Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide A guide for exchange students arriving

at UNCW in Spring 2010

The Office of International Programs

Letter from Your International Student AdviserCongratulations, you have been accepted as a UNCW Exchange student! In as few as three months, you start a new semester, with new classmates, at a new university, in a new country! Are you ready? New adventures excite me. I am one of those strange people who enjoy planning for the trip just as much as starting it. Before a trip, I make a list of all the things I need to do, to buy, and things to pack. I feel a sense of accomplishment by crossing the completed items off my list.

Ok, so maybe you don’t share my same enthusism for planning. No problem! I’ve collected much of the information you need for plan-ning your arrival at UNCW. I wasn’t kidding, I really do like lists (see the “Pre-Arrival Activity Checklist” on page 8).

Please take a few minutes and read over the table of contents. This should give you a good idea of the information covered in this book. This booklet is POWER! Well, maybe that is too strong of a word. But so many of the important things you need to know and do be-fore you arrive are answered in these pages. This book has the power to reduce your gazillion questions down to just 1 or 2.

So what about those one or two questions that are driving you crazy and are just not answered in this book? That is when you email me, and I will be happy to answer your remaining questions as best I can.

I am pleased to help you prepare for your adventure at UNCW - and I look forward to meeting you in person at International Stu-dent Orientation on January 4 & 5th.

Sincerely,

Amy Mabery

Coordinator of International Student Services

ContentsPre-Arrival Activity Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

My Important Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Course Pre-Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Why Pre-Register for UNCW Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Finding Available Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Complete Pre-Registration Course Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Making Final Adjustments to Your Schedule (optional) . . . . . . . . . . 11

Common Registration Add Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Requesting Registration Overrides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

US Immigration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Paying Your SEVIS Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Schedule Visa Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

US Visa Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Entering the US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Housing at UNCW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

UNCW On-Campus Housing: The Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Really, I’ll Have to Share a Room? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

UNCW On-Campus Housing: The Stats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Costs, On-Campus Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Register for On-Campus Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Off-Campus Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

UNCW Meal Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Meal Swipes vs Food Dollars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Mandatory On-Campus Meal Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Optional Dining Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Instructions for Using SeaPort to Select Your Meal Plan . . . . . . . . . 21

Changing your UNCW Meal Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Activate Your UNCW E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

International Friendship Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Host Family Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Student Mentor Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Your Health at UNCW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Required Immunizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Early Review of Your Immunization Record . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Mandatory Health Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Purchase or Decline UNCW Health Insurance . . . . . . . . . . 26

Money, Money, Money! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Your UNCW Bills (Housing, Meal Plan, Etc) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Paying Your UNCW Bill Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Dividing Your UNCW Bill into 5 or 3 Payments . . . . . . . . . . 29

UNCW Textbooks ($$$) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Using Your Foreign Bank Account in the US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Using Bank Cards in a Foreign Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Visa or MasterCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Currency Conversion Charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Daily Limits on Cash Withdrawals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Charges for Using Foreign Cash Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Opening a US Bank Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Banks Near UNCW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Minimum Deposit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Delay for Deposit to Clear (5 days - 3 weeks) . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Monthly Banking Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Number of Months US Account Must Stay Active . . . . . . . . . 32

Request Airport Pick-up for arrival on January 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Arriving before January 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

What should I pack? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

International Student Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Connect With Current UNCW Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

View UNCW Semester Dates: Classes, Holidays & Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

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Pre-Arrival Activity Checklist Congratulations! You have been accepted as a UNCW international exchange student for the upcoming semester. The list below high-lights the steps you need to take before you arrive at UNCW. Click each link to find more information about the processes. If you still have questions after you have read the “Pre-Arrival Procedures”, please email Amy Mabery.

Last date to complete

Pre-Arrival Activity

Oct 1 Apply to UNCW Exchange ProgramOct 15 Complete Course Request formOct 15 Register for On-Campus Housing

beginning Oct 19 Use SEVIS ID to pay SEVIS fee & schedule visa appointment

Early Obtain US VisaNov 1 Sign up for a Host FamilyNov 1 Sign up for Student Mentor

Nov 13-14 Register for a meal planNov 15-Jan 3 Activate UNCW email

Dec 1 Submit UNCW immunization formDec 15 Purchase or decline UNCW Health

InsuranceDec 15 Request airport pick-up for Jan 3Jan 3 Move into Residence Hall

Jan 13 Last Day to Add/Drop ClassesJan 13 Last Day to Pay Housing & Meals

Important Dates~Oct 9 Acceptance Packets Mailed~Oct 9 Student emailed package tracking

number & SEVIS IDMay 9 On-Campus Housing ClosesJune 9 Last day exchange students allowed

in US as J1 students (for those with 5/9/2009 program end date)

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My Important Information

My Name

My UNCW ID Number (850XXXXXX)

My UNCW email address

My DOB-PIN

My On-Campus Dormitory & Room Number

My UNCW Postal Address

UNCW Station CB #

601 S. College Road

Wilmington, NC 28407

USA

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Course Pre-RegistrationPre-Registration checklist:

Complete Pre-Registration Course requests

by October 15

Login to SeaPort to make final adjustments to your schedule

(optional)

beginning Jan. 2

Why Pre-Register for UNCW CoursesStudents begin registering for courses in late October/March and some courses fill quickly. You may have difficulty getting into classes if you wait until you arrive to register for courses. UNCW Office of International Programs works to minimize the problem by pre-registering you for courses that you request.

UNCW International Programs works diligently to get you into your desired classes, but we cannot guarantee that you will get all of the courses you request.

Finding Available CoursesTo find course in-formation for the upcoming semester (Spring 2010), go to SeaNet (https://se-anet.uncw.edu/) , se-lect either “Detailed Class Schedule” or “Search for Cours-es”, then choose the upcoming term (Spring 2010).

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Complete Pre-Registration Course RequestsUNCW Pre-Registration Assistance form - requires your unique login and password.

Making Final Adjustments to Your Schedule (optional)UNCW International Programs uses your course request and your transcript to obtain permission from professors and to register you for classes. After you have been registered for a minimum of 12 credits, the UNCW International Programs hands control of the schedule to the student. If you wish to make minor changes to your schedule after you have been given your UNCW ID and PIN number, you may follow these Instructions for modifying your class schedule using SeaPort-SeaNet.

Please note: you are required to have a minimum of 12 credits/hours per semester.

Common Registration Add ErrorsAs an exchange student, your complete university course history is not entered in the UNCW course registration system. Therefore, it is possible that you may encounter Registration Add Errors that prevent you from registering for the course you want.

The following table list common Registration Add Errors and their meaning:

Common Registration Add Errors

What It Means

INSTRUCTOR OR DEPARTMENT APPROVAL

Permission of instructor or department required

CLOSED SECTION Course is fullMAJOR RESTRICTION This course is restricted to

majors only (for example, Biology majors or Film Studies

majors)

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Common Registration Add Errors

What It Means

DUPLICATE CRN You are attempting to register for course you are already

registered forTIME CONFLICT WITH ... Time conflicts with another

coursePREQ AND TEST SCORE-

ERRORCourse has a prerequisite requirement or test score

requirement.CLASS RESTRICTION This course is restricted to

certain class of students ex: (Junior or Senior status)

Requesting Registration OverridesIf you encounter a Registration Add Error, you may request a Reg-istration Override to allow you to register for the course through SeaPort-SeaNet. Here are some tips when requesting Registration Overrides.

• E-mail the professor who teaches the class (Professors’ E-mails can be found in the UNCW Directory)

• Explain why the Registration Add Error should be excused for your situation

• Attach your home university transcript as evidence that you have met the required course background

• Provide your UNCW ID number

• Provide the CRN number of the course you are requesting

• Always remain polite and respectful. Be patient if the profes-sor is busy and takes several days to respond.

• Once the Registration Override has been granted, follow these Instructions for modifying your class schedule using SeaPort-SeaNet.

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Get a grip on English!

Take FLL 105 (Spring 2010)A course for non-native speakers who

want to improve their English skills.

Great for students en-rolled at UNCW who

need to fine-tune their English skills. (3 credits)

The course covers:• various styles of academic writing• idiomatic and slang language• pronunciation & presentation skills• cultural and geographic exploration of the US• practice in speaking and listening• discussion of current events

Class meets: TR 2:00-3:15 in LH 127

For more information contactProfessor Maike Walbrecht at

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US Immigration US Immigration Checklist:

Receive UNCW acceptance e-mail that contains package tracking number & SEVIS ID

Approximately October 9

Use SEVIS ID to pay SEVIS fee. beginning October August 9

Schedule visa appointment. Immediately after paying SEVIS fee

Receive UNCW acceptance packet. Bring DS-2019 with you to visa interview at US

Embassy/Consulate.

varies

Once your application has been processed and you have been admit-ted to UNCW, your DS-2019 will be mailed to your university study abroad office. Your document DS-2019 is to be used to obtain your J-1 visa and as a travel document for entering the U.S.

Paying Your SEVIS FeeYour first step in making your US exchange student visa appoint-ment is to pay your SEVIS fee. Instructions for paying this fee can be found at https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml.

Schedule Visa AppointmentOnce you have paid your SEVIS fee, you are eligible to schedule your visa appointment. Contact the nearest U.S. consulate to make an appointment for your visa interview as early as possible.

US Visa InterviewBring the following documents to your visa interview:

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• DS-2019

• letter of admission to UNCW

• proof of financial support

• evidence that you have paid the U.S. SEVIS fee.

Entering the USTo enter the United States, you will be required to show your J1 Exchange Student Visa along with your UNCW issued DS-2019. Therefore, it is important that you keep your passport and DS-2019 easily accessible and do not pack it in your luggage. When you enter the United States, make sure the port of entry officer stamps your DS-2019 and gives it back to you.

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Housing at UNCWUNCW Housing Checklist

Login to SeaPort and pay your $105 On-Campus Housing

Deposit.

by Oct 15

Send scanned e-mail attachment (or fax) of your

completed On-Campus Housing contract to International

Programs Office.

by Oct. 15

UNCW On-Campus Housing: The ExperienceBy living in the residence halls, you have an exciting oppor-tunity to grow and find mean-ing through f r i e n d s h i p s , exploration of ideas, and in-volvement in the residential c o m m u n i t y and the univer-sity as a whole. We believe that the residence halls are more than just a place to sleep. We view residential living as an experience in human relations. Thus, we believe a positive experience in group living, decision-making, self-discipline and self-governance is being offered to you (excerpt from UNCW’s Guide to On-Campus Living).

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Really, I’ll Have to Share a Room?You’ve already shown your courageous spirit by agreeing to leave family & friends to study in a foreign country. Having a roommate will be a rich part of your adventure. This may be hard to imagine if you’ve never had to share a room, but it really is an inte-gral part of your U.S. university experience. Many students find that their friendship with their US room-mate lasts long beyond their study abroad ex-perience.

UNCW On-Campus Housing: The Stats• Currently, there is only space for 40% of UNCW students to

live on campus

• Good news, UNCW international Programs Office has ar-ranged for you to be placed in on-campus housing if you apply by the housing deadline.

• The rooms held open for exchange students are in I-House dormitory. Some male housing will be in University Suites.

• Almost all remaining rooms on campus are double occupancy (meaning with a roommate). Rooms in International House are typically assigned to 1 international student & 1 US stu-dent.

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Costs, On-Campus Housing• International House costs $2,324.00 per semester ($4,648.00

per 2 semesters)

• All applicants must pay a $105 application fee to reserve their space

Register for On-Campus HousingIf you would like to live on campus, please follow the procedure below:

1. Complete the Housing Contract.

2. Login to SeaPort and pay the $105 Housing Contract Fee (“Pay Housing Contract Fee” will be a link on the left hand side of the page).

3. Write the “Online confirmation number” (it may also be called “Approval Code”) on the Housing Contract.

4. Send the completed Housing Contract by fax or scanned e-mail attachment to Amy Mabery in the UNCW International Pro-grams Office (1-910-962-4053). International Programs will hand carry the forms to the UNCW Office of Housing.

Off-Campus HousingExchange students may choose to live off-campus. However, the Office of International Programs cannot coordinate off-campus ar-rangements for students. The UNCW Seahawk Perch provides rec-ommendations for students looking for Off-Campus Housing.

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UNCW Meal PlansUNCW Meal Plan Checklist:

Login to SeaPort and select your UNCW meal plan.

Nov. 18 - Dec. 14

If needed, make changes to your meal plan in person

through UNCW One Card office (Warwick Center).

Jan. 3-Jan 13

For your conve-nience, UNCW has 14 dining locations on campus. The dining venues range from all you care to eat cafeterias, to ca-fes, coffee shops, and convenience stores.

Meal Swipes vs Food DollarsUNCW meal plans are composed of a combination of meals swipes and food dollars.

Meal swipes can be used at UNCW’s Wagoner Hall all you care to eat cafeteria. Meal swipes can also be used during dinner from 6 PM - 10 PM for a set combo meal at each station in the Hawks Nest Food Court (excluding Quiznos, Chic-fil-A and sushi. Stu-dents swipe their UNCW ID card at the dining location to deduct a meal from their weekly meal plan allotment.

Food dollars are used by swiping your UNCW ID card. Food dol-lars can be used to buy food at any of the 14 UNCW campus dining

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locations. If you run low on food dollars, you may add addi-tional food dollars at any time in $50 increments. Unused food dollars are not refunded at the end

of the semester.

Mandatory On-Campus Meal Plans If you will be living on-campus, you are required to purchase one of the following three UNCW meal plans. (Required for all on-campus residents EXCEPT Seahawk Village, Landing & Crossing)

Plan Meals Food Dollars/semester

Semester Price

Unlimited Unlimited $125 $157512 Plus $200 12 per week $200 $14759 Plus $275 9 per week $275 $1440Suite 115 +

$400 (Available to residents of UNCW’s apartments and suites)

115 per semester

$400 $1430

Optional Dining Plans(Available to students residing off campus as well as in Seahawk Village, Landing and Crossing)

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Plan Meals Food Dollars/semester

Semester Price

Seahawk 80 80 per semester

$450 $1200

Seahawk 50 50 per semester

$300 $775

Build your Own $600

No meals: May purchase

additional meals

$600 $600

Build your Own $600

No meals: May purchase

additional meals

$300 $300 Plus Meal Prices

Instructions for Using SeaPort to Select Your Meal PlanIf you will be living on-campus, you are required to purchase a UNCW meal plan. You will be eligible to choose your own meal plan after you are registered for classes (after November 18th). If you enroll for your meal plan before December 14th, you will be able to choose from the three on-campus meal plans available for on-campus students. If you are registered for on-campus housing and do not enroll for a meal plan before December 14th, you will automatically be enrolled in the default meal plan (12 Plus $200).

Instructions for using SeaPort to Select your meal plan

Changing your UNCW Meal PlanIf you decide you want to change your meal plan, you must make your meal plan change requests in person at the UNCW Auxil-iary Services Office in Warwick Center. Students can only change meal plans once per semester, and all meal plan change requests for Spring 2010 must be submitted by January 13th.

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Activate Your UNCW E-mailUNCW E-mail Checklist:

Activate your UNCW e-mail Nov. 20 - Jan. 3Regularly check your UNCW

e-mailbeginning Jan. 3

Please activate your UNCW e-mail account during before you arrive at UNCW. You will be eligible to activate your e-mail within 2 days of registering for classes. It is important that you check your UNCW e-mail regularly, since once classes be-gin, the Office of International Programs will only send e-mail to your UNCW e-mail account.

Instructions for Activating your UNCW e-mail

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International Friendship Program

UNCW Friendship Program Checklist:Request a Host Family by Nov. 1

Request a Student Mentor by Nov. 1

Host Family ProgramThe Host family program match-es interested ex-change students with families in the Wilming-ton community. The host family and the student normally meet once a month and participate in activities de-termined by the student and the family. Students do not live with host families, but rather socialize with them occasionally. Host families range from young families with children to single, retired individuals; all host families are available during your stay in Wilmington to make you feel at home. Many of our students have found this to be a very enriching experience and a great way to experience U.S. culture and life.

Electronic Form - Request a US Host Family

Student Mentor ProgramThe Student Mentor program matches interested exchange students with UNCW students who act as mentors. The Student Mentors

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can answer any questions you may have and can assist you in getting adjusted to life in Wilmington. Student Mentors usually have an interest in your country of origin and/or have studied abroad them-selves and know what it’s like to live in a foreign country. Student mentors can take you shopping, introduce you to their friends and help you better understand UNCW.

Electronic Form - Request a UNCW International Student Mentor

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Your Health at UNCWUNCW Health Related Checklist:

Submit immunization form (to Amy Mabery in International

Programs)

by Dec. 1

Purchase or Decline UNCW Health Insurance

by Dec. 15

Required ImmunizationsNorth Carolina law requires that all students have a complete immu-nization record on file before they attend class. Bring the UNCW Immunization & Medical History form to your doctor and have him/her verify your immunization record and administer any im-munizations you may be missing

In some cases, it may be possible to purchase your missing vaccines at the UNCW Student Health Center. However, the vaccines you-can purchase in the US may be more expensive than they would be in your own country.

Early Review of Your Immunization RecordPlease submit your immunization & Medical history form to UNCW International Programs by December 1st. You may submit your records by e-mail (Amy Mabery) or by fax (1-910-962-4053). We will have your records reviewed by UNCW’s medical records specialist and will notify you of any vaccinations you may be missing. This will allow you to make arrangements for obtaining the missing vaccines before you arrive at UNCW.

Please also keep a copy of the Immunization & Medical History form for your own records and bring it with you to campus. If your original form gets lost, your copy is the only way to prove that you’ve had the necessary immunizations.

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Mandatory Health InsuranceAll international students are required to have adequate health in-surance that meets the following requirements.

• Medical benefits of at least $50,000 per person per accident or illness

• Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500

• Medical Evacuation coverage in the amount of $10,000

• A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness

UNCW offers a medical insurance plan that meets the minimum insurance coverage required by the US government. The UNCW in-surance costs $282.50/semester ($56.50/month). You may choose to purchase the UNCW insurance, or you may submit proof that your own insurance meets the minimum requirements. If you choose to purchase the UNCW health insurance, the insurance charges will be billed to your student account.

Purchase or Decline UNCW Health InsuranceLogin to the International Student Health Insurance form to either purchase or decline the UNCW health insurance. ISEP students need to decline the UNCW health insurance since the mandatory ISEP health insurance meets the minimum requirements.

Before you make this decision we urge you to compare policy terms and limits. Please remember that medical expenses in the US are very expensive compared to most countries since our health system is privatized; an unexpected trip to the hospital for a broken leg can easily cost you thousands of dollars. If your health insurance does not cover these costs, you will be responsible for paying the hospital directly and in some cases you could be denied treatment if you have inadequate insurance coverage.

All students who have not completed this form by December 15th will automatically be enrolled in the UNCW Health Insurance.

27

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Money, Money, Money!UNCW Expense Related Checklist:

Sign up for 5 payment plan online (optional, costs $35)

by Dec. 15

Last day to pay UNCW bill in full by Jan. 13

Last day to sign up for 3 payment plan through Cashier’s

office (optional, costs $35)

by Jan. 13

Your UNCW Bills (Housing, Meal Plan, Etc)If you are an exchange student, you will be granted a UNCW tuition waiver (similar to a voucher payment) for your tuition and tuition related fees. The UNCW tuition waiver will usually be applied to your UNCW Student account by the first UNCW payment deadline (regular student payment deadline, not exchange stu-dent deadline). However, if any of the following UNCW charges are on your student account, you will need to pay the charges in full.

• On-Campus Housing

• Meal Plan

• On-Campus Mailbox ($11)

• International Student Health Insurance ($282.50)

• Student ID Card ($20)

Most of your charges will be added to your UNCW Student ac-

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count by the beginning of the semester. However, some charges may not show up until after the semester begins. Therefore, it is impor-tant that you periodically review your student account to make sure your bill is paid in full.

Paying Your UNCW Bill OnlineFor your convenience, you may pay your UNCW student bill online using either a US check or a Visa or MasterCard.

Video Tutorial - Pay-ing Your UNCW Bill Online Using Sea-Port

Dividing Your UNCW Bill into 5 or 3 PaymentsFor a charge of $35, you may break your UNCW bill into smaller payments that you pay over the entire semester. You may either di-vide your UNCW charges into 5 or 3 payments.

5 Payment Plan - This plan requires the use of a US checking ac-count or an American Express or Discover credit card.

3 Payment Plan - If you want to enroll in the payment plan but you do not yet have a US checking account or the required credit card, then you may set-up a US checking account when you arrive. Once you have a US checking account, you may enroll in the 3 Payment plan in person at the UNCW Cashier’s office (Warwick Center, 1st Floor).

Video Tutorial - Setting up a 5 or 3 Payment Tuition Payment Plan

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UNCW Textbooks ($$$)In the US, it is stan-dard practice for stu-dents to buy their textbooks. Professors estimate that US uni-versity textbook costs range from $150-$500 USD per semester.

Once you have reg-istered for UNCW classes, you can use the UNCW Book-store website to iden-tify your textbooks. Once you identify your required textbooks, you can choose to either pre-order your textbooks through the UNCW bookstore, or use the booklist to find the same books from alterna-tive sources.

View animated tutorial for looking up your UNCW booklist.

Using Your Foreign Bank Account in the USIf you intend to use your foreign bank account during your stay in the US, please discuss the following items with your home country bank before you depart for the United States

Using Bank Cards in a Foreign Country Discuss with your bank or credit card company that you will be traveling and that you intend to use your bank or credit card inter-nationally. Oftentimes, credit cards companies assume a credit card has been stolen if charges start to be made in a country other than where the card was issued.

Visa or MasterCardIf your bank card or credit card has a Visa or MasterCard logo, it is likely that it can be used to make purchases in the United States.

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It is highly unlikely that you will be able to use your foreign checks while studying in the US.

Currency Conversion ChargesAsk your bank or credit card company if you will be charged curren-cy conversion fees when using your card outside the country where it was issued. Some bank cards charge as much a 3% of the purchase price to convert the currency to US dollars.

Daily Limits on Cash WithdrawalsInquire if your bank card or credit card has limits to the amount of cash you can withdraw per day. Some cards have a default withdraw limit as low as $200/day. Ask the procedure for increasing your withdrawal amount if you know you will need more than the default limit on a specific day.

Charges for Using Foreign Cash MachinesMost bank and credit card companies charge service fees when you withdraw money from a cash machine (ATM) other than your home bank. In addition to your bank’s fee, the bank which owns the cash machine may also charge a fee. If you plan to withdraw cash from your home bank while in the US, know which banks’ machines you can use for the lowest fees.

Opening a US Bank AccountConsidering the diffi-culties using your for-eign bank account, you may choose to open a US bank account in-stead. The three banks located near UNCW have student checking programs that make it

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easy for students to open a bank account.

Banks Near UNCWThe following banks have branch offices located near UNCW and all offer bank accounts designed for college students (usually with lower fees). The banks listed below all have ATM cash machines located on campus.

• BB&T

• Bank of America

• Wachovia-Wells Fargo

Minimum Deposit Each of the banks listed above allow students to open checking ac-counts with small starting deposits. For example, student checking accounts can typically be opened with as little as $50 initial deposit.

Delay for Deposit to Clear (5 days - 3 weeks)When making your initial deposit in your US bank account, if your initial deposit is in a foreign currency (any currency other than US dollars) you may have to wait 3 weeks for the funds to be converted to US dollars and then deposited in your account.

If you open your US bank account with a check from your home country that is in US dollars, you may still have to wait up to 5 busi-ness days for the funds to clear and be deposited in your account.

Monthly Banking FeesThe three banks located near UNCW (BB&T, Bank of America, Wachovia) all have college student checking programs that charge no monthly fees.

Number of Months US Account Must Stay ActiveStudent checking accounts can be closed as early as 6 months (Wa-chovia) to 3 months (BB&T) without a penalty fee.

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Request Airport Pick-up for arrival on January 3rdUNCW Airport Pick-Up Checklist:

Request free airport pick-up for arrival on January 3rd

by Dec. 15

The Office of International Programs (OIP) can pick you up from the Wilmington air-port (airport code: ILM) if your flight arrives on January 3rd. Request the free shuttle service through the Airport Pick-up Request form. You are allowed to login and change your arrival informa-tion up to December 15th.

Arriving before January 3rd Your J1 visa status allows you to enter the US 30 days before the start date of your DS-2019. If you wish to arrive before January 3rd , you will be re-sponsible for arranging your own transportation, meals and lodging until campus housing opens. You may want to explore www.hotels.com for hotel information and www.travelocity.com or www.expe-dia.com for rental car information. There are rental car agents inside the airport terminal and taxis are available just outside. It costs ap-proximately $20 for a taxi ride from the airport to campus.

Hotel Discounts for UNCW Students/GuestsIf you arrive before January 3rd and want to stay in a hotel near UNCW, you may enjoy the convenience of Comfort Inn University. If you call the Wilmington Comfort Inn University (1-910-791-

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4841), you can request the UNCW local rate of $62.95/night.

Even if you choose a different hotel, ask the hotel if they offer a discounted rate for UNCW Students.

Important Travel Advice For January 2010 Flight & AccommodationsMake your January 2010 travel plans early! To arrive on UNCW campus by January 3rd, many students will have to fly during peak holiday season (New Year’s Day). Book your flight early to help get the best price!

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What should I pack?Wilmington, the weath-er is warm/hot most of the year, with a few months of cold weath-er. Generally the warm weather is from April to October, with tempera-tures ranging from 60-95 oF(18-35 oC). The colder, winter months are usually from No-vember to March, with temperatures ranging from 30-60 oF (0-18 oC). Snow is a rare oc-currence and Wilming-ton is subject to adverse conditions (hurricanes) occasionally throughout the year.

It is a good idea to bring a variety of clothes since the weather changes dramatically from the beginning to the end of each semes-ter. Shorts, pants, T-shirts, sweaters and some casual-dressy clothes are all good things to bring. We also recommend that you bring or purchase a raincoat, a warm jacket and an umbrella. UNCW is located about 8 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, so you’ll certainly want to bring a bathing suit and towel for the beach!

Bed Linens & Towels- Bring or Purchase?If you are living on-campus, you will need to supply your own linens (sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, etc.) as these are not pro-vided by UNCW. The mattresses

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are twin size – extra long (36” x 80”). You will need to make sure that the sheets are extra long to fit the mattress in your dormitory.

If you decide not to pack bedding in your suitcase, UNCW works with an online company who will mail any linens you order through their company to UNCW campus.

The website that provide mail order linens service - http://www.rhl.org/ncw/klinens.aspx

If you choose to use this service (see the URL above), please have your linens mailed to the address below:

Your Name

Housing and Residence Life

601 South College Rd

Wilmington, NC 28403-5959

Please note: The address above WILL NOT BE your UNCW mail-ing address! (Your UNCW mailing address will be sent to you via e-mail and should be recorded in “My Important Information” on page 9.) The Housing and Residence Life address should only be used as the delivery address for bedding that is ordered through www.rhl.org http://www.rhl.org.

On January 3rd (UNCW move-in day) UNCW International Pro-grams will pick up any international student’s bedding delivered to UNCW Housing & Residence Life and will deliver it to the stu-dent’s dorm room. There will also be an opportunity for you to pur-chase bedding and towels at a local Wilmington department store (like Walmart) during International Student Orientation January 4-5th.

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International Student OrientationThe International Student Orienta-tion will be held January 4 &5. There is no addi-tional fee charged for this orienta-tion, and you do not need to pre-register. The In-ternational Stu-dent Orientation is required. Dur-ing orientation we will review visa regulations, health and safety concerns, cultural adaptation, expectations about academic life and introduce you to life in Wilmington!

Date ActivitySunday, January 3 Move in to residence hallsMonday, January 4 International Student

Orientation (Required)Tuesday, January 5 International Student

Orientation (Required)Wednesday, January 6 First day of class

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Connect With Current UNCW StudentsUNCW groups are on Facebook! UNCW International Programs Office works closely with two groups which you may be interested in. The first group is a student led group call the International Stu-dent Organization. The second group is the UNCW Mentors for International Students.

ISO is the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s International Student Organization

Our mission is to provide increased awareness of cul-tural diversity on our campus

We go on TWO trips each year (one per semester) at affordable prices

Past trips have included Boston and Atlanta

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View UNCW Semester Dates: Classes, Holidays & ExamsView the UNCW University Calendar to help plan your time at UNCW