Office of International Services at Vassar College

The Office of International Services (OIS) is a great resource for the community of international students and scholars at Vassar. We provide a wide range of services such as assistance with visa, immigration, tax, employment, cultural differences and matters related to transition. The international community at Vassar consists of 350 members including students, language fellows, professors, and s

cholars, under the statuses of F-1 and J-1 visas. OIS collaborates with a wide variety of offices and organizations at Vassar, such as the International Studies Program, Office of International Programs, Vassar International Student Association (VISA), Office of Career Development, Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development, and the various Campus Life and Diversity offices. This mutual collaboration provides unique programs and activities that fulfill the college’s mission and promote competent intercultural communication among all our students. In addition the objective is to engage our international students with the wider Poughkeepsie community through various annual events. Globalization requires that institutions of higher education prepare students to become global citizens and train them to identify with others. The objective is to intensify cross-cultural dialogue and work on issues that relate to miscommunication and cultural differences. For this purpose, we try our best to bridge diversity on campus and empower internationals to develop the necessary skills to thrive in a new culture. In addition, OIS partners with different Vassar Student Organizations and Campus Life and Diversity offices to involve all members of the campus community in cultural events, workshops, and other opportunities to spread global engagement and enrich diverse experiences on campus.