Fall 2009 Semester Pre-Arrival Letter
Welcome ~ Lubbock, TX ~ Arrival in Lubbock ~ Housing Arrangements ~ Check-in & Orientation ~
F-1 Transfer Students ~ F-1 Student Visas ~ Report Date on your I-20 ~ English Language Test ~ University Catalog ~
Immigration ~ Expense Estimate ~ Insurance ~ Required Medical Tests & Immunizations ~ Schedule for Fall 2009 ~ Emergency Telephone Numbers
WELCOME TO TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY !
Congratulations on your admission to Texas Tech University! We extend this message to welcome you and to offer suggestions in preparation for your arrival. The staff of the ISSS will assist you upon arrival and throughout your studies at Texas Tech. We invite you to talk with us regarding your academic, immigration, or personal concerns.
We hope that you will actively participate in activities and programs offered by our office and other campus offices in order to enrich and supplement your academic experience at Texas Tech. These opportunities allow you to meet other students, Tech faculty and staff, and people from Lubbock, and to form friendships outside the classroom environment.
LUBBOCK, TEXAS
The University is located in Lubbock, Texas, a city with a population of more than 215,000. The city is located on the high, flat plains of West Texas, approximately 600 kilometers west of Dallas/Fort Worth, and 600 kilometers east of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is one kilometer above sea level. The South Plains area of West Texas surrounding Lubbock is a short-stem grass region that is primarily used for growing cotton. Oil production is also important in the regional economy. Its climate is excellent, with over 3,550 hours of sunshine every year. Summers are dry and not extremely hot, while winters are dry and moderate. The average annual rainfall is less than 46 centimeters. The average temperature is 16 C. The January average is 4 C, and the August average is about 27 C. Although extended periods of extremely hot or extremely cold temperatures are not common, visitors should be prepared for temperatures as high as 44 C in the summer and as low as -16 C in the winter. The average wind speed is approximately 20 km/h.
ARRIVAL IN LUBBOCK
Lubbock may be reached from all major cities by bus or plane. Please check with your local travel agent for specific schedules. Train service is not available to Lubbock. The cost of a taxi from the Lubbock airport to Texas Tech is approximately $25. If you arrive in Lubbock by bus, the taxi charge from the bus station to Texas Tech will be approximately $9. Also, there is limousine service from the airport to Texas Tech which costs $30 per hour. If you arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays, ask the taxi driver to take you to the International Cultural Center (there is a huge steel globe in front of the building) located at 7th Street and Indiana Avenue behind the Museum of Texas Tech and across Indiana Avenue from the University Medical Center hospital.
HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS
If you arrive after 5:00 p.m., or on Saturday or Sunday, you should go to your temporary lodging and report to the ISSS on the next work day. Information on many Lubbock hotels is available through http://www.expedia.com. The Lubbock Inn, 800-545-8226 http://www.lubbockinn.com; and the Days Inn Texas Tech, 806-747-7111 http://www.daysinn.com are two hotels located near the Texas Tech campus. The cost of temporary housing for your first nights in Lubbock will be your responsibility and can cost as much as $70.00 to $100.00 per night. You may purchase meals at one of the restaurants near the campus.
Texas Tech does have on-campus housing available for single students (no married housing). If you did not get information about this and are interested, write to Texas Tech Housing and Dining, P.O. Box 41141, Lubbock, TX 79409-1141 (Fax: 806-742-2696) and at www.housing.ttu.edu. The residence halls are open beginning August 23 for those who have reservations. Off-campus housing can be arranged after you arrive. If you have questions or want to discuss TTU residence facilities, please contact the University Student Housing department at housing@ttu.edu. Please note that undergraduate students with less than 30 hours of university credit before their first semester at Texas Tech are required to live in a Texas Tech residence hall unless exempted by the Texas Tech University Student Housing department.
CHECK-IN and ORIENTATION
Prior to registering for classes, international students must complete two requirements: 1) Check-in at the Office of International Affairs on Monday, August 17, 2009 (Last names A-I); Tuesday, August 18, 2009 (Last names J-Q); and Wednesday, August 19, 2009 (Last names R-Z) from 8:30 a.m.-11:30a.m. or 1:00 p.m.-4:30p.m.; and 2) a New Student Orientation program which will be held Thursday and Friday, August 20-21, 2009, and is for both new and transfer students. Undergraduate students may be required to attend a University orientation program. It is important for all students to arrive in Lubbock no later than Monday, August 17, 2009, if possible. This will give you some time to become accustomed to your surroundings and find housing. Early check-in will be available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings beginning July 27 for students who arrive in Lubbock early.
F-1 TRANSFER STUDENTS
If you are transferring to Texas Tech University as an F-1 student from another U.S. institution, please notify your foreign student advisor or Designated School Official (DSO) at your current school of your intention to transfer to Texas Tech. Your school will then release your SEVIS record to Texas Tech. Transfer procedures and an International Student Advisor’s form are available on the ISSS web page.
F-1 STUDENT VISAS
If you live overseas and have not yet applied for your visa, please submit your acceptance letter you received from the Texas Tech admissions office, a valid passport, evidence of payment of the SEVIS fee, proof of financial support, and the Texas Tech I-20 form to the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy to apply for the F-1 student visa. Please check the web page of the U.S. consulate http://usembassy.gov/ for any special local requirements. Do not attempt to enter the United States any earlier than 30 days before the report date in item 5 of your I-20. If you do, you may be rejected for entry into the U.S. and will have to return to your home country. The report date cannot be more than 30 days before your first day of class.
All new and transfer students are encouraged to keep up with any new immigration information by going to the OIA website at http://www.iaff.ttu.edu.
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REPORT DATE ON YOUR I-20
The report date in item 5 of your I-20 (August 16, 2009 on most forms) is a specific date that requires you to enter the United States by that date. If you do not enter the U.S. by the report date on your I-20, you can be denied entry into the U.S. Therefore, it is important that you have your F-1 visa and airline ticket in hand prior to the report date. If prospective graduate students know that they will not be able to enter the United States on the date given on their I-20, they should contact Shelby Cearley at gradschool@ttu.edu to inform her of their situation and determine if it will be possible for them to get a new I-20.
Once you enter the U.S., you must report to the ISSS at Texas Tech University within 15 days of your date of entry, participate in the orientation sessions, and register for classes. Even though a student’s report date may be after the check-in, and orientation, we encourage all students to arrive as early as possible so as to be able to participate in these events. If your report date is listed as after these events, you should still arrive in Lubbock as expeditiously as possible so as to register for classes. (Please see IMMIGRATION listed below.)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST
A diagnostic English proficiency test may be given during the orientation program. You will be given further information regarding this test when you check in at the ISSS.
UNIVERSITY CATALOG
Due to high mailing costs and the time required for mail to reach you, a Texas Tech catalog, which lists degree requirements and classes taught at Tech, has not been sent to you. The catalog is listed on the web at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/ and one may be available to you when you arrive. Your academic advisor will assist you in selecting the proper courses.
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IMMIGRATION
Do not attempt to enter the United States any earlier than 30 days before your report date in item 5 of your Form I-20. This report date cannot be more than 30 days before your first day of class. If there is a problem with the I-20, please contact the ISSS at I20@ttu.edu as soon as possible and before you depart for the United States. Protect and secure your documents on your person before and during your flight, and after you arrive in the U.S. When you arrive at the U.S. Port of Entry (POE), you must submit the I-20 form (the consulate may seal your I-20 in an envelope for presentation at the POE), your passport with the valid F-1 visa and the I-94 card* (*you will receive this card to fill out on the flight to the U.S.) to the U.S. POE inspection official. You might also be asked for evidence of payment of the SEVIS fee. Your I-20 will be returned to you at the POE. It is imperative that you bring your passport, I-20, and I-94* (now a small 80mm by 110mm card attached in your passport) with you when you come to the ISSS for check-in. Also, if you have attended any other academic institution in the U.S., we should have copies of the I-20s from those institutions.
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EXPENSE ESTIMATE
The university estimates minimum expenses for nine months to be approximately $22,000 (graduate expenses) and $26,000 (undergraduate), but actual expenses vary greatly according to tuition, fees, and number of courses taken by a given student and whether the student is paying in-state or out-of-state tuition and has a scholarship. The university also reserves the right to make changes in tuition and fees at anytime. Students on F-1 and J-1 visas should have at least $4,000 in their possession upon arrival in Lubbock. We recommend that you bring as much of the amount in cash (Travelers Checks, etc.) as you are allowed to transfer. NOTE: All checks drawn on foreign banks may require as long as three weeks for processing before money will be released to you. Please plan accordingly. Tuition and fee payments are due the day before classes start and could be due even before that date. If you plan to bring your spouse and child(ren) with you, add at least $4,500 for your spouse and $3,000 per child for 12-month living expenses. Students are urged to have adequate financial means for their entire period of study, since there are few financial resources at the University. Note: Please take extra care with any amount of currency or travelers checks that you may have on your person. Be sure to properly secure these items and your immigration documents while you are traveling. We would certainly recommend a money belt. Money and checks which are left in a wallet are more susceptible to being lost or stolen than if they are in a money belt.
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INSURANCE
Auto: If you plan to purchase an automobile, your required liability insurance will cost between $800-$2,400 U.S. per year.
Medical: Emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation insurance is essential in the U.S. due to the high cost of medical care. To assure non-immigrant student compliance with United States financial responsibility requirements, Texas Tech University requires all non-immigrant students enrolled in one or more class hours to purchase the Texas Tech Student Health Insurance. The insurance premium ($600 to $700 per semester) will be charged on your tuition and fee bill. If you have a spouse with you, plan on at least $3,500 U.S. per year for insurance to cover your spouse, in addition to the $4,500 per person per year for your spouse’s living expenses. Medical insurance is particularly important in the U.S. as medical care is not subsidized by the government and is very expensive. In addition to the required insurance for students, we strongly recommend that all students have health insurance for their dependents in the United States (the U.S. Department of State requires that all J-1 Exchange Visitors and their dependents have health, evacuation and repatriation insurance). Note: Students who are under the age of 18 must have parental consent for the issue and administration of any medication in the State of Texas. Students in this situation are encouraged to get written parental consent in the form of a notarized letter. For further information, contact the TTU Student Health Services, at 806-743-2848.
REQUIRED MEDICAL TESTS AND IMMUNIZATIONS
Due to an increased incidence of Tuberculosis (TB), international students will be tested for this very communicable disease. The test will be administered during or after the orientation and will cost approximately $15.00. If you have had a TB test within the last year bring documentation of the test results.
All students will also be required either to show proof of two (2) immunizations for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), or they will have to be immunized. Students/spouses who are pregnant should consult a physician prior to coming on campus. Immunizations will be offered at the university for approximately $75. Students who have had two MMR immunizations must submit written proof of adequate immunization, (i.e. immunization records, or a letter from a physician-please provide copies). To be accepted, the first immunization must have been received when you were 15 months of age or older, and the second immunization must have been received on or after January 1, 1980. For more information, check out http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studenthealth
CHECK-IN AND ORIENTATION SCHEDULE FOR SPRING 2009
DATE |
TIME |
ACTIVITY |
| August 17, 2009 (A-I*) | 8:30-11:30 am & 1:00-4:30 pm | Check-in at ISSS |
| August 18, 2009 (J-Q*) | 8:30-11:30 am & 1:00-4:30 pm | Check-in at ISSS |
| August 19, 2009 (R-Z*) | 8:30-11:30 am & 1:00-4:30 pm | Check-in at ISSS |
| August 20, 2009 | International Student Orientation (Day1)** | |
| August 21, 2009 | International Student Orientation (Day2)** | |
| August 23, 2009 | 10:00 am | University Halls Open |
| August 25-26, 2009 | New Student Registration | |
| August 27, 2009 | First Day of Class |
*Family Name Begins with letter.
**For all New and Transfer International Students
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS
If you arrive after office hours or on the weekend and need emergency help, call Mike Murphy, (806) 798-1648; or Bob Crosier, (806) 797-1730. If you have already made arrangements to have someone meet you, there is no need to call these numbers.
If you have additional questions, feel free to write or e-mail us. Have a safe and pleasant trip. The staff of the ISSS looks forward to meeting you. For more information, see our web site at http://www.iaff.ttu.edu.
Michael J. Murphy
Int'l Student Counselor
michael.murphy@ttu.edu
Sharon Hale
Int’l Student Counselor
sharon.hale@ttu.edu
Stephanie Cloninger
Sponsored Student Counselor
stephanie.cloninger@ttu.edu
Robert T. Crosier
Director, ISSS
bob.crosier@ttu.edu
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
Office of International Affairs (OIA)
Texas Tech University
P.O. Box 45004
Lubbock, TX 79409-5004
Tel. (806) 742-3667 Fax (806) 742-1286
On the Web: http://www.iaff.ttu.edu
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Revised:
2/17/09