Office of International Services Office of International Services 3122 Susquehanna Hall, College Park, MD 20742 http://international.umd.edu Dear New Undergraduate International Student: Congratulations on your admission to the University of Maryland, College Park! We are pleased that you have selected the University of Maryland (UM). We hope you will find your time here rewarding both academically and personally. The Office of lnternational Services (OIS) is here to serve you during your stay. Please visit our website, http://ter.ps/OISOrient, for information about Orientation and to make your reservation. A detailed schedule of events will be available on the website by mid-July. Please confirm your attendance at the OIS Orientation online at the OIS website: (http://ter.ps/OISOrient). International Student Orientation will be held August 26-28, 2013. This includes two required days and one day of elective sessions. You have four steps to follow: 1. Make a reservation for the one-day August 26 OIS Orientation Session. Registration for this step of your orientation is completed online at http://ter.ps/OISOrient. There is no charge for this Orientation session, though it is required for your immigration status. You may also register for your desired elective sessions at this time. 2. Make a reservation for the one-day August 27 UM New Student Orientation. Registration for this step of your orientation is completed online at http://www.orientation.umd.edu/dates.html. You should identity yourself as an undergraduate international student. The fee for Orientation is $106; there is a fee of $60 per parent if they choose to accompany you. The Orientation Office charges these fees to your student account early in the fall semester. 3. Attend the OIS Orientation Session on August 26. You should bring your immigration documents to the OIS session (all previous I-20s, 1-94, passport, visa). 4. Attend your UM New Student Orientation session on August 27. To help you with your adjustment to the university and our culture, OIS organizes required and elective orientation sessions. These include information about immigration, education, life at College Park, health and safety, plus activities introducing you to classmates, faculty and staff. Please visit our website, http://ter.ps/OISOrient in mid-July, for more information. The required OIS Orientation includes: • Introduction to the Academic system at the University of Maryland • Visa and Immigration Status • Welcome Check-In The entire Orientation schedule, including locations, will be posted on our website by mid-July. Bring the following documents (and copies of them) with you for the entire Orientation program: your admission materials, passport, immigration forms, I-94, proof of immunization, and a description of any coursework you would like to transfer to your degree at the University of Maryland. Welcome Session You must attend one Welcome Session where we will collect copies of your immigration documents. If you arrive to the area before Orientation activities begin, you may attend a Welcome Session. You must bring the documents listed above to the Welcome Session. A Welcome Session is also offered during Orientation. For dates and times, please refer to the Intemational Student Orientation Website, http://ter.ps/OISOrient. Placement Testing The Math Placement Exam (MPE) may be taken online at any time by going to https://www.webassign.net/umd/mathplacement.html. You will need to have set up your Directory ID before taking the test. All undergraduate students who have not received credit for college-level calculus must take the MPE. Housing For off-campus housing information, please visit http://www.och.umd.edu. For on-campus housing information, please visit www.reslife.umd.edu. Directory ID/Student Identification Number In order to gain access to University resources, it is important to select your UM Directory ID. To begin this process you will need your Student Identification Number (SID). Your SID is either your Social Security number (SSN) or a UM generated number. Undergraduate degree students without an SSN may request this number by writing to admit- [email protected]. You can establish your Directory ID at http://www.it.umd.edu/new/student.html. Health Insurance All undergraduate and J- I students are required to carry health insurance while attending the University of Maryland. We offer health insurance that is economical, convenient, and meets all U.S. government requirements. If your sponsor has already provided insurance for you, please bring a copy in English that describes the coverage. Parking for Orientation You may park without a permit during Orientation in any numbered lot except 15. 1-20/DS-2019 Document You are expected to attend the school that is specified on the I-20/DS-2019 that you use to enter the U.S. Therefore, when you enter the U.S., it is important to use the 1-20 or DS-2019 provided by the University of Mmyland, College Park. Early Arrival If you arrive before the first day of Orientation and need assistance, please report to OIS in third floor of Susquehanna Hall. We are open from 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m., Monday through Friday. Check the OIS website for Welcome Sessions scheduled prior to Orientation. You may fmd the Arrival Guide useful: http://ter.ps/ArrivalGuide. Please note: Classes will begin onTuesday, September 3, 2013. Please plan accordingly. The Office of International Services is here to assist you. We look forward to meeting you in August! All of us at OIS wish you a successful and enjoyable stay in the United States! Sincerely, Susan-Ellis Doughetiy Susan-Ellis Doughetiy, Director Office of Intemational Services Office of International Services 3122 Susquehanna Hall, College Park, MD 20742 http://international.umd.edu Immigration Check List for New Undergraduate Students Before Arrival □ Pay the SEVIS Fee, form I-901 at http://www.fmjfee.com. and print out receipt □ Obtain appropriate visa . See Important Immigration Documents Sheet . Learn about how to apply for a visa at http://international.umd.edu/ies/3671 □ Purchase HEALTH INSURANCE, or plan on purchasing coverage at UM. http://www.international.umd.edu/ies/123 □ Complete Immunization Record form □ Complete the OIS Orientation Reservation at: http://ter.ps/OISOrient □ Register for UMD New Student Orientation . http://orientation.umd.edu/dates.html □ Set up Directory ID at: http://www.it.umd.edu/new/student.html □ Visit our International Arrival Guide http://ter.ps/ArrivalGuide to learn about: . Housing, . Bank accounts . Health care . Shopping . Transportation . And more…. Arrival □ Keep your passport and I-20/DS-2019 form in your carry-on baggage to present at customs and immigration. □ After passing through immigration, confirm the appropriate immigration stamp and notation (F1 or J1 D/S) is written your passport. After Arrival □ Attend a Welcome Check-In □ Attend OIS International Student Orientation □ Attend UM New Student Orientation □ Submit Immunization Record form (Health Center) □ Obtain a student ID □ Visit the OIS website to view all the information and resources available at: http://www.ois.umd.edu Updated 05/13 Office of International Services 3122 Susquehanna Hall, College Park, MD 20742 http://international.umd.edu Important Immigration Documents & Applying for Your F-1 or J-1 Visa IF YOU ARE AN F-1 STUDENT: Form I-20 The Form I-20 is a document that supports an F-1 visa. Only students receive an I-20. The form is published by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and is prepared by the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) for students who have been admitted to our campus. Generally, new students receive this form in their home countries and take it to a U.S. consulate when they apply for an F-1 visa. At Question 2 on the form, you can find the name of the university who issued you that I-20; for UMCP students, University of Maryland, College Park, must be indicated here. Questions 3 and 4 indicate the degree and course of study of the student and the time frame in which the I-20 is valid. F-1 (student) Visa The F-1 visa is the most often used visa by international students to study at an accredited U.S. college, university, or English language institute. Students on F-1 visas come to the United States for a full degree program. For more detailed information on the F-1 visa, please use the following link: travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html. IF YOU ARE A J-1 STUDENT: Form DS-2019 Form DS-2019 is a document that supports a J-1 visa. The form is published by the U.S. Information Agency and is prepared for students or scholars by the university or organization that is acting as sponsor. Generally, foreign visitors receive the DS-2019 in their home countries and take it to a U.S. consulate when they apply for a J-1 visa. Question 3 on the form shows the period for which the DS-2019 is valid. Question 4 will identify whether the holder is a student, a professor, a research scholar, or a short-term scholar. Other options are available; these are the most commonly seen categories at UMCP. J-1 (exchange visitor) Visa The J-1 visa is used for educational and cultural exchange programs at the University of Maryland. Students on J- 1 visa typically come to the United States to study for a shorter period of time – one to two semesters. For more detailed information on the J-1 exchange visitor visa, please use the following link: travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1267.html Health Insurance Requirements for J-1 Exchange Visitors Exchange Visitors (J-1 visas) in the United States must carry health insurance for themselves and their J-2 dependents for the full duration of their J program.