Survey of International Students

Thank you for taking the time to complete our survey. In order to better understand your responses, we would like some information about you. Your answers will remain completely confidential.

Information About You

_______________________________________________________________

1. What country are you from?


2. How fluent are you in spoken English?

Very
Mostly
Barely
Not at all

3. What is your gender?

Male
Female

4. What is your age?

Under 18
18-21
22+

5. What is the total length of time you plan to study in Washington state?

Months

6. What school are you attending?


7. What is the main focus or field of study of your education here?


8. Before this visit, how many times have you been:

a. To the United States? Times
b. To Washington state? Times

Arrival Experience

_______________________________________________________________

9. Did you have trouble getting a United States visa to study here?

Yes
No

10. Who helped you prepare your visa application? (Check all that apply)

School Officials
Teachers from my home country
Handled by an international study program
Student Recruitment Agency
No one
Other (Please List)

11. Please rate each of the following aspects of your experience at Sea-Tac Airport as: 1) Good, 2) Satisfactory, 3) Unsatisfactory or 4) Bad. If it does not apply to you, leave that line blank.

Good Satisfact. Unsatis. Bad
a. Immigration
a. Customs
b. Baggage Handling
c. Signs and Directions
d. Transportation to and from Airport

Information About Washington State

_______________________________________________________________

12. Why did you choose to study in Washington state? (Check all that
apply)

Family attended school here
Friends attended school here
Family live here
Friends live here
Visited here previously
Recruited
Reputation of the school
Placed through an international study program
Recommended by teacher
Other (Please List)

13. Why did you choose to study at this school? (Check all that
apply)

Family attended school here
Friends attended school here
Visited here previously
Recruited
Reputation of the school
Placed through an international study program
Recommended by teacher
Other (Please List)

14. How did you get information about Washington state in preparation for living here? (Check all that
apply)

Websites
Brochures
From friends who had been here
From family who had been here
From friends who live here
From family who live here
Student Recruitment Agency
Travel Agency
Media (television, newspapers, magazines)
Travel books
Other (Please List)

A. If you used websites: Which websites did you find most useful?

15. Was there information you wanted but were unable to find?

Yes
No

If yes: What information was it?


Accommodations

_______________________________________________________________

16. What type of housing are you using?

Dormitory
Apartment
Homestay in private home
Other (Please List)

17. If you are staying in an apartment or a homestay in a private home, please indicate whether your experience with each of following was: 1) Good, 2) Satisfactory, 3) Unsatisfactory, 4) Disappointing. (Skip this question if you are not staying in an apartment or a private home)

Good Satisfact. Unsatis. Disappointing
a. Overall Quality
b. Ease of finding information about available accomodations
c. Ease of getting from housing to school
d. Assistance of school officials

18. What is the most difficult thing about living here?


While You Were Here

_______________________________________________________________

19. Overall how would you describe the local people you encountered while you were here? Would you say they were:

Very Mostly Mostly Not Not at All
a. Courteous
b. Friendly
c. Helpful
d. Interested in learning about your country/culture

Comments, if any:


Attractions/Events

_______________________________________________________________

20. For those activities that you participated in, please rate as 1) Good, 2) Satisfactory, 3) Unsatisfactory, or 4) Disappointing. If it does not apply to you, leave that line blank.

Good Satisfact. Unsatis. Disappointing
a. Shopping
b. Sporting Events
c. Restaurants
d. Cultural Events
(plays, concerts, festivals, etc.)
e. Hiking / Camping
f. Museums
g. Attractions
(Space Needle, Museum of Glass, etc.)
h. Wine/Beer Tasting
i. Ferries
j. Parks
(Zoos, The Gorge, etc.)
k. Other (Please List)

21. While you are here, how do you learn about things to do and see? (Check all that
apply)

School Officials
Travel Agency
From friends who had been here
Brochures
Websites
Information Centers
Other (Please List)

22. How many friends or relatives from your home country have visited you or are planning to visit you while you are here?

None
1-5
6-10
11+

23. Was it easy or difficult to find the kinds of food that you wanted to eat?

Very Easy
Easy
Difficult
Very Difficult

24. What kinds of food did you eat while you were here?

American
Food from my home country
Food from other countries

Getting Around

_______________________________________________________________

25. How did you get around once you were here? (Check all that
apply)

Walk
Bus
Taxi
Rental Car
Ferry
Light Rail
Bicycle
Other (Please List)

26. How easy or difficult was it to get around town or get around the region while you were here? Please rate the following as: 1) Very Easy, 2) Easy, 3) Difficult or 4) Very Difficult. If you did not visit or participate in that type of activity, just leave that line blank.

Very Easy Easy Difficult Very Diff.
a. Public Transportation
b. Availability of directions, Travel Information
c. Understandable Signs

Health Care

_______________________________________________________________

27. Have you received medical care during your stay here?

Yes
No

If so, how? (Check all that apply)

Student Health Center
Private Physician
Hospital Emergency Room
Other (Please List)


28. Was it easy for you to access health care?

Very Easy
Easy
Difficult
Very Difficult

Safety & Emergency Services

_______________________________________________________________

29. Did you feel safe here?

Very Safe
Mostly Safe
Mostly Unsafe
Not Safe

30. Please indicate whether your experience with your school's safety and emergency services was: 1) Good, 2) Satisfactory, 3) Unsatisfactory, 4) Disappointing. (Skip this question if you have not used your school's safety and emergency services)

Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Disappointing
a. Overall quality
b. Ease of finding information
c. Ease of accessing
c. Other (Please list and rank)

Summary

_______________________________________________________________

31. What has been your favorite thing about your time here?


32.What would you do differently if you had it to do over?


33. How likely are you to return to Washington for a vacation or pleasure trip?

Very Likely
Maybe
Unlikely
Very Unlikely

34. How likely are you to recommend to friends or relatives that they visit here?

Very Likely
Maybe
Unlikely
Very Unlikely

35. How likely are you to recommend to friends or relatives that they study here?

Very Likely
Maybe
Unlikely
Very Unlikely

36. What are your academic or professional plans after graduation?


37. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your experience?




Special thanks to the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau, Seattle's Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Tacoma Regional Convention & Visitor Bureau for the photos used in this survey.