Hello New IIT International Students!
We look forward to your arrival to Chicago in June 2008. Our office, The International Center, is the office that will assist you once you arrive into the United States. Among our many services are immigration advising, assistance with cultural adjustment, orientation, and many educational and social programs throughout the year. The purpose of this e-mail is to help facilitate your smooth and safe entry into the U.S. and your arrival to IIT.
There are 13 parts to this email:
I-20/DS-2019
Forms I-20 (for F-1 students) and DS-2019 (for J-1 students) are documents issued by the school to students who have admission to the university and have current Financial Affidavits of Support (demonstrating adequate funds to pay for the first year of school) on file. The I-20/DS-2019 that you have obtained from IIT is required when you apply for an F-1 or a J-1 visa. At this time, the admission number field on Page 1 and the travel signature field on Page 3 of your I-20 will be blank, as it is not needed for your first entry to the United States. Also, please note that middle name is not a required field for an I-20; therefore, your middle name may not appear on your I-20 even if you have one.
For those of you who have not yet received an I-20, the admissions office you are working with will mail it to you shortly. If you have any questions regarding your I-20, please contact the admissions office directly. Below is the contact information for the different admissions offices:
Graduate Admissions:
Office of Graduate Admission
Illinois Institute of Technology
10 W. 33rd Street
Chicago, IL 60616, U.S.A.
Phone: 312-567-3020
Fax: 312-567-3138
Email: gradstu@iit.edu
SEVIS Fee of $100
As of September 1, 2004, first-time applicants for the F-1/J-1 visa are required to pay a $100 SEVIS fee to the U.S. Government in advance of their visa application. Please be aware that this SEVIS fee is a separate fee from the visa fee. To find out more about the SEVIS fee and how to pay this fee, please refer to the following website:
http://www.iit.edu/~internat/new%20students/pre-sevis.php
Note: Illinois Institute of Technology would like to help alleviate the financial burden of these imposed government fees. During your second term of enrollment at IIT, we will provide new degree-seeking students with a tuition credit of $100 if you can show us a copy of your SEVIS fee receipt. More information about this tuition credit will be given to you after you enroll at IIT.
Applying for the Visa
If you are in the process of obtaining your F-1 or J-1 visa, the following websites may be of help to you as you prepare for your visit to the US Embassy/Consulate:
http://www.nafsa.org/knowledge_community_network.sec/international_student_3/international_student_4/practice_resources_18/10_points_to_remember
http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/
.
Deferrals
If you have been issued either a SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019 form by IIT and you are unable to attend for the specified semester/quarter to which you were admitted, please contact the admission office that issued your I-20/DS-2019. Graduate students studying at Main Campus; please refer to the International Student Handbook (http://www.grad.iit.edu/admission/intl_student_handbook.html) for deferral information.
Arrival into the U.S.
If you are currently outside the United States, upon your arrival to the U.S., you will go through a U.S. immigration inspection at the airport. Please be sure to have your passport (containing your valid U.S. student visa), IIT admission letter, SEVIS fee payment receipt (if you paid the SEVIS fee) and I-20/DS-2019 available at the time of this inspection. We also recommend that you carry proof of your finances as indicated on your I-20/DS-2019.
Canadian citizens entering the U.S. by air no longer exempt from U.S. passport requirements. Please see the following website for more information: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html
*Please note that new students are not permitted to enter the U.S. earlier than 30 days prior to the program start date listed on your I-20/DS-2019.
For more information about what to expect at the U.S. Port of Entry, please consult the following website:www.ice.gov/sevis/factsheet/100104ent_stdnt_fs.htm.
Transportation from the Airport to IIT
There are several ways to get to IIT from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport:
International Student Check-in
All international students must report to the International Center within 2 business days upon arrival to IIT. The International Center is located at 3300 S. Federal Street, Room 405, Phone: 312-567-3680. Please bring your I-20/DS-2019 form, I-94 card, and passport with you to be processed by the center. The check-in allows us to remove a special hold from your records, which otherwise, will prevent you from registering for classes. Returning students must also bring your new I-20 to the International Center and complete the check-in process. The office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm and Friday 9:00am - 2:00pm. To contact us via email please write to: icenter@iit.edu
Registering courses
If you are admitted to a degree program in the summer, you must be enrolled full-time. Full time enrollment in the summer is 6 credits.
International Orientation Information for International Students
* There is no new student orientation during the summer term; however, we encourage you to attend orientation for new international students in the fall term scheduled on Tuesday, August 19th.
If you have any questions, please contact the International Center. Phone: 312-567-3680, Email: icenter@iit.edu,, Website: http://www.ic.iit.edu.
Housing Information
On-Campus Housing
The University offers two types of housing: Residence Halls (furnished dormitories) for single graduate students and Family Housing (unfurnished apartments) for married and single graduate students.
Summer guest housing is available for students who wish to stay on campus during the summer. Please contact Housing Office as soon as possible. If you wish to live in the dormitories for fall term, you must fill out another housing application for 2008-2009 academic year. You need a separate application for the fall 2008 term. The deadline for priority housing consideration is June 1st. For information regarding on-campus housing, please consult the Housing Office website http://housing.iit.edu/.
If you have questions about check-in, room assignment, or housing in general, please contact the Housing Office directly, Email: housing@iit.edu , Phone: 312-567-5075, Fax: 312-567-5926.
Temporary Housing
a. Hostelling International Chicago
Temporary housing arrangements at Hostelling International Chicago is available for $34.50/night (+tax) if you are a member, or $37.50/night (+tax) if you are not a member. The hostel is conveniently located about 3 miles from the IIT main campus and is easily accessible by the CTA (public transportation). For hostel reservations and other information, please go to their website at http://www.hichicago.org/index.shtml
b. Local Hotels
There are also a number of local hotels that provide discounted rates to IIT students. Please see the Hotel List for additional information.
Off-Campus Housing
For information about the off-campus housing near IIT, click here.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees can be paid for upon arrival to IIT and after class registration. Payments should be made through the Bursars Office. For more information please visit: http://www.enrollment.iit.edu/bursar/
Transfer Procedures
If you are coming to IIT directly from another school, university or college in the United States, please visit our website for more information on the transfer procedures. http://www.iit.edu/~internat/new%20students/pre-transfer.php Upon your arrival in Chicago, you must report to the International Center to complete the transfer of your F-1 status to IIT. Please remember to bring all previous I-20s to the International Center for check-in.
Life in Chicago
To learn more about Chicago and what it's like to live in Chicago, please visit the following websites:
* City of Chicago Website: http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/home.do
Other Helpful Links
Here are some other helpful websites you might want to check out before your arrival:
*New Student Information on the International Center Website: www.ic.iit.edu
* Student Handbook: http://www.iit.edu/~osa/Handbook
*Graduate International Student Handbook: www.grad.iit.edu/admission/intl_student_handbook.html
*Registered Student Organizations at IIT: http://www.iit.edu/~stuact/a-list.htm
*Graduate Student Association at IIT: http://www.iit.edu/~gsa
*International Students' Organization at IIT: http://www.iit.edu/~iso
We are looking forward to your arrival to IIT this June!
Sincerely,
The International Center Staff
Illinois Institute of Technology
3300 S. Federal Street, Room 405
www.ic.iit.edu