Your Vassar email address and password, along with required matriculation forms, will be sent to you in mid-May by the Office of Admissions. You will need these login credentials to fill out your housing and V-card applications as well as various other forms.

Yes! Vassar’s Office of International Services (OIS) provides year-round assistance to all international students and scholars, including help with the visa/immigration process, workshops on summer and post-completion employment, and programming designed to help students adjust to life in the United States. OIS also schedules all sorts of fun events throughout the year to get international students involved in the community and to encourage international students from all years to communicate and share their experiences. We will do our best to make you feel at home at Vassar, and we promote cultural events and support the practice of international traditions.

Beyond the staff of the office, several wonderful student interns – who are international students themselves – are available (now and during the academic year) to answer any questions you may have.

Andrew Meade, Director of International Services: anmeade@vassar.edu
Yousra Khan, OIS Office Specialist: yokhan@vassar.edu
The OIS staff and interns: internationalservices@vassar.edu

Vassar College Box 594
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
Phone: 1 (845) 437-5831

Yes! There are two ways.

1. You can join the VISA (Vassar International Students Association) Facebook group. During the summer, VISA will send a Facebook group invitation to the email on file with the Office of Admission, so please make sure you check it!
2. Email the Office of International Services any time, and we will connect you with a current international student.

Also, it is highly advisable to start checking your Vassar email before you come to campus, since a lot of important information is emailed to this address. (You will receive login instructions early in the summer.) The individual student groups will also be contacting new incoming students from their respective regions.

Yes! We know you’ve got a lot to keep track of. Download and print out this departure checklist so that you don’t forget anything!

Your room will come equipped with basic furniture: bed frame and mattress, desk and chair, and a chest of drawers. You will need to outfit your room with your own personal items. The Residential Life Office maintains a helpful list of what to bring. At a minimum, plan on packing or purchasing upon arrival the following essentials (there will be an opportunity to purchase these and other items during international orientation, but not on the day you arrive):

• Sheets, blanket, and pillow.
• Clothes for both warm and cold temperatures. Vassar students typically dress casually.
• Cosmetics and personal care items: most of the things you need can be purchased in the U.S., but be sure to have everything you’ll need for the first few days.
• Electric appliances (hair dryers, electric razors, desk lamps, stereo, etc.) may need an adapter to work in the U.S. (The electrical current in the U.S. is 110-115 volts, 60 cycles AC. Many small electrical appliances will operate on the lower voltage, so all you may need is an adapter to connect it to U.S. outlets.) However, it may be more practical to buy them in the U.S., as the adapters may be expensive and you may have limited space in your luggage.
• Books and Music – if English is not your first language, consider bringing some books in your native language. It will be difficult to find them here, and you’ll miss the language. Also, music from home is a necessity.
• Photos and items to remind you of home will help make your room a comfortable personal space.

During the summer you will receive your Vassar College post office box number. If you plan to ship any of your personal belongings to Vassar in the weeks prior to your arrival, use the following address:

Your Name
Vassar College Box Number ___
124 Raymond Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604

If the parcel is sent via the regular mail service, it will be held at the campus Mail Room in the College Center. We suggest you write “HOLD” on the parcel. If you use a courier service (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.), your package will be held at the Receiving department for you to pick up on arrival.

Once we have received your signed Candidate’s Reply Card, enrollment deposit, and I-20 Request Form, Vassar will forward your I-20 Form and i901 receipt. We will be sending you these materials electronically through email this summer. We are committed to sending your I-20 by the end of May, provided we have received your I-20 Request Form and any supporting documentation. If you are a matriculating student and have not received access to our online I-20 Request portal, please contact Andrew Meade ASAP at anmeade@vassar.edu.

In addition to your I-20 Form, you will need to pay a $350 SEVIS fee. This fee is required by the US with all new visa applications. Vassar will pay this fee up front as a convenience so that we may supply you with the payment voucher at the same time as your I-20. You will need both your I-20 and this voucher to apply for a visa. The SEVIS fee will be added to your Tuition Bill. If you are receiving need-based financial aid, Vassar will cover this fee.

To enter the U.S. as a non-immigrant student, students applying for an F-1 student visa must have the “Certificate of Eligibility,” or Form I-20. Once you receive the form, you will take the I-20, the SEVIS fee voucher, your passport and supporting documentation to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to request the F-1 visa. You should schedule a visa interview as soon as you receive your documents from us. If U.S. visa centers have not yet reopened, the first available date may be many months from now. Be sure to check the consulate/embassy website daily, so that as soon as they do open you can get the earliest available interview. Note: Canadian students are not required to schedule a visa interview.

To enter the U.S. as a non-immigrant student, students applying for a J-1 student visa must have the “Certificate of Eligibility” for J-1 students, Form DS2019. In addition to your DS-2019 Form, you will need to pay a $220 SEVIS fee. This fee is required by the US with all new visa applications. Vassar will pay this fee up front as a convenience so that we may supply you with the payment voucher at the same time as your DS-2019. You will need both your DS-2019 and this voucher to apply for a visa. The SEVIS fee will be added to your Tuition Bill.

You will take the DS2019, the SEVIS fee voucher, your passport and supporting documentation to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to request the J-1 visa. Students will usually receive their DS2019s and fee vouchers from Vassar by early June, so you will not want to schedule a visa interview at the embassy prior to that time.

Please take care as you approach the process of applying for an F-1 or J-1 visa to attend Vassar. Make the earliest possible visa appointment, as wait times are greater than ever. Please also prepare for your visa interview! Two helpful resources to help you do so are:

1. Please be sure to consult the Education USA website for more advice on the visa application and the interview process. Search their website for the nearest advising center to you, where you can join info sessions and make appointments with an advisor about the visa process. Follow their step-by-step guide to the visa process.
2. 10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa. This is a useful list of ways to be prepared for and to approach the visa interview.
   • #4, for example, talks about knowing your program and how it fits into your career plans. There is a good chance you will be asked questions like these, and so you are going to want to be able to answer three basic questions: why education in the US, why liberal arts, and why Vassar. You will want to be able to relate these answers to your career plans in your home country.

As of January 30, 2003, Vassar and all other U.S. colleges and universities were required to enter all F-1 and J-1 students into the SEVIS database. SEVIS, or Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, is an internet-based system that requires schools and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to exchange data on the immigration and academic status of international students and their dependents. Every F and J visa holder has information entered into SEVIS to track their arrival, enrollment and departure. Information pertaining to F-1 or J-1 students or dependents is available to U.S. embassies and consulates as well as to the USCIS. Upon your arrival to Vassar, you will receive more information regarding SEVIS and the procedures you will need to follow.

Your status as a citizen or non-citizen determines which forms you will have to fill out on the plane. If you are coming into the country as an American citizen, permanent resident or green card holder, you may not be required to complete any forms.

If you are a non-citizen, you may be asked to complete a form on the plane. You will be able to access this form after leaving the airport. Some or all of this process may now be automated at the airport.

You will need to know your Vassar address to complete these immigration forms.

It is very important that you have ALL the required documents when going through Immigration, especially the ones that certify you are an international student (I-20 or DS2019, and your SEVIS receipt). Please remember not to pack these forms in your luggage, but rather to take them with you to your seat on the plane.

Upon arrival, you will have a short interview with a customs officer, who will check your documents, take your fingerprints and a photo of you, and ask you several questions regarding your reason for coming to the U.S., Vassar and maybe even the major you will be studying. Do not be afraid to say you have not yet decided your field of study. This is the normal and standard procedure, so do not be concerned or worried about the depth of the questions you will be asked.

We strongly encourage all international and overseas students to attend International Student Orientation, as we believe it will greatly facilitate your initial adjustment to Vassar and provide an opportunity to build long-lasting relationships. We will address a range of issues, and this will be an excellent opportunity for you to get to know the other new students who are coming here from other countries. We will share details of international orientation later this summer.

International Orientation begins on Friday, August 23 and ends on Monday, August 26, 2024.

International arrival date is Thursday, August 22, 2024. All international students should plan to arrive on this day. You will be able to move into your own room in your residence hall on this date.

First, we recommend either sending these items to Vassar over the summer, or purchasing them and having them delivered to Vassar ahead of time. We also plan to create space during international orientation for you to purchase necessary items. Local buses run daily during the academic year to locations such as the local mall.

Members of the Vassar faculty and staff and members of the local community volunteer to be “hosts” for new internationals. The program opens with a special reception a few days into the term, to which hosts and students are invited. The program is very informal and unstructured from that point on. It is not a homestay program, though it is not uncommon to be invited for a home-cooked meal with the family of the host. More information about this program, including the opportunity to sign up, will be forthcoming this summer.

Yes, all students can apply for summer/intersession housing and stay on campus for the longer breaks. For more information, see Summer Housing on the Residential Life website.

Intersession housing is usually given in the dorms that have kitchens in them as the All Campus Dining Center is not open during breaks. One of the cafés in the College Center is usually open until 3pm on weekdays of breaks, but students might find it more convenient to cook for themselves at their own leisure. There is a small fee charged to your account for the intersession housing.

Many of you will be traveling great distances, some of you for the first time! Here are suggestions for the flight:

• Set your watch for Poughkeepsie, NY, time as soon as you board, to allow you to start mentally preparing for your new time zone.
• Dress for maximum comfort and remember that the air conditioning on airplanes can make the air cooler than you might expect. A sweatshirt or the like is recommended for this reason, and it is a good idea to dress in layers that you can easily add or take away.
• Accessories like earplugs, an eye-mask, an inflatable pillow, and herbal tea can help you rest, especially on longer flights.
• Aircraft cabins are notoriously dry, so plan on drinking lots of water and juice. It is wise to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and other dehydrating liquids. Dehydration is a real concern, especially on longer flights, and is typically characterized by headaches and nausea. You will need to drink a lot more water than usual in order to stay hydrated.
• It can also be helpful to load up on snacks in case the time between meals is longer than you’d like.
• Finally, you may want to nap on the ride to Vassar or when you first arrive at the school. Remember that it is best to eat and sleep at “normal” times in order to get over jetlag as soon as possible.

We plan to offer shuttles for first year international students traveling alone from JFK on Thursday, August 22, 2024.

Students who elect to use public transportation should follow the directions in the "Arrival Information" section. Be prepared to spend up to two hours from your flight arrival time in New York waiting to be cleared through U.S. Immigration and Customs.

One of the first things many of you will want to do after you have arrived is to call home to let your family know you are safely here. The best way to make an international call, unless you have a cell phone that works in the U.S., is to use a telephone card.

Instructions are generally printed on the back of the telephone card. You will typically dial a toll-free number, (the initial call is free of charge from any pay phone). You will be asked to enter the PIN number on the back of the card, and then you will be asked to dial the number.

• To make a call in the United States, dial 1+area code+number. (For example, the number you will call to let us at Vassar know you have arrived is 1 (845) 235-9967).
• To make a call to a place outside the United States, dial 011+country code+area code+number. It’s obviously a good idea to write down these complete numbers before you leave home.
• There are also online phone cards you can use to call home. To purchase one, go to EnjoyPrepaid.com.

There will be some computers available with Skype installed, so that you can contact home shortly after arrival on campus. You may choose to create a Skype account before arrival.

If you wish to purchase a cell phone for long-term use, there are several options available. You can buy a pre-paid phone from one of the major retailers in Poughkeepsie for around $15 and then continue charging your account. If you want to become part of a plan, then you should be prepared to pay a fee of around $400 to the company as a guarantee, in lieu of either a Social Security Number and/or credit history in the U.S. Usually this sum is refunded at the end of a one-year contract. Some international students get organized and purchase a family plan together. Do not worry if this sounds confusing. We will cover cell phones during International Student Orientation!

You should plan to have at least $200 in foreign currency which can be exchanged immediately at any of the airports in the New York area or at most large banks. This money will cover initial expenses such as taxi or bus fares, meals, etc. Be sure that you do not carry large sums of cash with you!

You will want to open a bank account shortly after arrival. When opening a bank account, keep in mind that foreign checks may require 4 to 6 weeks before funds become available. Traveler’s checks are the best way to make initial deposits. Two pieces of identification are generally required to open an account: usually your passport or driver’s license, and your Vassar ID card (which you will receive at orientation). You may want to make arrangements to transfer funds to a bank in Poughkeepsie prior to your departure. You may wire money from your bank at home directly to a bank in the U.S. Transfers take up to 48 hours, and the fees vary from $10 to $30.

The Bank of America has a branch within walking distance of the Vassar campus. At Bank of America there is no fee for the first 6 months (5 years if parents have an account), then a $3.95 monthly fee unless you set up direct deposit. Bank of America requires a minimum of $25 to open an account, but requires no minimum balance thereafter.

Bank of America is located at 11 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603. The local branch phone number is 1 (845) 452-2041.

During check-in, a representative from the bank will be able to assist you in opening an account right on the spot.

Yes. There is a student-run organization for all international students called VISA, and numerous student-run organizations for particular groups of students, such as the African Students Union (ASU), Asian Students’ Alliance (ASA), Caribbean Students Association (CSA), Poder Latino, the Chinese Student Community (CSC), the South Asian Students Alliance (SASA), and the Southeast Asian Student Alliance (SEASA). There are also several other organizations with an international focus, such as the Vassar Haiti Project, LINK (Liberty in North Korea), ProHealth, and UNICEF. For more information, visit the Vassar Student Association.

Depending on the culture you are coming from, you can expect many differences in the U.S. and at Vassar. International Orientation will help familiarize you with some of those differences.

The Vassar campus is very informal in terms of dress and relationships. The social environment at Vassar is an open one. You will encounter students espousing many different viewpoints on religion, politics, personal conduct, and interpersonal relations. While students are certainly not expected to agree with everyone else’s point of view, you will need to be prepared for an environment that is very tolerant of diversity. Respecting such differences is a foundation for the Vassar community. Another difference you can expect is the severe restrictions on smoking in buildings and public spaces in the U.S.

Academically, you will also encounter a good deal of informality in relationships between students and faculty. It is common for faculty to be on a first-name basis with their students and for friendships to develop outside of the classroom. Moreover, the classes at Vassar will each involve a heavy discussion component, and a willingness to participate in class is essential.

International students at Vassar include non-citizens and U.S. citizens alike who have lived in or are from different nations. About 10% of Vassar students hold non-U.S. citizenship. The largest representation of our international students come from: Canada, China/Hong Kong, Georgia, Greece, India, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

Regulations are strict with respect to working for students on a visa. Vassar policy allows for part-time, on-campus employment of 8-10 hours a week during the academic year. Prior to working on campus, you will need to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN). The Office of International Services will arrange an opportunity to obtain your SSN about two or three weeks after you arrive on campus. Since there may be a delay in the issuing of the SSN, the Financial Aid Office will issue you a voucher that can be redeemed for cash to cover your initial weeks’ earnings. (Don’t worry: this is one of the topics we will cover during the orientation.) Student employment is prioritized for students on financial aid, many of whom who are expected to work as part of their financial package. Employment is possible for students not on financial aid, but there will be a waiting period.

All students are expected to be vaccinated for Covid, either prior to departure or shortly after arrival in the US. In addition, New York State law requires all Vassar students to present documentation of measles, mumps, rubella (German measles) vaccination or evidence of immunity by titre (a blood report demonstrating sufficient antibody concentration). If you have not submitted a completed Health Form with physical examination before the semester begins, it is likely that you will not be able to register for classes. (This form was shared with you and is also available to download from this website.) If you do not have all required immunizations before you arrive, you will be required to obtain them in the U.S. at your own expense, before registration. Certain immunizations are available at the Vassar College Health Service at a reasonable cost. All students are required to have adequate health insurance, and Vassar has a special group plan for students at a low cost. The insurance plan covers most medical needs, but does not cover basic eye care, dental care expenses, or immunizations. Vassar College Health Service is available to answer any of your specific questions at: telephone # 1 (845) 437-5801; fax # 1 (845) 437-7135; email: health@vassar.edu. View the Health Service FAQs here.

Vassar is consistently ranked among the top one percent of colleges and universities in the United States and has been a frontrunner in higher education for over a century and a half. Numerous external ratings have confirmed Vassar’s status as one of the most prestigious colleges in the United States. For example, the annual U.S. News & World Report college rankings list Vassar as one of the top 10 colleges in the United States; the Wall Street Journal named Vassar “one of the new Ivies”; and the Princeton Review rankings recently called Vassar’s students the happiest in the country and our campus one of the two most beautiful.

Students who earn scores of 5, 6, or 7 on Higher-Level International Baccalaureate exams are awarded credit. In the same manner, Vassar grants credit for high scores on certain foreign advanced programs of study such as the GCE/Cambridge A-levels, CAPE exams, the German Abitur, the French Baccalaureate, etc. Vassar also accepts AP credits for scores of 4 or 5 on the AP exams.

Poughkeepsie weather is much like the temperate climate of New York City. Average temperature in the winter months is about 30°F (-1°C), and about 75°F (24°C) during the summer months. The most common lows in winter are around 20°F (-7°C), while the highest temperatures in the summer are around 90°F (32°C). We are not located in a “snow-belt” however, snowfall is expected during the winter. We do experience all four seasons, so you need to be prepared for both warm and cold temperatures.

Ask away! We are at your service through the spring and over the summer:

Andrew Meade, PhD
Director of International Services
anmeade@vassar.edu