Home | News | Constitution | Discussion | Magazine | Members | Photos | Resources | Contact
|
|
|
Home | News | Constitution | Discussion | Magazine | Members | Photos | Resources | Contact |
Resources for Incoming Students |
FAQs for Incoming International StudentsWhen is a good time to arrive? If you can come roughly 10 days before the J-School's orientation date, it will give you some time to make yourself accustomed to Chapel Hill. Where will I be living? We won't let you sleep on the streets, although the weather in Chapel Hill is pretty warm and nights are just beautiful. We will find you temporary housing for the first few days with faculty or students who have some space available in their homes. It will give you enough time to look around and find a long-term residence appropriate to your needs and financial abilities. Usually, all graduate students live off campus. It gives them more freedom and flexibility during the study. If you decide to live on campus we can help you with that and show you the dorms that are available for grad students. Unless you have already made arrangements over the Internet and by phone in advance, be prepared to go around and spend some time considering the choices you will have upon your arrival. Is it necessary to start looking for housing from my home country? No, it is not necessary because most of the apartments you will find on the Internet are usually very expensive. The most effective method is to come to Chapel Hill, look at newspaper ads, call these people and arrange a time to come and see their place. However, if you still prefer to do this in advance and have frequent access to email, we would suggest subscribing to the housing list of the UNC Graduate Student Association. There you will find various postings related to housing and also furniture that you can buy for your apartment. Usually it is cheaper to rent an apartment unfurnished and then buy furniture separately - you can do that easily through the above-mentioned listserv. Also, these postings contain contact information so you will be able to communicate with people electronically before you arrive in Chapel Hill. At the same time, we would warn you against accepting a housing offer online before actually seeing the apartment. You can make a preliminary arrangement or schedule the time when you can come by. Try to make as many arrangements as possible. It is easier to cancel them than to arrange. Use Mapquest to see where the apartment is located. To give you a general point of orientation, the campus is located Southeast of the intersection of Columbia Street and Franklin Street. If I want to arrange my residence in advance of my arrival in Chapel Hill, what things should I keep in mind? While there is no substitute for actually seeing the place before finalizing your lease, if you feel more comfortable with establishing your residence in advance, here are some things to consider. 1. One decent place to begin an Internet search is www.apartmentratings.com because it provides information about apartments throughout the country, including Chapel Hill and surrounding areas. This site is fairly efficient because it lets you see resident satisfaction ratings by different criteria, see maps of the apartment area, find a roommate, etc. Though Chapel Hill would be the ideal place to stay in terms of convenience, it is also more expensive than the neighboring cities. If you want to save money and still remain on fairly close to campus, the city of Carrboro is a typical option. A bus ride from there to campus will take around 20 minutes or so. Unless you will use a car to get to campus, we do not recommend more distant cities such as Durham or Raleigh, even though the rent may be cheaper there. Internet sites such as mapquest and yahoo maps provide a decent way to learn about the surroundings of specific apartment complexes. However, when considering a place to live, you should definitely pose any questions you have on our listserv. If anyone has experience with those places, they can confirm that it is a good idea to stay there or give you reasons to avoid the place. 2. If you select a place and want to finalize a lease, you will have to fill out the paperwork, including signed documents by fax or traditional mail. You will also need to provide a deposit and let the apartment company do a background credit check. In most cases, you should be fine as long as your credit card with an internationally recognized company such as Visa or MasterCard, which can be processed for a credit check. However, specific complexes may have particular rules regarding international credit cards, so just talk with the management and clarify any additional requirements from the outset. 3. If you would prefer to live in a house, particularly with one or more roommates, it may be better for you to make the arrangement after you are physically in Chapel Hill. This not only lets you see the place and gauge important factors such as the overall condition of the neighborhood, it lets you be more selective in your choice of roommates. If you plan to share a residence with others, it's always a good idea to match your lifestyles and preferences as closely as possible by discussing matters from the very beginning. After all, if you don't get along with your roommates, you may find yourself feeling even more homesick. How do I get from the airport to Chapel Hill? You will arrive at Raleigh/Durham International Airport. Please tell us which flight you will be coming on so we can make sure that you will be picked up by a member of the J-School and taken where you need to go. How much money do I need to bring? There is not an easy answer to this question. It all depends on your future plans, demands, the source of income and financial situation in your family. A good idea would be bringing as much money as possible. At the same time, if you are on a fellowship, you don't need too much money to feel OK for the first few days in Chapel Hill until your check is cleared and money becomes available for your personal expenses. Also, try not to bring too much cash with you. It is not safe! Use travelers’ checks or a check card instead. For those who don't have a bank account in the United States, we will help you to set one up. What things do I need to bring with me? Again, it all depends on your personal preferences. If you can't live without a hundred of teddy bears in your room, bring them with you. If you need a thousand of books written in your own language to feel OK, bring them too. If you are feeling like traveling with a bunch of travel bags, well, it is your choice... But the general rule is, keep it simple. That means carefully choosing the stuff you need to take with you in the States. Do I need to register for the classes before my coming to Chapel Hill? No, you don't need to do it. When you come, we will get you familiar with the classes available this fall, help you come up with the class you like and you need to register for. If you are not familiar with the procedure of registering for classes, we will tell you how to do that. Before you register, it may help you to talk to other students who have had certain courses or professors so you can get a better idea of what to expect. How is the local public transportation? Of course, this depends on what standard of transportation you’re used to. For the most part, it’s not bad. The local bus system for within the Chapel Hill city limits (Chapel Hill Transit) is free of charge, and there is also a separate bus service (Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) charging $2.00 per ride that connects Chapel Hill to the surrounding cities of Durham, Raleigh, and the Airport. When considering where to live, you will definitely want to keep access to these bus lines in mind. Also, some of you may find it more convenient to live within walking distance of grocery stores rather than relying on public transportation. Hey, you didn't answer all my questions!!! We will be happy to answer all your questions should you have any. Please, don't hesitate to ask, and contact us if there is anything we can do for you. If you already know names of other students or professors, you find their contact information in the Campus Directory. In the meantime, check out the links below where you can find information to let you ask us even more questions! (Special thanks to Minjeong, Vadim, and Yuri for their work on the FAQ in years prior to the formation of GMSA) |
| ©2005, Global Student Media Association 304 Carroll Hall, UNC-CH Chapel Hill, NC 27514 |