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Once you have been accepted to Lenoir-Rhyne, there are
many things to do before you arrive. The Office for international
Education is ready to help you prepare for your departure. Remember
that if you do some planning while you are still at home, it
will make the first few weeks a lot easier when you arrive.
Check with the US consulate or embassy to see if they
have an advising center to help you plan. Sometimes there are
orientation programs or video cassettes to help.
Here’s a checklist of important details:
Obtain a Visa:
You need a student visa to enter the US.
Apply for your student visa [F-1] to enter the country at the US embassy
or Consulate. Visa procedures may differ slightly from one country to
another. Check out Student Visas on our web
page.
Documents to bring to the
US
It is important
to bring documents that pertain to your medical, academic and legal
background. If the documents are in a language other than English,
obtain a translation from a certified US advising center or US consulate
or embassy. Keep a photocopy of all the documents you bring with you.
Important
documents would include the following
-
Official
transcripts from all schools
-
Medical and
dental record including x-rays
-
Prescriptions
for medications and eyeglasses
-
Marriage
certificate
-
Birth
certificates for accompanying children
-
International
Driver’s License
Medical Insurance
By US law you are
required to have medical insurance to cover the cost of treatment at a
hospital or clinic. Purchase comprehensive health and accident insurance
for yourself and any member of your family who is accompanying you. The
insurance should begin on the day you leave your home country and cover
you during your trip and all of your stay in the US.
Travel Plans and Report Date
Immigration regulations require that you
report to the school no later than the report date indicated on the I-20
form. You need to make your travel arrangements accordingly.
Advise the Office for International
Education of your travel plans including
-
Date and
time of arrival in US
-
Airline
carrier and flight number
-
Port of entry [arrival
destination]
-
Travel itinerary
-
Date and time of arrival at
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Luggage and Packages
Bring clothing
suited to the climate. Check the web site link about
North Carolina and
Hickory for information about climate. It’s
very mild most of the year.
If you are
bringing gifts, don’t make them too expensive. Remember that we are
interested in you. Pictures of your home, your country, your family and
friends are just as important as an expensive object.
Keep all of your
important documents and medications with you in a travel bag that you
carry onto the plane. Do not leave it unattended [or worse, forget it
when you get off the plane like an American student of mine did in
Finland!]
Label your
luggage on the inside and the outside of the bags with your name and the
school address.
In the event that
you want to send packages ahead of your arrival, mail them to:
________________________
(your name)
Office for International Education
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Hickory, North Carolina 28603
United States of America
Money
The first few months will be the most
expensive. Bring a little extra to cover initial start-up costs for
books and for living expenses. The Office for international Education
will advise you on ways to "cut some costs" during the Orientation
Program for International Students.
Once on the campus your expenses will
include
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Books and
supplies for classes
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Tuition and fees for the first
semester
-
Local
transportation (car or bus)
For students living off-campus,
additional expenses will include
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Apartment
Rental
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Utilities [electricity, water,
telephone]
-
Household
items and furniture
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