AMS introduces International Students Bursary

Bursary will be for up to $500 

Image supplied by: Journal File Photo
AMS hopes to increase engagement with international students.

The AMS recently announced a new International Students Bursary geared towards providing financial support to international students. The bursary will be valued up to $500 and provided based on financial need.

Following the announcement, The Journal sat down with Anika Chowdhury, AMS Commissioner of Campus Affairs, to discuss the introduction of the Bursary.

First proposed in 2019, the International Students Bursary comes as a result of consultation with international students in Kingston. A need was identified for extra financial support.

“Their tuition is higher, they have larger expenses for travel, and they also have other unforeseen expenses that domestic students don’t necessarily have,” Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury noticed a disparity between the scholarships and financial aid Queen’s offers to domestic students versus international students. With the introduction of the International Students Bursary, Chowdhury hopes to provide international students with increased financial support.

“I’ve noticed, in my position, that there is a difference in the scholarships and financial aid that the school offers, and there’s a lot more for domestic students than there are for international students,” she said. 

International students at Queen’s pay far greater tuition fees than their domestic peers. Fall-term tuition for a domestic Arts and Science student in 2020-21 was $3,091.55. International tuition was $24,300.35.

“This AMS bursary is a nice way to offset some of the smaller costs for international students.”

The bursary is part of the efforts of the AMS to increase international students’ access to resources and support.

“Sometimes, it’s difficult to access resources when you don’t know what’s available to you, or the resources are limited,” she said. 

“The goal of this bursary was to create an avenue for international students to access further support, and we’re hoping that, through this bursary, students feel that the AMS values international students.”

Chowdhury said the introduction of the bursary will increase students’ engagement with the AMS.

“There are opportunities for international students to get involved and use their voice,” she said.

“I’m hoping that students who engage with the bursary will feel supported by the AMS and will seek out more resources or look to engage with us further.”

Applications for the bursary are set to close on Nov. 7. With marketing initiatives still ongoing, the deadline will likely be extended by two weeks to give students further exposure to the bursary. 

Students can apply directly through the AMS website.

Chowdhury hopes the support provided by the International Students Bursary will spur more action to assist marginalized students at Queen’s. 

“It really sets up [the] next steps to create a more inclusive environment at our school and within the AMS.”

With massive time and effort poured into creating the International Student’s Bursary, Chowdhury hopes international students feel more supported by the AMS.

“I just hope students access it and it’s advertised well, and marketed well, so students know that it’s there for them.”

Tags

AMS, bursary, international students

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