More than 100 international students arrive at Notre Dame each August for their first year of college. Some have never visited campus — or the United States — before they enroll, and acclimating to student life takes time.

They have new customs to absorb, a foreign higher education system to decipher and, for many, an unfamiliar sport — football — to understand. For some, it’s their first time speaking English as their primary daily language.

Four years later, they graduate with Notre Dame degrees. Many of these alumni become informal University ambassadors, joining Notre Dame alumni clubs in their home countries and encouraging others to apply to their alma mater.

The number of such students is expected to grow. Read more

Originally published by Margaret Fosmoe-ND Magazine at global.nd.edu on January 10, 2025.