International Students' Community

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This community organises on behalf of international students studying at Leeds Beckett University.

Welcome to our community group for international students! Are you studying abroad and eager to connect with fellow students from around the world?

The International Students’ Community group brings together students from all corners of the globe, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. In this space you are free to discuss the challenges of being an international student, from language barriers to cultural adjustments and more, and we aim to empower you to organise activity to remove barriers to education and support each other's experience at Leeds Beckett.

Collaboration is key to our community. We stand in solidarity with other marginalised groups, recognising the importance of intersectionality. We promote inclusivity and diversity, championing the rights and voices of students of all backgrounds, including but not limited to faith, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and race.

We prioritise the safety and well-being of our members, fostering an environment that is free from threat and intimidation. As such, we do not tolerate racist, anti-Semitic, islamophobic, fascist, sexist, xenophobic, ableist, LGBT-phobic or ageist views expressed within any of our spaces.

Why should I join?

We're delighted to offer you free membership to any student community you identify with, giving you access to exciting opportunities to get involved in change-making activity as well as providing you with valuable information and resources to support your journey at Leeds Beckett.

By joining, you'll also gain entry to a private online community forum where you can connect with fellow students in your community to discuss shared experiences and agree on priority campaigns.

Throughout the year, there will be numerous opportunities for you to participate in both online and on-campus activities. We encourage you to have your voice heard and get involved. If you have any ideas for activities you'd like to see or specific feedback regarding your experience as an international student, don't hesitate to get in touch with our Student Community Organisers by emailing lbsu-community-organisers@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.

I need help joining!

To become a part of a Student Community, you need to first update your details to identify yourself as a member of that particular community. Here's how you can do it:

  1. Follow this link to update your details.
  2. On that webpage, select the community or communities that you identify with and want to join.
  3. After making your selections, click the 'update' button.
  4. Now, go back to the page of the specific Community you wish to join (this page).
  5. On this page, you will find a 'join' button. Click on it.
  6. Once you click the 'join' button, you will see an option to 'add to basket'. Click on it.
  7. Your membership will be added to a virtual 'basket'.
  8. Navigate to the top of the page and click on the 'basket' button in the navigation bar.
  9. You will be taken to your basket, where you can review the community or communities you have selected to join.
  10. When you are ready, click on the 'check-out' button to complete your membership.

If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions regarding joining a community, please feel free to reach out to us at studentvoice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk. We will be more than happy to assist you.

The following priorities outline our guiding vision for making international students' lives better.

We recognise that priorities evolve with time and new ideas emerge. We embrace this dynamic nature and encourage active participation, welcoming fresh perspectives, new priorities, and celebrating achievements as they happen.

Building Cross Cultural Communities

  • We will work to build a welcoming environment for international students by:

  • Facilitating opportunities to connect and build friendships with home students.

  • Providing opportunities for international and home students who wish to learn a language to connect with each other.

  • Encouraging the University to promote the International Welcome Party and the role of the International Ambassador to more home students.

  • We will create a Community that is represenative of our diverse membership, and reflective of the different experiences of international students and EU students.

 

Awareness & Engagement

  • We will work to strengthen engagement with the Community, through visible and accessible activities, to forge and open and inclusive community for international students to network and seek support from their peers.

  • We will improve communication to ensure that international students feel empowered and safe to engage with the Campaign, in student activism and in politics at Leeds Beckett University.

  • We will hold seminars and events that explore different languages, cultures and religions.

  • We will lobby the University to offer support to people seeking asylum and refugees to ensure they have access to an education including access to scholarships and bursaries.

 

Accommodation

  • We will campaign for cheaper accommodation and better information regarding alternative accommodation providers and the areas of Leeds in which to live.

  • We will campaign for greater awareness of and access to an international student guarantor scheme to allow international students to access private accommodation, which requires a UK based guarantor or rent up front.

 

Careers Support & Engagement

  • We will lobby the University to provide better VISA support and advice, especially in relation to employment.

  • We will lobby the University to provide information on employers who can and will sponsor VISAs for international students and graduates.

  • We will campaign for an end to tuition fees during placement years.

  • We will work with the LBSU Graduate Network to develop opportunities for international student graduates to connect.

  • We will lobby the University and Students' Union to provide more opportunities for international students to work on campus and around their University timetable to tackle the difficulties international students may experience in finding part-time employment due to the limits if their VISAs.

 

Attendance Monitoring

  • We will lobby the University to improve the system used to monitor international student attendance to reduce stress and complications for international students.

 

Mental Health

  • We will campaign for better mental health support for international students to address the mental health concerns that arise from homesickness and difficulties related to moving away from our home countries.

 

Hardship Fund for International Students

  • We will campaign for a hardship fund that is accessible to international students to ensure that all students are able to seek support when experiencing unforeseen financial difficulties

 

 
Equality Mental Health Hub