International Students Hub

From confusion to connection — a student-built guide for international life.

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The link to the full report is included in "Try it out."

Inspiration

As a 17-year-old international student attending the high school completion plus program in a U.S. community college, I struggled to find clear, centralized information on topics like culture shock, CPT/OPT, healthcare, and how to transfer to a university. Most resources were scattered across multiple websites, and few addressed the emotional and social challenges students like me face. I wanted to build something I wish I had when I first arrived.

What it does

International Students Hub is a student-built website that helps international students adjust to life, academics, and cultural differences in the U.S. Key features include:

  • Cultural Misconceptions explained in a friendly, easy-to-understand way
  • A Life Guide for daily essentials like transportation, shopping, and healthcare
  • Visa & Work info (CPT/OPT, F-1 rules, scholarships)
  • Academic resources (course selection, transfer help, registration tips)
  • Campus life tips (clubs, events, study spots)
  • A Story Sharing section where students submit their adaptation stories to build community and peer support.

How I built it

  • HTML5: Page structure and content
  • CSS3 + Bootstrap 4: Custom styles and responsive design
  • JavaScript: Interactive logic and dynamic content (e.g., story sharing)
  • Google Apps Script API: For collecting and displaying student stories
  • Responsive layout for both desktop and mobile
  • All content was written based on research and personal experience as a current international student

Challenges I ran into

  • Balancing visual appeal with clear organization of a large amount of content
  • Writing accessible and culturally-sensitive content for a global audience
  • Learning how to use the Google Apps Script API to collect and display student stories

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

  • Successfully creating a functional, content-rich website from scratch
  • Writing and organizing all original content in English
  • Adding a peer-to-peer component that makes the site feel welcoming and human

What I learned

  • How to design and build a website for a real-world problem
  • The importance of empathy and user-centered design
  • How to organize complex information in a way that's simple and engaging
  • How to use the Google Apps Script API to collect and display student stories

What's next for International Students Hub

  • Expand content to more U.S. schools
  • Add multi-language support

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