Before Arriving at UMass Dartmouth
- SEVIS
- Before Departing Your Country
- Student Organizations
- Admissions
- Billing
- Health Immunizations and Insurance*
- Housing Options
- Area around UMD & Campus Community
- Meals on campus
- Classes and Textbooks
- Student Employment
- Social Security Numbers
- Local Transportation
- Weather in Dartmouth
- Transportation from Airport
- Pre-Arrival Checklist
SEVIS Fee
International Students and Scholars must pay a SEVIS fee a minimum of three days prior to their F or J visa appointment. Please access the following web site:
https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/
This web site will explain the fee, who has to pay it, and will provide instructions on the various methods available to pay it. Please be sure to print the receipt once you have paid the fee. You must bring the receipt to the visa appointment as proof of the SEVIS fee payment.
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Before Departing Your Country
The U.S. Government has suggestions for departing your country. Click here for that information:
http://www.educationusa.info/pages/students/getready.php
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Student Organizations
There are many Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) on campus. To see the full list of RSOs click here
Students from China may get more information from the Chinese Student and Scholar Association’s by contacting Miss Jing He at jhe@umassd.edu
Also, please visit http://www.china-nafsa.aief-usa.org/ for pre-departure information.
And Indian students can contact Indian Student Association for more information.
If you are from one of these countries, you may make contact, and these students may offer useful information.
We have international students from many other parts of the world who have also volunteered to contact students, so if you would like to have someone contact you, e-mail the International Student & Scholar Center (intl_office@umassd.edu).
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Admissions Process Questions
For Graduate Studies you may contact Elan Turcotte-Shamski at graduate@umassd.edu.
For Undergraduate Admissions you may contact Steve Kesman at skesman@umassd.edu.
Questions regarding assistantships should be addressed directly to the academic department.
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Billing
PAYMENT PROCESSING:
UMass Dartmouth will receive the wire transfer confirmation from the student's bank.
Students can log onto their COIN account to see if the payment has been posted.
QUESTIONS:
Direct Questions in relation to wire transfers or billing should be directed to
The Bursar's Office at: 508-999-8090 (International Call: 001-508-999-8090)
The Enrollment Center at: 508-999-8857 (International Call: 001-508-999-8857)
E-MAIL QUESTIONS:
Bursar's Office:
Helen Reilly
Assistant Bursar
508-999-8174
HReilly@umassd.edu
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Required Health Immunizations and Insurance
All UMass Dartmouth students must submit a completed health form, with the immunization page signed by their health care provider, to UMass Dartmouth Student Health Services. If Student Health Services has not received your completed immunization form, you will not be allowed to register or attend classes
All UMass Dartmouth students must be immunized for the following:
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Tetanus diptheria
- Hepatitis B
- Chicken Pox
In addition, all new residential students must read information about Bacterial Meningitis and either receive the meningitis vaccine or sign a waiver declining it. Both the meningitis information and waiver are avaible at the web site listed below.
Health Services has limited resources to assist with these required vaccines and urges students to receive these immunizations in their home countries.
For indepth information regarding the immunizations and to download a health form, go to www.umassd.edu/studentaffairs/health/immureq.cfm
Health care in the United States is very expensive. All international students are required to purchase the University’s student health insurance and will be automatically billed the premium for this insurance on their bill from the university. The insurance coverage runs from August 1, 2010 through July 31, 2011.
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Housing Options
It is important for you to have made arrangements for permanent housing before you arrive in the U.S., or else have money to stay in a hotel in the area temporarily while searching for permanent housing. There is no temporary housing on campus.
Most graduate students prefer to live off campus. You will be responsible for finding your own housing if you live off campus. An off-campus housing listing can be found at http://www.umassd.edu/housing/offcampus. Many students find this extremely helpful and less expensive than on-campus housing. It is also very hard to cancel an on-campus housing contract. Be sure to read the guide to renting apartments and rooms. For additional information regarding tenant's rights in Massachusetts, please refer to the following websites: http://www.hud.gov/local/ma/renting/tenantrights.cfm and http://www.ago.state.ma.us/sp.cfm?pageid=1190
You may apply to live on campus if you wish. Click here to view the costs for on-campus housing.
The Office of Housing and Residential life has recently introduced a thematic Housing option called the "Graduate Housing" which has been designated for graduate students in the Cedar Dell West Apartments. For additional information on thematic housing and signing contract Click here.
If you do arrange for on campus housing, it is important that you ask for a contract, sign the contract, and mail it back to the Housing Office with a deposit of $200 USD as soon as possible. You may contact Nicole Pelaggi with any questions at Nicole.Pelaggi@UMassd.edu.
There are certain times during vacations in the academic year and during the summer when staying in the residence halls are not covered by the housing contract. International Students may make special arrangements with the housing office to stay on campus for an additional weekly fee. For more details on the terms and conditions of staying in housing, please visit http://www.umassd.edu/housing/md2009/terms/hdt11.cfm.
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UMass Dartmouth area guide & campus community
This website http://www.umassd.edu/visitors/ is useful for new UMass Dartmouth students. This visitor guide gives you more informational links about the area that might be useful to look up to before your arrival in UMass Dartmouth. Graduate and Undergraduate International students could also get additional visitor information from http://www.umassd.edu/graduate/visitorsguide.cfm
If you still have questions regarding the admissions process including your initial I-20, you should contact Elan Turcotte-Shamski. Some students have organized cultural groups on our campus for support and resources. Students from India may visit the Indian Student Association’s website, at http://www.umassd.edu/isa, or e-mail isaumassd@yahoogroups.com.
Also, please visit http://www.umassd.edu/campus/ and http://www.umassd.edu/campus/neighborhood.cfm to get a better sense of what kinds of events and traditions you may see at UMD.
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Meals on Campus
International students may either buy a meal plan on campus or purchase food to prepare from the local grocery stores. A meal plan is when you pay for your meals for the whole year ahead of time. These meals are limited to the dining locations on campus and the specific hours that they are open. You are encouraged to research and to try the services offered on campus before entering into a contract with Dining Services. Once you have purchased a meal plan contract it can be very difficult to cancel the contract.
There are several large grocery markets near the campus: Stop and Shop http://www.stopandshop.com/ and Shaw’s Market http://www.shaws.com/.
Here is a word from Dining Services:
“Graduate students living on campus do not have to buy a meal plan, however several value added choices are available for all students. Many graduate students find a meal plan to be more convenient, flexible, quick and easy. No need to shop, worry about time to prepare a healthy meal or to clean up! For information on meal plans and all aspects of dining services go to www.umassdfood.com
For information on UMass Pass, adding funds to your card and replacing your id card visit www.umassd.edu/umasspass."
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Classes and Textbooks
There is no formal schedule for meeting with your academic advisor during Orientation, so you can e-mail ahead and make an appointment with the academic department. Some departments will arrange to register you for your classes by e-mail at that time. The Campus Store will be open for extended hours during the first few weeks of the semester and they will have all your textbooks for sale. We recommend that you wait until after your first class to buy your textbooks. The cost of new books can range between $350 USD to $600 USD per semester. Visit the Campus Store website at http://umdcampusstore.com/ for more information.
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Student Employment
As an international student, your visa type determines your ability to work, where you may work, and how many hours you may work. Most first year international students find it difficult to find employment on campus. For more information, see the Student Employment Office.
Many international students cannot work off campus until they have been in the U.S. for one full academic year per immigration regulations. After you have been enrolled for one full academic year, the International Student and Scholar Center has information regarding the process necessary for working off campus.
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Social Security Numbers
In order to work in the United States, every individual must have a Social Security Number. In order to successfully apply, you must have proof of an offer of employment. According the new regulations you are required to have a special document completed and signed by the immediate supervisor offering you the position and by staff members in the International Student and Scholar Center. If you do not have an offer of employment, you will be ineligible for a Social Security Number. This application process will be discussed at Orientation.
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Local Transportation
Local Bus line (SRTA)
The local bus line is called the SRTA. You can find schedule information relevant to UMass Dartmouth here: http://www.umassd.edu/services/busschedule/srta.cfm
Yellow Cab Taxi
If you arrive in Fall River after the bus lines stop running, you may need to take a taxi to your lodging. Yellow Cab is one taxi service based in Fall River, and their number is 508-674-4633. On average, the cost is $25 USD for a ride from the Fall River bus terminal to UMass Dartmouth. There may be other taxi services posted in or around the bus terminal. It is customary to give gratuity.
Blue Bird Taxi
Blue Bird Taxi is a service based in New Bedford. They currently offer a flat rate of $12 USD for UMass Dartmouth students, for any pick up point in the City of New Bedford to the campus, or the campus to any point in the City of New Bedford, but with no stops in between. Their phone number is 508-999-1124. It is customary to give gratuity.
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Weather in Dartmouth
The weather around Dartmouth can range from extremely cold in the winter (below 0°F or -18°C), to extremely hot in the summer time (in excess of 90°F or 33°C). With this in mind, be sure that you are adequately prepared to handle whatever New England weather may be like. For information on current weather conditions in Dartmouth, please visit: http://www.umassd.edu/weather/
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