Upper Iowa University International Student Arrival Guide

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1 Center for International Education 605 Washington Street PO Box 1857 Fayette, IA Phone: +1 (563) Fax: +1 (563) Web: Prior to Departure Upper Iowa University International Student Arrival Guide Before leaving your home country, all of your enrollment documents to Your enrollment documents can be found in the acceptance folder mailed to you or on our website ( All enrollment documents are due by July 31, Free transportation or housing preferences for students who submit enrollment forms after the deadline are not guaranteed. The required documents are listed below: o Confirmation of Enrollment o Conditional Admission Agreement (For Intensive English Program Students only!) o Housing Reservation Form (avaliable only at: o Medical History Form o Immunization Record o Billing Authorization Document o Housing Deposit In order for us to better assist you and to make arrangements for free transportation from Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Airport (CID) to Fayette, fill out our Pick-up/Arrival Form: Arrival dates are August 15 th, 16 th and 17 th. You must arrive at Cedar Rapids on one of these days to be guaranteed free airport pick-up! Rather than packing linens or buying them once you arrive, you can rent all of this and more! The linens will then be delivered to your residence hall room prior to your arrival. If interested, you can order at: The cost is approximately $130 and depends on the style and items you purchase. Most of the residences hall room do not have a kitchen. Instead, you can rent a fridge/freezer/microwave that will be delivered to your room. If interested, you can rent at: Your microfridge will be delivered to your room, prior to your arrival. Microfridge prices start at $50. NSSI provides renter s insurance to college students to cover their property while on-campus. Make sure that you review the policy prior to buying to ensure that you understand the terms and conditions. This is not required for students to live in the residence halls but is suggested for all students. For more information, go to Prices vary depending on policy. If you have not submitted your proof of graduation documents or final transcipts, bring them with you when you arrive. Page 1

2 Arriving in the United States In order to successfully enter the U.S., you will need the following documents: o Your Form I-20/DS-2019 o Your Passport (must be valid for a least six months after your arrival) and F-1 Visa For Canadian Citizens: You are not required to obtain a visa at the U.S. consulate before entering the U.S. o It is recommended you carry your financial statement, acceptance letter and contact information for your international student advisor with you. When you enter the U.S., you will present your documents to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. The officer will ask you a series of questions about your intent and reasons for coming to the U.S. If travelling by air, you will be issued an electronic I-94 record. You will print this record when you arrive on campus and verify that the information is correct. If travelling by car, you will receive a paper I-94 card. Check to make sure your card is stamped for F-1 D/S or F-1 Duration of Status. If you are on a J-1 visa, make sure your I-94 card is stamped J-1 D/S or J-1 Duration of Status. Keep your Form I-94 card safe while you are in the U. S., as it is a very important document. Once you are granted admission into the U. S., claim your luggage so that U.S. Customs inspectors can examine all bags for compliance and present the customs form that was distributed by the airline personnel during the flight. The inspector may look through your luggage, asking questions about whether or not you have brought any prohibited items, have large amounts of currency ($10,000 USD, or more) to declare. Even if your final destination requires travel to another airport, this will take place in your first city (port of entry) into the U.S. Often, working dogs sniff the baggage claim area to help find illegal imports. Prohibited items include plants, fruits, meats, other fresh or cured food products, drugs and items for resale. For a more complete listing of prohibited items and further information about Customs inspection, ask for a booklet regarding customs regulations at the U.S. Embassy or consulate when you get your visa, or consult the CBP website at While most over-the-counter medication can be taken across national boundaries, some cannot. Most prescription drugs, particularly habit-forming and narcotics, require additional consideration. The complete report can be viewed at If you have any flight delays, cancellations or have issues at Customs and Border Protection, call the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office at After normal business hours (8:00am-5:00pm Monday through Friday), call Keep both these numbers with you while travelling. Be extremely safe when travelling. Keep your immigration documents in a safe, sealed place on your person and only show them to airline or government officials. At the Airport If you arrive on one of our designated arrival dates and to the designated airport, you will be greeted at the airport by a UIU representative. This representative will help you to the shuttle that will take you to the UIU campus! The ride from CID Airport to Fayette is about 1 ½ hours. Your luggage will be with you on the shuttle. If you cannot find the UIU representative, approach the Airport Shuttle desk and tell them that you are a new student attending UIU. Make sure you collect your luggage from the baggage claim. Page 2

3 If you do not arrive on one of our designated arrival dates, approach the Airport Shuttle desk and tell them that you are a new student attending UIU. You may have to wait for the next available shuttle. If a shuttle is not available, you will be responsible for the cost of a taxi to campus. Taxi s to campus are very expensive and can cost up to $250. If your flight is delayed or cancelled but you requested airport pick-up, a shuttle will still be arranged for you but you may have to wait at the airport a little bit longer for the next available shuttle. If you have trouble or get lost in the airport, visit the information desk and ask them for help finding the shuttle desk or call one of the numbers listed above. Also, you can ask other travelers. People in Iowa are known for being friendly. If the airline loses your luggage, go to the lost luggage claim counter and fill out the missing luggage claim form. You can list the following information on the missing luggage claim form. o Address: Upper Iowa University, 605 Washington Street, Fayette, Iowa USA o Phone: o Address to deliver your luggage to: Upper Iowa University, Garbee Hall, 605 Washington Street, Fayette, Iowa USA o It is very helpful to have a distinguishing feature and write your name on the outside and inside of your bag to help find it quicker, if lost. o If you luggage is lost, obtain a record locator number so you can track your luggage online with the airline you fly on. o Save all forms the airline gives you, including tickets and bag tag numbers. o Put a large piece of paper with the UIU address inside your bag, so airport personal know where to send your luggage. o You are responsible for keeping track of your lost luggage! Arriving to Campus Once you arrive on campus, you will be greeted by a member of the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and a member of the Residence Life Department. You will be shown to your room and given a schedule for your first week at UIU. Review the UIU orientation schedule once you arrive to ensure that you don t miss any of the activities during the week! Food will be available on campus beginning August 15 th. Please international@uiu.edu if you have any special dietary restrictions. UIU does offer vegetarian and vegan options daily and can accommodate most dietary needs. You will be given your UIU computer login information and information on how to login to the wireless internet on campus. Mobile/cellular phone representatives will not be on campus until later in the week. Make arrangements to contact your family via or another electronic method until then. New international students are required to arrive on campus earlier than new American students because of the mandatory new international student orientation. When you get to campus you will not see a lot of American students and it will be very quiet. Do not worry! The new American students will arrive a week after you do and you will get to make new American friends. Page 3

4 Supplies, Banking and Mobile (Cellular) Phones Banking and mobile phone companies will be on campus August 19 th. You will be able to purchase SIM cards and mobile phones during this time. Many students on campus will purchase local minutes only and contact their families abroad using Skype or Viper to reduce their costs. You can also purchase mobile phones and SIM cards during the Wal-Mart shopping trip on August 18 th. Many of the mobile phones and SIM cards at Wal-Mart do not have reception or a signal in Fayette. Please confirm this with the sales person before making a purchase. You will be able to purchase any linens, school supplies, additional food and personal supplies during the Wal-Mart trip on August 18 th, at your expense, so bring enough money with you for any supplies you need. Credit cards are accepted at most locations in the U.S., including Wal-Mart. However, pre-paid cards are not, so avoid bringing pre-paid cards. If you do bring cash with you to the U.S., remember to exchange your currency for U.S. currency at the airport, as this service is not available in Fayette. Health and Wellness Your health insurance will begin the minute you arrive in the U.S. More about U.S. health insurance will be explained during our orientation presentation. Contact if you get sick during your flight or during your first week on campus. All international students are required to purchase UIU health insurance. Your health insurance will be included on your university bill. It will take a few weeks for your body to adjust to the changing climate, food and environment. Keep this in mind when trying new food or new activities. Getting enough sleep is critical during this adjustment period. Mandatory tuberculosis (TB) will take place on campus during the first week of classes. Check your orientation schedule when you arrive for more information. What to Pack Fayette has four very beautiful seasons: summer, winter, spring and fall. It is important that you pack clothing for all these seasons. There will be opportunities and trips to purchase clothing as well. o During the summer (June, July and August) the weather is very hot. Temperatures can reach 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). o During the winter (November, December, January and February) the weather is very cold. Temperatures can be as low as -28 degrees Celsius (-20 degrees Fahrenheit). Although this temperature is less common, it can be that cold. This is season is known for producing a lot of snow. o During the spring (March, April and May) the weather is warm and it tends to rain. Temperatures vary this time a year but tend to be around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures will get warmer as the seasons progresses. This season is known for producing a lot of rain. Page 4

5 o During the fall (September, October and November) temperatures begin to cool. Similar to spring, the temperatures vary and tend to be around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures will get cooler as the seasons progresses. UIU has several international events you can participate in on campus. International students are encouraged to bring traditional clothing or other items from their home cultures. Fayette is a very small town. The closest international grocery store is about one hour away. If there are any special spices or foods you like, bring them with you to campus. Keep in mind, not all foods are approved to travel across borders. Check the TSA permitted/prohibited foods list before bringing food with you ( It is recommended to pack a small travel kit with hygiene products and an extra set of clothing in your carry-on luggage in case your checked luggage is lost during travel. Although Wal-Mart does have travel adapters, they do not have that many in stock. It is recommended you bring a travel adapter with you to the U.S. The U.S. electrical sockets currently support Type A and Type B electrical outlet plugs. If you are interested in shipping items to campus before you arrive, international@uiu.edu for more information. Cash: approximately $200-$500 USD Important Dates to Remember Arrival Dates: August 15 th, 16 th and 17 th o Intensive English Program students must arrive by August 16 th Intensive English Program Testing (for Intensive English Program students only): August 17 th Wal-Mart Shopping Trip and Campus Tours: August 18 th New International Student Orientation (Mandatory): August 19 th and 20 th TB Testing (Mandatory): August 26 th For More Information Website: uiu.edu/international Facebook Page: UIU Center for International Education Facebook Group: UIU Center for International Education Twitter: UIU_CIE Flickr: Center for International Education- Upper Iowa University YouTube: Upper Iowa University- International Page 5

6 Contact Us Phone: +1 (563) After hours emergency phone: +1 (563) Have a safe trip! We look forward to meeting you on campus! Page 6