Pre-Arrival Information
Class Registration
We allow students to register before arrival. You will need to contact your academic adviser by e-mail and let them know that you are an international student and request that they assist you by e-mail. You will need to be able to log in MyCSU to register.
Please check the Academic Calendar for your registration dates.
Exchange Students on a J Visa - the International Student Coordinator will work with you to register you for your classes based on your request from.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS – your registration will be completed for you.
Things to Bring:
Currency
To bring your money to the United States, you should use either traveler's checks
or a certified check in US dollars($) payable on a U.S. bank. Traveler's checks are
the best way to carry the funds, since they can be converted to cash instantly. If
you bring a certified check, you should expect for the bank to require several days
before they can give you cash for the check.
Many students have found it useful to carry an international credit card such as MasterCard while studying abroad. A card from your home country can be used in a U.S. automated teller machine to withdraw dollars and to purchase goods in dollars, while the bill is returned to your family in your local currency. You may want to inquire about transaction fees and compare rates before you acquire a card.
You will need to be able to pay for food and supplies when you arrive but please do not bring large amounts of cash.
DINING SERVICES on campus usually opens on dorm move in days.
Tuition and fees will be due upon arrival if not already paid so please make sure that you have the funds to pay them or you will not be able to remain in the United States.
Personal Items
If you are staying on campus you will be in an apartment type room. These rooms do
not come equipped with anything other than furniture. You will want to make sure to
bring a few things to get you by until you can go to a department store. We will have
an organized shopping trip on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Orientation
week, but nothing prior to this. We are close to a mall that has dining services and
where some of these items can be purchased. Please come to the Center for International
Education or the Residence Life office if you need assistance prior to orientation
and we will see what we can arrange.
You may want to bring some photographs or items to decorate your room with to make it feel more like home.
Clothing
Columbus has a mild climate with long, hot summers and short, mild winters. The average
winter temperature is 50oF / 10oC, while the average summer temperature is 90oF /
31oC. In the summer, it is also very humid, and it is not uncommon for temperatures
to hover around 100oF / 38oC degrees in July and August. Most students find blue jeans
and shorts worn with tee shirts appropriate for attending class. The campus buildings
are usually cool so you may want to carry a light jacket. You may need more formal
clothing (suits for men/ dresses for women) only for social functions or religious
activities you may choose to attend. You will need a medium weight coat or sweater
for the winter, but it is not necessary to bring heavy woolens. You may wish to take
care of any special clothing needs once you arrive, since clothing is relatively inexpensive
in the US.
U.S. Arrival
You can arrive 30 days prior to your program start date listed on your I-20. Please remember that campus housing will not be available until the Monday before classes begin. If you arrive before this you will need to make other housing arrangements
What to expect at the U.S. Port of Entry
Make sure that you are carrying your I-20 that is signed by you and Columbus State, your acceptance letter and your passport with your Visa. You will need to present all of these items to the Customs and Border Patrol Office. Be sure not to pack these in your checked baggage.
Transfer Students with foreign college credit
If you are planning to transfer credits from your home country college or university,
please bring course descriptions (in English) of each course you have taken and completed.
You can obtain such descriptions from a recent course catalog from your school or
from the syllabus from each course. Even if the Admissions Office has already given
you a transfer evaluation, you should bring the course descriptions, as this will
guide your advisor in assigning the maximum allowable credit to you.
Academic Calendar
Please make sure that you view our Academic Calendar for important dates.
Student ID Card
You will need to obtain your student ID card as soon as possible. You will need to
be registered for classes before you can obtain this card. On campus, your card is
used for a variety of purposes on a daily basis. Your Cougar ID card is used as your
Campus Meal Card, Library Card, Cougar Shuttle Pass, housing entry and Recreation
Center and building access. You can also gain access to all CSU sporting events.
We will assist you on the Wednesday of Orientation to get this card. If you do not check in on Wednesday you will need to make your own arrangements to get the card from the Columbus State Police Department.
Currently Cards are made on Mon-Wed 10am-4pm and Thursday from 10am -7pm.
