International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

Your First Week at SIUE checklist

If you were NOT successful in securing a visa or scheduling an interview occurring before January 5, 2021 please email International Admissions program advisor Perla Cardenas at pcarden@siue.edu for next steps. 

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. Please consider ideal arrival dates (Monday, January 11 and Tuesday, January 12, 2021) and Housing move-in dates carefully when making travel plans to the U.S. International students are allowed to move-in earlier in the week if submitting a request via email to housing@siue.edu. 
• Do you have a visa or have scheduled a visa appointment for a date before January 5? Please complete the International Intent Form to let us know that you are planning on attending SIUE in the spring. Please indicate the date you will arrive. 
• 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 the ideal arrival dates. Additional details will be provided to students requesting airport pick-up. 
• 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.
  
• 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. 

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.
  • IEP students: Contact Asha Kansal at askansa@siue.edu
  • 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. Admission documents can be submitted after February 1st. Send an email to intladm@siue.edu or call (618) 650-2240 to make an appointment with an admissions advisor to submit your documents.   If you are unsure whether you have any pending documents, please check your admission letter. 

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 10 day of each semester. If you don't have immunization records and will need to get them at SIUE, please call 618-650-2842 or log into CougarCare to make an appointment.
• Retrieve and print I-94. Get your I-94 number here. This document is only required if you need to apply for a social security card. 
• Get your student I.D. card (Cougar Card).  Students are encouraged to upload their photo prior to orientation week and complete the CougarCard agrement form online. For additional information about your cougar ID card, please visit the  Cougar Card webpage.  To check on the status of photos uploaded and for additional instructions to pick up, please call 618-650-2080 or  email servicecenter@siue.edu.
• 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.  Typically, new international students get a few more additional days after the term begins to pay.  
  Download the International Pay your Bill Handout for all the info you need! 
• 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.  Be sure to check their shipping option if you are not on campus. 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. If you need a letter, please email intlprog@siue.edu. 
• 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. International students have job opportunities on campus to earn money while becoming a valuable part of the campus community. All available jobs on campus are posted on the Student Employment website. You can view job postings for Spring after December 21. 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 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.