Wayne State University is one of 57 colleges and universities nationwide that has joined the #YouAreWelcomeHere national scholarship program, pledging to create scholarships for international students to study in the U.S.

Temple University leads the national initiative, which began as a hashtag in November 2016 following expressions of apprehension by some international students about studying in the U.S. The social media campaign expanded in May to include scholarships from nine universities.

To date, the #YouAreWelcomeHere program has received commitments from institutions from Maine to Hawaii and from community colleges to large, public universities.

"Building on our proud history of serving international students - this year's class hails from 77 countries - we at Wayne State University are proud to support the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign and help launch its scholarship program," says Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for educational outreach and international programs.

Beginning in fall 2019, each of the 57 participating colleges and universities will offer two annual, renewable scholarships that will cover a minimum of 50 percent of recipients' tuition. At WSU, the scholarships will allow recipients to study at the Michigan in-state tuition rate.

The scholarships support incoming international students who are committed to furthering the #YouAreWelcomeHere message through intercultural exchange that bridges divides at their future campuses and beyond.

"Through our investment in supporting the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship, we not only help attract great talent to the university, but also continue to enrich our WSU community and advance our global and internationalization agenda," Ezzeddine says.

In addition to the participating colleges and universities, the campaign has earned support from key international education organizations, including NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Institute of International Education (IIE).

"The #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship meets an essential challenge in the effort to support international and refugee students, foster intercultural understanding and develop future leaders," says Allan E. Goodman, president of the IIE. "Refugee students flee conflict zones and cross intercultural divides to continue their higher education. As a higher education community, it is our responsibility to support such great efforts and welcome refugees to safe-haven universities across the United States."

To qualify, international applicants must hold citizenship in a country outside the U.S. and cannot possess U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. Interested students must apply for admission to WSU and submit the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship application. Wayne State's application is online at go.wayne.edu/yawh.

The Office of International Programs leads Wayne State's global engagement by creating opportunities that foster international education and research, facilitate the exchange of individuals and ideas that promote global competencies and citizenship, and provide resources that support the expansion of the university's global agenda. Follow us on Twitter @WayneOIP.