From the moment that your plane lands until classes begin, follow these steps to the University of Delaware. For questions once you arrive in the U.S., please contact the Office for International Students & Scholars at (302)831-2115 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. US EST) or oiss@udel.edu .

Entering the US: What to Do at the Airport

Carry (on your person not in your checked baggage!) your passport with the US visa stamp, your I-797 form, copy of your I-129H application, copy of your LCA and employment letter. You should have U.S. currency available for travel expenses and any emergencies that might occur. You will be issued a Form I-94 to process your entry into the US in the appropriate visa status. Please keep the I-94, which will be given to you at the port of entry at the airport, with your passport.

Do not leave the immigration area at the port of entry until your documents are in order as follows:

You should have your Form I-94 stamped 'H-1B' and the expiration date of your H1B status printed on it. Family members should have 'H-4' and the expiration date of your H1B status printed on their own I-94 forms. If you have a question or if there is a problem, it is much easier to take care of it there before you leave the immigration area.

Transportation to the University of Delaware Campus

Once you arrive in Philadelphia, you can take the Delaware Express Shuttle to Newark, Delaware, but a reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance. The reservation can be made on-line at www.delexpress.com or call 1-800-648-5466. The cost is around $45 plus a $7.00 tip. Please mention the University of Delaware discount to benefit of this rate. If making a reservation on-line, use code “129676” to get a discount. We encourage you, if at all possible, to make arrangements to arrive in Philadelphia. Do not take a taxi from New York to Newark, Delaware.

Those arriving in New York City can reach Newark, Delaware by bus. To travel by bus to Newark, Delaware after you arrive at Kennedy International Airport, take the Shuttle Bus to Eastside Terminal in Manhattan (around $15), and you will be transported to the Port Authority for free. Bus service from the Port Authority to Wilmington, Delaware leaves at frequent intervals (around $35). Once in the US, call 1-800-343-9999 for bus schedule information. Be sure to take the bus to Newark, Delaware (150 miles from New York City) rather than to Newark, New Jersey (across the Hudson River from Manhattan). The bus arrives at 2nd & French Street in Wilmington, Delaware across the street from the AMTRAK train station. There is DART bus service at the train station. The DART bus goes to Newark, Delaware several times a day (cost under $3).

Delaware Bus Route Schedules: http://dartfirststate.com/services/bus_services.shtml

Check-in on Campus

At OISS

Soon after arrival in Delaware, you must check-in with our office (413 Academy Street) and bring the following documents with you:

• Passport
• I-94
• Visa
• I-797

at Payroll and Systems Administration (If you are receiving payment from UD)

You must stop by Payroll and Records Management to complete an I-9 and Foreign National Forms. The office is located on the second floor of 413 Academy St. Room 250. You also need to complete the on-boarding process. For more information please visit the On-boarding page: http://www.udel.edu/onboarding/

At your Academic Department

After checking in at OISS, you must check in with your department. Your advisor will serve as an excellent resource at UD and will work with you to ensure that your experience is successful by assisting you with the following: maintaining progress toward program completion, interpreting university policies and referrals to university support services.

Special Accommodations

If you have any special needs for accommodation in terms of physical access, or you have a learning disability, or other circumstance or issue that requires our special attention, please let us know. For further information please contact an OISS staff member or the Office of Disability Support Services at UD: http://www.udel.edu/DSS/

Temporary Housing

The INNternationale House at 153 Courtney Street, Newark, Delaware 19711 is very close to campus and provides both temporary and long-term housing. For more information and online registration you can visit: www.TheInnternationale.orgThe INNternational House is not a subsidiary of the University of Delaware, and its inclusion in this publication does not represent an endorsement by the University.

Permanent Housing

There are several places that list apartments for rent:

• The University of Delaware Office of Housing and Residence Life, 5 Courtney Street, Newark, Delaware 19711 keeps lists of apartments for rent. The list includes private apartments, apartments to share (which usually includes cooking facilities), and rooms for rent in private homes (http://www.udel.edu/has/offcampus/main.html)
• Department offices have bulletin boards which sometimes include advertisements of rooms for rent.
• The University of Delaware (Classifieds) lists apartments and rooms for rent.
• Newspapers, such as The News Journal, list apartments for rent.

WARNING: Do not sign a lease until you arrive and see the room or apartment.

Signing a Housing Agreement

Once you have found a suitable apartment, you’ll be asked to sign a lease, a legal agreement committing you to live in a place for a certain period of time at a certain price per month. You may also be asked to pay a security deposit which is often equal to one month’s rent. Here are a few things to remember:

• Be sure that you understand the terms of the lease before you sign it.
• Most area apartments require a year-long lease.
• You must pay rent for the entire amount of time that you agree to live in the apartment. Most leases state that the tenant may not vacate the apartment until the lease expires. If you vacate the apartment and are unable to find someone to rent your apartment, the law requires that you still have to pay the rent. You may not just vacate one apartment because you find another one that you like better.
• For a copy of the landlord-tenant law is the link below: http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/consumers/protection/brochure/landten.pdf
• Some landlords may ask for a “reference” before allowing you to rent their quarters. You may use Mr. Younes Haboussi, OISS Immigration Services Coordinator, as a reference.
• If there is something you do not understand in the lease, please contact OISS before you sign it.

Setting up Your Apartment

• Good but used furniture may be purchased at reasonable prices at second-hand stores. The University Classifieds website (https://primus.nss.udel.edu/classifieds) is also a good source of second-hand items.
• Electric: It is your responsibility to have the electric connected when renting an apartment. The location of your apartment will determine which electric company provides the service. If the apartment is in the City of Newark, go to the Newark Municipal Building, 220 Elkton Road, Newark, Delaware, where the Utility Billing Office is located on the 1st floor (Phone: 302-366-7085). A minimum $75 deposit is required for electric heat, and a $50 deposit is required for gas or oil heat. If the apartment is located outside the City of Newark, contact Delmarva Power (Phone: 302-454-0313). Delmarva Power does not require a deposit. Check with your rental office to find out which utility will provide your power.
• Telephone: For a land line, contact Bell Atlantic Telephone (1-800-633-4330). You will have to purchase your own phone available at many stores. There are many cell phone companies so it would be helpful to ask friends or colleagues which plans are most advantageous for your calling destination. Most companies require you to sign a 1–2 year contact, especially if you want a free/inexpensive phone, and a US social security number may be required. If you don’t want to sign a contract, you can purchase “pre-paid” phone plans and pay more for the phone. Local phone calls from a public pay phone cost $0.5 cents and accept U.S. coins (quarters, dimes, and nickels). It might be wise for you to get change (get U.S. coins) or buy phone card as soon as possible in the U.S. in the airport in case there are no stores open that can make change for you late at night. You can purchase a domestic calling card at grocery stores, drug stores, etc. There is usually a basic fee for telephone and different long distance calling plans. For emergencies in the U.S. the emergency assistance number is 911. Directory assistance the U.S. can be reached by calling 411. There is a charge for directory assistance.

Enrolling a Child In School

Before you enroll a child in school, you need to know which school your child will be attending. This depends on where you are living in the school district. If you need to know where a child should be enrolled, please visit the Christina School District site .

Note: Child must be five on or before August 31 for entry into Kindergarten.

When you know where to enroll your child, go directly to the school. They will require the following:

1. Proof of Residence - This can be a lease or utility bill that has your name on it. If you are renting from an individual, that person should give you a letter stating that you reside at that address.
2. Immunization Record - This is a record of all the shots your child has received from a doctor to protect against disease.
3. Your child's birth certificate.

Please visit the Christina School District site for the Forms & Information needed for registration.

If your child needs to enroll in an ESL (English as a Second Language) class, you may complete an application at the school office. If an ESL program is not available at your child's school, your child will be transported to a school that offers the program. Questions regarding the ESL, ELL and Bilingual programs should be addressed to Student Services at 302-552-2647.

Shop in Delaware

For Clothing

In addition to the shops locates in Main St. , there are several places to shop in Newark although some are in driving distance: Christiana Mall (10/15 min drive), Concord Mall (20/30 min drive), Tanger Outlet Center (Lancaster, PA; Rehoboth, DE; both within 1hrs/1.5hrs drive).

For Groceries

Many shops, restaurants, and banks are located close to the University of Delaware campus. Ethnic grocery stores are also nearby including Wang's Oriental Food Store, apna Bazaar, and Zahara International Food Market. Newark Natural Food carries organic produce, herbs, grains, and groceries. A Farmer's market where fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased is a 10-minute drive from campus, and there are large grocery stores (Acme, Pathmark, Shop-Rite) in the Newark area.

For Everything Else

You can also shop with greater ease online. The University of Delaware hosts its own classified site at www.udel.edu/ where you can buy furniture, books, services, and more. Additional web sites include: www.amazon.com, www.half.ebay.com, www.newegg.com, www.overstock.com, and www.craiglist.com