New Student Arrival & Orientation
Office of International Education

Arrival (Spring 2010)

You are eligible to enter the U.S. as early as 30 days prior to the start of your academic program as indicated in item 5 of your I-20 or item 3 of your DS-2019. You are expected to enter the U.S. in time to attend the mandatory International Student Orientation as noted below.

If there is a situation that necessitates entering the U.S. after the program start date indicated on your document, please contact the Coordinator of International Education as you will require a new I-20 or DS-2019 with a later program start date to enter the U.S. (The latest date of entry a new document can be issued with for Spring 2010 is January 26, 2010).

Upon arriving in Syracuse, NY, you must check-in with the Slutzker Center for International Services (SCIS) at 310 Walnut Place on the Syracuse University Campus (across from the Bird Library) (see map). The hours of operation for the period December 20, 2009-January 19, 2010 are: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5 pm. SCIS provides back-up immigration support for the SUNY-ESF Office of International Education and is responsible for providing check-in and arrival information. The SCIS will collect a copy of all of your immigration documents at the time of check-in and provide information about their arrival seminar and clearance process.

Please note that the ESF Office of International Education is your primary source for immigration advice and document services; SCIS provides general programming and back-up immigration support if the Office of International Education is closed. Accordingly, please also feel free to stop by the ESF Office of International Education (302 Bray Hall--see map) to introduce yourself. The hours of operation are indicated on the main Office of international Education webpage.

International Student Orientation (Spring 2010)

All new international students are required to attend a MANDATORY International Student Orientation provided by SUNY-ESF's Office of International Education.

• New Undergraduate and Graduate International Student Orientation
  Saturday, January 16, 2009
  1 pm-3pm
  217 Bray Hall, SUNY-ESF campus (map)
  International Student Orientation Schedule (TBA)
  

You must also attend the SUNY-ESF Graduate Orientation Program or the SUNY-ESF Undergraduate Orientation Program for new or transfer students and, if you will work on campus as a student assistant, you are required to attend the College-Wide Graduate Assistant Colloquium on Teaching and Learning. It is important that you attend each orientation program.

English Language Assessment Exam (ELAE)

• Required for all undergraduate students in order to determine the proper English class placement.
• Required for graduate students with a TOEFL score under 600; under 250 if you took the computerized test; or under 100 if you took the internet-based, IBT, version.
• Please contact Dr. Margo Sampson at masampso@syr.edu if you have any questions regarding this exam.
  
  ELAE Test Dates
  Day: TBA
  Time: TBA
  Location: TBA