Arrival Guide

Have you done the tasks below?

• Notify the GEC of your travel itinerary — date, time, flight numbers (including connecting flights), arrival airport, and airline.
• Send your emergency contact’s phone number and personal email address to the GEC.
• Get a health, dental, and vision checkup.

Do you have the following items?

• Valid Passport, visa, original I-20 or DS-2019 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigration Student Status)
• Receipt for the payment of SEVIS I-901 fee, if applicable
• Acceptance letter from Elon
• Proof of financial support
• Airplane ticket
• Copy of immunizations/health forms with English Translation
• Health insurance policy

• The GEC will assist you in shopping as soon as you arrive, so you might find it easier to purchase some things in the U.S., such as linens.
• Make sure you have your passport, money, and documents relating to your admission always WITH YOU in your carry-on bag.
• Although the dress code on campus is very informal, it is a good idea to pack few clothes for more formal occasions.

Make Sure to Bring:

• An extra pair of glasses and/or contact lenses along with a copy of your prescription.
• If you are on any medications, make sure to bring the English name of the medication, as well as an English copy of the prescription.

Customs & Immigration

Make sure to arrive at the airport early to fulfill the security formalities.

• The airline agent checking you in at the boarding time will ask for your passport and visa.
• You will be required to go through Immigration and Customs when you first arrive to the U.S. Present the immigration officer with your:
  • Passport.
  • I-20 or DS-2019.
  • Elon University’s acceptance letter.
  • Evidence of financial support.

• Pick up your baggage and go through customs. The officer may ask to look inside your baggage.
• After customs has cleared you, you can move ahead to your connecting flight, if you have one.

Airport Information

The GEC looks forward to meeting you and will be in contact with you regarding your airport pickup.

• Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
• Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)

If you would like to be on the shuttle from one of these airports send your COMPLETE travel itinerary at least two weeks before your arrival to global@elon.edu.

All students are expected to make their flight arrangements to arrive at either Raleigh-Durham International Airport or Piedmont Triad International Airport on that date.

Time Change

There will likely be a time zone change when you arrive to the U.S. Elon is located in the Eastern time zone. Information on time zone differences can be found from Time and Date World Clock.

Travel Delays

Orientation Sessions

• Undergraduate Student Orientation: All new international undergraduate students are required to participate in both International Student Orientation and New Student Orientation. Learn more
• Graduate Student Orientation: All international graduate students are expected to participate in both the International Student Orientation and New Student Orientation particular to your graduate program. Please visit Admission’s Find Your Program webpage for more information on your particular program

Personal Banking

• A representative from Bank of America will help set up a checking and/or savings account and an ATM card. You do not have to set up an account with this particular bank, but they will offer you a free checking account.
• Once you set up an account, you can have money transferred to your U.S. bank account from your home country.

Elon Phoenix Card

• Each student, faculty, and staff person on campus has a Phoenix Card, which serves as your Elon University ID card. You will get your card on the first day of orientation and will use it during your time at Elon in the campus dining halls, the library, and at other university facilities.
• Your Phoenix card will have your name, your picture, and a unique number. If you lose this card, you should notify the Phoenix Card office to get a replacement card for a fee.

Getting a Driver’s License

To obtain a driver’s license, students must pass a written test, driving test, and vision test at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)..

Required Documents:

• Passport with visa stamp
• Most recent I-94 (Travel History)
• I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1)
• Proof of Residency Letter (from Residence Life)
• Automobile Insurance (non-owner’s insurance acceptable if no vehicle)

Tips:

• Study the Driver’s Handbook
• Arrive early or book an appointment online
• The closest DMV to Elon is in Graham
• Bring a car and a licensed driver; do not drive until your test begins

Class Registration

Elon University undergraduate courses are in session for fall, winter (one course), spring, and summer (two sessions). Learn more from the Academic Calendar.

• For your first semester at Elon, the Office of Academic Advising will help you select your courses. You will be contacted via email before you arrive to plan your schedule.
• In the following semesters, you will work with your academic advisor to select the courses based on your major. It will be important to consult with your academic advisor throughout your time at Elon to make sure you are taking the required courses for your program and major.
• International students are required to be full-time students in the fall and spring semesters. Most students study in fall, winter, and spring. Summer courses are typically optional.
• Most courses at Elon are four credits, which means the class will meet for four hours each week. This could vary from two hours a day twice a week, or one hour and 10 minutes a day three times a week.
• It is normal for an undergraduate (Bachelor’s degree) student to take four or five courses and have 16 to 18 credits per semester.
• Graduate (master’s/doctoral degree) international students are required to take six credit hours per semester.
• If you are a transfer student or are transferring in advanced credit through IB programs or Advanced Placement exams, please make sure you have provided that information to the Office of Admissions, which will share it with the Office of the Registrar to make sure you are getting the appropriate advanced credit. If you have any questions regarding your registration in advance of your arrival, please contact the Office of Academic Advising.
• If you are a semester exchange student and have any questions regarding your registration in advance of your arrival, please contact the GEC at global@elon.edu.

Academic Expectations

• The culture of the U.S. university classrooms is probably different than university classrooms in your home country.
• Each class will provide you with a syllabus, which will describe the expectations of the professor, your assignments, and your homework.
• You will be expected to attend EVERY class, and professors track attendance. If you cannot attend a class, you should contact your professor. The professor’s email address will be on the syllabus and the Elon directory.
• Most professors will expect the students to participate in the class. Very few classes are simply lecture and note-taking. Be ready to speak in class. You may also be asked to work in a group of classmates on a project.

Paying Your University Expenses

• All students are required to pay their tuition, room, board and insurance costs prior to the beginning of each semester.
• Payments are made through the Bursar’s Office, which is available for questions at bursar@elon.edu or 336-278-5300.
• We recommend that you pay before you arrive to avoid traveling with a check or other forms of payment.
• General cost information can be found at the Bursar’s website.
• To pay your tuition and other expenses using your student ID number and PIN, go to your E-Bill.

Health Insurance

• Unlike many countries where medical costs are mostly covered by the government, health care in the U.S. is privatized, requiring each individual to pay for medical visits, treatment, and medications. This can be very expensive.
• All international students holding an F-1 or J-1 visa must enroll in Elon’s Student Blue Health Insurance Plan. This requirement cannot be waived, and the insurance is paid per semester. For further details please refer to this link or email healthinsurance@elon.edu.

Proof of Immunizations

• All students attending colleges and universities in North Carolina are required to submit a certificate of immunizations. Please note that several vaccines are required to attend classes.
• Ask your doctor to provide your documents in ENGLISH.
• For questions about immunizations, email immunizations@elon.edu.

Medications

• Before you can get a refill, you must take the English copy of your prescription to Health Services to have it rewritten. You may then get your medication at any pharmacy.

Schedule an Appointment with GEC Staff

Available virtual or in-person, depending on the nature of the appointment.