Tulsa Community College International Student Pre-Arrival Packet

Tulsa Community College
International Student
Pre-Arrival Packet
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Contents
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Welcome
Pg. 3
ISS Staff
Pg. 3
Tulsa Community College
Pg. 4
Pre-Arrival Information
Visa Stamp and Entering the U.S.
Living Arrangements
Money
Health Information
What to Wear
Pg. 4
Pg. 4
Pg. 5
Pg. 5
Pg. 5
Pg. 6
Post-Arrival Information
Pg. 6
Port of Entry
Getting to Tulsa
Pg. 6
Pg. 6
Checking in with ISS
New International Student Orientation
Pg. 7
Pg. 7
Registering for Courses
Paying Tuition and Fees
Pg. 7
Pg. 7
Getting Settled
Banking
Where to Shop
Where to Eat
Transportation
Utilities
Pg. 8
Pg. 8
Pg. 8
Pg. 8
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International Student Support Coalition
Pg.9
Final Note
Pg. 9
Welcome
The TCC Office of International Student Services, (ISS) which is located at the TCC Northeast
Campus, was created specifically for the Tulsa Community College student on an F-1 student visa.
Currently over 250 international students from over 65 countries are pursuing their academic goals
at Tulsa Community College. The ISS Office provides a variety of support services in the following
areas: admissions, F-1 visa regulations advisement, academic advisement, orientation, seminars and
other activities to assist students in successfully completing the English as Second Language
program or Associate degree. As F-1 visa students have a unique admission and application process
to obtain an I-20 and maintain visa status, we hope this pre-arrival packet will assist you.
ISS Staff
International Student Services
TCC NE Campus, Room 128 Student Center
3727 E. Apache, Tulsa, OK 74115-3151
Phone: (918) 595-7478, Fax: (918) 595-8451
E-mail: [email protected]
Diana Klinghagen
Counselor/ International Student Advisor
Phone: (918) 595-7533, Fax: (918) 595-8451
E-mail: [email protected]
Gary Young-Allen
International Student Advisor
Phone: (918) 595-7509, Fax: (918) 595-8451
E-mail: [email protected]
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Tulsa Community College
Tulsa Community College awards three degrees -- Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and
Associate in Applied Science – all based on the completion of our rigorous academic programs.
You'll find incredible academic quality at a reasonable cost at TCC, and a qualified, dedicated faculty
willing to work within your busy schedule.
At Tulsa Community College, you’ll love your choices.
Pre-Arrival Information
Visa Stamp and Entering the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security charges a $200 fee for students to use the Student and
Exchange Visitor Information System (USCIS). Once you receive your admissions letter and I-20 from
TCC, you will need to process the payment for the SEVIS fee. Please go to:
http://www.fmjfee.com
In order to apply for a valid student visa in your passport, you must have paid the SEVIS fee and
present the correct documents to the U.S. embassy or consulate. Please contact the U.S. embassy
or consulate in your home country when you are ready to apply. You can access most of the U.S.
embassies and consulates online at:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/questions_embassy.html
Once your application is approved, the visa with your picture and personal information will be
placed in your passport to designate you will be attending TCC upon arrival to the U.S.
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Note: Canadian students who enter from Canada are not required to obtain a visa by
interview. Rather, you must use the SEVIS I-20 to enter the U.S. on F-1 status. You must be
given a Form I-94 indicating your F-1 visa status when you enter.

All first-time new students are not allowed to enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the
program start date listed on your I-20. You are required to report to Tulsa Community
College before the start of classes.
Living Arrangements
Tulsa Community College does not provide dormitories; nor does TCC have a shuttle system for
campus-to-campus transportation. The requirement of a local contact ensures our international
students will have no difficulties establishing a place to live, obtaining transportation, and
depositing their money into a bank account.
You may think about researching the option of living in an apartment before you arrive. Some
students have found Apartment Finder to be helpful in their search. You may find information
about the Tulsa area online at:
http://tulsa.apartmentfinder.com/Default.aspx
Money
Based on the experiences of other international students, we suggest the following options for
bringing money to Tulsa:
Cash: Bring cash to cover the cost of taxis, busses, meals and other miscellaneous expenses. You
will want to bring a few hundred dollars cash to help set up your household with items such as: bed
sheets, towels, cooking utensils, radio, TV, etc… Private apartments usually require cash or check
for a deposit and the first month’s rent. The deposit can sometimes be as much as a full month’s
rent.
Traveler’s Checks: We suggest your larger sums of money be carried over in the form of traveler’s
checks. You can safely and easily deposit the checks into an account once you arrive in Tulsa.
Credit Cards: A credit card reduces the amount of money you need to carry with you and it is safe.
The easiest and safest way to pay for tuition and many other expenses is by credit card.
Health Information
While health insurance is not required by TCC, it is VERY important to have health insurance when
you are in the United States. Health care is expensive and a person who does not have health
insurance MUST pay everything out-of-pocket. A simple visit to the emergency room can cost you a
thousand dollars or more. The following is a list of insurance companies offering coverage to
international students:
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The Harbour Group: http://www.hginsurance.com
International Student Organization: http://www.isoa.org
Collegiate Care: http://www.studentinsure.com
What to Wear
The culture in Tulsa is rather casual. You should bring whatever you feel comfortable in, and bring
clothes that you can wear in any weather. There are many stores for you to go shopping once you
arrive. Basically you will need a variety of clothes from a winter coat to light t-shirts.
Fall/Autumn: Tulsa is rather hot and humid until mid-October, but by the end of November, the air
begins to turn very cold. Temperatures range from 32 degrees to 10 degrees Celsius.
Winter: Usually Tulsa experiences one or two snow storms per winter. However, in recent years,
we’ve been hit by strong ice storms. Temperatures range from about 7 to -12 degrees Celsius.
Spring: By late March or early April the days begin to get warmer. Severe weather including hail,
damaging winds, and tornado’s may occur during spring and summer. Temperatures range from
about 4 to 27 degrees Celsius.
Summer: Tulsa is very hot and muggy in the summer. Temperatures can range from 39 to 24
degrees Celsius.
Post-Arrival Information
Port of Entry
When completing your I-94 card on the airplane, it is very important you spell your name exactly
as it appears on your passport photo page. At the airport you will present your I-20 and your
passport. Keep your documents in your possession when you travel. Occasionally the immigration
officer will ask to see financial documents as well. The immigration officer will stamp page 1 of your
I-20 and your I-94 arrival/departure card. The officer will keep the top part of the I-94 card and give
you the bottom part. They will usually staple this small white card to your passport. Be sure to keep
your I-94 card. If you lose it for some reason, a Customs and Border Protection Office is located in
Tulsa at 2222 North Cargo Road (near the airport). Telephone: 918-832-4130. The CBP can assist
you in filing for a new I-94 card.
Getting to Tulsa
Students should fly into the Tulsa International Airport. Most international flights from Europe
arrive in Atlanta, New York, Chicago, or Washington D.C. Flights from Asia generally land in Los
Angeles or San Francisco. Flights from Latin America generally arrive in Houston or Miami. When
you fly into these major cities you may get lucky and have a direct flight to Tulsa. Currently you can
expect some delays at security checkpoints, so it may be a good idea to schedule a 4 hour gap of
time between connecting flights. You will reduce the risk of missing your connecting flight to Tulsa.
Our office is unable to pick up new students at the airport. In the event your local contact is not in
town, please take a taxi to a nearby hotel.
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Checking in with ISS
Our regular office hours are Monday-Thursday from 9am-6pm, and Friday from 9am-5pm. Call the
ISS Office at 595-7478 to schedule an appointment once you arrive. At the appointment we will
need your original I-20, I-94, passport, and anything else our office has requested from you during
previous communication. Once you check in, we will have you take a computer-based placement
test that will aid us in establishing your class schedule.
New International Student Orientation
All new F-1 visa students on a TCC I-20 must attend the International Student Orientation.
Orientation is held during the last Friday prior to the start of the fall semester, or on the Friday of
the first week of the spring semester. Students who begin their studies in the summer must attend
the new student orientation at the start of the fall semester. TCC’s International Student
Orientation requirement includes transfer students from other U.S. institutions.
The International Student Orientation will help you survive the first few busy days of school and
ease your adjustment to TCC. Topics covered will include subjects as immigration laws, work
authorization, cultural adjustment, education in the U.S., etc…
During orientation, we give you the opportunity to get to know other new and current TCC
students. The information and topics covered during orientation are essential and help to ensure a
good transition to life in the U.S. and at TCC.
Registering for Courses
You will not be able to register for your classes until you have arrived in Tulsa and have taken a
placement test. Following the placement test results, our staff will provide suggestions regarding
the courses you should enroll in. However, you are highly encouraged to login to your account and
process the enrollment online on your own.
Paying Tuition and Fees
The Office of the Bursar offers two payment options.
The deadline to pay in full is either the first day of the semester or the start date of the earliest class
enrolled.
The Tuition Option Plan requires a $20 enrollment fee and an additional percentage of tuition as a
down payment. More information is available online at
http://www.tulsacc.edu/page.asp?durki=4213.
You cannot and should not make a payment until after you enroll in your courses.
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Getting Settled
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Banking - With a checking account, you will receive a checkbook and usually an ATM card,
which will allow you to withdraw cash from your account 24-hours a day. Without a Social
Security Number, you will be ineligible to apply for American credit cards. Information on
Social Security Numbers and eligibility is discussed at orientation.
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Where to Shop- Tulsa has two major indoor shopping malls and several outdoor shopping
plazas. Most of the shopping areas are within a 10-minute drive from our TCC campuses.
The Woodland Hills shopping mall is a little crowded, but it has the most stores. Tulsa
Promenade also has movie theaters. Both of the malls have food courts and stores catering
to a variety of tastes and needs. In addition, Utica Square is a mid to high-end retail
shopping area in Tulsa. Seasonal events are hosted here at this outdoor shopping area.
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Where to eat- Each TCC campus has food service available to you. However, the hours of
operation do not always match our student’s schedules. Tulsa is well known for its variety of
restaurants from fast food to gourmet. We have several international cuisines to choose
from such as Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican
to name a few.

Utilities- Depending on your initial living arrangements, you may or may not need to
concern yourself with this issue. However, those of you who will be staying in an apartment
will need to inquire with the leasing office about whether or not you need to pay water, gas,
or electricity bills. Most of these services require an initial deposit.

Transportation- Tulsa Transit does provide bus service to the major shopping areas and the
TCC campuses in Tulsa. For more information please refer to:
http://tulsatransit.org/
The best option for transportation is to buy your own car. Many students buy cars because of the
commuter nature of TCC. Used car prices are reasonable. However, buying a car requires you to
spend additional money on monthly insurance fees, gasoline, and maintenance. Ultimately, be sure
your car is reliable and will enable you to arrive to your classes on time.
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Note: The State of Oklahoma has strict laws regarding the issuance of driver’s licenses. Your
drivers’ license will expire on the same date your program of study expires. Therefore it is
temporary.
International Student Support
Coalition
The ISSC needs your help to work for the success of all TCC International Students within the following
areas:
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Developing scholarship/funding ideas.
Becoming recognized for efforts and achievements college-wide.
Creating a social support network.
The ISSC student group meets at the Southeast Campus every Friday afternoon during the Fall and
Spring Semesters. If you would like more information, have questions, or would like to get involved, you
may contact:
Gary Young-Allen (NE Campus) at 595-7509 or [email protected]
Diana Klinghagen (NE Campus) at 595-7533 or [email protected]
Or current ISSC President (SE Campus) at [email protected]
The International Student Services Office strongly supports the International Student Support Coalition
and recommends international students attend the weekly ISSC meetings. Additional on-campus
opportunities are often announced during ISSC meetings.
Final Note
Please refer to the Tulsa Community College website http://www.tulsacc.edu for more information
about the college and campuses in general. For more information about the Office of International
Student Services, go online at http://www.tulsacc.edu/iss. We answer your questions by email and
highly recommend you call our office to schedule an appointment instead of walking in. We
strongly encourage each student to arrive early. There are many things you need to take care of
before beginning your studies. It also gives you the opportunity to explore the City of Tulsa.
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