Plan your trip wisely and accordingly:

A special early move-in day for international students has been arranged for Sunday, August 19 (move-in times are limited to 12pm - 3pm and 8pm - 10pm), so that you can participate fully in Transitions (international student orientation) which begins on Monday, August 20.The International Student and Scholar Services office will provide 3 special JMU buses from Washington DC International Airport [IAD] to JMU on Sunday August 19 at 10am, 2pm and 5pm. To take advantage of this special service (this one and only time to ensure that you attend Transitions), make sure to complete this online Arrival Form no later than August 5th.

In order for your advisor to be able to work with you to determine appropriate classes, the university must have an official copy of your college level work completed outside JMU. If you have completed university/college level work at a university outside the United States, you must submit your transcript to one of the following credential services approved by James Madison University.

GCE Global Credential Evaluators P.O. Box 36 28 Westhampton way Richmond, VA 23173 Phone: 1 (804) 639 3660 E-mail: jringer@mail.myriad.net

WES - World Education Services, Inc. P.O. Box 57026 Washington, DC 20037-7206 Phone: 1 (202) 331 2925 Fax: 1 (202) 331-2927 E-mail: de@wes.org

The credential evaluation service, and/or the American College/ University where you have studied prior to JMU will need to send your results to:

Please keep in mind that the university may not be able to count all previous college/university work you have completed toward specific requirements in your major, minor, general education or degree requirements.
During Transitions, you will be given a copy of your schedule for the semester. An advisor will explain how the credits you are registered in will count for general education, degree requirements, electives and possibly major requirements.
Questions: Contact Heather Patterson.

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   |

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• 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 e-campus (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, an installment payment plan can be set-up. To make payments towards your tuition and bills, you can:

• wire funds to JMU. All funds need to be in U.S. dollars and sent to:
  
  Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
  420 Montgomery Street, 7th Fl.
  San Francisco, CA 94104-1298
  ABA Number: 121000248
  Swift Code: WFBIUS6S
  Chips Participants Code: 0407
  Account Number: 91930000000000002
  Checking Account Name: JMU Concentration Depository
  Cage Number: OE9W6
  EIN Number: 546001756
  Originator to Beneficiary Info: Include Student's Name and Student ID Number for identification of recipient
  Electronic Funds Coordinator: Tammy L Kiser - (540) 568-7907

• pay online by credit card. [Please note that JMU handles MasterCard, American Express or the 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   |

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•  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 or in Harrisonburg at one of our many discount or department stores. 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 c/o Thomas Lavenir James Madison University - Office of International Programs 1031 South Main Street - JMAC 6, Suite 23 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   |

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

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

• Heather Patterson, for information related to course scheduling and any other academic questions.

 

© Office of International Programs and James Madison University

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