REGISTRATION - Very Important

Please note:

1. Students will not be allowed to register for classes until they have attended orientation and obtained clearance from the Office of International Students and Faculty (OIS&F).

2. After initial registration, students will be charged a fee for any course changes made. Self-registration instructions and course selection advice will be made available to you at the orientation. Student may also click here.

INSURANCE - Very Important

The State of New Jersey requires that international college students (carrying 3 or more credits) have medical insurance. You are automatically enrolled and charged a fee, currently $316, covering the period August 21, 2008 to August 20, 2009. This cost for 2008-9 will rise by approximately 5%. If you have a comparable coverage in effect for this period, you may waive the insurance by going on-line at http://www.njit.edu/insurancewaiver.

Please be aware that, in the past, some insurance policies bought overseas were not accepted in the U.S. Also be aware that health costs can be very expensive in the U.S. Therefore, we encourage you to keep the NJIT insurance. The NJIT insurance is inexpensive.

J-1 students must purchase (or be covered by) an insurance plan that meets minimum requirements set by U.S. Department of State. Additional information in this requirement is provided separately to you and mailed with your acceptance materials. It is critical that J-1 students comply with these U.S. Department of State insurance regulations.

Note: NJIT student insurance DOES MEET U.S. Department of State, J-1 regulations.

MEDICAL DOCUMENTS - Very Important

Health and Immunization forms that all students MUST complete and submit to the Health Services Office at NJIT are provided at the web site listed below. New Jersey State law mandates that Health and Immunization forms be submitted before you can register for classes. If you have any questions, please contact Health Services at (973) 596-3621, or send fax to (973) 596-0047. You are advised to have the required forms completed by your physician before you depart your home country, since the cost of a physical exam in the U.S. ranges from $20 to $80, and immunizations are very expensive.

Student Health Services

TESTING DATES

Undergraduate students who have not taken the New Jersey placement test must do so. Please see the orientation program listing for exact dates.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Any student already in the U.S. in F-1 status transferring to NJIT, must complete the transfer process by attending orientation and later collecting an updated I-20 indicating that the transfer is complete. You will receive an email from the OIS&F early in the semester telling you that the "Transfer Completed" I-20 is ready for collection. You must collect this I-20. Click here for a copy of the transfer information form, in case you did not receive one in your admission packet.

EXPENSES

You are responsible for payment of tuition and fees at the time you are billed.

The tuition and fees for January to May 2008 for a required full time course load were approximately $10,263.00 for graduates and $10,447.00 for undergraduates, (the cost of textbooks not included). For those receiving financial support from NJIT, the award will cover tuition only. It is the responsibility of the student to pay the remaining fees. Students will be billed within two weeks of registration for classes. The actual tuition costs for 2008-9 will increase between 5-8% and will be finalized in late July 2008.

The living expenses are estimated to be approximately $1,100 (including rent, food and utilities) per month. This will vary according to individual lifestyles and area of residence. Please plan for more, not less, expenses. Those receiving assistantships from NJIT should find their stipends sufficient to cover the yearly expenses. However, they will still need enough to get started, since the first stipend payment is usually received four weeks after the beginning of the semester. Please plan for this.

Note: If your spouse and/or children are accompanying you, you must be certain that you have adequate financial resources to support them (e.g. an additional $375 per month for a spouse and $209 per month per child, plus funds to purchase insurance coverage). Please note: NJIT does not act as a bank. It does not accept large deposits from which a student can withdraw for living expenses.

Please make arrangements for additional funds for living expenses and tuition and fees, as you need them.

You can pay the tuition and fees by bank draft, traveler’s checks, credit cards (Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card ONLY), cash or money order. Payment is necessary only after registering for your classes.

We will accept wire transfers only on an individual “special case” basis. Anyone wishing to utilize wire transfer should contact Ms. Fran Begg (frances.m.begg@njit.edu) for information.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Please refer to the following web sites for further information:

Newark Liberty International Airport
http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/airports/html/newarkliberty.html

John F. Kennedy International Airport
http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/airports/html/kennedy.html

REACHING NJIT

Via Taxi: From Newark International Airport to NJIT: Obtain taxi service from the designated taxi dispatch area. Do not accept a ride from any other sections of the airport. It is very important that you ask the driver approximately how much the trip will cost before you get into the taxi.(CAUTION: sometimes drivers take advantage of unsuspecting people.) You can expect a trip to NJIT to cost approximately $20. Tell the driver you want to be taken to 154 Summit Street in Newark (NJIT's Office of Public Safety).

Via Bus: Take the #62 Bus ($1.10, exact change required) from the arrival area of Terminal A of Newark International Airport to Newark Penn Station. Transfer to the Newark Subway and travel three stops to Warren Street. Exit left from the station to Lock Street. You are at NJIT with the athletic field in front of you.

Via Bus From J. F. Kennedy Airport, New York: A connecting public bus service is available from J. F. Kennedy International Airport to New York Port Authority Terminal ($11) and from New York Port Authority Terminal to Newark Penn Station ($3.95). There are too many bus transfers and we do not recommend it. If you must arrive at JFK International Airport, we advise that you take the Princeton Airporter Service from the ground transportation level of any terminal at JFK to Newark Airport and follow the above directions to NJIT. The Princeton Service runs every day at 9am, 11am, 1pm and then every hour to 10pm at a cost of $23 per person.

Via AirTrain JFK: Take AirTrain JFK to Long Term Parking/Howard Beach Station. Connect to New York City Subway A train to NY Penn Station/34th Street. Connect to NJ Transit train to Newark Penn Station. Board the Number 7 subway at Penn Station, Newark, ride 3 stops and de-train at Warren Street. You are at NJIT.

Driving: For directions contact the Office of International Students and Faculty or look it up here.

Airport Pick-up: You can be picked up from Newark Liberty International Airport. Pick-up begins on Friday, August 1, 2008 and ends on Sunday, August 24, 2008. You may email your request to international.students@njit.edu.

Note: Classes begin on Tuesday, September 2, 2008.

When requesting pick-up, please provide your full name, student ID#, gender, major, country of origin, date and time of arrival, and airline and flight number. You will need to arrive at Newark Liberty International Airport which is 6 miles from the NJIT campus. If you know in advance that your flight will be delayed, please let us know by email international.students@njit.edu or, call 973-596-2451. If you have arranged pick-up by NJIT, but find out that you do not require it, we request the courtesy of being contacted.

Please note that this is a service staffed by student volunteers. We will expect that if you ask to be picked up at Newark Liberty International Airport, you will be there. The flight may, of course, be delayed, but you will be picked up. If you want to cancel a pick up request, 24-hour notice is required. Failure to provide this notice may result in a $25 fee.

TEMPORARY HOUSING

NJIT can arrange temporary housing off-campus for new international students. One location is the Robert Treat Hotel, 50 Park Place, Newark. Be prepared to share a room with another international student at an approximate cost of $49.50 per night each person. If there are only single rooms available, you will be charged approximately $99.00 per night (rate will vary dependent upon room availability).

You must contact Lynn Riker in the Residence Life Office at (973) 596-3039 or at reslife@njit.edu to make a reservation.

The student rate applies only to the student. It does not apply to any accompanying family members or friends. Personal expenditure at the hotel, for example telephone calls or meals, are the responsibility of the student.

Students will be required to show their I-20 or DS-2019, passport, and NJIT’s letter of acceptance to the Robert Treat desk attendant at the time of check-in.

Other Options for Temporary Housing:

Residence Life provides temporary accommodations for students between August 1-August 23.  The cost is $41 per night for a shared room (two people) and bathroom (four people).  You must contact Sandy Worley at 973.596.3039 or e-mail reslife@njit.edu for reservations. 

In Newark:
YMCA
600 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Tel: (973) 624-8900
Fax: (973) 624-3024
Email: rentalagent@newarkymca.org

FINDING OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

Off-campus housing is available in a number of towns in close proximity to NJIT. Monthly rents typically begin at $350 and increase depending on the specific living conditions. Most rental space will require one month's rent and one month's deposit before moving in. Have a sufficient amount of money available when you begin your apartment search. It is recommended that you arrive as early as possible (see the section on temporary housing) to allow yourself time to search for suitable accommodations.

The Residence Life Office provides an "Off-Campus Housing" newsletter and a list of available rentals in the area (updated weekly). You can view the newsletter and the list of available rentals by logging onto www.njit.edu/reslife/services.php and click Off-Campus Housing. In addition, Residence Life staff will be available to assist you in finding housing upon your arrival. You can email the Residence Life Office at reslife@njit.edu with any questions.

www.metrointl.org/programs/housingbooklet
www.rent.net
www.apartments.com
www.studenthousing.org
www.gardenstateapartments.com

ON-CAMPUS HOUSING

On-campus housing is available to graduate students. Graduate students can choose to live in Cypress, Laurel or Oak Halls. Most graduate students prefer Laurel or Oak Hall. Oak Hall has two-person rooms and four-person apartments. Each room and apartment has a kitchenette. The two-person rooms share a bathroom with the adjacent room. Cypress and Laurel Halls have a “suite” style room -- two double rooms share a bathroom. Cypress and Laurel Halls have a common area kitchen (including microwaves) on the first floor. All the residence halls are air-conditioned, have 24-hour security and are furnished.

Meal plans are available, but are not required of graduate students. For room rates and meal plan rates, please visit: http://www.njit.edu/reslife/.

To apply for housing, please go to the Residence Life web page and click on the housing application and contract. You will need to enter your NJIT UCID and password. If you have not created your NJIT UCID yet, please do so by visiting http://newaccount.njit.edu/ and select create it. If you would like to be mailed an application, please contact Residence Life via email and they will send you one, reslife@njit.edu. When reviewing the Housing Application and Contract, make sure to carefully read the "Terms and Conditions of Contract." If you move into your room and decide you no longer wish to live on campus, you are responsible for paying the balance of the contract. Cancellation of the contract prior to moving in will result in a cancellation fee of up to $750.

If you have additional questions about the residence halls and living on campus, please review the web page http://www.njit.edu/reslife/, or contact the Residence Life Office at (973) 596-3039, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. You can also email the office at reslife@njit.edu.

MONEY

It is not advisable to carry too much cash when traveling. Fifty dollars in cash and the rest in traveler's checks and bank drafts should be sufficient for the first two days. After opening a bank account and depositing your drafts or checks, it takes about three weeks for your deposits to clear and for your money to be available to you. Therefore, for the first month at NJIT, we recommend that you bring $1000, in an easily exchangeable form (such as traveler's checks), for living expenses. Do not be short of money upon arrival in the United States. If you are short of money, your energy will be focused on that issue, not on finding accommodation, meeting students, faculty and staff, and preparing to commence classes.

BANKING

Banks will be on campus at orientation on August 25, 26, and 27, 2008 to provide information and to open accounts.

Since it is neither necessary nor practical to carry large amounts of cash with you, arrangements have been made with a bank representative to be on-campus to assist you in opening a bank account. Personal checks are acceptable almost everywhere in the area with appropriate identification (passport, student ID). Checks should always be used to pay bills; never send cash through the mail. Cancelled checks are returned to you from the bank either automatically or upon request and provide a record of your payments. Keep them in a safe place in case you have to prove you have paid a bill.

Different banks have their own policies on service charges and minimum balance requirements for checking accounts and interest yields on savings. Be sure to ask for complete information about the various plans.

An automatic teller machine (ATM) is located at the entrance to Public Safety (Parking Deck-NJIT) and the first floor of the Campus Center for the convenience of cash withdrawals.

LOCAL PLACES TO EAT

The NJIT Cafeteria, serving breakfast, lunch and snacks, and dinner is located in the Campus Center. During the semester, it is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and special times on Saturday and Sunday. There are cafes and restaurants within walking distance of NJIT.

U.S. CLIMATE

Newark is located six miles from New York City and has hot often-humid summers (June to September). Winter months (December to March) can be very cold and snowy. The temperature can be as high as 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.

CLOTHING

Casual clothing, jeans and shirts are recommended since they are comfortable, durable and appropriate. Clothing is expensive in the U.S., but with careful shopping you can find reasonably priced clothing. If possible, bring your own clothing from home. Dress warmly in winter; you will need a winter coat, hat, gloves and boots.

Bring a bathing suit; you may want to swim in a pool or at the beach. The weather will be warm in May, June, July, August and September.

SHOPPING

Northern New Jersey has many reasonably priced stores that sell clothing, toiletries, household goods and specialty items. Major shopping centers are located in areas surrounding Newark.

MAKING CONTACTS

Entering a new environment can be a nervous and yet an exciting experience. Oftentimes, it helps to know people from your own country with whom you may share a common experience. For more information please see Clubs and Organizations at NJIT.

HOW TO MAKE A TELEPHONE CALL USING THE PUBLIC TELEPHONE

Pick up the receiver, wait for the dial tone, then deposit 50 cents (two quarters) and dial the number. If you are calling within the same area code (NJIT is in the 973 area code), dial 973 and the number. If you are calling outside the local area code (other New Jersey area codes are 908, 732, 856 & 609) (New York area codes are 212 & 718) dial 1, the area code, and the seven-digit number. Whenever you are calling a number in another area code, the cost will be more than 50 cents - usually one or two dollars for the first few minutes. Therefore, make sure you have enough change in coins because you cannot use dollar bills.

HELPFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

A Social Security Number is given only to students who have an on-campus job. Everyone who will be receiving payment from NJIT (a graduate assistant or hourly employee) must obtain a Social Security Number. If employed on campus, you will be given a letter, addressed to the U.S. Social Security Administration, for presentation at the Newark office of the U.S. Social Security Administration when you apply for the Social Security Number.

DRIVER'S LICENSE

After your arrival to NJIT, you might wish to obtain a New Jersey driver's license. You will need a valid NJ driver's license in order to purchase your car insurance and to get a car registered and inspected. In order to obtain the license, you must first take a written test, and if you do not possess a currently valid driver's license from another state or country, you will need to take a road test as well. You will need to show your original, stamped I-20, passport, visa and small, white I-94 Form (stapled into the passport by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection official upon admission into the U.S.).

To review the New Jersey Driver License Manual, visit this site: New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.