UCSB’s international student demographics.  

In the end, it is of great importance that we recognize the unique struggles international students have to face amid this housing crisis. As a board that represents the community’s voices, we could potentially advocate for more resources, support systems, and programs that may better aid students in need. 

References 

Sherman, Sydney, Payton Walker, Nico Vinuela, and Cameryn Oakes. 2021. “Enrolled and 

Unhoused: Students Struggle to Find Housing Weeks into Fall Quarter.” Mustang News. 

Retrieved February 3, 2022 (https://mustangnews.net/enrolled-and-unhoused-students-struggle-to-find-housing-weeks-into-fall-quarter-2/). 

López Turley, Ruth N., and Geoffrey Wodtke. “College Residence and Academic Performance: 

Who Benefits From Living on Campus?” Urban Education, vol. 45, no. 4, July 2010, pp. 

506–532, doi:10.1177/0042085910372351.