New Student Information Summer 2012

1. New Student Information Summer 2012 hoşgeldiniz مــرحــبــًا 歓迎 환영 欢迎 chào mừng WELCOME! Khush Amdayde xoş

2. New Student Information Contents

3. Important Dates and Required Events – Page 1

4. Important Dates and Required Events – Page 2

5. Important Dates and Required Events – Page 3

6. Frequently Asked Questions about ELI Enrollment – Page 1

7. Frequently Asked Questions about ELI Enrollment – Page 2

8. Frequently Asked Questions about ELI Enrollment – Page 3 Do you have more questions? Please contact us at 703-993-3660 or eli@gmu.edu

9. Travel Pre-Arrival Guide – Page 1 F1 VISA APPLICATION – If you are an F1 student, you received F1 Visa Application information with your admission packet. Contact the U.S. consulate in your country for more information on visa application requirements. You can also find information at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html. If you receive I-20s forms from several different schools, it is very important that you enter the US with the I-20 of the school you really want to attend! TRAVEL DATE - If you have an F1 visa, do not travel before April 18, 2012. You may have problems at the airport if you try to enter the U.S. before this date. • WASHINGTON DC AIRPORTS • Washington Dulles International Airport – Dulles Airport is located about 15 miles northwest of George Mason. Most flights from overseas land there. There is a Foreign Visitors’ Desk just outside the Customs Hall. The Dulles Flyer Taxi can take you to the Fairfax area for approximately $40. • Ronald Reagan National Airport – Reagan National Airport is mainly used for flights in the U.S. It is about 15 miles east of George Mason. A Travelers’ Aid Desk and Foreign Currency Exchange can be found there. Taxis are available to take you to the university for approximately $40.

10. Travel Pre-Arrival Guide – Page 2 AT THE AIRPORT - Show your I-20, passport, I-94, and customs declaration form to security. You should then receive a stamp on your I-94 and I-20. Check that you have these stamped documents before leaving security! HOUSING (contact Cloud Spurlock at kspurloc@gmu.edu for more information). George Mason Dormitories – Dormitories have limited space available. You received housing information with your admission documents. You must have your George Mason ID number and submit your housing application at http://housing.gmu.edu. Contact us at eli@gmu.edu for your ID#. Off-campus Housing – If you plan to live off campus, you may want to check the website for off-campus housing: http://och.gmu.edu. Local Area Hotels – If you have not made housing arrangements before you come, you should plan to arrive a few days early. Here is a list of hotels that are close by: http://www.gmu.edu/resources/welcome/hotel.html

11. Travel Pre-Arrival Guide – Page 3 Money – Bring enough money with you to cover at least your first month’s expenses. Traveler’s checks in U.S. dollars are the most convenient and safest form of currency. Credit cards are also accepted at most places. The chart below shows expenses for the summer:

12. Travel Pre-Arrival Guide – Page 4 Health – In the U.S., most strong medications require a doctor’s prescription. You should bring with you enough medication for any conditions that you have. What to Bring – In Washington D.C, the weather is hot and humid in the summer and cold and dry in the winter. Bring clothes for all types of temperatures or plan to buy clothing when you arrive. There are many places to shop close to the university. Dress on campus is generally very casual and comfortable. Mason has a large and active international community so you can bring your national costume to wear at ELI and university international events. Remember to bring your driver’s license, visa documents, medical records, academic records, and important personal items.

13. F1 Student Responsibilities If you will study in ELI with an F1 student, you must follow the rules below to keep your F1 visa status valid:

14. ELI Attendance Policy You must attend all of your classes regularly to keep your F1 status valid. If you miss too many classes, you will fail your class and lose your F1 visa status. If you lose your F1 visa status, you must go home immediately. The English Language Institute (ELI) Attendance Policy allows students to miss some classes each semester for sickness, family emergencies, or other personal reasons. The number of classes you can miss is different for each class. Please see the box below to find out how many times you can be absent in each class.

15. Health Insurance Requirement for F1 and J1 Students • If you have an F1 or J1 visa and you do NOT have a scholarship from your embassy, you must buy George Mason Health Insurance. • International Health Insurance is NOT accepted. • COST = $437 for Summer (May 5 – August 15, 2012) • You will pay for insurance at Registration on May 21 • At the beginning of Fall 2012, you will buy insurance again • for coverage for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 • You do NOT need insurance if: • You have a scholarship or government sponsored program that provides insurance that meets Mason’s Student Health Insurance plan • You or your spouse/parent has a US employer who provides insurance that meets Mason’s Student Health Insurance Plan • If you meet the requirements above, contact Johanna Byrne at 703-993-3660 or jbyrne2@gmu.edu for an exemption application form. Please apply for your waiver as early as possible and at least two weeks before the payment due date. George Mason Health Insurance Information: The Mason Student Health Insurance Plan is covered under Aetna. Plan details can be found at: https://shs.gmu.edu/insurance/documents/brochure20112012.pdf The last day to apply for a Mason Student Health Insurance Plan is June 18, 2012.

16. Immunization Requirement for All Students George Mason Immunization Requirement: All students must comply with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Immunization Requirement: They must submit Immunization Records by the stated deadline. Students who do not meet the deadline will be charged a $25 fee and have a HOLD put on their account. If you were born before 1957, you do not need to complete the immunization form. Immunization Record Deadline: July 1, 2012 Complete the immunization form and fax it to Student Health Services at 703-993-4053. ELI sent you the form by email attachment. You can also find it here: http://shs.gmu.edu/immunizations/documents/immunizationrecordform7.pdf For more information, visit: http://shs.gmu.edu/immunizations If you have questions/concerns, please send an email to eli@gmu.edu ***IMPORTANT*** We recommend that you get your required immunizations before you come to the U.S. so that you do not have to get shots after your arrival. Bring any documents that show your immunization history. If you have a booklet that shows the shots you took, bring it with you. • Immunizations Required • Hepatitis B must receive 3 doses of vaccine OR provide a titer report indicating positive immunity • Tetanus and Diphtheria: Last booster within 10 years • Two (2) doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine administered after your first birthday and after 1967 OR Titer report indicating MMR immunity is acceptable in place of vaccine documentation. • Meningococcal Vaccine: must receive vaccine or sign waiver • Tuberculosis Screening – Tuberculosis screening is required for all students as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health. TB screening should be done within the last 12 months.

17. Tuition for Dropped Courses – Summer 2012 If you want to drop a class, you must complete a drop form in the ELI Office by June 1, 2012, to get a full refund. See the table below to find out the tuition charge for dropping classes on a specific dates. • If you are an F1 student, you must take full-time classes. You cannot drop a CORE or OCS class. You can only drop an ELECTIVE class. Please note that in Fall 2012, you must take CORE, OCS, and ELECTIVE classes. • If you are NOT an F1 student, you can drop any class.

18. ELI Student Daily Schedule – Summer and Fall 2012 Summer 2012, May 16 – July 27, 2012 Fall 2012, August 22 – December 7, 2012