A lightweight browser extension that gives international students instant, native-language guidance and Chase-powered recommendations whenever they encounter U.S. financial content online.

Wharton ID Club ✕ JP Morgan Chase

PROBLEM DEFINITION

International students are an essential part of the U.S. financial ecosystem, yet they often face significant challenges when navigating and managing their financial lives in the U.S.

~1,100,000

International students arrive in the U.S. to pursue higher education opportunities every year.

$43.8 billion

Contributed by International students studying at U.S. colleges and universities

380,000 jobs

Supported by International students studying in the states

They encounter language barriers, context-specific jargons, and a lack of tailored guidance in the U.S. financial system.

These obstacles impede their ability to build stable finances both during school and after graduation.

HOW MIGHT WE

How might we create a user-friendly and integrated solution that simplifies the U.S. banking process, empowering international students to confidently manage their finances?

OUR SOLUTION

Horizons guides international students from touchdown to tassel, adapting to each financial milestone along the way.

KEY FEATURES

KEY FEATURES

Multilingual Explaination
& Cultural Context

Multilingual Explaination
& Cultural Context

Real-Time Contextual Guidance

& Terminology Clarification

Real-Time Contextual Guidance

& Terminology Clarification

Personalized Recommendations

& Credit Building Road Map

Personalized Recommendations

& Credit Building Road Map

Chase Integration

& Product Recommendations

Chase Integration

& Product Recommendations

USER STORY BOARD

Lets see how do we make change to international students ☞

Wei Lin,

a 19‑year‑old undergrad from China.

Just landed in the U.S. with questions about:

Opening a U.S. bank account

Understanding credit and building history

Navigating financial jargon in English

Complying with U.S. tax rules

Upon Arrival

Setting Up Day-to-Day Banking

Wei lands in Philadelphia, and installs Horizons after his international-student advisor’s suggestion.

On the tuition page, Horizons suggests opening a Chase account to avoid international transfer delays and credit card fee.

Upon Arrival

Setting Up Day-to-Day Banking

Wei follows the link, schedules an in-branch appointment, and gets his debit card the same week.

First-Campus Job

Onboarding for
Your First Student Job

Wei secures a part-time research assistant role.

When Wei checks Penn’s onboarding FAQs, Horizons surfaces guidance on I-9 and SSN application.

First-Campus Job

Onboarding for
Your First Student Job

Wei completes his SSN application checklist in the plug-in and enrolls in direct deposit.

Building Credit

Starting Your U.S. Credit Journey

Feeling more settled after his first job, Wei decides to apply for a credit card—and starts building credit.

That’s when Horizons pops up with a personalized guide and recommends the Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

Building Credit

Starting Your U.S. Credit Journey

Wei applies for his first credit card and sets up auto-pay, taking his first step toward a strong credit history.

Graduation to Full-TIme

Filing Before Graduation

Wei has one last thing to take care of before graduating: filing his taxes. Luckily, Horizons makes it simple.

It guides him through Forms 8843 and 1040-NR, explaining how to use his W-2, and reminding him of deadlines.

Graduation to Full-TIme

Filing Before Graduation

With Horizons’ help, Wei files his taxes on time. He also accepts a full-time job offer and levels up to the Chase Freedom Flex card.

Even after school, Wei plans to keep using Horizons to manage his money, stay compliant, and continue building credit.

1/10

Lets see how do we make change to international students ☞

Wei Lin,

a 19‑year‑old undergrad from China.

Just landed in the U.S. with questions about:

Opening a U.S. bank account

Understanding credit and building history

Navigating financial jargon in English

Complying with U.S. tax rules

Upon Arrival

Setting Up Day-to-Day Banking

Wei lands in Philadelphia, and installs Horizons after his international-student advisor’s suggestion.

On the tuition page, Horizons suggests opening a Chase account to avoid international transfer delays and credit card fee.

Upon Arrival

Setting Up Day-to-Day Banking

Wei follows the link, schedules an in-branch appointment, and gets his debit card the same week.

First-Campus Job

Onboarding for
Your First Student Job

Wei secures a part-time research assistant role.

When Wei checks Penn’s onboarding FAQs, Horizons surfaces guidance on I-9 and SSN application.

First-Campus Job

Onboarding for
Your First Student Job

Wei completes his SSN application checklist in the plug-in and enrolls in direct deposit.

Building Credit

Starting Your U.S. Credit Journey

Feeling more settled after his first job, Wei decides to apply for a credit card—and starts building credit.

That’s when Horizons pops up with a personalized guide and recommends the Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

Building Credit

Starting Your U.S. Credit Journey

Wei applies for his first credit card and sets up auto-pay, taking his first step toward a strong credit history.

Graduation to Full-TIme

Filing Before Graduation

Wei has one last thing to take care of before graduating: filing his taxes. Luckily, Horizons makes it simple.

It guides him through Forms 8843 and 1040-NR, explaining how to use his W-2, and reminding him of deadlines.

Graduation to Full-TIme

Filing Before Graduation

With Horizons’ help, Wei files his taxes on time. He also accepts a full-time job offer and levels up to the Chase Freedom Flex card.

Even after school, Wei plans to keep using Horizons to manage his money, stay compliant, and continue building credit.

1/10

TECH FEASIBILITY

Horizons’ lightweight browser plug-in leverages a layered keyword engine to convert page context and minimal user data into instant tooltips and tailored recommendations.

TECH DIAGRAM

TECH DIAGRAM

💡Meet users where they are

💡Deliver personalized definitions and curated links

💡We create a natural entry point into the Chase ecosystem

💡Horizons becomes increasingly "smart" through continued use.

BUSINESS IMPACT

Turning international students into high-value, low-cost, lifelong Chase customers.

Long-Term

Revenue Drivers

Reducing

Operational Costs

Enhancing

Reputation

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

Horizons anchors Chase as the students’ first bank and stays with them from arrival to post-graduation, expanding lifetime value as they mature.

Cross-sell/Product Promotion

By surfacing timely, context-based Chase offers, the extension consistently drives cross-sell uptake and incremental fee revenue.

NEXT STEPS

Turning international students into high-value, low-cost, lifelong Chase customers.

Partnership with Higher Education Institutions

Embed co-branded Horizons plugins in ISSS onboarding and student portals.

Continuous Refinement of Keyword Database

Use real-time user signals to sharpen intent detection and keyword accuracy.

Expand Service to Cover More Countries and Languages

Roll out core-language support first, then extend to emerging student markets.

YEAR/DURATION

2025

5 days

COLLABORATORS

Iris Yan

Luca Cao

YuHsin Lin

Carmen Chang

ROLE

Technical Product Planning Lead