International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

Incoming Exchange Student

Pre-Arrival Guide
Spring 2012 & Calendar Year 2012

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Study Abroad OfficeStudent International Academic Affairs

mailing address
115 International Studies Building
910 South Fifth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
U.S.A
phone +1 (217) 333-6322 ~ fax +1 (217) 244-0249
web http://studyabroad.illinois.edu/exchange/accepted/index.aspx

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Study Abroad Office Student International Academic Affairs

International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS
VISAS

CHECKIGN IN, ORIENTATION, & DATES

3-4

MEDICAL & IMMUNIZATION HISTORY FORM

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

GETTING TO CHAMPAIGN-URBANA
& LOCAL TAXI COMPANIES

5-7

PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION

7-10

ACADEMICS & COURSE REGISTRATION

10-16

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

16

STUDENT FINANCES

16-19

INSURANCE

19

SETTING UP YOUR UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS E-MAIL

19

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING

20-22

CAMPUS SAFETY & STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

22-23

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Study Abroad Office Student International Academic Affairs

International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

VISAS
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign cannot apply or pay for your visa. You are
responsible for following the visa application procedures, compiling the necessary
documents, and following through on the visa application requirements. Details about
entry visas into the U.S. and applying for your visa can be found here.
When completing your visa application, please provide the following contact information
under the required fields:

Contact at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: International Student

and Scholar Services, [email protected]

Address you will be at in the USA: 400 Turner Student Services Building, 610 E.
John Street, Champaign, IL 61820

CHECKING IN, ORIENTATION, and DATES

As a student admitted through the Study Abroad Office, you are required to check in with
the following offices when you arrive:

International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS)

The Study Abroad Office - Student International Academic Affairs (SAO)
Your academic college or department
You are expected to arrive in time for the ISSS check-in, SAO orientation, and
college/department academic briefings. During the respective check-in, orientations, and
briefing sessions, you will receive pertinent information that will help you prepare for your
studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Please plan to arrive in Champaign-Urbana between Monday, January 9, 2012 and
Wednesday, January 11, 2012.
Checking in with ISSS is mandatory to comply with U.S. Department of Homeland
Security regulations. Please refer to the ISSS website for details about the required
immigration check-in.
If you arrive after office hours, move into your accommodation first and settle in for
the night. You will be able to check in with ISSS the following business day.
VERY IMPORTANT: You will not be able to obtain your i-card until you check in with
ISSS. Without your i-card, you may not have access to various campus facilities, such as
University Housing and Campus Recreation; you may not be able to set up a checking
account with TCF Bank or use the community buses without paying $1 per ride.
The Hold on your account will be removed 24 hours after you check in with ISSS. In
other words, if you arrive late Thursday night, you will only be able to check in with ISSS
on Friday and the Hold will not be lifted until Saturday. Consequently, you will not be able
obtain your i-card until Monday.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Study Abroad Office Student International Academic Affairs

International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

Further, please note that the ISSS immigration check-in is different from the ISSS
orientation. The ISSS immigration check-in is required, while the ISSS orientation is
highly recommended, but not required. Information about the ISSS orientation can be
found here.
You are also required to attend the SAO orientation session:
Thursday, January 12, 2012 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am in 101 International
Studies Building.
Your academic college and/or department will contact you about relevant academic
orientations or registration briefings. As of today, the following college academic briefings
have been scheduled:
ENGINEERINGFriday, January 13, 2012 from 9:30 a.m. 11:30 p.m. in 106B8
Engineering Hall
LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCESFriday, January 13, 2012 at 1 p.m. in 160 English
Building
FINE & APPLIED ARTSPlease schedule individual orientations/advising
appointments with your respective departments Academic Advisor.
o Theater: David Swinford, [email protected]
o Urban Planning: Alice Novak, [email protected]
o Landscape Architecture: Carol Emmerling-DiNovo, [email protected]
o Art & Design: Robin Douglas, [email protected]
APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES
o Please schedule an individual orientation/advising appointment with the
Academic Advisor for Recreation, Sports, and Tourism: LoriKay Paden,
[email protected]
AGRICULTURAL & CONSUMER ECONOMICS
o To be determined
Please remember that you are expected to arrive on campus no later than Wednesday,
January 11, 2012.
You are expected to remain at Illinois until you complete your final exams. We
recommend that you schedule your date of departure after the last day of exams. When
you receive your syllabus at the start of each class, you should be informed of the date of
your final exam for that class. If you find out that your exams end early, you may change
your departure date, although you will likely incur an additional fee. The amount will vary
depending on the airline and the type of ticket you purchased.

MEDICAL & IMMUNIZATION HISTORY FORM

You must complete the Medical and Immunization History Form prior to your arrival on
campus. You can download the form from here. Please read the instructions before
completing the History Form. You will need your home doctor to sign the History Form, so
you will need to complete it before you leave your home country. You will need to submit
the completed form to the McKinley Health Center when you arrive on campus.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Study Abroad Office Student International Academic Affairs

International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION
If you applied to and are assigned to a residence hall with University Housing, you may
need to reside in temporary accommodation until the official start of your University
Housing contract. These contracts usually begin the three to four days before the start of
classes. Depending on your residence hall, you may be permitted to move in early.
However, you will be charged a nightly fee until the official start of your University
Housing contract. In other words, you will have to pay a nightly charge for the early
move-in days. For more details about early move-in through University Housing, please
visit University Housings website. Additional options are available from ISSSs website.
If you arrive after 5 pm and need temporary accommodation, please proceed to any of
the options listed above. For University Housing and Private Certified Housing, look for
the intercom phone at the main door of the residence hall and buzz the main desk. A
representative will come to the door to let you in.

GETTING TO CHAMPAIGN-URBANA & LOCAL TAXI COMPANIES

The most common way to get to Champaign is to fly into Chicago's O'Hare International
Airport (code: ORD). Depending on how you arrange your flight, it is possible to costeffectively fly directly into Willard Airport (code: CMI). To get the best deal, you should
search various sources as well as work with a travel agent.
If you fly into Champaign's Willard Airport, use one of the taxis present or call a cab from
the list of companies provided at the end of this section to take you to your
accommodation.
If you decide to arrive at O'Hare International, you have multiple options to transfer to
Champaign-Urbana.
Illini Shuttle is a comfortable coach service that provides connections between O'Hare
International Airport and Champaign. The shuttle will pick you up from O'Hare's central
bus/shuttle center and drop you off in the heart of campus. Reservations are required.
When you arrive in Champaign, there are three main stops on campus:

Armory Hall (campus) Get off here if you are staying in Sherman, the Illini
Tower, Armory House, Newman Hall, Presby Hall, or any of the Ikenberry
Commons halls (Barton, Lundgren, Garner, Forbes, Hopkins, Scott, Snyder,
Weston, Taft-Van Doren, and Nugent). These halls are within walking distance
of the drop-off point.

Altgeld Hall (campus) Get off here if you have a reservation for temporary
accommodation in the Illini Union Hotel or to get a taxi to FAR/PAR (Oglesby,
Trelease, Babcock, Blaisdell, Carr, and Saunders), Busey-Evans, Allen, and LAR
(Leonard and Sheldon). Note that you will need to call for a cab to pick you up
from the Illini Union. You may call for a taxi from the Illini Union information
desk or from the Illini Union Hotel check-in desk. A list of taxi companies and
their telephone numbers are provided at the end of this section.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Study Abroad Office Student International Academic Affairs

International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

ISR (Illinois Street Residence on campus) Get off here if you live in

Townsend, Wardall, Daniels or Hendrick House. It is possible to walk from ISR to

Busey-Evans, Allen, Leonard, and Sheldon if you don't have heavy luggage.

Lincolnland Express (also known as LEX) provides shuttle services between O'Hare and
Champaign. Reservations are required. To utilize LEX's student rates, please show your
letter of admission upon boarding. Please carry the LEX phone number on you so that
you can call them when you arrive at O'Hare and are ready to be picked up.
When you arrive in Champaign, get off at Follett's Bookstore (campus to the left of
Everitt Lab on your campus map) or the Illinois Terminal. Taxis are available at the
Illinois Terminal. If no cabs are waiting at the Illinois Terminal, you will need to call for
one. Please note that the Terminal is only open from 5 a.m. - 12 midnight. If you get off
at Follett's Bookstore, you can walk to the Illini Union to call a taxi. Please see the end of
this section for a list of taxi numbers.
Depending on the time of your pick-up from O'Hare, you may request to be dropped off at
one of the following locations:
Allen Hall (good for Busey-Evans and LAR, too);
The Armory (good for Sherman Hall, Armory House, Presby Hall, and the Illini
Tower);
FAR/PAR (Oglesby, Trelease, Babcock, Blaisdell, Carr, and Saunders);
ISR (Townsend and Wardall, as well as Daniels Hall and Hendrick House); or
Ikenberry Commons (Barton, Lundgren, Garner, Forbes, Hopkins, Scott, Snyder,
Weston, Taft-Van Doren, and Nugent).
Please check your reservation for details.
If you are adventurous and do not have large luggage bags, you may consider taking an
Amtrak train, a Greyhound bus, or a Megabus coach.
Amtrak trains leave from Chicago's Union Station (downtown Chicago) three times daily.
Reservations are required. The trains take about three hours to get to Champaign. You
will need to find your way from O'Hare International Airport to Union Station. While there
is a subway train (CTA blue line - get off at Clinton), it can be inconvenient with luggage.
Taxis to Union Station from O'Hare are expensive. When you arrive in Champaign, you
will get off at the Illinois Terminal. You can pick up a taxi from the Terminal and take it to
your housing.
Greyhound buses take between two and a half to four hours to get from downtown
Chicago to downtown Champaign, depending on whether the bus is an express or local
service. Seats are not reserved, even if you purchase your ticket ahead of time. Times of
the buses change, but they run frequently. You will need to find your way from O'Hare
International Airport to the Greyhound Bus Station. There is a subway train (CTA blue
line - get off at Clinton), but it can be extremely inconvenient with luggage. Taxis to the
Greyhound Station from O'Hare are expensive. When you arrive in Champaign, you will
get off at the Illinois Terminal. You can pick up a taxi from the Terminal and take it to
your housing.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Study Abroad Office Student International Academic Affairs

International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

Megabus is an inexpensive service between downtown Chicago and downtown

Champaign. Megabus picks up from Chicago's Union Station and drops off at Champaign's
Illinois Terminal. There are two trips a day, each taking about two and a half hours. You
will need to find your way from O'Hare International Airport to Union Station. While there
is a subway train (CTA blue line - get off at Clinton), it can be inconvenient with luggage.
Taxis to Union Station from O'Hare can be expensive. When you arrive in Champaign,
you will get off at the Illinois Terminal. You can pick up a taxi from the Terminal and take
it to your housing.
Taxi Companies in Champaign-Urbana:

Black Cab and Limo (217) 693-2468 (recommended)

Orange Taxi (217) 367-8888
Yellow Cab (217) 355-3553
Reservations are required. When calling for a taxi, please check the price of your ride
before starting your journey, especially since most cabs in Champaign are not metered. If
you have luggage, ask if the cab charges for luggage. If they do charge, find out the
amount they charge per piece of luggage. If you are traveling with other people, make
sure that you find out the price for the ENTIRE group and the cost per person. Tipping
($1-2 extra) is expected. Cab fares from Champaign's Willard Airport to the University of
Illinois campus is a flat rate and should not be more than $16.

PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION
You are responsible for arranging your own housing. The Study Abroad Office does not
reserve housing for students. There are many options available to exchange students:
Undergraduate Residence Halls (URH), Graduate Residence Halls, University Apartments,
Private Certified Housing, and off-campus properties owned and managed by independent
landlords. There are pros and cons to each option, so you should carefully weigh your
needs and preferences against what the different options offer.
Undergraduate and Graduate Residence Halls
These properties are traditional dormitories for college students. Typically, two students
share a room. In some cases, you may be assigned to a suite, where there would be
three or more students to a room. Sherman and Daniels halls are the only two Graduate
Residence Halls and are geared towards undergraduate and graduate students. Single
rooms are few and highly competitive to get. Therefore, if you choose to live in one of the
University's residence halls, you will need to be prepared to live in a shared room.
Benefits of living in a University Residence Hall:

Rooms are already furnished.

Utilities are included in the housing charge, so you will not need to worry about
arranging and paying additional fees for electricity, heat, water, sewage, trash
removal, internet, and basic television (although you will need to get a digital
box to decode digital programs).

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Study Abroad Office Student International Academic Affairs

International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

Meal plans are included in the Undergraduate Residence Hall contracts, so you

will not need to worry too much about groceries, cooking, or washing dishes
(except for that occasional toast or bowl of cereal). If you are assigned to
Sherman or Daniels Halls, you will not need to purchase a meal plan, although
they are available for purchase if you need them.

If you choose to live in one of the Living-and-Learning Communities (LLC), you

will find a community of other like-minded students. LLCs are geared towards
students with specific interest: Leadership, the Arts, Engineering and Science,
Global and International Studies, Social Justice, Health Professions, as well as
Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Students in these halls are typically very
involved on campus and are keen to meet other students, whether international
or from the US. For more information on the LLCs, visit this webpage.

There are computer labs in each hall, most of which are open 24 hours a day,
while classes are in session.

Guaranteed to be on or within a 5-minute walk to a bus line.

There are Resident Assistants and Resident Directors who can advise you on any
matter, 24 hours a day.

If you are enrolled at the University of Illinois for only one semester, you can be

released from your housing contract without needing to find someone to sublet
from you. There is also no penalty for canceling your contract after your first
semester. NOTE: If you are at Illinois for TWO SEMESTERS, you cannot cancel
your University Housing contract after your first semester on campus. You will
be financially penalized for canceling your contract. This also applies to students
who are initially accepted for one semester, but who then extend their stay at
Illinois by one more semester.

Drawbacks of living in a University Residence Hall:

Meal plans are part of your Undergraduate Residence Hall contract. You cannot
opt out of the meal plan. Sherman and Daniels Hall contracts do not include a
meal plan.

There are NO kitchens in the Undergraduate Residence Halls and limited cooking
amenities in Sherman and Daniels Hall.

There are rules that are enforced and that residents will need to adhere to, e.g.
pertaining to under-aged drinking and quiet hours.

It can be noisy.
You will most likely live in shared rooms.
You will need to share showers and bathrooms.
Some students, in the past, have reported that living in a University Residence
Hall is more expensive than living off-campus. Check out University Housing
rates here.

The University Housing website covers housing options for international students in great
detail. When you have decided on your choice of accommodation, you are responsible for
submitting the required applications and signing the necessary contracts. You will need to
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International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

apply online to live in a University Residence Hall. Housing placement is based largely on
the availability of rooms.
An alternative to the University Residence Halls is Private Certified Housing. These
halls are managed by external property companies, but have been "approved" by the
University of Illinois. The rooms in these halls are typically bigger, but are more
expensive. Several of these are also religiously affiliated, e.g. Catholic for Newman Hall
and Presbyterian for Presby Hall. NOTE: Private Certified Housing does NOT bill the
University Student Account for housing charges. Rents and any associated fees
have to be paid directly to the housing unit. If you receive a stipend from the Study
Abroad Office as part of your exchange, you should avoid this housing option.
Off-Campus Housing
If you seek a more social or independent living environment, you are encouraged to
consider sub-leasing an off-campus apartment from an Illinois student who will be
studying abroad. Options can be found on the Study Abroad webpage for Housing in
Champaign-Urbana (NetID and NetID password required to view and respond to postings
on the Study Abroad Housing Board).
You could also consider leasing an apartment through Family and Graduate Housing,
especially if you are only at Illinois for one semester. Applications are made directly with
the Family and Graduate Housing (look under "University Apartments"). You may also
sublease an apartment by signing up to be a roommate with another resident.
Please note that off-campus apartments, including those through Family and Graduate
Housing, do NOT bill the University Student Account for housing charges. Rents and any
associated fees have to be paid directly to that property's management. If you receive a
stipend from the Study Abroad Office as part of your exchange, you should avoid this
housing option.
Off-campus housing is handled separately and independently from the University. You will
need to contact the appropriate individuals or property management company directly to
set up private housing. You are strongly encouraged to hold off signing any leases until
(1) you have seen the apartment unit yourself and (2) have had the lease/contract
reviewed by the Tenant Union. If you are interested in private housing, you should arrive
at least one full week before orientation.
Advantages of Off-Campus Housing:

Potentially more privacy, personal space, and independence. If you prefer to live
by yourself, this could be a quieter environment.

Proper kitchens.
Potentially your own bathroom or one shared with fewer residents than what you
would have to in an Undergraduate Residence Hall.

If you live with other US college students, it is an ideal way to make local friends
and be immersed in the life of US college students.

You get to control your own expenses, e.g. with utilities and food.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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International Exchange Student Pre-Arrival Guide

Spring 2012

It is easier to have guests visit you.

There may be fewer rules that you'll need to observe, although neighbors can
call the cops on you if there is excessive noise or disruptive behavior.

Disadvantages of Off-Campus Housing:

Apartment might not be furnished, so you'll need to purchase furniture.

You'll need to buy groceries, cook your own meals, and then wash your own

dishes. There is a small supermarket on the corner of Springfield and

Stoughton, where you can purchase grocery items. A 20- to 30-minute bus ride
takes you to larger supermarkets located in north Champaign and east Urbana.

You may need to arrange your own utilities and pay for these amenities,

including electricity, heat, water, trash removal, sewage, internet, and TV.

Unless you are subleasing an apartment from another individual, almost all off-

campus apartment contracts run for 12 months (typically August to August) and
it will be very difficult for you to get out of the lease without a substantial
penalty.

You'll need to pay for at least one month's security deposit and the first month's
rent upon signing the lease. Some landlords will ask for the first and last
month's rents as well as a security deposit.

Apartments may not be close to campus, so you will need to use public

transportation to get to and from campus. Students with an i-card can ride the
public buses for "free." The buses run seven days a week and have late-night
routes when classes are in session.

No 24-hour contact other than your landlord.

You will be responsible for locating an apartment. When deciding on an off-campus
apartment, you should consider the location, the availability of bus routes, accessibility,
cost, duration of lease, safety of the neighborhood, and how easy it would be for you to
get home at night, especially after the bars close.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to verify the validity of your lease. This
may be done through the University's Tenant Union. All arrangements must be made
directly with the leasing agent or the person subletting the apartment.

ACADEMICS & COURSE REGISTRATION

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is comprised of twelve colleges, three
schools, one institute and one division. Each academic unit has a high degree of
autonomy over its policies and governance. As you prepare for your studies at the
University of Illinois, it is good idea for you to become familiar with the academic process
and culture at our university.
Terminology
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Courses This term is used to refer to an overall class, e.g. ENGL 101 Intro to Poetry.
In some countries, a course may be called a unit, module, or paper. In the U.S., a course
is not a students course of study, degree or major.
Sections A course may be divided into sections. Each section of a course may be
taught by a different instructor, offered at different times and at different locations.
Depending on the course, each section may have its own syllabus as long as the overall
objectives of the course are met.
If you look at the Class Schedule for ENGL 101, you will see that each section is taught at
different times and days, and in different locations. When you register for a course, you
select and register for ONE section. Each section has a unique Course Registration
Number (CRN).
For some courses, you will be expected to register for both a Lecture section and a
Discussion-Recitation or Laboratory section. If you do not register for the required
sections, you will see a "Linked Section" error, and you will not be able to register for the
course. You must add both the Lecture and the Discussion/Recitation or
Laboratory section before you can register for the course.
Some courses have specific topics associated with each section, e.g. HIST 200 Intro
to Historical Interpretation. In this course, one section may focus on "Visual History,"
while another may look at "Music in Modern History."
As you search for courses, you will find that each section will specify the days that the
lectures, discussions, and/or laboratory meet:

M = Monday
T = Tuesday
W = Wednesday
R = Thursday
F = Friday
MWF = you must attend class on Monday and Wednesday and Friday
TR = you must attend class on Tuesday and Thursday

When registering for courses, you should also be aware of when the section you are
interested in is offered. A course could offer one section for a full semester, another
section in the first eight weeks of the semester, and a third section taught over the
second eight weeks of the semester.
Add/Drop At the University of Illinois, students are not guaranteed seats in
courses, even if they are required for a student's graduation. While seats may be
reserved for particular cohorts of students, students still have to "compete" for a fixed
number of seats in a course. To manage student enrollment, individual departments may
control access to some courses. As a result, you may find that courses you need are full
or closed even if it appears that there are seats available. In many cases, departments
release more seats after they have a clearer sense of student demand. This is normally
done just before the start of each semester. In the first two weeks of the semester,
students also begin changing their schedule, picking up courses that they need and unregistering from courses they do not need or want. This period is known as add/drop. It
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is in this period that you have a chance to register for courses that you could not get into
prior to arriving on campus.
Culture of U.S. Classrooms and Academic Expectations at Illinois
Academic styles at U.S. universities can be different from what you are familiar with. For
example, many instructors give continuous assessments throughout the semester, so
instead of one final exam at the end of the semester, you may have weekly quizzes or
tests every 3-4 weeks. You may also find that you will be expected to speak up in class
and to complete assigned readings before each class. Another distinct characteristic in
many US classrooms is mandatory attendance. Past exchange students have been
shocked that attendance in some classes is required and that it counts towards their final
grade.
When it comes to final exams, the type of assessment will depend on the academic field
your course is in. Courses in the humanities and social sciences are known to give
"papers." Unlike in-class essay exams, "papers" in the US refer to "take home" research
and analytical essays that you prepare on an assigned topic. Your instructor might give
the class a topic or question and you could be asked to use scholarly articles to support
your argument and analysis. In other papers, you could be asked to summarize and
reflect upon articles, essays, and/or arguments presented in class. The University's
extensive library collection and online resources are well organized and easy to use for
researching these topics.
Classes in engineering and the sciences, on the other hand, will have regular graded
homework assignments and lab reports. In other words, you will be asked to submit
written work very often. An important thing to keep in mind is that lab reports can
sometimes be quite long, so adequate planning will be necessary in order to finish them
by their due date.
Remember, attendance and class participation are calculated as part of your final score.
Hence, it is important that you attend your lectures, discussion sections, labs and/or
studios.
There will, of course, be instances where the teaching and grading style of the instructor
will be similar to what you are familiar with. For example, in a big lecture, there may only
be one mid-term and one final exam. The common observation that past exchange
students have made, however, is that there is less academic flexibility in terms of time
and what you can study in each class. Past students also commented that there are more
requirements per class than what they are used to at their home institution. Again, how
the academic culture at Illinois will affect you will vary individually and from country to
country.
In general, given the workload and grading requirements, most Illinois students limit
themselves to three or less courses within their major. The remaining courses on
Illinois students' class schedules typically comprise general education requirements and/or
electives. To attain an all-round education, you are encouraged to seize this opportunity
to enroll in courses unique to the US or Illinois, as well as classes that are not offered at
your home institution. To make the most use of your time here in the US, you should
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avoid taking more than three classes at the 300-level or higher, especially within
your major.
Course Credits and Course Loads
As part of your J1 visa requirements, you need to remain a full-time student throughout
your terms as a J1 visa holder. All international students admitted at the undergraduate
level are required to enroll in at least 12 credit hours to maintain full-time status.
Most courses are 3 credits each. Such courses typically meet three hours a week and
involve at least 6 hours per week of work outside of class. Generally, classes are held
between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. While there are some evening classes, most classes will be
held during the day. Depending on the course, you may need to invest more than the
expected number of hours per week in order to achieve good grades. Courses with
substantial lab or studio time are usually worth 4-5 credits.
Maximum course load is 18 credit hours. This is not recommended if you plan to visit
different parts of the U.S. or participate in social-cultural activities on campus. We
recommend sticking to 12-16 credits per semester. If you intend to travel during the
weekends or pursue extra-curricular activities, keep to the 12-credit minimum.
When registering for classes, please pay attention to the level at which the course is
offered:
100- to 300-levels: Undergraduates
400-level: Advanced undergraduates and graduates
500-level or higher: Graduates only
The general guiding principle is that the higher the level of the course, the higher the
degree of difficulty; higher-level courses also assign more readings and written work.
Accordingly, we recommend enrolling in no more than three courses per semester in your
major and no more than three courses per semester at the 300-level or higher. We
recognize that some universities require you to take only courses in your major or at the
300-level or higher. While we cannot stop you from doing so or prevent your university
from expecting you to do so, we can strongly advise you against overloading on courses in
your major or at the 300-level or higher.
Course Registration
Undergraduate degrees in the U.S. operate on a liberal arts model and the University of
Illinois is not an exception. Each undergraduate degree will require a number of courses,
but students will not be pre-placed into those courses. The remaining courses, which may
constitute half of a student's degree requirements, will be at the student's discretion,
albeit under specific parameters. This means that students are expected to be flexible in
their course choices. As an exchange student, this translates into you needing to have
many choices in your course selections. We recommend that you have 10-15 course
choices per semester so that you have ample options to choose from when you arrive and
try to register for classes. As we have repeatedly mentioned, Illinois cannot guarantee
that you will be able to enroll in classes you would like or need to take. We are also not
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able to advise you on what you should take. Instead, you will need to work with your
home university advisor and your assigned academic advisor at Illinois.
For a complete view of what is offered, you should use the Class Schedule rather than
relying on UI Integrate. Do NOT use the Course Catalog as that does not reflect
courses available for the most current semester. Registration for new incoming exchange
students typically begins at the end of May (for August entrants) and at the end of
November (for January entrants).
Please refresh yourself of the enrollment restrictions in the respective subject areas listed
in our Application Bulletin.
Before registering for courses, you will need to familiarize yourself with the UI Integrate
Self-Service system:
Registration Procedures
Registration Checklist
Registration Help
How to Add a Class on UI-Integrate
After you have registered for a particular course, you have the option of dropping a
course. Please remember that as an undergraduate J1 student, you must have at least
12 credit hours per semester. It is also your responsibility to be aware of the
academic deadlines for adding and dropping courses.
When deciding between courses or sections to add/drop in the first couple of days,
consider your time availability and the amount of coursework outlined on the syllabus of
each course/section. It is recommended that you make a decision within the first one or
two class periods so as to have adequate time to catch up in another course/section that
you choose to add. You might also find it useful to preview the textbooks you will need
for each course. A tentative textbook list for most courses can be found here.
Withdrawal
If you miss the deadline to drop a course (i.e. remove a course from your academic
transcript), you have the option of petitioning your academic college to withdraw from the
course. There is a chance that your college will not accept your petition. If your college
approves your petition, a "W" will appear on your transcript for that course. The "W"
designation does not affect your Grade Point Average (GPA). However, it is calculated
into the number of credits you attempted. Dropped courses will not appear on your
transcript and affect neither your GPA nor the number of credits you have attempted.=
Registration Errors
Some of the errors that you may encounter while trying to register for classes:
Major Restriction These classes are restricted only to students in that major. As a
non-degree exchange student, your major on the student information system is listed as
"non-degree exchange," not your major at your home institution. This, unfortunately,
creates some problems when you try to register for courses. If you have academic
reasons for needing particular courses, but are not able to register for them on your own,
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please contact your academic advisor at Illinois (see list of academic advisors below).
When you contact your Illinois academic advisor, please state the full error message that
you received when you tried to register for the course. Please also provide a brief
explanation concerning why you need the course. While the University of Illinois cannot
guarantee courses for students, it will attempt to accommodate students who need
courses for their major.
Consent of Instructor Required Similar to the explanation above for classes
restricted to only students in a major. The best course of action is to send an email to the
instructor, asking permission to be enrolled in the class. Please note that some
departments do NOT allow instructors to give class overrides. In those cases, instructors
must obtain clearance from their department to admit a student into a course.
Missing Pre-requisites Previous coursework required. Since courses from your
home university are not recorded on Illinois' registration system, UI Integrate will
consider you as not having met the pre-requisites to take the course. If there are seats
available, the department or college will need to give you an override before you will be
able to register for the course.
Time Conflicts If you are signing up for a lecture and a discussion for a course,
BOTH will not register if one of them conflicts with another course. If that happens, try to
find the section that conflicts and try to find another available time slot.
If you encounter the first three errors or are not able to resolve a time conflict on your
own, please send an e-mail to one of the following contacts:

Students admitted to the College of Fine & Applied Arts Marian Stone,
[email protected]
Theater: David Swinford, [email protected]
Urban Planning: Alice Novak, [email protected]
Landscape Architecture: Carol Emmerling-DiNovo, [email protected]
Art & Design: Robin Douglas, [email protected]
Students admitted to the College of ACES Dawn Berg, [email protected]
Students admitted to the College of Engineering Jana Gadbury,
[email protected]
Students admitted to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Cory Ohms,
[email protected]
Students admitted to all other Colleges Jerome Ng, [email protected]

When you write to one of the advisors or to me, please state the full error message that
you received when you tried to register for the course. Please also provide a brief
explanation concerning why you need the course. While the University of Illinois cannot
guarantee courses for students, departments will attempt, within its own constraints, to
accommodate students who need courses for their major.
Course Syllabi

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Syllabi for courses are typically not available until the start of classes. Depending ton the
academic department, syllabi from previous semesters may be archived on a
department's web page.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR
View the complete academic calendar here. Please pay particular attention to the last
days to add and drop classes. As explained in the "Terminology" section above, please
note that some courses are offered in the first half of the semester, while others are
offered in the second half of the semester. These courses have different add and drop
dates from each other and from full-semester courses. The deadlines for undergraduate
students are also different from those of graduate students. Please be aware of the
differences.
As you look towards personal travels at the end of the semester, we recommend that you
schedule your date of departure AFTER the last day of exams. When you receive
the syllabus at the start of each class, you should be informed of the final exam date for
that class. If you find out that your exams end early, you may change your departure
date, albeit for a fee. The amount varies on the airline and the type of ticket you
purchased.

STUDENT FINANCES
All exchange students will receive a tuition waiver. However, depending on your
university's agreement with Illinois, you will still be required to pay various student fees
or fees for studio/lab instruction. These fees are not covered under the exchange
agreement and you will be responsible for those fees that are not waived under the
student exchange agreement with your home university.
You will receive your semester invoice at Illinois in September for the Fall semester and in
January for the Spring semester. Before you pay the invoice, we will ask you to meet
with one of SAOs staff members to verify the actual amount that you will have to pay.
The fees listed below are the ones you should expect to see on your invoice each
semester. These amounts are correct for 2011-2012. All amounts in US dollars.
Fee Type
Health Service Fee
Transportation Fee
Health Insurance Fee 1
SORF (Student Organizations Resource Fund) Fee 2
Krannert Fee 2
New International Student Fee 3
Orientation Accommodation ($50/person per night for three
nights)

Fee Amount
(USD)
229
50
219
6
20
35
150

Click here to read more on the details regarding each fee and how they are determined.
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1 You can petition for this fee to be waived provided you demonstrate equivalent or
better coverage. However, before you request to exempt out of the Student Health
Insurance, please schedule an appointment with the Study Abroad Office. Depending on
the agreement, SAO may pay your Student Health Insurance.
2 Students may claim a refund for these fees. However, we recommend paying the
SORF (Student Organization Resource Fund) Fee and the Krannert Fee.
Money from the SORF Fee provides funds for Registered Student Organizations, which
form a big part of campus life. This fee is also used to finance Student Legal Services,
which provides students with legal counsel and related support, and the Tenant Union,
which helps students with housing problems and leases. Claiming a refund on this fee will
cut access to these services.
The Krannert Fee is used to support community programming at the Krannert Center for
Performing Arts. Many of these programs, such as the AfterGlow series and Krannert
Uncorked, are free and open to the public. These programs add very important cultural
elements to the University of Illinois landscape and experience. We hope that you do not
claim a refund on this fee so that such programs may continue.
3 For more information on this fee, please visit
http://isss.illinois.edu//students/intl_student_fee.shtml
In addition to the above fees, you will need to budget for housing and meals, books and
supplies, light to moderate entertainment, and other living expenses. An estimated cost
of living estimate breakdown can be found here.
Actual rates for University Housing accommodation and meal plans can be found here. If
you opt to live in non-University Housing accommodation, you should plan to spend $400$750 per month on rent, $200-$400 per month on food and groceries, and $200-$400 on
utilities, such as electricity, gas, heat, water, trash removal, internet service, and cable.
One way of saving money is to buy used textbooks or rent, instead of buying, textbooks.
You can do so through the Illini Union Bookstore. Some instructors may also place
readings on Course Reserve in the Library, which you can either download onto your
computer or take out for a few hours. Other students have found electronic versions of
textbooks or articles and have opted to download them onto their iPad or Kindle.
Whatever you choose to do, you should wait until you receive your class syllabus before
buying any textbooks or reading packets.
Paying Your Bill
Student invoices, referred to as e-bills, are normally distributed around the second week
of classes. You will receive an e-mail through your University of Illinois e-mail account
that your e-bill is ready on UI Integrate. Download the pdf version of your e-bill. Print
your e-bill and bring it in to the Study Abroad Office at your scheduled time for review.
The Study Abroad Office will cross-reference your e-bill with the exchange agreement
your home university has with the University of Illinois. Our staff will then inform you of
the total amount that you will need to pay. Please look for an e-mail from SAO inviting
you to set up an appointment to meet with a staff member for these e-bill reviews.
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You will be able to pay your e-bill in-person (cash and checks only) or online (American
Express, Discover, or MasterCard credit cards only). Please note that credit card
transactions are subject to a convenience fee.
You may also pay by wire transfer from you home bank. If you choose this latter option,
allow 10-15 business days for wire transfers to be completed. However, there are
transaction fees for wire transfers. The relevant information needed to arrange a
wire transfer are as follows:
Bank: JPMorgan Chase Bank NA
Address: 4 New York Plaza, Flr. 15, New York, NY 10004
ABA/Routing Number: 021000021 (provide this identifier if your wire transfer is coming
from a US bank)
SWIFT ID: CHASUS33 (provide this identifier is your wire transfer is coming from a nonUS bank)
Account Title: University of Illinois Accounts Receivable
Account Number: 840783682
Reference: Student Name and UIN (must be on wire transfer)
For more information about billing and payment, please click here.
To avoid transaction fees and minimize inconveniences when it is time to pay your
e-bill, the Study Abroad Office strongly recommends that you open a checking account
with a local US bank. A checking account provides you with paper and electronic checks,
which you can use to pay your student account with no transaction fees. You will also be
able to use the ATMs of local banks to withdraw money and avoid transactions fees that
you would otherwise incur if you used your credit/debit card from your home bank.
Lastly, you will be able to wire money into your US checking account. You may wish to
bring some traveler's checks or banker's drafts, so that you can use them as deposits
when opening an account.
There are five banks on campus:

Busey Bank (located on the corner of Green Street and Sixth Street)
Freestar Bank (located on the corner of Green Street and Wright Street)
PNC (located on Green Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets next to Coldstone
Ice Cream) - this is a national bank
TCF Bank (located on the first floor of the Illini Union Bookstore on Wright
Street) - this is a national bank
University of Illinois Employees Credit Union (located on the first floor of the
Illini Union, east corridor)

There is also a Chase Bank that is a national bank with multiple ATMs around town,
including campus. The closest Chase Bank office is on the corner of University Avenue
and Randolph Street in downtown Champaign. The Green West bus will take you close:
get off on the corner of State Street and University Avenue by West Side Park and walk
one block east, away from the Park, along University Avenue. Chase Bank will be at your
right.
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Bank of America has various ATMs in Champaign, Urbana and campus. Bank of America
is affiliated with various international banks overseas. Check with your home bank if they
are affiliated with Bank of America. If they are, you might be able to access Bank of
America ATMs for no fee. Please note that Bank of America does not have any physical
bank offices in town.

INSURANCE
All University of Illinois students are automatically enrolled in the University Student
Health Insurance. In addition, all students pay the Health Service Fee, which covers
services and programs offered by McKinley Health Center and the Counseling Center. For
more information about what is covered by the Health Service Fee and the Student Health
Insurance, refer to this page.
Because you will be enrolled in the University Student Health Insurance, you will receive
two insurance cards in the mail. At the end of August, these cards will be sent to the
address listed in your UI Integrate account. Therefore, it is important to verify that your
mailing address is correct. You can also download the card from here.
The gray card is your insurance card. Keep this card in your wallet in case you have to
seek medical attention outside of McKinley. You will also receive a white card, which is
the United Health Allies discount card. Because the student health insurance does not
cover certain prescriptions, vision, and dental services, this discount card makes you
eligible for discounts from various healthcare providers.
If you do not receive these cards or have lost them, you can request a temporary one by
contacting the Student Insurance Office for a new permanent card. You may contact the
Student Insurance Office with any questions you may have.
If you already have insurance coverage, you may choose to exempt from University
Student Health Insurance. To find out more details about exempting out of the Student
Health Insurance and the deadlines to do so, refer to this page. As stated above, please
check with SAO before you make any request to exempt out of the Student Health
Insurance.
Please keep in mind that this insurance covers medical and health services only. You
should consider purchasing travel insurance, which may cover theft of your property, lost
luggage, and trip delays or cancellations. You will likely find travel insurance useful,
especially if you plan to travel to different areas within or outside of the US.

SETTING UP YOUR UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS E-MAIL

University of Illinois undergraduate students set up an email account using Google Apps @
Illinois. You can find instructions on how to set up your new email here. Once you have
set up your e-mail account, you can access your new email here. For more information
about Google Apps @ Illinois, please click here. If you have any trouble setting up or
accessing the email, please seek help from CITES.
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It is important that you set up and regularly check your University of Illinois e-mail
account. A lot of useful and essential information are sent out to students at their
University of Illinois e-mail address. For instance, ISSS will send out announcements
about workshops and reminders about immigration documentation. Your academic
department or college may also distribute information about career and internship fairs,
visiting speakers or lectures, or special programs that will help with your academic and
professional development. Most importantly, the campus sends out emergency
notifications via e-mail if a significant incident occurs.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING

Illinois Weather
The Midwest has a broad range of weather; be prepared for humid summers and very cold
winters, with moderate fall and spring seasons in between.

January to early March: Temperatures will remain around or even below

freezing. Be prepared for wind chills, which can force temperatures below
freezing. Make sure you have a warm outer coat that is waterproof. Scarves,
hats, and gloves are strongly advised. With cold, dry winds, your skin will take a
beating. Use moisturizers on your face and body to reduce drying.

From March on: Temperatures should start to warm up. Wear light and
comfortable clothes, especially for April and May. If youre lucky (if you like
warm temperatures), summer temperatures could come as early as late March,
when temperatures will head into the 20s degrees Celsius. You may also get a
hint of muggy, summer weather. You may find that there might be more rainy
days during the Spring season, so make sure you have appropriate clothes and
an umbrella or waterproof coat.

August to December: Temperatures will still be warm, likely humid in August

and September. Have light and comfortable clothes, especially for early
September. However, unlike spring, there's less rain. October starts cooling
down as the leaves turn different shades of brown, yellow and orange. A light
jacket will become necessary during this period. Temperatures take a noticeable
dip in November and December. December is when wind chills start becoming a
problem.

Then again, this being central Illinois, weather is always unpredictable. We may
have summer-like temperatures all the way through November or winter may
come in early October! In the spring semester, we may have winter-like
temperatures all the way through May or summer may come in early March.

For the latest weather in Champaign-Urbana, click here. For the average temperature
and precipitation in Champaign-Urbana, click here.
Clothing
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Light clothing for the hotter/warmer months, e.g. khakis, T-shirts, shorts and/or
skirts.
Items to keep you warm during the colder months, such as sweaters/pullovers, a
thick outer coat with a waterproof exterior shell, scarves, gloves, and winter
caps. I recommend multipurpose jackets that have multiple layers that you can
combine or remove to fit the weather.
Footwear: Sandals/slippers, track/tennis shoes, comfortable walking shoes,
semi-formal shoes. For the winter, waterproof hiking boots are helpful, although
many students simply wear regular athletic or tennis shoes. Personally, the
waterproof hiking boots are helpful in the snow and when the snow melts and
everything gets mushy and messy. If you don't wish to carry a pair of boots in
your luggage, you may purchase one when you arrive in Champaign-Urbana.
Semi-formal wear for nights out. Champaign-Urbana is a casual town and few
people dress up to go to restaurants or the clubs, unless they are attending a
special function. The typical weekend attire includes button-down shirts and
jeans for men and a slightly more fancy blouse and jeans for women.
Bedding, such as bed sheets, pillowcases, and a fleece blanket. You should not
anticipate the availability of blankets and duvets on your first day, but may be
purchased from stores such as Meijer, Target, or Walmart. You can get to these
stores by taking buses from Champaign-Urbana's public bus system, MTD (no
payment needed with your i-card). Depending on your time of arrival, you may
also purchase bedding from Urban Outfitters on Green Street (between Sixth and
Fifth Streets), right here on campus. However, Urban Outfitters is expensive.
Check out their website here. If you need additional pillows, you can buy them
from Walgreens on Green Street (between Fifth and Fourth Streets), also here on
campus.
Sun block, moisturizer, lip balm, sunglasses, hat, and other products for skin
protection.

Electronics
Many of the electrical goods that you are familiar with at home will be available in
Champaign-Urbana. However, you may still wish to bring the following items with you:

Adapter plugs for electronic equipment (NOT voltage converters)

Music player/iPod and/or a small radio
Camera
Shaver
Laptop with supporting accessories
Alarm clock (try to not only rely on your cell phone)

Please ensure that all appliances operate on 110-120 volts and are fitted with US-style
plugs. Alternatively, you may use adapter plugs. If you wish to bring electrical goods,
please ensure that you purchase the appropriate plug adapters.
Baggage
Your luggage should have wheels or a trolley for easy carriage. Please remember that you
are responsible for lifting and carrying your own luggage. Remember that you will very
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likely be carrying more items back home with you, so do not bring too many items to
Champaign.
On some U.S. flights you are allowed a maximum of two check-in pieces, and each piece
cannot exceed 50 pounds (about 23 kgs). Any single piece of check-in that weighs more
than 50 pounds will be subject to excess baggage charges. You are allowed one carry-on
luggage. A laptop bag typically does not count towards the carry-on limit, but check with
your airline. The carry-on must be small enough to fit under the seat on your aircraft or
in the overhead compartments. Please note that many US airlines now charge fees for
luggage. Check with your airline for up-to-date baggage information.
You should carry some toiletries, extra clothing, and important documents in your carryon, including your DS-2019, Notice of Admission, passport, visa, University of Illinois
map, all relevant pre-arrival information, and your housing offer. Please note that U.S.
Transportation Security Authority limitations regarding the carrying of liquids, gels and
aerosols on aircrafts are enforced on domestic and international U.S. flights. If you
encounter any problems at immigration, please call the Emergency Dean at (217) 3330050.
Cell Phones
Once you arrive in Champaign-Urbana, you may decide to purchase a new cell phone or a
SIM card for a cell phone from your home country. You can visit Blink Mobile to buy a
phone and service plan. They are located on 715 S. Sixth Street on campus (across the
street from the Turner Student Services Building). You have many service plan options.
The major networks through Blink Mobile include AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. You can
pay on a monthly basis with limited or unlimited minutes and/or texts. Alternatively, you
can buy prepaid phones from additional carriers such as Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile.
Please note that many carriers require a 2-year contract and there is a financial penalty
for terminating a contract early. Blink Mobile appears to offer short-term service plans.
Wherever you choose to buy your cell phone or service plan from, check the details.

CAMPUS SAFETY & STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The University of Illinois and the surrounding cities of Champaign and Urbana are
generally safe. Nonetheless:
It is not advisable to walk alone, especially after dark
Stay in well-lit areas;
Do not draw attention to yourself or your group, especially as you make your way
home from bars;
Disconnect from you iPod or mp3 player;
Put your mobile phone away and pay attention to your surroundings;
If something does not look right or your gut instincts say that you should cross the
street, follow your gut;
When you go out at night, have fun, but do not get so inebriated that you
misbehave, have poor judgments, or become a target of crime;
Most importantly, use your common sense!

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Read up on the University Polices Safety Resources and watch the Campus Safety Video.
Become familiar with the campus and community bus routes. A few routes run until 3
a.m. SundayThursday and until 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Bus routes may be
downloaded onto your smart phone or PC.
Utilize the CU-MTD Safe Ride scheme and become familiar with the locations of the
Emergency Phones.
Save the following emergency numbers to your cell phone:
Emergency Dean: 333-0050
University Police: 911 or 9-911 from a campus phone
Safe Rides: (217) 265-7433
Safe Walk: (217) 333-1216. If you call this number, Safe Walks will arrange for
someone to walk you home.
SAO advisor-on-duty: (217) 333-6322 [available 24 hours]
If you need support or assistance in any other areas, the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign has one of the best Student Affairs divisions in the country and there will be
someone who can help you.
Here are some essential student support services on campus:

Computing Support
Counseling Center
Dean of Students
Disability Resources and Educational Services
Emergency Dean
I Watch for Illinois Safety Program
International Student and Scholar Services
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center
McKinley Health Center
Religious Organizations
Student Accounts and Cashiers
Student Insurance
Student Legal Services
University Housing
Womens Resources Center

Hopefully, the information provided in this Pre-Arrival Guide has been helpful. If you have
questions, please write to [email protected].

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