Before Arriving at UMass Dartmouth
- SEVIS
- Before Departing Your Country
- Student Organizations
- Admissions
- Billing
- Health Immunizations and Insurance*
- Transportation from Airport
- Housing Options
- Area around UMD & Campus Community
- Meals on campus
- Classes and Textbooks
- Student Employment
- Social Security Numbers
- Local Transportation
- Weather in Dartmouth
- Pre-Arrival Checklist
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.
Before Departing Your Country
The U.S. Government has suggestions for departing your country. Click here for that information:
http://www.educationusa.state.gov/home/education-usa/global-left-nav/predeparture-information
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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 Center (intl_office@umassd.edu).
For Graduate Admissions you may contact Elan Turcotte-Shamski at eturcotte-shamski@umassd.edu or for Undergraduate Admissions you may contact Steve Kesman.
Questions regarding assistantships should be addressed directly to the academic department.
Wire Transfer Process
Routing Number: 026009593
Account Number: 050132099100101Swift Add: BOFAUSN3N
Student ID #: * Students need to include their ID on all transfer paperwork.
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 can also be directed to the University Enrollment Center at: 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
Massachusetts state law requires that all students must have health insurance and must be immunized for the following:
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Tetanus diptheria
- Hepatitis B
- Chicken Pox*
*Due to the "Chicken Pox" disease outbreaks the past two years, the University requires that you have proof from your health care provider that you have had the "chicken pox" disease or that you have had the Varicella Vaccine, or have proof of a positive titer. Please have your health care provider fill out this section on the Health Services Immunization Form.
Also, all new students must read the enclosed information about Bacterial Meningitis and either sign the declination, declining the vaccine, or they may chose to recieve it. Please click here for more information on this.
Health care in the United States is very expensive. All international students are required to purchase the University’s student health insurance. You will be automatically billed the $1686 USD for this insurance on your bill from the university. This fee covers from August 1, 2009 through July 31, 2010.
Health Services has limited resources to assist with these required vaccines and urges students to receive these immunizations in their home countries.
Please be sure that you complete your entire Health Form before you mail it back to the Health Center.
You will not be able to register and attend classes until it is completed and on file in the Health Center. Please e-mail the Health Center
at vital@umassd.edu with any questions regarding insurance coverage or immunization forms. Visit the Health Service's website here.
Transportation to campus from the Airport
Most students fly into Logan International Airport, in the city of Boston. UMass Dartmouth is one hour south, by car or bus. The University does not provide transportation, and therefore strongly recommends that you arrange transportation before you arrive in the U.S.
If someone is not picking you up, do not take a taxi from Boston to UMass Dartmouth, because it is very expensive: over $100 USD. UMass Dartmouth students recommend public transportation because it costs less. The Peterpan Bus line runs from Logan Airport to Fall River and costs $25 USD. When you arrive in Fall River, you may take the SRTA bus line #9 to UMass Dartmouth, or the appropriate bus line to wherever your housing will be.Schedule and fare for Fall River transit is as follows
| Departs | Arrives | Frequency | One Way | Round Trip | Online Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM | 11:15 AM | Daily | $25.00 | $47.00 | N/A |
| 1:30 PM | 3:30 PM | Daily | $25.00 | $47.00 | N/A |
| 3:30 PM | 5:30 PM | Daily | $25.00 | $47.00 | N/A |
| 4:30 PM | 6:30 PM | M, Tu, W, Th, F | $25.00 | $47.00 | N/A |
| 5:30 PM | 7:30 PM | M, Tu, W, Th, F | $25.00 | $47.00 | N/A |
| 7:30 PM | 10:00 PM | Daily | $25.00 | $47.00 | N/A |
| 8:30 PM | 10:00 PM | M, Th, F, Sa, Su, H | $25.00 | $47.00 | N/A |
You can also take Peterpan Bus to New Bedford and then take a local bus to University. The schedule and fare for New Bedford is as follows
| Departs | Arrives | Frequency | One Way | Round Trip | Online Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM | 11:40 AM | Daily | $39.00 | $71.00 | N/A |
| 11:30 AM | 1:40 PM | Daily | $39.00 | $71.00 | N/A |
| 1:30 PM | 4:25 PM | Daily | $39.00 | $71.00 | N/A |
| 3:30 PM | 6:25 PM | Daily | $39.00 | $71.00 | N/A |
Another option is to take an airport shuttle. There are plenty of companies in New Bedford that provides airport transportation service. Those shuttle will pick you up from the Logan International Airport and drop you off at your place. SOUTHCOAST AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION (508-985-1997) provides this service for $95. For more airport shuttle service CLICK HERE
You can also get in to UMass Dartmouth from T.F. Green Airport at Warwick, Rhode Island. You can take a Peter Pan Bus from airport which will drop you at Fall River or New Bedford. After reaching New Bedford or Fall River, take SRTA bus to get to UMass Dartmouth. The schedule of Peter Pan Bus is as follows
From TF Green Airport to New Bedford
| Departs | Arrives | Frequency | One Way | Round Trip | Online Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:15 AM | 12:35 PM | Daily | $27.00 | $54.00 | N/A |
| 1:00 PM | 2:35 PM | Daily | $27.00 | $54.00 | N/A |
| 2:00 PM | 4:35 PM | Daily | $27.00 | $54.00 | N/A |
| 5:15 PM | 6:35 PM | Daily | $27.00 | $54.00 | N/A |
From TF Green Airport to Fall River
| Departs | Arrives | Frequency | One Way | Round Trip | Online Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:15 AM | 12:05 PM | Daily | $20.00 | $35.00 | N/A |
| 1:00 PM | 2:05 PM | Daily | $20.00 | $35.00 | N/A |
| 2:00 PM | 4:10 PM | Daily | $20.00 | $35.00 | N/A |
| 5:15 PM | 6:10 PM | Daily | $20.00 | $35.00 | N/A |
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. 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/termsconditions/termscond0809.cfm.
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
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.
Graduate students who choose to live on-campus do not have to buy a meal plan. However, there are several locations to eat on campus. You can find this information at http://www.umassd.edu/food.
There are several large grocery markets near the campus: Stop and Shop http://www.stopandshop.com/ and Shaw’s Market http://www.shaws.com/.
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.
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 Center has information regarding the process necessary for working off campus.
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 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.
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.
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/
Last Updated On: 7/16/09
