Up and down the country thousands of international students are struggling to adapt to student life in a foreign country away from friends and family, at a time when uncertainty and social distancing are the new norm.

Over the last year Friends International was able to support more than 10,000 international students. 1,300 students attended a Bible study organised by us, hundreds more attended our English language courses and 700 enjoyed hospitality as part of our hosting schemes. Jeet, a post graduate research international student at the University of Surrey in Guildford, said; 

“Friends International has really helped me enjoy my stay here, making new friends and developing more knowledge about British culture, food and the Christian faith”.

In Sunderland, where Friends International has recently launched a new local centre to serve the city’s 7,000 international students, authorities have imposed strict guidelines to halt the spread of the virus at the university. James Adair, who manages the local centre in Sunderland reports, “These are difficult and challenging times we are living in yet with the launch of Friends International we now have a great opportunity to share the hope of Christ with many of these students.”