International Student Resource Page
This page is designed to give you all of the material you will need prior to your arrival on campus!
Your Visa and I-20
To receive the Form I-20 you must complete the following:
- Complete the I-20 Request Form
- Complete the International Declaration of Finance Form
- Send a color scan/PDF of a recent bank statement in English to show proof of funding that covers one full year of all tuition, fees, and living expenses.
- Send a clear color scan/PDF of the identity page of your passport
- NEW as of March 1, 2020 - Copy of your Birth Certificate (If your passport does not list your city of birth).
For students transferring from another high school, university or from an English language center within the United States, you will also need to submit the three following documents:
- A color scan/PDF of your current F-1 visa
- A color scan/PDF of your previous Form I-20 (Pages 1 and 2)
- Completed F-1 Transfer Verification Form, please note your current Designated School Official (DSO) must fill out the bottom portion.
Documents should be submitted via email and attached PDFs to babbate@rwu.edu.
Applying for your student visa
20 Things to Do While at RWU
- 1. Go for a walk at Colt State Park
- Attend an event sponsored by the Intercultural Center
- Cheer on an RWU team at a home game
- Take a walk on the Shell Path
- Take a picture with Swoop the mascot
- Have lunch at Baypoint
- Take a picture with the school sign
- Try a Del’s Lemonade
- Try coffee milk
- Take a walk through downtown Bristol
- Attend a Water Fire event in Providence
- Spend an afternoon at the Intercultural Center
- Visit Newport
- Try Sip-N-Dip
- Attend Global Fest
- Visit Providence Place Mall
- Spend a day in Newport
- Eat at a restaurant on Thayer Street
- Walk in downtown Bristol
- Take a picture of Mt. Hope Bridge
General Travel Information
Please, when entering the USA at the border be sure to emphasize that you are a student studying at USA University. This will help insure you are entered in the CVP computer correctly.
Travel Planning
When making any travel plans, please observe the academic calendar and housing opening and closing dates.
International Travel
When entering the United States for the first time, you will need a valid passport, an F-1/J-1 visa stamp that matches the university on your I-20/DS-2019, Form I-20 (or DS-2019 for exchange visitors) and evidence of the financial support listed on page 1 of the I-20 and DS-2019. When re-entering the United Sates after time abroad, you will need the said documents and a valid travel signature from the ISSS Office. The travel signature is on page 2 of the I-20 and page 1 of the DS-2019. It is valid for one year. If you need a new travel signature, make an appointment with the ISSS office with your I-20/DS-2019 and passport to receive a new one. No signatures will be given without an accompanying passport and proof of registration for the coming semester. Travel situations are constantly changing, please look for email updates from the ISSS Office.
Domestic Travel
Even when traveling domestically, it is a good idea to carry all of your original documents with you (passport, visa, I-20/DS-2019). If you will be traveling near any international border or on a plane, be prepared to show these documents. Family If your dependents will be joining you in the United States, they will need their own separate dependent documents. They may travel with you or by themselves, but they should carry all of their documents if they will be traveling internationally.
Visiting Canada, Mexico or the Adjacent Islands
Department of State (DOS) regulations permit certain non-immigrants to re-enter the United States after a 30-day or shorter visit to Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands (except for Cuba) without having to obtain a new visa prior to re-entry. This is called automatic visa revalidation. You must travel with documents relevant to the particular status (passport, visa, I-20 or DS-2019) which must be carried and properly endorsed, if required. Exceptions There are three exceptions to this provision. First, citizens of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Sudan are no longer eligible for automatic revalidation. They need to have a valid visa in their passport in order to re-enter. Also, Chinese citizens who have CWOP (canceled without prejudice) on their visa stamps may be denied re-entry. Be sure to check your visa stamp carefully. In addition, anyone who is visiting Canada or Mexico in order to apply for a new visa may no longer benefit from automatic revalidation. Many individuals schedule an appointment with a U.S. consulate in Canada or Mexico in order to obtain a new visa so as to facilitate future travel overseas. Those who choose to apply for a new visa in Canada or Mexico must wait until the visa is approved or denied to re-enter. If the visa is denied, they may not re-enter and would have to travel directly to their home country and apply for a visa there. The risk of denial in a country other than the home country is higher for those who must prove their ties to their home country in order to get a visa (such as Fs and Js). Those considering applying for a visa in Canada or Mexico should take this into account when making their plans.
Canadian Citizens
Canadian citizens do not need a visa stamp in their passports to enter the United States. They will still need to carry all other documents (passport, Form I-20 or DS2019 and financial documents).
Bermudian Citizens
Bermudian citizens currently do not require a visa to attend school in the United States. Presentation of the I-20 for academic or vocational studies or the DS-2019 for exchange visitor's form plus proof of financial support to the U.S. Customs and Border Protections officer at the port of entry is sufficient for students to attend school in the United States. However, many students report that obtaining a visa eases their transition into student life. For instance, it is required in order to obtain a U.S. driver's license or other documentation in many states.
More Information
Contact the ISSS Office 401-254-3400.
Inexpensive Ways to Book Flights
In the United States there are certain days and time that are better to book flights in order to get the best deals. Seven weeks prior to your departure is the best time to book flights and on a Tuesday night. These are the times when you can get the best deals on flights.
Websites to book flights
Things to do Near Bristol
- Colt State Park: Is a large park located in Bristol, RI it borders the Narragansett Bay. It offers walk ways and picnic areas where people can rest, relax, and enjoy the beautiful ocean setting.
- Newport Cliff Walk: Is a hike along the water front in Newport. It offers breath taking views and is a fun way to spend some time outside of campus. To get there you must take RIPTA Bus 60 to Newport Gateway Center and then take RIPTA Bus 67 and get off at the Ruggles Opp Wetmore stop. From there it is less than a 5 minute walk to the cliff walk.
- Newport Mansions: The mansions in Newport are historic homes from the Colonial, Victorian, and Gilded Ages. These homes have been preserved and offer tourists the opportunity to see the homes as they were during their time. The tickets are a little costly however it is a great experience to visit and step into the past for a few hours. To get there you must take RIPTA Bus 60 to Newport Gateway Center and then take RIPTA Bus 67 and get off at the Bellevue FS Bowery stop. This stop is right in front of the mansions. Check the following link for the hours that it is open.
- Thayer Street: Thayer Street is a street located in Providence that house a variety of unique shops and great restaurants. It is a popular place for college students to hang out and eat. To get there you must take RIPTA Bus 60 to S Main at County Court and walk about 10 minutes to Thayer Street.
- Water Fire: Water Fire is an event that takes place on various Saturdays from May through November. It promotes the beauty of the urban city setting. It bring the city together through music and other events. It is a free and wonderful event to attend. The RIPTA Bus 60 drops you off at Kennedy Plaza and it is less than a 5 minute walk away. See the following link for the exact dates.
Weather
Bristol, Rhode Island experiences all four seasons throughout the year.
- Spring: March – May, begins to get warmer, with temperatures entering the 40’s and 50’s (4-10℃).
- Summer: June, July, August and September can be hot and humid with the temperatures reaching the 90’s (32℃) but mostly in the 70’s - 80’s (21-27℃).
- Fall: Through September and October the weather cools down to the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s (10, 15, 21℃).
- Winter: During the winter months it gets cold, with temperatures reaching below the freezing point on some days (0℃). Snow may be common during December, January and February.
Local Slang
- Black Ice: clear ice, found on roads or paved surfaces
- Booted: 1. To be removed from a building or event. 2. Have a lock placed on the wheel of one’s car due to not having paid parking tickets.
- Breakdown Lane: Lane on the right side of the highway used for broken down vehicles. *Not for travel*
- Bubbler: Water fountain or drinking fountain
- Bureau: Dresser
- Clicker: TV remote
- Cumbys: shorthand for the convenience store Cumberland Farms
- Blinker: car turning signal, also known as a directional
- Dunks/Dunkin/Dunkies: shorthand for fast food/coffee shop Dunkin Donuts
- Flurries: a small snow shower
- Frappe: drink served with ice or frozen to a slush
- Hamper: clothes/laundry basket
- Hoodie: a hooded sweatshirt
- Mad: synonym for very, i.e “mad cool”
- Nor’easter: Strong winter storm/winter hurricane
- Packie/Package Store: Liquor store
- Pats: The New England Patriots (Football team)
- Pockabook: Purse
- “Regular” Coffee: Coffee made with milk and sugar
- Rotary: traffic circle or roundabout
- Slush: Partially melted snow or ice
- Sox: Shorthand for the Boston Red Sox (Baseball team)
- U-ie: a u-turn while driving, often used with the word bang or pop such as “Bang a uie/pop a u-ie”
- Up/Down: a general direction one takes when going anywhere, i.e. “I’m going up to Maine” or “I’m headed down to the Cape.”
- Wicked: very; or occasionally cool. Used indiscriminately, can modify anything. I.e. “Wicked pissa,“Wicked good, ”Wicked bad,” Wicked boring,” etc.
University Glossary of Terms
- Academic Standards: measures of scholastic excellence held by a university; RWU requires that students maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) to continue their studies
- Bursar: the university office responsible for student tuition, fees, and bill paying
- Credit Hour: a unit counted toward completion of an academic program. Each course is worth a number of credit hours (also known as “credits”) the number of credit hours reflects the number of hours a student spends in class for that course per week.
- A typical course is 3-4 credit hours.
- Students take 12-15 credit hours per semester.
- A bachelor’s degree typically requires a total of 120-124 credit hours.
- Residence Hall or Dormitory (Dorm): a university building where students live while going to school, often with shared rooms
- Extracurricular Activities: organized student activities connected with school and usually carrying no academic credit, such as sports, clubs, or volunteer activities. Many college applications request a list of high school extracurricular activities
- GPA: grade point average; and average level of grades earned, weighted by the number of credit hours earned
- IC: Intercultural Center, located at the north end of Maple Hall.
- Mile: a unit of distance equal to 1,609 meters.
- SEVIS: (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) an Internet based system that maintains accurate and current information on nonimmigrant students (F and M visa), exchange visitors (J visa), and their dependents (F-2, M-2, and J-2).
- SSN: Social Security number; a number assigned by the government to U.S. residents at birth and used by many universities as the student identification number. International students are assigned a random student identification number.
- Transcript: an official university record of courses, grades and length of study.
Renting an Apartment in the United States
Renting an apartment in the US is very different than renting in other countries here are some rules and regulations that one should follow when considering renting an apartment.
- A deposit is required equal to the amount of the first month’s rent. Rent should be paid at the beginning of each month in the full amount. Most leases are 1 year in length, if the lease is broken the renter might be required to pay the rest of the year's rent and forfeit their security deposit.
- In most apartments the renter must put the gas, electricity, and water into their own names and are responsible for paying these bills by the time they are do or late fees will be charged. If they are not paid for a few months there is a chance they will be shut off until the full amount is paid.
- When a landlord says no smoking or no pets, they mean it. Violating these could cause you to be kicked out, forfeit your deposit, or even lead to legal issues. Also it is against federal law to tamper with or disable smoke detectors.
- When leaving an apartment you rented you should leave it in the SAME condition it was when you arrived.
- You should keep a clean apartment and not leave open food around because it attracts bugs and rodents.
- We highly recommend you live within 30 minutes of the campus due weather and traffic concerns. You professors will not considered tardies or absences excused due to where you live.
Helpful Apartment Finding Sites
Tips
Be careful of scams. Do not give your personal information or sign a lease without looking inside of the apartment you intend on renting. It is always helpful to bring a friend with you.
Please look for housing in advance, prior to International Orientation and classes beginning. Attendance is mandatory for both.