Your First Week at IUP

Mandatory fall 2024 International Student Orientation will be held on-campus August 21 at 8:30 a.m. in 126 Jane Leonard Hall. Mandatory spring 2025 International Student Orientation will be held January 15 at 8:30 a.m. in the Elkin Hall Great Room. Students will receive additional information about orientation by email.

Important information about US Immigration requirements related to student employment, full-time coursework, how to obtain an SSN and driver's license, and IUP resources will be shared with students. The IUP Orientation Office will assist undergraduate students with advising and registering for classes. Graduate students should work with graduate coordinators for advising and registration of classes.

Please note that all ALI and all undergraduate students (freshman and transfer, as well as exchange students who are interested in taking English or math courses) must take English and math tests to assist academic advisors with course registration and accurate course placement. Placement testing will be completed online. Details will be emailed to students one month prior to Orientation.

If you have questions, please contact 724-357-2295 or email intl-education@iup.edu. Please note: if you are arriving for spring, the office will be closed for winter vacation from December 23 to January 2.

Monday, August 19, 2024 / Monday, January 13, 2025

Transportation from Pittsburgh International Airport to IUP
On-Campus Housing Move-In

Tuesday, August 20, 2024 / Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Welcome to Campus. Join current IUP international students to hang out, learn more about IUP, and ask questions you might have.

Wednesday, August 21–Friday, August 23, 2024 /
Wednesday, January 15–Friday, January 17, 2025

International Student Orientation Program begins at 8:30 a.m. in 127 Jane Leonard Hall (fall) / Elkin Hall Great Room (spring). We will review immigration requirements, IUP academic policies and resources, and US culture. Students will also receive a tour of Indiana in person. Additional meetings are scheduled to discuss Undergraduate Academic Success and Schedule Changes and Graduate Student Academic Success.

During this week, students must complete an online immigration check-in through the IUP International Student Portal.

1. Go to the IUP Academic Catalogs for undergraduate and graduate students.
2. Click on the college of your major (example: College of Business).
   • Look for the required classes for your major. Make a list of classes you might want to take during your first semester.
   • Undergraduates take four to five classes, with at least three face-to-face classes. Graduates take three to four classes, with at least two face-to-face classes.

• In the MyIUP portal:
  • Log in to MyIUP. Go to Discover and search for "classes."
  • On the Course Registration and Holds card, click on University-wide Schedule of Classes.
  • Choose the appropriate semester.
  • You will see an alphabet across the top of the screen. Click on the letter of the academic department the class is in. Example: If you need to see if Accounting 101 is offered, go to the A, then Accounting, and you will see which classes and times are offered for the semester.

You will receive an email at your IUP email address when your bill is available for review. You must view your bill by logging in to MyIUP. Go to Discover, search for "Easypay," and select the Tuition, Aid, and Finances card.

Bills are issued electronically on the 28th day of each month, with payment due on the 20th day of the following month. You can expect the fall (August) semester bill online in July, and the spring (January) semester bills will be available in November.

When you have a sponsor who is paying all or part of your semester fees, you can have your sponsor billed directly by our office. You must bring or mail your statement on or before the billing due date and include an authorization letter from the sponsor detailing the sponsorship and authorizing IUP to bill for your fees. You will be responsible for making payment for any remaining balance by the billing due date.

If you are attending IUP as an exchange student, you will still receive a bill. However, this will require you to pay only the amount that is not covered by your exchange agreement. The OIE can help if you have questions about which expenses are covered by your exchange.

Since you will be expected to pay IUP tuition, fees, mandatory health insurance, orientation fee, and, if applicable, room and board during orientation, please make sure that you have made appropriate banking arrangements. A representative from a local on-campus bank, PNC, will attend orientation and assist all students interested in opening a PNC bank account. Other banks also have student accounts and are within walking distance of IUP.

Acceptable forms of payment are as follows:

• Bank cashier's check or traveler's check negotiable in US dollars, drawn on a US bank, and payable to Indiana University of Pennsylvania
• Cash
• Check drawn on a US bank
• International postal money order
• Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, 2.75 percent convenience fee
• Flywire: to get started, go to the IUP Flywire website to create a peerTransfer login, fill out your payment details, and find out more information about it. IUP has partnered with peerTransfer to save you money on your international student payments. You could also visit the Student Billing website for more information on bill payment methods. ALI students looking for more information regarding tuition and fees can visit the American Language Institute Cost page.

Please note: IUP will not accept foreign currency or checks drawn on a foreign bank account.

Banks in Indiana

• PNC, Hadley Union Building, 319 Pratt Drive, Indiana, PA 15705 (This is the only on-campus bank.)
• Peoples Bank, 501 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701, 724-349-6990
• PNC, Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701, 724-465-5561
• S&T Bank, 800 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701, 724-349-1800
• Indiana First Savings Bank, 935 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701, 724-349-2810
• First Commonwealth, 600 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701, 724-463-8555

It takes banks several weeks to process checks that are drawn on a foreign bank. Traveler's checks, bank cashier's checks, or international postal money orders, all made payable in US dollars by a US bank or financial agency, can be processed by banks without delay. Your local home bank can advise you of these matters, and we suggest that you discuss them with your bank before leaving home.

The PTW is a financial award for international students seeking a degree at IUP. Students who are awarded PTW will have the funds automatically applied to their tuition bill. If you are not a sponsored or exchange student and do not have a GA or TA position, you may be eligible for a Partial Tuition Waiver. PTW recipients are chosen based on financial need.

International students awarded a PTW receive the following amount of money each academic semester (fall and spring only), provided they maintain good academic and immigration status and complete the required service hours. The PTW award will be automatically applied toward a student's fall and/or spring semester tuition bill after the drop/add period.

PTW Amounts are as Follows

• Undergraduates: receive $210/credit up to 12 credits and are required to complete 40 hours of community service for nine- to 12-credit waiver; 20 hours for a six-credit waiver or less.

• Post-Bacc Students: receive $125/credit up to 12 credits and are required to complete 20 hours of community service for nine- to 12-credit waiver; 10 hours for six-credit waiver or less.

• Graduate Students: receive $140/credit up to nine credits and are required to complete 20 hours of community service for six- to nine-credit waiver; 10 hours for three credits or less.

• Graduate Students who have a 10-hour GA: receive $70/credit up to nine credits and are required to complete 10 hours of community service for six- to nine-credit waiver.

Exclusions

• PTW money cannot be applied toward summer or winter distance education courses, or to thesis or dissertation credits.
• PTW money cannot be awarded to those who have a 20-hour or more GA.

Completing the PTW Contract

PTW students must complete a Qualtrics survey every funded semester which will function as their PTW contract. A link to this survey will be provided by email to PTW students. If you do not complete the survey, your PTW will be revoked.

Volunteer Service

PTW students must complete unpaid, volunteer service each semester PTW is awarded. If you do not complete the mandatory volunteer hours, your PTW will be revoked.

To maintain a PTW, students must complete mandatory service hours.

• Undergraduates: 40 hours/semester for nine- to 12-credit waiver or 20 hours/semester for six-credit waiver

• Graduates: 20 hours/semester for six- to nine-credit waiver and 10 hours for three credits.

• All PTW recipients, regardless of full-time status, must participate in major OIE events: International Education Week (fall), International Unity Day (spring), and the OIE Food Drive. PTW students can earn up to 10 service hours for participating in these events. Details of these events and the participation requirements will be provided by the Office of International Education via the OIE weekly email and PTW emails.

• Volunteer hours must be completed in conjunction with organized activities from IUP clubs, IUP offices, Indiana community organizations, or local businesses. Casual volunteering (e.g., walking the neighbor's dog, tutoring a friend, or helping at a club meeting) is not acceptable. The Office of International Education has final authority to determine the acceptability of volunteer hours.

If you have questions about the acceptability of hours from a volunteer activity, please email intl-education@iup.edu to receive approval.

PTW students are responsible for submitting proof of volunteer hours to the OIE by the deadlines listed each semester. Hours must be officially submitted to the OIE by completing the Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet. Another acceptable form of reporting service hours is through a report by supervisors or faculty via direct email or a letter to the Office of International Education. Please note that, if submitting a PTW Hour Confirmation Sheet with more than 10 hours for a volunteer service, you are required to provide a specific list of the days and times of the volunteer service to substantiate the hours.

To guarantee that students will continue to receive the PTW, service hours must be reported by the following deadlines:

• Fall Hours Due: Last day of fall semester classes
• Spring Hours Due: Last day of spring semester classes

Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet

Partial Tuition Waiver Appeal Form

Additional information about financial assistance can be found in the links below.

Graduate Assistantships and Scholarships

Undergraduate Tuition and Fees and Graduate Tuition and Fees

eduPass: Guide to studying in the USA

IIE for Funding Sources in United States

Loans for Latin American and Caribbean Students

International Student Loans

All PTW students are required to participate the following OIE events: International Education Week (fall), and International Unity Day (spring). These volunteer hours are on campus and are guaranteed.

Below are other OIE-sanctioned volunteer opportunities. These are not guaranteed, may be off-campus, and may require interviews and/or obtaining clearances. The OIE can offer advice on how to obtain clearances.

Four Footed Friends

This will be a weekly event, every Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Office of International Education will transport you to Four Footed Friends, where you will be responsible for walking dogs, playing with the cats, and cleaning the litter boxes and the pens the dogs stay in. If you attend each week, this will cover an undergraduate's 40-hour requirement.

Indiana Regional Medical Center

Volunteers provide a variety of services, such as greeting patients, sorting incoming hospital mail, and escorting patients to the appropriate areas. To be considered as a volunteer, please complete the online volunteer application or call the Volunteer Office for a paper application at 724-357-7138. Clearances are needed. See IRMC Volunteer Opportunities.

IUP Libraries

The IUP Libraries have many opportunities for volunteering. Contact Linda Cramer, lcramer@iup.edu, for opportunities that are available.

ICCAP

ICCAP provides programs aimed at helping low-income families and individuals attain self-sufficiency. The programs provide new ways to solve household problems, manage emergencies, learn new living skills, and foster community involvement. They also examine and promote methods by which organizations and institutions can deal with the problems of rural and disadvantaged people.

ACE Tutoring or SkillZone

American Culture and English (ACE) tutoring is a unique opportunity for ALI students to benefit from individualized instruction with highly qualified peer tutors. SkillZone tutors will help international students develop essential academic skills, such as study strategies, managing classroom expectations, technology, and academic integrity. You must interview for these volunteer opportunities.

YMCA of Indiana County

Visit the YMCA website to download the application, or contact George Nace by email at Georgenace@icymca.org or by calling 724-463-9622 for more information on how to get involved in the YMCA of Indiana County Programs.

• Welcome Center
  Help to check in members and perform some light office work.
• Youth Programs
  Volunteer to help in childwatch, and help run activities during our monthly special events or fun days. Clearances will be needed.

For more volunteer opportunities, visit the Office of Service Learning in Elkin Hall, room 128, or visit their website.

PTW students are responsible for submitting proof of volunteer hours to the OIE by the deadlines listed each semester. Hours must be officially submitted to the OIE by completing the Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet. Another acceptable form of reporting service hours is through a report by supervisors or faculty via direct email or a letter to the Office of International Education. Please note that, if submitting a PTW Hour Confirmation Sheet with more than 10 hours for a volunteer service, you are required to provide a specific list of the days and times of the volunteer service to substantiate the hours.

To guarantee that students will continue to receive the PTW, service hours must be reported by the following deadlines:

• Fall Hours Due: Last day of fall semester classes
• Spring Hours Due: Last day of spring semester classes

The Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet is available below for download.

If you are an undergraduate student, you can appeal a PTW denial after two semesters. If you are a graduate student, you can appeal a PTW denial after one semester.