US Mission invites Nigerian students for life, study in America

The United States Consulate General in Lagos has announced a pre-departure orientation programme for Nigerian students who hold valid U.S. student visas, aimed at preparing them for academic life and living in the United States.

The orientation is scheduled for Thursday, December 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and will take place at the U.S. Consulate General, 2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to a statement shared by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, the programme is open to all holders of U.S. student visas. Interested participants are required to register online using a form available on the U.S. Mission’s official X (formerly Twitter) page.

Education USA alumni currently studying at various U.S. institutions will lead the sessions, offering guidance on what students need to know before departing Nigeria.

Topics to be covered include adapting to cultural differences, managing academic expectations, relating with professors, making friends, securing on-campus jobs, and applying for internships as well as CPT and OPT opportunities.

The programme will also address issues such as maintaining physical and mental wellbeing, time and financial management, dealing with racism and sexual harassment, and opportunities for scholarships, honours programmes, and making the Dean’s List.

In addition, participants will receive practical travel tips, advice on what to pack, and information on renewing student visas.

The initiative comes amid reports of stricter immigration enforcement in the United States, with thousands of visas, including student visas, reportedly revoked globally in recent months over security and criminal concerns.