Onsite Orientation Guide
The majority of ISEP institutions have the ISEP participants join the orientation for all incoming international students, with a separate additional orientation for ISEP students specifically covering the following items:
Institution-related information presented to ISEP students include:
- Institutional billing processes for ISEP participants
- Health insurance information and waivers
- Housing
- Meal plans
- Taxes
- J-1 visa general information for ISEP participants to the U.S.
- Health center and general health information
- Alcohol regulations
- Alumni affairs
- Class information and how to register
- Forms (transcript, information release, housing contract, etc.)
- Stipends
- Campus buddy program
- Email accounts
- Academic calendar
- How to deal with accommodation issues
- Campus organizations, recreation services and field trips available
- Campus Security
- Tips for academic success (academic calendar, classroom expectations, role of academic advisers in US, use of websites and e-mail for academic communication
Institution-related activities:
- Presentation by returned and current ISEP participants
- Reviewing and making copies of all documents (I-94, DS-2019, etc.)
- Welcome reception
- Actually registering for classes
- Language level test
- University overview – “here is not there”: an interactive discussion with the students about the host institution and how it differs from the home institution, in an effort to manage expectations from the start.
- Once a student arrives, discussing his or her Statement of Purpose in person to ensure he or she is ready for the challenge.
Host country information presented:
- Culture of host country – see additional links below
- Banking
- Emergency Numbers
- Typical host family information
- Public transportation information
- Applying for required government identification
- Internet access
- Where and how to get a cell phone
- Supermarket hours
For a template of an in-depth Cultural Orientation, please click here.