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With the start of a new academic year fast approaching, the Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) in Student Affairs is preparing to welcome over 1,400 international students to campus.

In 2018-19, 11.9 per cent of the full-time undergraduate Queen’s student population and 27.2 per cent of the full-time graduate population were international students from more than 90 countries. In 2019-20, that is expected to increase slightly.

As they arrive on campus QUIC is offering a variety of activities and resources to ensure that all new international and English as an Additional Language (EAL) students make a smooth and successful transition to Queen’s.

“We are looking forward to welcoming our new international students to Queen’s. The QUIC team has put together an excellent orientation program for early arrivals to support international students with their transition to Kingston,” says Sultan Almajil, Director of QUIC. “Orientation is an opportunity for us to ensure that international students take full advantage of all that Queen’s has to offer, and it is also an opportunity to build relationships and learn about our students’ journey and their cultures.” 

For those arriving early in Kingston, QUIC will be hosting a week of , Aug. 26-30, giving students the opportunity to visit QUIC, meet their peers, and discover useful resources – all before Orientation Week.

From Aug. 26 to Sept. 13, QUIC will operate on extended hours: from 8:30 am-7:30 pm on weekdays and from 1-7:30 pm on weekends and Labour Day.

International and EAL students can also take advantage of the many pre-arrival webinars available online. The webinars, which are a part of the Student Experience Office (SEO) Summer Webinar Series, provide useful information on topics from the Canadian education system to visas and study permits.

QUIC’s Fall Orientation and Welcome Programming begins on Monday, Aug. 26 and continues until Saturday, Sept. 14, in collaboration with university orientation programs. Participants will have additional opportunities to tour campus, attend information sessions, and participate in games and movie nights at QUIC’s new space in Mitchell Hall, and a trip to Niagara Falls.

“Coming to Queen’s University as an international student, I was filled with excitement but also a bit of trepidation on coping with the new environment, different culture and education system,” says Abirami Katlathy, a Master’s of Science student. “At QUIC, my social circle widened and I found myself getting more comfortable with my new life. It was like a second home where I met people from different backgrounds, engaged in quite a few enlightening conversations and spent time with my friends.”

To learn more about QUIC’s Welcome and Orientation fall program and to register, visit the .

Note: This article was originally written by Dana Mitchell and appeared in the Queen's Gazette.