During the 2016-2017 academic year, 1,078,822 international students enrolled in higher education institutions in the U.S. International students from mainland China made up 32.5% of the entire international student enrollment. About 40.7% of Chinese students in the U.S. are in undergraduate programs. Students from mainland China are often reported to encounter the most challenges in adapting to life in the U.S. Orientation programs are perceived by many as one of the most effective ways to help incoming students become integrated on campus. Many higher education institutions in the U.S. hold an orientation specifically for international students at the beginning of the school year to facilitate their adjustment.

This study used linear regression analysis to gain an understanding of orientation components valued by international Chinese undergraduates with varying degrees of campus integration. One hundred sixty-one surveys were completed by international Chinese undergraduates enrolled in five universities located in a Midwestern metropolitan area. A validated, commercially available survey that deals with this research topic was not available. Therefore, the researcher developed the survey.

Students with varying degrees of integration experiences valued orientation information that was critical to how they navigated their student status and functioning in the U.S. Orientation information relating to interpersonal interactions was valued differently by students with varying degrees of integration. Participation in orientation programs did not appear to be associated with campus integration. Students' sociodemographic status was associated with their degree of integration on campus. In general, students indicated a higher level of desire to become integrated than their actual degree of integration. Recommendations for facilitating campus integration are offered to administrators, personnel working with international students and students.

Developing orientation programs that are designed specifically to meet the needs of international students (both broadly and for specific groups) is essential in the transition process. Furthermore, it also creates a win-win situation for students, both domestic and international, as well as the institutions of which they are a part.