1. Registration & Academic advising

2. Payment of Tuition & Fees

3. Research opportunities

4. Financial assistance / employment

5. VISA & SEVIS

6. Immunizations

7. Best time for arrival in the U.S

8. Pick-up at airport & temporary accommodation

9. Off-campus housing

10. Public transportation

11. Climate in Charlotte 

12. Things to get from home country

13. Security

14. Just before leaving for U.S / port of entry

15. Student Organizations

16. SSN

17. Bank account

1. Registration & Academic advising

1)     When & how can I register for courses?
A)     Graduate students can register for courses once they activate their 49er account. You will need your student ID# to get started.  It will come in your admission letter or email.
Ø       Log-in into your 49er account and click on Banner Self Service and then click on Student and Financial Aid and then follow the instructions. 

B)     Undergraduate students can register only after attending SOAR (Student Orientation Advising and Registration) once you arrive on-campus.

C)     Exchange students can register for classes once they arrive on-campus.  The International Student/Scholar Office (ISSO) staff will pre-register you for certain courses that have been requested.
 

2)     What is the minimum/maximum number of courses that can be taken each semester?
  A) Undergraduate students in F1 status must enroll in at least 12 credit hours per semester.  More may be possible but you should talk with your academic advisor first.

  B)     Graduate students in F1 status must enroll in at least 9 credit hours.  Master’s level students, who hold a Graduate Assistantship may take a minimum of 6 credits. PhD’s on Graduate Assistantship and G.A.S.P. are required to take 9 credits. Any additional credits per semester must be authorized by the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate School.
 

3)  Are faculty contact/advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator/Director both the same?
   A) Students are notified of their faculty contact/advisor at the time of admission. This faculty contact is assigned by the department itself, based in part on a student’s academic program/research interests. It is possible that faculty-contact is the same person as the Graduate Program Coordinator/Director; or it may be a different faculty member in the department. Regardless of who the student’s faculty-contact within the department is, most administrative matters of academic nature need clearance/signature also from the Graduate Program Coordinator/Director and the Graduate School.
 

4)     How will I be notified about my Academic advisor/Graduate Coordinator?

A)  At the Undergraduate level:

You may find assistance at http://www.advising.uncc.edu/FAQs.htm

          At the Graduate level:
     This information is provided in your 49er Express account (follow the steps below)

1. Log into 49er Express
2. Click on “Banner Self-Service”
3. Click on “Student Services/Financial Aid/Student Accounts”
4. Click on “Student Records”; “General Student Record” is 1st link

If there is no name is listed, then you may contact your major department and request an advisor.  If you have not yet declared a major, you may contact the University Advising Center.
 

2. Payment of Tuition & Fees

5)     How much do I need to pay for tuition and fees and how can I pay it?

A)     The tuition and fees schedule is posted at http://www.finance.uncc.edu/Tuition_and_Fees.htm
However, the exact figure will depend on what courses you register for and if there are any additional fees administered.
You can pay by credit card, traveler’s check, bank check or Demand Draft. You can find some more helpful information at http://studentaccounts.uncc.edu/index.html.

     WIRE TRANSFER

     Below are the instructions that should be given to the bank that is wiring the funds

UNCC Special Clearing Account

Bank of America, Charlotte, NC 28255

Account #0001390632

ABA #053000196

Swift Code #BOFAU3N

ONLY U.S. DOLLARS WILL BE ACCEPTED

     Be sure to include the student's name, student ID number, and the reason the funds are being wired (tuition & fees, housing, etc.). This information must be included in order for us to accurately identify and credit the money properly.

     There will be a fee of $10.00 deducted when the funds are posted to the students account. Please take this into consideration when determining the amount that is to be sent.

     If you have any questions about these wire instructions, please contact the Office of the Recon & Control at (704) 687-2102.

     Please be aware that it takes several days to properly identify and credit the student's account once your bank has wired the money.

     Students from India see question #5 below.
 

6)     Should I bring a Demand Draft to pay my tuition and fees (Indian students)?

A)     A demand draft payable to University of North Carolina at Charlotte is preferable. You do not need to worry if there are a couple of dollars difference between the total to be paid and the total in the DD, the difference will be credited on your student account. If you overpaid, a refund will be issued.

7)     How much money should I bring and in what form?

A)  In addition to the tuition and fees, you might consider bringing about $2000 in traveler’s checks plus an additional $200 in U.S currency (small bills and coins) to make phone calls at the airport and other immediate purposes. Bring enough money to get settled-in and remember that on-campus work may or may not be available immediately.

3. Research opportunities

8)     What are the research opportunities at UNC Charlotte?

A) This depends on the specific academic department.  You can start by looking at their website and then contact information for professors will be available so you can send an email if necessary.

4. Financial assistance / employment

9) What are the chances of getting financial assistance at UNC Charlotte?

A)     Graduate students are eligible for Graduate Assistantships but they are not always available and it often depends upon the funds available within your academic department.  Many departments do not have any funding for assistantships while others have significant funds.

Ø       Some assistantships have tuition waivers (student pays no tuition) or differentials (student pays the “in-state” tuition rate).  Again these are sometimes possible but not always.

B)     Financial assistance for undergraduate students is usually limited to athletic scholarships.  Unfortunately, international students do not qualify for U.S. government-sourced funding.

   C)     On-campus work is sometimes available.  Once you arrive at UNC Charlotte you may ask within the various non-academic departments on campus or within your own academic department if there are any current vacancies.  Also, please understand that the application process varies from department to department so some may take resumes while others may ask you to complete an application.  You will need to be patient and allow some time for the potential employer to contact you if there is a vacancy available.  If not, don’t lose hope as some vacancies may open-up throughout the academic year.  You can always check back at a later time.

5. VISA & SEVIS

10) How do I apply for the visa and what documents do I need?

A) A great resource for all of this information is available at the ISSO website
http://www.isso.uncc.edu/applyingforusvisa.htm

More information is also available on the USCIS website visa application .

11) How do I pay the SEVIS fee?
  A) This information is available at SEVIS fee.

6. Immunizations

12) What are the immunization requirements? 

    A) This information is available at the Student Health Center website immunizations form and is also included with your I-20 or DS-2019 from the International Student/Scholar Office. If you are unable to download this form, please call 704-687-4619 and place a request with the Immunizations Department at the Student Health Center for another form or check http://www.studenthealth.uncc.edu/

7. Best time for arrival in the U.S

   13) When is the best time to arrive in the U.S?

 A) If you will be living off-campus and want time to get adjusted to your new environment you might want to plan your arrival one to two weeks prior to the start of the semester.  Students in F-1 or J-1 status may enter the U.S. only up to 30 days prior to the start date on the I-20 or DS-2019.

8. Pick-up at airport & temporary accommodation

14) Does the International Student/Scholar Office offer any pick-up service from the airport?

A) New international students with on-campus housing assignments can be picked-up at the airport and taken to their residence hall if they plan their arrival accordingly and return the “Arrival Information Form” to the International Student/Scholar Office in a timely manner.  More details on dates and a copy of the form is available at http://www.isso.uncc.edu/arrival%20form.doc

15) Does International Student/Scholar Office provide any temporary accommodation until I move into one?

A) Temporary accommodation with area host-families may be possible for new international students with on-campus housing assignments.  However the International Student/Scholar Office cannot provide this accommodation for students who arrive any earlier than a few days before the residence halls opening.

9. Off-campus housing

16) Is there any possibility of off-campus housing?

A) There are several apartment complexes close-by, where many international and U.S. students reside. You can search for them at http://www.dso.uncc.edu/offcampus/index.htm . Once you enter the home page, click “register” then click on the “students” link. Then complete the student registration page and login.  Then you can browse for various housing options.

 
17) How much does off-campus housing usually cost?

 A) Usually the rent depends on the area you are choosing to live-in. It is advisable you live close by so that you don’t have to travel too much for class everyday.  Rent for an apartment close by usually costs around $800 to 850 per month and the apartment can be shared by up to four people.

10. Public transportation

18) What is public transportation like in Charlotte?

 A) Charlotte is traditionally a “car city” although recent efforts are underway to make it more pedestrian-friendly.  In the meantime some tips for getting around include:

• share a ride with friends
• take the bus (bus service is available at the university but frequency varies depending on the area of the city you want to travel to)
• buy your own vehicle (you can search for second-hand cars online or with the dealers once you arrive)
• take the on-campus shuttle (no payment needed) for travel around campus

11. Climate in Charlotte 

19) How is the climate in Charlotte?

 A) Climate is mild in Charlotte as compared to many other places in the U.S, with temperatures averaging about 85 F in the summer (30 C) and about 40 F (4 C) in the winter. Some winter days are below freezing and there is occasional snow. The summer is humid with some days having temperatures above 90 F.

12. Things to get from home country

20) What do I need to bring from my home country?

 A) Most of the things can be purchased here but it might be a little expensive.

            i.              Make sure you bring in the daily requirements like toiletries to last you at least for a few weeks.

           ii.              Make sure to get the medicines that you might require because you don’t get medicines without a prescription here. So get enough of them to last you for a while.

         iii.              Bring a nice jacket to keep you warm during the chilly winter here, and also carry a sweater along with you (keeping one extra sweater is advisable).  Clothes can also be bought here once you arrive.

        iv.              You might prefer to buy your course text books and bring them along with you.

          v.              1 good scientific calculator.

Note: Indian students may look up at the following link for additional information things to get.

21) What books should I bring from home?

A) You may want to ask your professor or Graduate Coordinator/Academic Advisor about the text book requirements for your courses.  If you know who they are you can look-up their email address at http://search.uncc.edu/people/.  Remember to get the right edition!

13. Security

22) How secure is it at UNC Charlotte?

 A)             UNC Charlotte has its own police department and they work to help keep all students safe.  There are emergency phones located all over campus and police are always available to assist students in trouble. 

·         To view the statistics of crime rates at UNC Charlotte, go to http://www.police.uncc.edu then click on annual reports.  For off-campus security statistics (in Charlotte) click on CMPD statistics or CMPD statistics 2006.

14. Just before leaving for U.S / port of entry

23) What are the precautions I need to take at the airport?

• Make sure you are at the airport on time for the security check (you do not want to miss your flight)
• Never leave your baggage alone (take along your baggage also into the restrooms) for fear of theft or mishandling by strangers.
• Do not interact too much with the strangers.
• If you need to take a connecting flight, just stay calm and follow the instructions at the airport or contact the help desk provided by your airlines.

24) What is port of entry and what needs to be done at the port of entry?

 A) Port of entry is the city and state in the U.S where you step-in first (the first place where you step on the U.S soil after entering the U.S)

For port of entry procedures (immigration and customs), click on

http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/legally_admitted_to_the_u_s.xml

 Or

http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/i-94_instructions/arrival_departure_record.xml

15. Student Organizations

25) Are there any student organizations or communities that I can join
after coming there?

 A) There are many student organizations at UNC Charlotte and hopefully you’ll find at least one which looks interesting to you!  They are listed at http://studentactivities.uncc.edu .

16. SSN

26) What is the Social Security Number (SSN) and how can I get one?

A)  The social security number is used for international students who are employed in the US and need to file for taxes.  Students in F1 or J1 status who have been offered employment are required to obtain a social security number and must apply through the Social Security Office.   

Since all US citizens have social security numbers it’s common that people may assume that you have one and ask you what it is.  You will have to remind (or teach) them that you are an international student and don’t have one yet.  Most of the time they are trying to verify identify and so your passport will serve this purpose.  More details will be provided by the ISSO at the International Student Orientation Program or you can read more at http://www.isso.uncc.edu/employment.htm

17. Bank account

27) How can I open a bank account in the U.S?

A)  The ISSO will invite representatives from an area bank to come to campus one day prior to the start of classes so that you can have an opportunity to open a bank account conveniently.  You will just need your passport, I-94 card and I-20 or DS-2019 and some money to deposit.  More details will be shared at the international student orientation program.

      Note:  If you decide to go on your own, just ask if the bank requires a social security number to have the account.  Some banks require it and some don’t.