UPON ARRIVAL
Housing Check-In
Residence halls open a few days before each semester. If you plan to live on campus it is important that you arrange for a campus room prior to your arrival in Commerce. After sending in your housing application and deposit, you will be sent a room assignment. You can report to the assigned residence hall when you arrive on campus, usually up to 10 p.m. Hall staff will assist you with finding your room, getting a key and signing any required forms.
If you do not arrange for a room prior to arriving in Commerce, you will have to report to the Residence Life office in Whitely Hall to complete necessary paperwork and wait for a room assignment. If you arrive after office hours and have not arranged for campus accommodation prior to arrival, you will have to find accommodation in one of the local hotels until these arrangements are finalized.
Safety
Commerce has a very low crime rate but no community can be totally free of crime. The following tips will help you protect yourself. However, it is always wise to lock your bicycle, car and room or apartment. Avoid leaving possessions unattended especially in public areas and do not walk alone at night. For more information about safety issues, contact the University Police Department.
Calling Home
You will probably want to let your family know of your arrival. There are several means by which you can make an international call. If you do not already have a cell phone that allows international calling, the easiest way to call home upon arrival is by phone card. You can purchase phone cards in shops and newsstands. Prices vary depending on the company and the number of minutes available for local, long distance and international calls. Once you are settled, you may want to purchase a long distance plan through an American company. A number of options are available through searching the Internet or asking other students for recommendations.
Placement Tests and Academic Advising
Some academic departments, such as the Computer Science department, require new students to take a placement test prior to registration. Undergraduate students receive academic advising through designated academic advisors. This can occur at the on-site undergraduate orientation or by individual arrangement. Graduate students receive advising through their academic departments on a case-by-case basis. For more information regarding placement tests and academic advising, contact your academic department.
Local Mailing Address
For students living on-campus, you will need to verify with the Residence Life office if your assigned hall receives mail. If it does not, you will need to rent a post office box. The campus post office is located in the Memorial Student Center (MSC) on the ground floor. Small boxes rent for about $20 for one year. Do not use any campus office address as your mailing address. For students living off-campus, use your apartment or house address to receive mail.
School Email Address
Beginning in Fall 2005, all TAMU-Commerce students will be assigned an email account on the university server. This is necessary to ensure that all students have a valid, working address for the increasing number of university services provided online. International students should check this email account regularly to stay up to date on vital immigration and academic issues.
Orientation
All students are required to attend International Student Orientation. This orientation usually occurs on the Friday before classes begin and is held in the Sam Rayburn Memorial Student Center (MSC). As an International Student (new or transfer) you are required to attend the entire orientation session and the immigration check-in that follows. Bring the following documents and information to orientation:
- Passport with visa
- I-20
- I-94 card (given on the plane en route)
- Permanent address in home country
- Local address (residence hall/room number or apartment street address, not a post office box)
- Emergency contact information (friend or relative in US or abroad)
- Insurance payment: credit card, personal US check or money order. No cash.
- Copies of passport, visa, I-94 card (front and back), front page of I-20 with port of entry stamp
- Copies of all I-20s used at other American schools (transfer students)
All copies must be made before orientation day or your class registration will be delayed. Copies can be made on campus in the Digital Copy Centre (903-886-5705), located on the ground floor of the MSC. Money orders can be purchased in the campus post office, also located on the ground floor of the MSC.
If you are an undergraduate student, please note that you must participate in both International Student Orientation and Undergraduate Orientation. Orientation options are determined by your academic classification:
Transfer Students
Transfer students may use the online orientation system OR attend campus Undergraduate Orientation OR both. This is in addition to attending the mandatory International Student Orientation on campus.
Freshmen Students
Freshmen students must use the online orientation system AND attend on site Undergraduate Orientation AND attend on site International Student Orientation.
To make reservations or to obtain further information about undergraduate orientation options contact the Coordinator of Student Orientation at (903) 886-5067 or via their website. Since International Student Orientation is mandatory for all incoming international students, no reservations are required.
Insurance
The A&M University System requires all international students to have sufficient medical and repatriation insurance for every semester enrolled. New students will have the opportunity to purchase A&M insurance immediately after International Student Orientation. For your first semester at TAMU-Commerce, you are required to take A&M insurance unless a policy from another company is approved by an adviser prior to orientation day.
Class Registration
You will be able to register for classes online through MyLeo after you attend undergraduate or international student orientation and purchase insurance.
Student ID Card
Once you are registered for classes you will be able to obtain a student ID card. This card is required to use various campus services, such as the health clinic, library, computer labs and recreational center. The ID Center is located on the second floor of the Memorial Student Center (MSC). You will need to know your student ID number (assigned during the application process, such as “33010000”). Your picture will be taken and a card issued immediately.
Shopping
There are two large stores within a few blocks of campus where you can buy groceries and other necessities. Wal-Mart also offers a variety of goods you may need for the school year, such as bedding, clothing and small furniture items. There are other stores available in Commerce at further distances from campus.
Parking Permits
If you own a car, you will have to register the vehicle with the campus police department and purchase a student parking permit. The permit is good for one year and costs $20-$25. Students can park only in spaces with green painted curbs or where indicated by signage. Cars without a valid permit displayed or parked in spaces not designated for student parking are ticketed. For more information about campus parking regulations, contact the university police department.
