International Student Orientation (ISSO Orientation) – MANDATORY

http://www.utdallas.edu/isso/orientation/

International Student Orientation provides valuable information to ease your transition to UT

Dallas. During Orientation you can discover campus resources, fulfill your International Student

Orientation requirement, and answer all your questions about registering for classes.

This orientation is mandatory to attend. There is a hold against

every student’s name, which gets removed only after you attend

the ISSO orientation & only after which you will be allowed to

select your courses for the semester.

Fall 2013 Orientation

Friday, August 2

Tuesday, August 6

Friday, August 9

Tuesday, August 13

Friday, August 16

Tuesday, August 20

Friday, August 23

International students starting UT Dallas in fall 2013 an register by filling out the online form. .

https://orgsync.com/30274/forms/65963

Couple of things to be done before Orientation:

http://www.utdallas.edu/isso/orientation-before/

At this point, you have followed the steps to prepare for your trip and come to UT Dallas.

Here is a checklist of important assignments you must complete as you prepare to register for

classes.

Register for International Student Orientation (mandatory for F-1 and J-1 students).

Access Galaxy (mandatory) - Log into the Galaxy online portal to access Zmail and student

self-service tools.

o All official communication will be sent to your Zmail account.

o Galaxy (ex: Student Center, Academic Records, etc.) will tell you what is needed to remove

your holds, and which department to contact. Take care of the proper documentation required

for the holds to expedite your registration process.

Meningitis Vaccination Form (mandatory) - All students must take the meningitis vaccine and

submit the results to the Registrar’s Office per the instructions on their website.

Research Financial Support Opportunities (optional) - Visit the Financial Resources page to

learn financial opportunities that may be available.

Prepare for life at UT Dallas:

o Arrange Housing - See the following for more information:

Housing

Living in Dallas

o Money - Determine the cost of tuition and fees, along with living expenses, and start-up

deposits, and make arrangements to transfer money to cover cost. In the past, international

students have spent approximately $11,000 (U.S. dollars) in their first month at UT Dallas for

tuition and fees, living expenses and start-up deposits. Do not bring this amount in cash. We

have found that international students typically bring $200-$400 in cash when they arrive.

o Medical and Dental Care - It is recommended that you schedule medical and dental

appointments before you depart your home country. You may also want to bring any

prescription or any non-prescription medications (with copies of your prescriptions translated

into English) with you.

Assignments to Complete After Arriving in the U.S.

Tuberculosis (TB) Documentation Form (mandatory): Effective for fall 2013 new students, all

persons born outside the United States will be required to have a Tuberculosis screening (IGRA

blood test, includes QuanitFERON and T-Spot) prior to registering for UTD classes. This must

be administered and interpreted in the United States. See the Student Health Center

website for details.

Submit stamped immigration documents (mandatory) - All F-1 and J-1 visa holders must

submit copies of their stamped immigration documents to the International Student Services

Office (ISSO) prior to registering for classes and attending orientation. If you are unable to visit

the ISSO prior to your Orientation, bring copies of your documents to Orientation.

o Stamped I-20 (page 1 and 3)

o Visa

o Front of the I-94

Note: Copy machines are available in the McDermott Library and Visitor Center/Copy

Center. The ISSO will not be able to make copies for you.

Attend the International Student Orientation

Access Galaxy (mandatory) - Log into the Galaxy online portal to access student self-service

tools. Galaxy will also tell you the appropriate department you must visit to clear your

registration holds.

o Submit Academic Documents (transcripts, test scores, etc)

o Submit Meningitis Vaccination Form, if not previously handled.

o Submit Tuberculosis (TB) Documentation Form, if not previously handled.

Make a decision about your options for Student Health Insurance.

Couple of things to be done after Orientation:

http://www.utdallas.edu/isso/orientation-after/

At this point, you have completed the assignments before orientation and attendedInternational

Student Orientation. These are things you will need to do to before the semester starts.

Assignments To Complete After Attending International Student Orientation

Register for classes - Meet with an academic advisor, and attend any academic orientation if

required.

Pay tuition and fees - UT Dallas Bursar’s Office offers information about the cost of tuition and

fees and acceptable payment methods.

Fees international students will have on their accounts:

o The International Student Special Services Fee is a $100 per semester mandatory fee for non-

immigrant students used for the ongoing support of all non-immigrant students enrolled at UT

Dallas.

o The Student Health Insurance Fee is a per semester fee to ensure international students meet

the UT System requirement to have health insurance coverage while enrolled at UT Dallas.

Students with alternative insurance that meets or exceeds UT System requirements

may request a waiver of the insurance fee during designated periods.

Update your local address - Login to Galaxy and update your local address.

Comet Card (student ID) - Take a fee payment receipt to the Comet Center to apply for your

Comet Card after registering for classes.

Apply for Transit Pass - Once registered for classes, you are eligible to apply for a free Dallas

Area Transit Authority (DART) Bus Pass.

Get Involved - Start with attending Orientation Extras, and other campus activities.