ISU - Home

Any person, Any study, Any country

The International Students Union (ISU) aims to promote international awareness in the Cornell community through international events, funding for cultural organizations, and advocacy projects.

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We are dedicated members from a diverse background, to promote dialogue and awareness of global issues. Open to both undergraduate and graduate students!

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What We Do

Funding

ISU funds any international-oriented event held on campus. Kindly read the funding requirements below before applying for funding.

Mentorship

MINT pairs incoming international students and underclassmen with student mentors. The program seeks to connect students with the broader international community.

Advocacy

ISU advocates for the needs of international students and for global causes such as the Foreign Student Employment Program and Letters to Home.

Planning

ISU organizes and host our own events aimed towards creating a comfortable atmosphere for people to learn about other cultures and have conversations about current global affairs.

Working with Student Assembly

ISU works closely with Cornell's Student Assembly to allocate funding across international clubs and promote the well-being of international students on campus.

About UsWho We Are

ISU is a diverse team...

Total Active Members

Countries Represented

History of ISU

1981

The International Students Union (ISU) was established as the International Students Programming Board (ISPB), later renamed the International Students Board (ISB), an umbrella student organization promoting cross-cultural understanding and international life by programming, sponsoring, and co-sponsoring international activities. The organization originally functioned as a funding board, with an aim to expand to wider-reaching functions.

2014

11.4% of Cornell's undergraduate student population was composed of international students; however, there was no established student organization to represent the general international population. As it became evident that there was a rising need for international students to have the resources to form a stronger on-campus community, this, as well as the rate of success and interest in ISB’s activities, prompted ISB to pass a resolution in the Student Assembly and expand into the International Students Union (ISU).

2015 - Today

ISB had officially changed its name to ISU, and opened its General Body division to the entire Cornell community. Since then, ISU has not only continued its role as a funding organization, but has also been actively addressing the needs and concerns of international students, particularly by promoting internationalism and advocacy on campus.