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Fall 2009 Orientation details
Orientation is mandatory
Dates: Aug 12th - Aug 15th
Venue: Martin University Center
Welcome to the University of Akron!!!
The staff of the Office of International Programs (OIP) welcomes you to Ohio. We look forward to meeting you in the near future and helping you make the adjustment to your new home. It is our desire to make your transition from your home to The University of Akron as smooth as possible. The OIP is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is located in The Polsky Building, room 483. When you arrive in Akron, you are required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to check in with the OIP. You will need to bring your passport and other immigration documents (I-94, I-20, DS-2019, etc.) so we can complete your file. You will be required to fill out a student data sheet at that time. When you check in at the OIP, you will receive a schedule for the new student orientation, which begins Wednesday, August 12, 2009. The mandatory orientation offers many helpful sessions, several meals and receptions, and the opportunity to meet a variety of people both on and off campus. An orientation fee of $75.00 is automatically assessed all new students for this service. (Please note: this fee is subject to revision.)
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is recommended that students fly to the Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE) located 37 miles north of Akron or Akron/Canton Airport (CAK) located about 17 miles south of campus. The University does not provide a pick up service for new students; however, some volunteer student and community groups are available to assist new students. You will find the names, phone numbers and Email addresses of the volunteers on the enclosed sheet entitled International Student & Community Organizations. To avoid multiple people meeting you, we ask that you contact only one of the groups mentioned on the enclosed sheet. If more than one person has agreed to pick you up, please choose one to meet you and contact the others to thank them for their offer, but tell them you have made other arrangements. You may also contact “Imagine That Transportation LLC” at: http://www.sendmearide.com/contact.html to arrange for transportation from the airport to The University of Akron. If you plan to use them, please contact them to make arrangements as soon as possible, as you will need a reservation. You will also learn approximately how much it will cost.
REQUIRED ORIENTATION FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS & ARRIVAL DATES
The Mandatory Fall 2009 International Student Orientation and optional receptions, designed to meet the needs of new international students, will be held on August 12th, 14th and 17th. Undergraduates will have additional activities on August 13th & 18th. There will, also be various optional activities the 19th-23rd. OIP staff and students will assist you with the adjustment to the campus, registering for classes, understanding your immigration status, and provide a variety of social events designed to help you connect with people in the community, as well as other international students. In order to find housing and get settled prior to the orientation, we advise students to arrive in Akron a few days early but no later than August 11th.
REQUIRED UNDERGRADUATE PLACEMENT TESTS
All new undergraduates attending The University of Akron will be required to take a Math Placement Exam during orientation. To find sample questions, you can go to www.act.org/compass/sample/math.html and click on the individual math areas and you can go to: www.math.uakron.edu/~wilder/Math_COMPASS_Prep.htm. and click on the tutorials. Students, who attended an American high school and did not take the TOEFL, SAT, or ACT, will be required to take the Compass Reading & Writing Placement Tests. To find sample reading questions, you can go to: www.act.org/compass/sample/reading.html . To find sample writing questions, you can go to: http://www.act.org/compass/sample/writing.html. Students, who wish to take a foreign language class and have already studied that language in high school or college, will be expected to take a foreign language placement exam.
FINANCIAL ISSUES
Students are advised not to carry large amounts of cash; rather, traveler’s checks in U.S. dollars or credit cards are fairly safe methods of payment. Students can open a bank account at any of the banks in the area if cash is the preferred method of payment. Immediate expenses that can be expected are for housing, mandatory health insurance, food, clothing, as well as tuition and fees. We recommend that a person have about $6,000 available for immediate expenses. The Declaration & Certification of Finances form you filled out, in order to obtain your F-1 or J-1 visa, has information about estimated tuition & fees, living expenses, and health insurance. Information about the Installment Payment Plan (IPP), which allows students to pay tuition over a few months instead of the entire bill in the beginning of the semester, will be provided at orientation. There will be a small fee, if you choose to participate in the IPP.
HEALTH INSURANCE
All international students are required to provide proof of health insurance. Students may either take The University of Akron’s health insurance plan or have their own. If a student chooses to provide their own, the insurance policy they have must meet certain standards. The standards are listed at http://www.uakron.edu/oip/healthIns/index.php.
WEATHER
When coming to Ohio in August, you can expect hot, humid days. It is not unusual to have several days when the temperature is in the 90s. Ohio has four distinct seasons. In addition to hot and humid summers, winters can be very cold. The OIP advises students to bring light weight clothing for summer with a light weight jacket for evenings and have a winter coat and gloves for winter. You may need to purchase some additional appropriate clothing for this climate once you arrive.
DRIVER’S LICENSE
Students who have a driver’s license in their home country may be eligible to apply for an International Driver’s License (IDL). A student must obtain the IDL before they arrive in the USA. Students must inquire in their home country as to the procedure. Currently, an IDL is valid in the state of Ohio for a year, but laws may change. Also, many students apply for an Ohio State Driver’s License after they arrive at The University of Akron. Students must pass both the written and driving tests before obtaining an Ohio License.
HOUSING
There are many housing options for students at The University of Akron. The University of Akron highly recommends first year university undergraduate students under the age of 21 to apply for on-campus housing. However, on-campus housing fills up quickly, so if you are interested in this option, you should contact the Residence Life Office as soon as possible at (330) 972-7800 or at reslife@uakron.edu. Some things to think about prior to your arrival are as follows: on or off campus housing, roommate vs. no roommate, close to campus vs. commuting, furnished vs. unfurnished apartments, price range of apartments, etc. To find out more about housing options off campus go to Commuter Central’s Website at: http://www.uakron.edu/studentlife/commcent/offcamhous.php. Students who need a place to stay while looking for housing can contact one of the student organizations, First Weekers (see below) or Quaker Square Inn at The University of Akron (see below).
First Weekers: As participants in this program, international students may request temporary housing with a volunteer American host family for up to a one week stay while they are looking for permanent housing. Local volunteers may also assist with transporting students from airport to their host family or The University of Akron. There is a nominal $75 fee for this service. Reservations of at least two weeks prior to your arrival are required. We will need your complete arrival details including: date of arrival, flight number and airport – at least two weeks before your arrival. Availability of host families is limited. Please contact Akron International Friendship, which sponsors this program, by email at wilsonaif@earthlink.net as soon as possible to request this service.
Quaker Square Inn at The University of Akron $75 Single For rate must state:
135 South Broadway “Office of International Programs,
Akron, OH 44308 The University of Akron”
Phone: (330) 253-5970 (rates subject to change)
Fax: 330) 253-2574
It is my hope that your experience at The University of Akron is a very positive one, and that all your personal and educational objectives are reached. I look forward to meeting you soon.
Sincerely,
David Ayers, Ph.D.
Director, Office of International Programs
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