Freshmen (First-Year Students)


Now that you are accepted, you have many things to take care of including pre-arrival steps! Read this information carefully as it will answer many of your questions, and /or concerns!

Flight & Hotel Reservation:     |  Back to top   |

Plan your trip wisely and accordingly:

On Sunday August 18, in order to ensure that you can move-in early on campus (for students who will be living on-campus) and that we can assist students to provide transportation assistance from the Dulles International Airport (IAD) to JMU, please complete the Arrival/ Reservation Form.


Health Insurance:     |  Back to top   |

 All international students will be enrolled in mandatory health insurance with Cultural Insurance Services International, CISI. Your insurance card, policy information and claim form can be obtained from the International Student & Scholar Services Office

If you currently have an insurance policy that will cover you for your duration of your academic career and meets certain requirements, you may be exempt from the insurance fee placed on your account. If you wish to apply for a waiver for this coverage with CISI, you must complete an Insurance Waiver Form and return it in person to ISSS along with a copy of your policy in English. Please note that you must submit your waiver request no later than the first Friday of the semester, and that the waiver must be approved by ISSS. 

Tuition & Payment:     |  Back to top   |

  • To obtain an estimated breakdown of the expenses that you can expect as a JMU student, go to t the University Business Office’s website. Please note that the cost of textbooks (approximately $300/semester), for example, is not included! 

  • To view your bill, you need to login to QuickBill by accessing it on MyMadison (for students). QuikBill provides you and your family with instant access to your student account charges. QuikBill is currently configured so that the student is the only who can view and pay his or her bill online through this system. If a family member or sponsor of that student needs access to QuikBill, the student will need to enable this individual to view and/or pay the bill by creating an account for this individual. Also through QuickBill, installment payment plan can be set-up. To make payments towards your tuition and bills, you can:

    • wire funds to JMU. AlElectronic Funds Coordinator: Tammy L Kiser- (540) 568-7907
    • pay online: by credit card. [Please note that JMU handles MasterCard, American Express or Discovery card only].
    • Set-up a bank account in the U.S. This will facilitate the transfer of funds from your home country to the U.S. You will then be able to write checks and/or transfer money directly from your bank account to your JMU student account online. A trip to the downtown Bank of America will be scheduled during the first or second week of classes.
Don't Forget!     |  Back to top   |

  •  The residence halls do NOT provide bed linens, pillows, blankets, or towels. You may purchase these items in advance on the Office of Residence Life's website. Please note that there will be many opportunities during Transitions and afterwards to go shopping! There is a link off of the Office of Residence Life that students can use to access the linen company for orders. You can have your order be sent to:

      Your first & last name
      James Madison University
      800 South Main Street
      Harrisonburg, VA 22807 - USA

  • In the winter we have snow and ice. You will want a warm coat to wear as you walk between classes on campus. The normal winter temperature is in the range of 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit (around 0 degrees Celsius) although, it can get as cold as 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit (around -15 degrees Celsius).

  • Organize your passport and all of your visa documents and supporting documents in one place on your person, not in your checked luggage so that they are easy to find and manage. Make sure that you have your:

      (a) valid passport with proper, currently valid stamp;  
      (b) F-1 or J-1 visa (form I-20 or DS-2019);  
      (c) evidence of funding as appropriate to the visa classification and your intended activities in the U.S.;  
      (d) contact information for the International Student and Scholar Services;  
      (e) your SEVIS fee receipt.

Whom should I contact?     |  Back to top   |

  • Thomas Lavenir, for information related to arrival, transportation, Transitions, and your overall adjustment. 

  • Gina Kudrav, for information related to immigration and visas.

  • freshmanadvising@jmu.edu for information related to academic advising

 

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