|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION FOR NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FALL 2007
10 POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN APPLYING FOR A NONIMMIGRANT VISA
Most people coming to the United States are required to have a passport and an entry visa stamp in the passport. Unless you have identified an alternative visa status, you will come to the university on a student (F-1) visa.
To obtain a visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, you must take your form I-20 (or DS-2019, for exchange students), your valid passport, your NJCU admission letter, and your financial documentation. You must pay a SEVIS Fee of $100 and bring the receipt with you on your interview with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. You can pay online at https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml. The Consular Official may interview you and will want to confirm why you chose NJCU, that you have sufficient financial support to attend NCJU without the need for employment, and most importantly, that you plan to return to your home country at the completion of your studies. If everything is in order, a visa will be placed in your passport. Upon arrival in the U.S. at the Port of Entry, you must present your passport, your I-20 and financial documentation. Within the first two weeks of your arrival on campus, you must also present these documents to the Office of International Students.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES ON A VISITOR (B-2) VISA OR A VISA WAIVER (W-T).
We encourage you to arrive at least ten days before classes begin. Some students will need to arrive earlier than this in order to attend the required testing. Please make careful note of the dates and activities required to attend. Plan your arrival date on campus according to this schedule. During this time, you will participate in new student activities. It will also give you time to adjust to the campus, the culture, and the community.
You may not enter the U.S. more than 30 days prior to the program start date on your I-20.
STAYING ON CAMPUS
Vodra Hall will be open to international students who have been assigned a room. If you plan to live off-campus, be sure your housing arrangements are available to you upon arrival. If you plan to arrive before on campus housing is available, you will need to arrange your own accommodations off-campus. Please visit the Office of Residence Life website for more information:
We strongly recommend that you arrange your airline flights so that you arrive at Newark Liberty International Airport (the closest airport to the campus) between 7 am and 6pm. Arrival at LaGuardia or JFK airports located in New York State will require a lengthy drive to the campus. Although it will cost more money, we strongly suggest that you take a taxi from Newark Airport. Ask the taxi driver to take you to New Jersey City University.
International students transferring from another US institution
must have their I-20 processed by our office in order to maintain legal status. You are required to submit the I-20 within 15 days after the first day of classes. Failure to do this will result in the your falling out of status and being ineligible for benefits (including on-campus employment and international tuition waivers).
Important:
Any foreign or domestic transfer credits you may have must be evaluated prior to your arrival on campus.
We strongly recommend that you bring with you all course catalogs, syllabus or course descriptions from your foreign institution. This will assist NJCU in more accurately granting course equivalents in your transfer evaluations.
Since you will be a new student at NJCU, it is important that you receive correct advisement regarding your academic program. You should not attempt to register until you have met with your international student advisor. Read the following carefully to determine who your academic advisor is:
Transfer students - must be advised by the Office of International Students. If you are already in the US, transfer students must contact the Office of International Students immediately to arrange an appointment for advising. Call (201) 200-2089.
Freshman who have not declared their majors - must be advised by the Office of International Students. If you are already in the U.S., you must contact the Office of International Students.
You will register for your classes after you receive academic advisement.
Student’s attending on F-1 visa status must attend full-time (12 credits for undergraduate students and 9 credits for graduate students.) A complete listing of financial expenses is listed on this page.
The greatest problem facing international students in the United States is maintaining adequate financial support for subsistence and studies. It is very important that you understand that you will be required to pay tuition and fees in full at registration each semester. Failure to meet your financial obligations may result in your being droppped from classes, and subsequently violating your legal status in the United States. Estimated expenses for an Undergraduate Student for the academic year 2008 are (12 credits):
*Note: Tuition is subject to increase. Official amount is not yet released although the above tuition and fees reflect an estimated increase.
The cost of living in the US depends on your lifestyle. International students are responsible for financing their education at NJCU. We regret that the University has no financial aid available for new international students.
We recommend that you bring traveler’s checks or some other form of currency (such as certified check or credit cards) rather than a large sum of U.S. dollars. Although, you will need some cash for your arrival, carrying large amounts of cash is not safe. You may deposit your funds in a local bank after you arrive.
If you anticipate difficulties in aquiring funds for your studies, it is advisable that you delay your arrival until such difficulties are resolved.
Immunization Requirements
New Jersey State requires that ALL college students be immunized against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Students who do not meet this requirement will not be allowed to register.
All students are required to purchase health insurance.
You must report to the Office of International Students prior the first week of classes.
Bring your passport and I-20.
IMPORTANT! YOUR LEGAL IMMIGRATION (USCIS, formerly INS) OBLIGATIONS
When you enter the United States with an F-1 visa status, it is very important that you understand that you have important legal obligations while in the United States. The Office of International Students is always available to advise you on these requirements. Don’t hesitate to seek or advice on any legal immigration regulatory issue.
Please read the following very carefully and follow these rules that are strictly enforced by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS):
Please download and print the INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CHECKLIST before traveling to the U.S.
1. TIES TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY.
Under the U.S. law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular office that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those of remaining in the United States. "Ties" to your home country are the things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. If you are a prospective undergraduate, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and career prospects in your home country. Each person’s situation is different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate, or letter, which can guarantee visa issuance. If you have applied for the U.S. Green Card Lottery, you may be asked if you are intending to immigrate. A simple answer would be that you applied for lottery since it was available but not with a specific intent to immigrate. If you overstayed your authorized stay in the U.S. previously, be prepared to explain what happened clearly and concisely, with documentation if available. 2. ENGLISH.
Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If you are coming to the United States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful in your home country. 3. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF. Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular office wants to interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a minor applying for a high school program and need your parents there in case there are questions, for example about funding, they should wait in the waiting room. 4. KNOW THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT FITS YOUR CAREER PLANS. Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If you are coming to the United States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful in your home country.
Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular office wants to interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a minor applying for a high school program and need your parents there in case there are questions, for example about funding, they should wait in the waiting room.
5. BE BRIEF. Because of the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officer’s questions short and to the point. 6. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION. It should be immediately clear to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3 minutes of interview time, if you’re lucky. 7. NOT ALL COUNTRIES ARE EQUAL. Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the U.S. as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the U.S. 8. EMPLOYMENT. Your main purpose in coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program. If your spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the U.S. If asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his or her time while in the U.S. Volunteer work and attending school part-time are permitted activities. 9. DEPENDENTS REMAINING AT HOME. If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be an especially tricky area if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family will need to remit money from the United States in order to support themselves, your student visa application will almost certainly be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa. 10. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Do not engage the consular officer in an argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.  |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
