International Student Programs

Academic Support

Additional academic support is available to international students through our OIE academic team and Study Corner! Come study independently, work in small groups, or schedule a 30–60 minute one-on-one session on topics such as writing, reading, note-taking, study strategies, presentations, academic integrity, citing sources, and more.

For support requests or Study Corner (Fell 202) use, please connect with our academic team.

Conversations Café

Relax, connect, and join the fun! Enjoy global conversations, meet new people, and unwind with board games, snacks from a featured country, and stress-relieving activities. All are welcome to join the conversation—no RSVP necessary!

Date	Time	Location	Featured County
August 21	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Italy
September 4	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Peru
September 18	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	South Korea
October 2	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Egypt
October 16	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Germany
October 30	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Ghana
November 13	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Australia

I-House Lunch and Learn Programs

The I-House Team hosts a number of fun and engaging events throughout the semester to provide international students with information on important programs and services offered by the OIE and other departments and units around campus. All international students are highly encouraged to attend these events to learn how to make the most of their journey at Illinois State University. 

Date	Time	Location	Topic
September 9	12:30 to 1:30pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Optional Practical Training (OPT) Presented by the ISSS Team
September 17	12:30 to 1:30pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	ISCS - International Student Career Series: Strategies for Finding a Job in the U.S. Presented by the Career Services Team
September 23	12:00 to 1:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	How To Manage your Finances Presented by the I-House Team
October 7	12:30 to 1:30pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	How To Search For Scholarships Presented by Financial Aid and the I-House Team
October 15	12:30 to 1:30pm	Virtual	ISCS - International Student Career Series: Alumni Share How to get a Job in the U.S. Presented by the Career Services Team
October 20	12:30 to 1:30pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	How to Adjust to the Changes in the Weather Presented by the I-House Team
November 3	12:30 to 1:30pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Navigating Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Presented by ISSS Team
November 4	12:30 to 1:30pm	Virtual	ISCS - Immigration Clinic: Life After OPT Presented by the Career Services
November 19	12:00 to 2:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	American Thanksgiving Celebration and Cultural Learning Experience
December 4	12:00 to 2:00pm	OIE Lobby, 2nd Floor Fell Hall	Spring 2026 Farewell Celebration Hosted by the I-House Team

I-House Trips

Join us for exciting day-trips outside of Bloomington-Normal!  These trips are designed to allow international students to explore different sites and cities of social, cultural, or historic interest and share in these experiences with other students. There is a cost to attend each event and you must register ahead of time through our Touchnet site.

Date	Time	Event	Details
September 12	7:00am to 9:30pm	Chicago Trip	We will spend the day in exploring Chicago, IL.
October 10	8:30am to 5:30pm	Starved Rock Trip	We will spend the day exploring Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby, IL.
November 14	8:30am to 5:30pm	Springfield Trip	We will spend the day exploring the capitol of Illinois, Springfield, IL.