International students’ tuition increases yet resources remain scarce

International students are in pursuit of better resources as a result of the Board of Trustees’ decision in January to raise their tuition cost-per-unit.

At their Jan. 26 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a raise in international students’ tuition cost-per-unit from $234 to $266. This price would be in combination with the standard enrollment fee of $46 per unit.

International students must take a minimum of 12 units per semester in order to keep their student status at PCC. Taking this into consideration, international students must pay a minimum of $3,744 in tuition costs in order to attend Pasadena City College.

“I’m an international student,” said Alejandro Morales, the vice president for Business Affairs for the Associated Students. “It took me one year to be aware that there were scholarships at PCC.”

PCC currently does not offer a payment plan system or specific scholarship programs for international students. However, the Student Affairs Office (CC105) and bulletin boards around campus post notices for roommates and rooms for rent in the local community.

The Board of Trustees has yet to state whether or not they will be improving upon the resources for international students in return for their increase in tuition.

“I can keep paying more money if you want, but, the question is, how am I going to see this increase in an improvement in the services offered for international students specifically?” said Morales.

One of the many resources international students insist improvement on is job opportunities. As a requirement, an international student at PCC must work on campus.

“The career center doesn’t really have room for international students,” said Vatey Chin, a PCC student and one of the leaders of the International Students club.

Students also mentioned a desire for more events, housing opportunities and ways to make friends with other international students who may relate to their culture, language or society.

“We bring a lot of revenue to this school,” Morales said.

The Mexico City native believes the raise in tuition, along with “the climate of this country” may discourage international students from coming to PCC.

“I feel like PCC is not somewhere I would be able to make friends,” said Albert Chen who will be going to PCC in the fall. “I will probably just go to class and come home.”