Students from Nepal comprise half of International program

Inevitably, in one or maybe all of your classes, there is one person from Nepal. The tiny landlocked Himalayan country between China and India has sent about 500 students to North Lake seeking a good education at a reasonable price.

This means that half of the international students at the college are from Nepal. Although it is not cheap to study in the United States, especially considering that $1 is enough to buy eight cans of soda in Nepal, attending a twoyear college is the cheapest way for foreign students to begin earning an American degree.

Suraj Dhungana, 21, has recently moved to Irving from Indiana, where he used to pay $4,400 each semester to attend a four-year university. “At North Lake, I spend less than half of that money. I have lots of friends from my home country, and the academic level is still very good,” said the student, who plans to pursue a career in biochemistry.

The magnetism that brings Nepal so close to Texas is easy to understand.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a common destination for foreign students who want to experience the American way of studying, simply because it is a big city with one of the largest ethnic melting pots in the country.

As for Nepal, in the last years the political scenario has triggered the emigration of young students to more prosperous economies.

“With Maoists trying to overthrow the multiparty democratic system, there is too much uncertainty, and right now the environment is not suitable for someone to start a new career,” said Leena Shrestha, who is Nepalese and a student advisor at North Lake. “In this context, North Lake offers a better future and Dallas offers an international-friendly environment.”

North Lake College has always been known for its large universe of international students, but this semester the school hit a new record: 300 freshmen from all around the globe.

All told, approximately 1,200 students attend North Lake, which means that one of ten has a foreign cultural background to share in the classroom. They come mostly from Asia and Africa, followed by Canada and Mexico.

“In a globalizing world, we have to prepare our students to do business with people from diverse backgrounds and different ways of doing business,” said Samanthia Spence, director of the International Student Center at North Lake. “That is why we try to build a strong international community.” While students gain with the cultural exchange that the international mix provides, the college's funds increase.

International tuition may cost three times as much as the standard price for in-country students.

The school has extra expenses issuing documents to facilitate the student's visa, but still a lot of money is left to improve college's services and facilities.