International Student Newsletter

Dear International Students,

We hope your fall semester is going well.

In the Announcements section of this newsletter, learn more about BU’s Yawkey Nonprofit Internship Program, including eligibility and requirements on how to apply, the Asian Alumni Festival, a great opportunity to build your professional connections in Asia and around the world, which is happening virtually for the first time in 15 years, and International Education Week (IEW). This is BU’s 10th year celebrating IEW, which will take place from November 15-19, and we hope you attend as many events as possible. In the Employment in the U.S. section, meet Sierra Cazassa (SED’23), who reflects on her internship experiences, the resources she used to obtain them, and shares her advice for international students. In the Culture Corner section learn about tipping etiquette in the U.S., including guidelines for the three most common times tipping is expected, frequently asked questions, and the best tipping apps.

We hope you enjoy this content, and if you have any feedback or suggestions for future newsletters, please contact Kamelia Turcotte at kameliat@bu.edu

Announcements

colorful dragon art

Asian Alumni Festival

The BU Asian Alumni Festival is a great opportunity to build your professional connections in Asia and around the world. You will have a chance to connect with fellow alumni, renew friendships, and reignite the BU spirit while engaging more deeply with the University.

Register
Smiling student with group working at table behind him

Yawkey Nonprofit Internship Program

Boston University’s Yawkey Nonprofit Internship Program is a selective program designed for sophomores and juniors that provides funding to support participation in unpaid internships at nonprofit organization.

Learn More
10th Annual International Education Week 2021, November 15-19, Celebrate Boston University's Global Engagement

International Education Week

This year, BU will host our 10th International Education Week (IEW), which will take place from November 15-19 2021. IEW is a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education and is celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide. IEW is meant to generate enthusiasm, broaden horizons, spark new dialogues, and encourage new ideas to expand international perspectives.

Learn More

Upcoming Events

Employment in the U.S.

Sierra Cazassa in a city

A Word from Students

BU student, Sierra Cazassa (SED ’23), reflects on her internship experiences, and shares advice with international students.

Read the Full Story

Culture Corner

Tipping in the U.S.

While tipping is not mandatory in most of the United States, it is customary in many circumstances for service, especially at almost all sit-down restaurants which offer table service and many food servers depend on tips as an essential part of their wage.

This chart offers tipping guidelines for three of the most common times tipping is expected: at restaurants, during travel, and at salons.

Below are three common tipping questions.

Pre-tax or post-tax? (restaurants)

Tips are calculated pre-tax, but many people just use the total bill either for the sake of simplicity or to be more generous. If you are in a situation where the tip is automatically added in, it should be pre-tax.

Coupons and gift certificates (restaurants; salons)

Tipping is always based upon the original price of the good or service. For example, if you get a coupon for 20% off, then tip on the original price. The amount of work done by the server/stylist is not less because you paid less. If you have a coupon for a free entree, then tip based upon the regular price of the entree.

Tipping the owner (salons)

Most salon owners welcome gratuities. Consider tipping 15 to 20 % of the fee, whether or not the stylist owns the place. When more than one person (stylist, colorist) attends to you, split 15 to 20% among them according to how much each contributed to the outcome.

Additional information: U.S. News & World Report Tipping Guide

Guide to tipping apps

Adapted from United States Tipping Etiquette, www.tripadvisor.com

If you have suggestions for an aspect of American culture to feature in the next communication, please contact Kamelia Turcotte at kameliat@bu.edu

The Compass

There are over 250 academic, housing, community, and employment resources currently on the Compass and each issue we will highlight two.