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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HANDBOOK A publication of International Student Services Table of Contents Welcome to Bluegrass Community & Technical College……………………………………………………………………………………..….. ............1 Introduction to our institution Our campus locations Lexington, KY First Things First .....................................................................................................................................................................2-4 International Orientation BCTC Student ID Card Academic Advising Registering for Classes Purchasing Your Textbooks Health Insurance Parking and Student Transportation Driver’s License SNAP Alerts Working on Campus Beginning and End of Semester Check-In Life at BCTC ............................................................................................................................................................................5-7 Academics Housing Healthcare Student Life Safety Money, Bills, and Banking ......................................................................................................................................................8-9 Money Banking Using an ATM Using Debit and Credit Cards Paying Tuition Paying Taxes Experience Lexington .............................................................................................................................................................10-11 Weather Transportation Shopping Tourist Attractions ISS Office ................................................................................................................................................................................12-13 Staff/Contact Us Social Media Services Student Services Offices Appendices ............................................................................................................................................................................14-20 Cooper Campus Map Leestown Campus Map Newtown Campus Map “How-To” Set Up Your Student Account Welcome to Bluegrass 2 OUR CAMPUS LOCATIONS BCTC is comprised of 6 convenient campus locations, all Community & within an hour of our main Lexington campuses. International students are permitted to attend classes Technical College on any of the following campuses: • Cooper Campus: 470 Cooper Drive, Lexington, KY 1 INTRODUCTION TO OUR INSTITUTION • Leestown Campus: 164 Opportunity Way, Lexington, KY • Newtown Campus: 500 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY Welcome to Bluegrass Community and Technical College, located in the heart of the Horse Capital of the • Winchester Campus: 2020 Rolling Hills Lane, World, Lexington, Kentucky. We are happy that you Winchester, KY decided to join our student body for a quality education at an affordable price. • Danville Campus: 59 Corporate Drive, Danville, KY • Lawrenceburg Campus: 1500 Bypass North, US 127, The International Student Services Office is especially Lawrenceburg, KY excited to welcome you to our campus and offer our services in hopes that your experience at BCTC will be a • Georgetown Campus, Bluegrass Advanced rewarding experience. This handbook is part of our Manufacturing Center: 200 Technology Court, commitment to you. In this guide, you will find Georgetown, KY 40324 information we have collected for you to make your • stay in our college and community as pleasant and North American Racing Academy: 3380 Paris Pike, convenient as possible. The International Student Lexington, KY Services Office is always ready to advise you on your international student status, immigration paperwork, or any other issues that you may face. The International Student Services Office is here to help you be a successful student and to help you maintain your important F-1, J-1, or M-1 visa status through all of the complicated rules, regulations, and updates. We also look forward to sharing in your victories and building lasting relationships with you, our valued international student. 3 LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY Lexington offers a charming blend of big city amenities and small-town friendliness. Known for basketball, bourbon, and horses, Lexington is a destination for many visitors from around the world. To learn more about the city of Lexington, visit www.visitlex.com. 1 | Page First Things First The first photo ID is free, replacement IDs are $10.00. Please ensure that you have waited 10 business days after registering for classes before trying to obtain your 4 INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION school ID. New International Student Orientation is required of all students in F-1, M-1, or J-1 status. Orientation is held before the start of each semester, and is designed to assist our students assimilate to life in the United States and as a Bluegrass Community and Technical College student. For specific New International Student Orientation dates, please refer to your welcome letter. All new international students are required to report to their orientation at the times provided in their welcome letter. You should bring: ¨ Passport & Visa ¨ I-20 or DS-2019 ¨ I-94 ¨ Insurance documents, if applicable ¨ Dependent’s documents, if applicable ¨ Any other pertinent immigration documents 6 ACADEMIC ADVISING It is advisable to arrive in Lexington before the All first-time students, both domestic and international, orientation date in order to find housing and settle into are required to meet with their academic advisor before your new living environment. According to US scheduling their classes for the first time. You will immigration regulations, you are permitted to arrive in receive your first academic advising during your New the US no more than 30 days prior to the start date on International Student Orientation. After your first your I-20 or DS-2019. semester, it is your responsibility to schedule meetings with you advisor to plan your future classes. If you are unable to arrive in Lexington for the International students are required to meet with their orientation, you must notify the International Student advisor each semester to ensure that their class Services Office at [email protected] schedules adhere to the rules and regulations set forth by immigration law. 5 BCTC STUDENT ID CARD To schedule an appointment with your assigned academic advisor, login into your Blackboard student As a BCTC, you will need to obtain a student account and click the "Starfish" button. You will then be identification card to gain access to many of the student prompted to schedule an appointment. services across campus. Throughout the semester, you may notice that your Please visit the following offices, depending on where student account has an “INS” service indicator. This you are taking the majority of your classes: indicator is on your account for your protection to Cooper Campus & Winchester Campus ensure that you are not dropped from your classes and Oswald Building 247 on Cooper Campus to ensure that you are properly maintaining your status. Online Classes & Other BCTC Campuses If you ever need the indicator to be lifted, simply Leestown Building C, Room 100 OR Newtown Classroom contact your assigned academic advisor and they will Building Room 103 happily assist you! 2 | Page 9 HEALTH INSURANCE All international students are required to have medical insurance verification on file. If you need assistance purchasing insurance, please make an appointment with Brian Schanding ([email protected]) to discuss your options. 10 PARKING & STUDENT TRANSPORTATION Parking on all campuses is free, with the exception of 7 REGISTERING FOR CLASSES Cooper Campus. If you plan to attend any classes on Cooper Campus, you will need to purchase a parking After you have met with your advisor, you will have the permit. Cooper Campus parking is controlled by the ability to register for classes online on your Student University of Kentucky and therefore parking permits Self-Service portal. To register for classes online, please must be purchased from the University of Kentucky visit: https://students.kctcs.edu/. You may also use directly. your Student Self-Service to view your account balance, In order to purchase the required “C-6” or “K” parking view your schedule, update personal information, and permit, you should visit the UK Parking and more. Transportation Services office, located at 721 Press If you have never activated your account, you will need Avenue, Lexington, KY. Parking permits cost $296 for to do so by visiting the User Account Center the academic year. (https://bit.ly/2LNwbj2) to obtain access to all of your If you do not plan to drive, you may consider purchasing student services. a LexTran bus pass for $50 per semester or $75 per academic year, or use the UK CATS buses on-campus 8 PURCHASING YOUR TEXTBOOKS free of charge. For more information, call (859) 257- 5757 or online at http://www.uky.edu/pts/. At the beginning of each semester, it is important to make sure that you have purchased the textbooks for each of your classes. Buying or renting textbooks for your classes is mandatory in order to succeed in your classes. To determine which textbooks you need, you can either look on the course syllabus or show your schedule to the on-campus bookstore. CAMPUS BOOKSTORE LOCATIONS Cooper Campus…..……………………………………...OB 120 Leestown Campus………………………………………….C-154 Online Bookstore ……………. https://bit.ly/2LmHGBP 3 | Page 11 DRIVER’S LICENSE Everyone who drives in Kentucky must have a valid driver’s license. If you are interested in obtaining your driver’s license, visit the International Student Services Office for your official letter authorizing you to apply for your license.