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⇒ Student & Scholar Advising ⇒ Students ⇒ Orientation ⇒ Orientation Schedule

Orientation Schedule

Last updated October 8, 2009.

Greetings from the Office of International Services (OIS)!  We hope that you are excited to begin your studies at Indiana University.  We are looking forward to welcoming you to our community.

Students who will be attending IU in the Spring of 2010 (January 2010):

In mid-October, students will start receiving a series of informative emails concerning topics such as your immigration documents, your arrival to Bloomington, International Student Orientation, and housing.

To register for orientation please fill out our Orientation Registration Form.

Orientation week is January 4–8, 2010.  Undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to check in on January 4, 2010.  You must plan to enter the US by January 3, 2010.

Attendance at the International Student Orientation is mandatory for all undergraduate, graduate, and transfer students.  Students will not be able to register for classes until they attend the orientation program.

Unfortunately, we cannot give you a specific orientation schedule before you arrive.  You will receive an individualized schedule when you check in.  Your schedule will be tailored to your specific needs (depending on your degree program) and will schedule you for sessions based on the availability at the time you check in.  You must plan to be available for the duration of the orientation program.

Please bring the following documents to orientation:

• Passport
• Visa stamp
• I-94 card (you will receive this document when you enter the US)
• All original I-20s or DS-2019s (Transfer students: Please bring all of your I-20s or DS-2019s from previous schools!)
• Admission letter containing university ID

International Student Orientation will consist of the following required activities:

• Welcome from Associate Vice President Christopher Viers.  (This will be your first step.  Information regarding the time and place will be sent when you register online for orientation.)
• Check-in (You will be given a check-in time at the Welcome Session.  Please have all your documents with you for check-in—see above)
• Document check (An OIS advisor will review your immigration documents.  Please have all your documents with you—see above)
• “Staying in Status: Visa Do’s and Don’ts” session
• “Getting Started” session (Topics include: insurance, student groups, money, cars, music and sporting events, financial aid, and more!)
• English Proficiency Exam (Required for all undergraduates and transfer students, as well as graduate students who have not been waived from this requirement by their department)

Undergraduates will also participate in the following activities during orientation:

• Math Skills Assessment
• Optional Placement exams
• Academic Advising
• Course Registration

Students were sent information regarding the Facebook application for International Students at IU-Bloomington.  Facebook is a social networking website that is very popular among college students.  By adding this application, you will be able to ask questions about orientation and your arrival to Bloomington, as well as participate in discussions with other new students about travel, roommates, housing, academics, etc.  We hope to see you there!

If this will be your first time studying in the United States, you may want to consider attending a pre-departure orientation in your home country.  These orientations are organized by EducationUSA, which is a network supported by the US Department of State.  To locate pre-departure orientations in your home country, please visit this website and click on “Pre-departure Information.”

As you begin your preparations to come to IU, you may have questions about a variety of topics.  Please send your emails to newtoiu@indiana.edu.  The Office of International Services looks forward to welcoming you to campus and Bloomington in January!