Pre-Arrival Information - International Office

INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

Pre-Arrival Information for J Scholars

IMPORTANT -- PLEASE READ

Welcome! We are looking forward to meeting you and helping you make your experience at Southern Methodist University (SMU) a success. We are certain that you will find your time with us to be personally, professionally and academically rewarding. You will find our small classes, our friendly and helpful faculty and staff, and our secure, picturesque campus inspiring in a variety of ways.

U.S. IMMIGRATION AND VISA INFORMATION

All international students and scholars, except Canadians,* must have a valid F-1 or J-1 visa in order to enter the United States. In your pre-arrival packet, unless you are already in the U.S. in F-1 or J-1 status, you will find a DS-2019 form (used for getting the J-1 visa). When applying for your visa at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate, you will be asked to show the following documents:

Letter of acceptance or employment to SMU
DS-2019
Valid passport
Proof of financial ability**
Proof of residence abroad to which you will return after completion of studies.
*Please note that Canadian citizens in Canada do not need to visit the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate. Bring your DS-2019 along with your passport. When you cross the U.S. border, you will be given an I-94 card marked "J-1 D/S."

**Proof of financial ability includes documents from your bank in the form of a bank statement, or a sponsor letter from a family member or friend with attached bank statement proving they have the money they say they have to support you, or support letter from your organization with bank statement, and/or proof of an assistantship or scholarship in the form of a letter from SMU showing that you have the funding indicated in section #7 and #8 of your I-20 or on the financial portion of your DS-2019located at section #5. You must be able to show financial documentation which matches your I-20 or DS-2019 funding information. This should be the same document you sent to the admissions officer at SMU for your program.

If your funding includes a scholarship or assistantship from SMU, be prepared to show the scholarship or assistantship letter to the visa officer. Please note that verification of money is very important for you and the visa officer, as U.S. Immigration law DOES NOT allow you to work off-campus in the United States to support yourself or any immediate family members who join you. Canadian students may be required to show this information at the U.S. border at crossing.

Other documentation required may include evidence of competence in English, evidence of educational attainments, passport size photo, police certificates, or application fee. Keep these documents with you while you travel. You may be asked to show them at your port of entry into the United States.

One of the most important criteria for obtaining an F-1 or J-1 visa is to prove that you will not stay in the United States after your studies at SMU are complete. Some suggestions for providing this proof would be strong family ties in your home country, personal property that you own in your name in your home country, potential employment and career goals waiting for you at home upon completion of your studies in the United States.

Failure to provide such proof may result in your visa application being denied by the U.S. visa officer. You may only have two or three minutes to give the visa officer the information they want along with your required documents. Bringing pictures of family members or your house in your home country or something that would show you have a strong reason to return would be one way to show such proof. Other ways are job offer letters or proof of property ownership. If your visa is denied there is little the SMU International Office can do. We are not allowed to influence the decisions of U.S. government officials. We can offer suggestions on how you should handle such a situation and in some cases write a letter especially in the case where a visa official may have questions. Sometimes just applying for the visa a second time or going to a different U.S. Embassy or Consulate can result in getting the visa on a second try. Feel free to email us as you prepare to go to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you need more information. We will be happy to help as much as we can.

If you plan to bring with you immediate family members, this information must be shown on your I-20 or DS-2019. Immediate family members are a spouse or children of the visa applicant only. Immigration law does not allow the bringing in of other family members like aunts or uncles, cousins, mothers or fathers, etc. on your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Other family members can only come visit you or come with you as visitors on the visitor visa (see paragraph below). You can consult the SMU International Office for more details. For immediate family members you wish to bring, the International Office at SMU must be notified so that this information can be clearly included on your document. The spouse of an F-1 visa holder is not allowed to work under any circumstances. The spouse of a J-1 visa holder may work if authorization is granted. Such authorization requires an application to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service after arrival into the United States for the spouse in J-2 status. For such work authorization, the spouse must prove to U.S. Immigration that money made by the spouse working will not be used to support the J-1 student. The application processing time for this authorization usually takes about 3 to 4 months.

Immigration law DOES NOT allow persons with "waiver" or "tourist" B-1 or B-2 visas to register for school. The only alternative to a student visa is a "B-1/B-2 prospective student" visa. This visa must have the words "prospective student" clearly marked or it is assumed to be a "B-1/B-2 visitor" tourist visa. Other family members can use this visitor visa to come visit you for short periods while you are in the United States.

For more information, please consult the following web-sites:
Visas
Visa Denials

The information above is subject to change at any time.

PREPARING FOR THE TRIP

What to Pack

Don't forget to bring all immigration documents such as a valid passport, visa, and proof of financial support. Make copies of these documents and keep them in a separate location in case the originals are lost. Other items to bring with you may include the following:

Postcards of your country and pictures of your home and family.
Travelers' checks. You can bring a small amount of cash or exchange your currency for U.S. dollars.
Clothing. (You may want to include sports clothing. The University allows you to use the athletic center, including tennis courts and swimming pools.)
Camera.
Eye glasses and an eye glass prescription. (Eye glasses in the US often cost $200 to $300, so you may want to bring a spare pair.)
Prescription medicines for any pre-existing conditions, in their original containers.
Be sure to pack important documents and one change of clothes in your carry-on luggage in case the luggage you check through the airlines is lost or detained.

What to Purchase After You Arrive

Linens and towels
Blanket and pillows
Towels
Assorted dishes, cups, utensils, etc.
All electrical appliances -- alarm clock, hair dryer, radio, etc.
NOTE: The electrical current for small appliances in the USA is 110-115 volts, 60 cycles.
Laundry detergent and hygienic and household supplies
Umbrella or rain coat

ITEMS NOT PERMITTED IN UNIVERSITY HALLS OF RESIDENCE

Candles, incense, any open-flame device
Alcohol, unless you are 21 (It is against U.S. law for anyone under the age of 21 to purchase, have in their possession, or consume any alcoholic beverage.)
Illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia
Weapons of any sort
Fireworks
Cooking appliances such as toasters or frying pans
Microwave or convection ovens
Cinder blocks, bricks, or boards
Halogen lamps
Pets

DRESS

Most students advise against bringing too many heavy winter clothes. A few sweaters and a medium weight coat will be adequate in the winter. All buildings have heating and air conditioning. Dress in the classroom is very casual. Most students wear casual slacks, jeans, shorts, tennis shoes or sandals while on campus. The air conditioning inside buildings can be very cold. Many students like a light jacket or sweater for wearing inside air-conditioned buildings.

CURRENCY

It is wise to carry travelers' checks instead of cash. Travelers' checks can be replaced if they are lost or stolen. They can be used upon arrival for food, ground transportation, hotels, etc. There are several good banks next to the University, so it will be easy to open an account immediately upon your arrival.

Purchases made in the U.S. have sales tax added to the marked purchase price. In Dallas, this tax is 8.25% of the purchase price. For example, if you purchase an item or a meal that is $10.00, 83 cents in taxes will be added to the cost.

TUITION AND FEE PAYMENT

You may pay for your tuition and fees by a variety of methods. SMU accepts Visa and MasterCard credit cards. Contact your credit card company before you leave home to make arrangements for a transaction of this size to be processed. The annual insurance fee will be added to your tuition and fees by the SMU Cashier if you do not have proof of other adequate health insurance.

Travelers' checks may also be used for payment. If you use travelers' checks for tuition and fee payment, please obtain the checks in denominations of $1,000 to make your payment in the Cashier's Office more efficient. (Using traveler's checks for other purposes would require much smaller denominations.)

Money may also be wired to the SMU cashier's office through the following contact:

Bank of America
SMU Concentration Account
Acct. # 125-480-207-1
Route # 111000012
Lock Box # 843020
Student name as spelled on passport
Student identification number (if you have it)
Amount wired

Always keep a record of the date that you wired the money. This is very important! You will be asked for this date by the SMU cashier so that the funds may be properly applied to your account.

If the University has given you a paid assistantship, you will receive your first payment at the end of your first month. You will continue to be paid on a monthly basis at the end of each month. If you are on a scholarship, the funds will be applied to your student account toward your tuition and fee costs. We advise you to consult your department for details, especially if you will be receiving a scholarship.

LESSENING JET LAG

As soon as you begin your flight try to adapt your body schedule to the time in Dallas. Try to sleep or stay awake on the flight at appropriate times to coincide with Dallas time. As soon as you arrive, try to get on a sleep schedule appropriate to the time in our area.

Drink plenty of water while traveling. It is suggested that you drink 8 oz. of water every hour while traveling. Avoid alcohol or caffeine the day before and during travel, as these dehydrate the body and affect ability to control sleeping patterns. Get up and walk around when the seat belt sign is off and while in airports for layovers to get your blood circulating. During the daytime, get outside in the sunlight whenever possible at airport layovers and the first few days of your arrival in order to help your body clock adjust.

INFORMATION ON TRAVELING TO THE UNITED STATES

If you are flying to the United States, flight attendants will hand you an I-94 and customs forms just before landing. You must complete these forms. If you are arriving in the United States by ground transportation, you will receive I-94 and customs forms that must be completed and presented at the U.S. border. The immigration officer at the port of entry will ask to see them. Make sure that the name you use on these forms is identical to the name that appears on your passport.

At your port of entry, immigration check and customs clearance can take an hour or more. If you have a connecting flight to DFW International Airport from another U.S. airport, be sure to allow time for this customs and immigration clearance in your flight schedule.

The continental United States has four time zones. Please check the time at each connecting airport to avoid missing your connecting flight. Immigration officials may ask you for several different documents, including your letter of acceptance to SMU, I-94 (given to you on the airplane before landing, or at the U.S. border), I-20 or DS-2019, valid passport, visa, and proof of financial ability. Keep these items easily accessible as you travel.

As a non-U.S. resident, you will be required to declare money with U.S. Customs if you bring in more than $10,000 or the foreign equivalent. You will not have to pay tax on it, but you will need to declare it. Also, each person is allowed to bring in personal items and other goods duty-free, unless the items are gifts or otherwise will be left in the United States. Gifts or other items that will be left in the United States after you finish your studies or program will be subject to duty taxes. U.S. Customs allows goods up to a value of $200 to be duty-free. Any goods that are personal items and/or valued at less than $200 will not be subject to duty taxes.

Duty tax rates and rules are subject to change. Please check with U.S. Customs at www.customs.gov for the most current information.

ARRIVING AT DFW AIRPORT

SMU is located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from DFW International Airport and 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Love Field Airport. We highly advise making advanced reservations for airport pick-up by completing the enclosed form from the International Friendship Program.

To find a taxi or an airport shuttle van, follow the airport signs to the area marked "Ground Transportation."

Airport van shuttle service will cost about $18.00 for one person and $6.00 for each additional person. The number for an airport shuttle is 817 329 2000. A taxi will cost approximately $30.00 from DFW. The telephone number for taxi service is:

1(800) 444-6400 (Choice Terminal Cabs)

You can also log onto www.dart.org for information on train service from the airport.

UNIVERSITY ARRIVAL INFORMATION

Your arrival date will be affected by the visa status you receive. If you have:

F-1 visa: You must enter the country on or before the date stated under #5 of the Form I-20. You may enter any time within 30 days before this date.
J-1 visa: You must enter the country within 30 days before OR after the start date shown in section #3 of the Form DS-2019.

There is a mandatory orientation session for all new international students. You are strongly encouraged to attend this event. Important information regarding immigration law and other important campus information will be given at this orientation. We have this event in order to help you achieve success in every way while at SMU.

REPORTING TO THE SMU INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

Immediately upon your arrival please report to the SMU International Office during check-in hours. You are required by the U.S. government to provide originals of your documents to the SMU International Office. Students or Scholars who do not check-in with our office will be considered out of status. Please bring with you the following documents:

Passport
Visa
DS2019
I-94
All papers you received at the port of entry
U.S. Local Address; No P.O. Box is acceptable. (this information is crucial for your registration with the U.S. government)
Emergency Contact Information (Name, email, phone number, full address, and relation to student or scholar)
Dependant information and official documents (if applicable)

Failure to bring these documents will cause the termination of your record in the U.S. Database SEVIS and you will be considered out of status.

If you are here with any dependants, they are also required to check-in at our office.

Our check-in hours are as follows:

Monday through Friday
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM

During this visit to the International Office, you will be given introductory material which will help familiarize you with SMU and the area, and provide information about orientation and upcoming events.

You can contact the SMU International Office by telephone or email either before or after you are in the U.S. or just come by the office during check-in hours.

The first official day of classes for the 2005-2006 academic year is
Thursday, August 18, 2005.

The SMU International office may be contacted in the following ways:

Phone:
214-768-4475 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Office closed on major U.S. holidays

Fax:
214-768-1051

E-Mail:
smuint@mail.smu.edu

Mail:
The International Center
Southern Methodist University
6185 Airline Road, Suite 216
Dallas TX 75275-0391
USA

HEALTH CARE AMD HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance is required for all students. Please see enclosed information on health care at SMU and in the United States for details.

HOUSING

There is a shortage of housing in the SMU area, and it is expensive. If you decide to rent an apartment off campus, the cost will usually begin at about $600 monthly. There are additional charges for utilities; these vary but will average about $50 to $100 each month.

An initial deposit is required when renting an apartment. This usually is equal to one month's rent. The deposit is returned when you move out of the apartment if you do not break the contract and if there is no damage to the apartment.

If you live in an apartment, there usually are additional charges for electric and gas service. These services require an initial deposit of $90 to $150 each when you order new utility service. If you live in the University halls of residence, you will not have to pay separately for electric and gas service; these costs are covered in room and board charges. For more information about electric and gas utility service in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, visit www.txu.com. The fee for setting up new telephone service is $38.35 and up depending on what additional services you want. To give you an idea, costs vary but usually average around $50 in set up fees for new telephone service. After that, the monthly rate depends on how many long distance calls you make and other features you want for the telephone service. For more information about telephone service in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, visit www.swbell.com.

MAKING A PHONE CALL IN THE UNITED STATES

Using a pay phone in the U.S. requires 35 cents in coins. If you call a number, which begins in 800 or 888, no money is required. Making long distance phone calls when you first arrive can be done most economically and conveniently by going to a "7-11" convenience store or U.S. post office and purchasing a calling card. These calling cards can also be used for making calls from your telephone in the U.S.

WHAT WEATHER SHOULD I EXPECT?

May through September temperatures usually average between 26.7 C (80 F) and 37.8 C (100 F). October through April temperatures may vary from -6.6C (20 F) to 21.1 C (70 F) with an average of about 10 C (50 F).

HOTEL LISTING INFORMATION

If you or any family members traveling with you need temporary accommodations, we have listed hotels in the area that are nearest SMU.

Hotels Within Walking Distance of SMU

Ramada Inn, Limited Park Cities
6101 Hillcrest
Dallas, TX 75205
Tel. 214 521 0330 or 800 272 6232
Fax 214 521 0336
*Rate: $55 per night + 15% tax with SMU rate (show SMU ID)
$58 per night + 15% tax without SMU rate
(Motel is across the street from SMU!) No Amenities

Radisson Hotel
6060 North Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75206
Tel. 214 750 6060 or 800 333 3333
Fax 214 750 5959
*Rate: $89 per night + 15% tax

Hotels Within a Short Drive of SMU

Holiday Inn Select Central
10650 N Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75231
Tel. 214 373 6000 or 800 477 7829
Fax 214 373 1037
Internet: www.holiday-inn.com/dal-central
*Rate: $59 per night with SMU rate
$115 per night without SMU rate
(Bus Service to SMU)

Doubletree Campbell Center
8250 N Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75206
Tel. 214 691 8700 or 800 222 8733
Fax 214 706 0187
Internet: www.doubletreehotels.com
*Rate: $89 per night Monday through Thursday SMU rate
$69 per night Friday and Saturday SMU rate
$79 per night Friday and Saturday non SMU rate
$134 per night Sunday through Thursday non SMU rate

Northpark Courtyard by Marriott
10325 N Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75231
Tel. 214 739 2500 or 800 321 2211
Fax 214 739 6450
Internet: www.marriot.com
*Rate: $99 per night Sunday through Thursday
$79 per night Friday and Saturday

Amerisuites
12411 N Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75243
Tel. 972 458 1224 or 800 833 1516
Fax 972 458 2887
Internet: www.amerisuites.com
*Rate: $69 per night with SMU rate
$109 per night per person without SMU rate

Embassy Suites Love Field
3880 W. Northwest Highway
Dallas, TX 75220
Tel 214 357 4500 or 800 362 2779
Fax 214 357 0683
Internet: eslfsales@aol.com
*Rate: $115 per night with SMU rate
$189 per night without SMU rate
https://secure.hilton.com/en/es/res/choose_dates.jhtml;jsessionid=EAU320KOZETAECSGBIYM22Q?hotel=DALLFES&corporateCode=0560027743&_requestid=23663

Wyndham Garden Hotel
8051 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, TX 75251
Tel. 972 680 3000 or 800 996 3426
Fax 972 680 3200
*Rate: $59 per night with SMU rate
$99 per night without SMU rate Sunday through Thursday
$69 per night without SMU rate Friday and Saturday

Westin Galleria Dallas
13340 Dallas Parkway
Dallas, TX 75240
Tel. 972 934 9494 or 800 937 8461
Fax 972 851 2869
Internet: www.westin.com
*Rate: $215 per night Sunday through Thursday
$169 per night Friday and Saturday

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT U.S. MOTELS AND HOTELS

*Hotel rates quoted above are per night and are subject to change. They do not include the 15% tax added to room rate. These rooms and the rates are subject to availability. Also, please note that some of the toll-free "800" telephone numbers may not work from certain countries outside the United States. If the "800" number does not work, we have included Internet addresses, the telephone number direct, and the fax number of the hotel or motel. If you would like information about other hotels and motels or have other questions, please contact the SMU International Office.

WELCOME TO SMU!

Thank you for choosing us. We look forward to meeting you! Have a safe trip.