International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

Your First Week at SIUE checklist

The following partial list of “things to do” is for new international students. These are business matters you’ll want to take care of before classes begin.

Prior to arriving to campus:

• Set up your e-ID.  After you get your e-ID, you should also sign up for the SIUE e-Lert system to receive SIUE notifications about university closures due to inclement weather and other important alerts. Click here for instructions.
• Find housing accommodations. If you do not have permanent housing, visit  University Housing webpage for basic information or check out the Off-Campus Housing site.
• Book your flight. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services will provide airport pickup service from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) in St Louis, Missouri on Monday, August 17 and Tuesday, August 18, 2020.
• Complete the online module for your visa type by logging into Blackboard. Instructions on how to login into Blackboard are available here.  NOTE: The module is made available one month before orientation. 
• Undergraduate Students: Register and take math placement test if your degree is in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) major.  Get more details and register for a test here.

After you arrive, complete the following tasks to validate your immigration record in SEVIS:

Upon arrival to SIUE, all incoming international students (including students returning from a leave of absence) must complete a mandatory SEVIS check-in with ISSS. This process collects copies of your documents and the information ISSS needs to report your arrival in SEVIS. 

Students listed below will meet with their assigned advisor as follows:

• • Honors students: Ian Toberman in the Honors Program will enroll students in advance.
  • J-1 Exchange students (ITU, CIT): Contact your advisor in the Office of International Admissions at intladm@siue.edu for questions about your enrollment.
  • World Learning students or Fulbright scholars: Contact your advisor in the Office of International Affairs at isss@siue.edu
  • Transfer students: Contact Academic Advising staff or an advisor in the school where you will be completing your degree (e.g., engineering, business, etc.)  NOTE: Your transcript must be evaluated before you are advised. If you are not sure whether your U.S. transcript has been evaluated, please contact the Transfer Center at  transfercredit@siue.edu or (618) 650-2133. Be sure to provide your #800 number. 
• Accept the Bursar financial agreement. Read through the agreement online through your course registration screen in CougarNet and click on the checkbox to "accept." If you have questions or concerns, contact the Office of the Bursar in Rendleman Hall, Room 1101, via email at bursar@siue.edu or by phone at 618-650-3123.
• Submit pending admissions documents. Submit any pending admission documents to the Office of International Admissions, located in Room 2120 in Rendleman Hall. Be sure to ask for an international officer at the front desk.

Additional tasks to complete within the first week:

• Submit your immunization records to SIUE Health Service. Immunizations are due on the first day of class, so we encourage you to send your records ahead of time via email at cougarcare@siue.edu. A $25 fine will be charged to students and a hold to prevent class registration if documents are not submitted as required. Insurance waivers are due by the 10th day of each semester. The Health Service clinic is located in the Student Success Center, Room 0222. 
• Retrieve and print I-94. Get your I-94 number here. This document is required if you need to apply for a social secuity card. 
• Get your student I.D. card (Cougar Card) at the Service Center located in Rendleman Hall, Room 1309. 
• Pay your student bill. Tuition and fees may be paid in full or in installments at the Office of the Bursar in Rendleman Hall, Room 1101. If a third party is paying your account, submit your Financial Guarantee to the Bursar's Office before the payment due dates so classes are not dropped.
• Get your books. All students must be enrolled in courses prior to obtaining your textbooks. If you are on a waitlist, you will need to wait to get your books. Please note that Textbook Rental has modified their operations due to the pandemic, and preordering your textbooks is encouraged.  Privacy laws require the student and no one else pick up their books. For more information, please visit their website. Graduate students: Check with your professor if your book is available through the rental program. If not, you may borrow books from the library or purchase them on Amazon or at the University bookstore in the Morris University Center (618-650-2132).
• Open a bank account. The Morris University Center has a Cougar Banking Center for Busey Bank. You will need your passport and an address verification letter from our office.  Otherwise, you can open an account at other banks within the Edwardsville area.
• Find the local bus services. SIUE partners with MCT to provide a free shuttle from Peck Hall to Cougar Village every 10 minutes. To learn more about the MCT bus routes, check out the MCT website.
• Find an on-campus job. Many opportunities exist on campus in which you may earn money while becoming a valuable part of the campus community. All available jobs on campus are posted on the Student Employment website. You need to be enrolled in the required number of classes in order to have access to the site. Once you get a job offer, you will need to apply for a Social Security Number. More information is available at our ISSS Employment webpage. 
• Obtain a parking permit (if you have a car in the US). Students who will be driving to class the rest of the semester, need to purchase a permit purchase a parking permit online  from Parking Services. More information is available on Parking Services' website. The "red or yellow" lots have open parking during semester break periods, when classes are not in session.