Resources for Parents and Guardians

Keeping in touch

If your student is admitted to PSU, you should feel proud! We are ranked among the most sustainable, distinctive, and transformative schools in the nation. You can stay involved with our Parent and Guardians Facebook Group and our Prospective Parent and Family Portal. One thing many international students are not aware of is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This is a law that prevents us from sharing certain school information to others without a student's explicit permission. If you would like access to information after your student has enrolled at PSU, you student will have to give permission using this form.

Airport pickup

For those international students flying to Portland, there are several ways to get to downtown Portland:

New students can request an airport pickup to campus. Learn more here.

They can also reach the campus through public transportation. More information about transportation options to campus can be found here.

Food

If you are worried about what your student will be eating while studying at PSU, we are happy to say that we have a wealth of food options available. Students can purchase a meal plan to eat on campus. If they want to eat off campus, our downtown location is minutes away from hundreds of options, including food trucks, cafes and restaurants. There is almost every type of international food in Portland, plus delicious local options. Did you know that Portland was ranked the 2022 Best Foodie City in America by WalletHub? One thing is for sure, if you come to Portland, you will eat well!

Housing

We have seven student residences on campus. Students can choose to live alone or with roommates, with a private bathroom or a shared bathroom. There are a lot of options. Also, it is not mandatory to live on campus. Though we encourage students to live on campus (data shows that students who live on campus do better academically) students can choose to live in University Pointe or find their own place in Portland.

Transportation

PSU is right in the middle of Portland, with all the buildings and residence halls within a few minutes on foot. Plus, Portland has a great public transportation system, and our campus is the hub of all the light rail, bus and street car lines. Portland is also a very walkable and bikeable city, the Nike Town bikes free for students.

Health

We care about our students’ health - physical, mental and emotional. All international students are automatically signed up for international student health insurance. And for minor health and dental issues, a student’s first stop is SHAC (Student Health and Counseling Center), where they can receive treatment or get a referral to another clinic or hospital. We also encourage students to visit SHAC for their mental health needs. Finally, please check out our fantastic Recreation Center, where students can stay active with basketball courts, weight rooms, cardio rooms, an indoor running track, rock climbing wall, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and more.

Campus Safety

PSU is a downtown, urban campus, and just like in any major city in the world, students need to be aware of their surroundings. Having said that, we have a Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure a safe, respectful, positive environment for students to learn and live. PSU also features Student Safety Ambassador patrol teams and a Campus Safety Escort Service.

Academic Resources

For help with academics outside of the classroom, we offer a number of services. Each student has an Academic Advisor, with whom they can consult every term to help choose their classes. Plus, PSU offers other services, such as the Writing Center and Tutoring.

International students at Multnomah falls

Community

PSU is fortunate to be the home of more than 1,000 international students, from all around the world. We have been hosting international students for decades, and our ISSS (International Student and Scholar Services) office is there to assist them from the time they arrive on campus until after graduation. Your student will have an International Student Advisor to help with questions or issues related to visas and immigration status, and our International Student Life team hosts International Orientation and many other events to help your student adjust and thrive on campus.

Portland State also has 12 Cultural Resource Centers, including the Pan-African Commons, Pacific Islander, Asian & Asian American Student Center, La Casa Latina and Middle East, North Africa, South Asia (MENASA) Student Center. If your student wants to get involved in one of the many student clubs on campus, there is the Organization of International Students, Chinese Student Scholars Association, Iraqi Students’ Club, Omani Student Club, Indian Student Association, Hong Kong Student Association, Kuwaiti Student Club, Iranian Students Association of Portland and Nepalese Student Association, among many others.

Money

Studying at a university is a big investment, but we believe that PSU offers great value to your students! While international students pay out-of-state tuition rates, PSU offers scholarships to both incoming and continuing international students. Students on an F-1 student visa are eligible to work at one of many part-time job opportunities on campus. International students can also become eligible for CPT (Curricular Practical Training) which allows them to be paid for an internship that is part of their academic program.

Here is information on how to pay tuition each term, and also on how to set up a payment plan.

Indian student hugging his smiling parents

Come Visit!

We would love to welcome you to campus! If you want to help your student move in, students on an F-1 student visa can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the start of their program. Most parents use a B-1/B-2 tourist visa to enter. If you’d like to visit during the breaks, we have Winter break, Spring break and Summer break. Take a look at our Academic Calendar here. And, of course, if you are able, please come and celebrate with us when your student graduates from PSU. It is such a special time of the year!

Life After PSU

PSU takes pride in being a practical school, and one which can transform the lives of our students and their family. As a downtown, urban school, our students have access to the many organizations and businesses that call Portland home. We have a wonderful University Career Center that helps students find on-campus jobs, internships and jobs after graduation. Our School of Business has its own Career Center. Many international students apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training), which allows them to work anywhere in the U.S. in their field of study after graduation. We can help with this. OPT can be for one year or, if a student gets a degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM), up to three years. Our graduates earn a median salary of $51,000 two years after graduation, and more than 200,000 PSU alumni live all over the world. Learn more about the top employers of PSU graduates here.

International student graduate celebrating with family members