Arrival Dates

Arrival Dates

Dear Incoming Spring 2021 students:
Please access to your Microsoft Team Folder to find about arrival schedule or contact exchange@unm.edu.

ARRIVAL DATES AND PRE-DEPARTURE INFO (Spring 2021)

1.      When to Arrive 

The date you arrive is CRITICAL for a smooth transition to student life! If you are outside the U.S., you are not allowed to arrive more than 30 days before the start date listed on your DS-2019 form. You must plan to arrive in Albuquerque by early January. If you will not arrive before Thursday, January 14th, you MUST contact exchange@unm.edu for special late arrival approval in advance.

January 4th

  • Arrive in NM (you may be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in NM). To request early move-in for UNM Student Housing, email housing@unm.edu for move-in dates and requirements.  You are not required to live on campus and campus housing is limited, so please reserve early if you want to live on campus.

January 7-15th

  • Attend MANDATORY international check-in and info sessions on Zoom after arrival at UNM.  The check in is in 2 parts:

    • a) myGEO account set up and

    • b) arrival info session. 

  • Both are required.  Sign up information will be provided at orientation (see below).  You should only sign up for check-in after you arrive at UNM.

January 15-18th 

  • Finalize class schedule, explore campus, attend fun events

January 19th

  • Begin classes

For your information, please also find our "Ten-Year-Semeser-Dates Calendar" (UNM Academic Calendar) from HERE !

2.      Where to Stay Until You Can Move into Permanent Housing

If you will not be picked up from the airport, taxis and Uber/Lyft to UNM and to hotels near campus are relatively inexpensive (less than $20).  Bus #50 goes from the airport to the UNM campus in 10 minutes for $1 (exact change only).  Ask the bus driver to let you off at UNM (the intersection of Yale and Central Avenues).

 

Students moving in to campus housing will need to get to the SRC Commons Building (Building #89 on the enclosed UNM central campus map; this map is also on the UNM website at http://ppd.unm.edu/campus-maps.html). If you are moving in to campus housing, make sure you arrive during approved move-in times.  You should receive email with move-in instructions.

3.      How to Get to Campus

If you will not be picked up, taxis and Uber/Lyft from the airport to UNM and to hotels near campus are relatively inexpensive (less than $20).  Bus #50 goes from the airport to the UNM campus in 10 minutes. Ask the bus driver to let you off at UNM (the intersection of Yale and Central Avenues).

Students moving into the on-campus housing will need to get to the Student Residence Center (SRC) Commons Building (Building #89 on the UNM central campus map. If you are moving into campus housing, make sure you arrive during move-in hours (check housing.unm.edu or email housing@unm.edu).

Please find the Central campus map here; UNM campus map. For more information about housing, please also visit the website HERE.

4.      Orientation Requirements

ALL Exchange Students must attend New Student Check-In AND International Student Orientation. BOTH OF THESE ORIENTATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS!!!

ALL International Students must attend BOTH: 1) GEO orientation AND 2) UNM New Student Orientation (NSO) before arriving in Albuquerque.  Each orientation is required.

GEO Orientation

GEO will offer orientation to UNM over 3 sessions in the fall.  Because these sessions will cover different topics and important arrival information you should plan to attend all 3.  These sessions will be on:

  • October 16th at 8 AM Albuquerque, NM MST
  • November 13th at 8 AM Albuquerque, NM MST
  • December 11th at 8 AM Albuquerque, NM MST

These sessions will be on Zoom:  https://unm.zoom.us/s/97205285468

Password is: GEOlobo

             

You will be asked to access orientation material through our Microsoft Teams group. First, you will need to create a UNM net ID (directions are provided on page 12).

              Link for Microsoft Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3a17e19f886c0a4123b4da1dba893f0393%40thread.tacv2/conversations?groupId=516c6ac8-876d-49a1-853f-0ea18469216a&tenantId=25aa9830-e0f9-482b-897e-1a3b3c855e5c

 

Things You Need for Check-In: 

NOTE: FAILURE TO PROVIDE ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION BY THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS WILLRESULT IN ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND MAY MEAN THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY AFTER TERMINATION OF YOUR J-1 VISA.

5.      What to Do Before You Leave Your Home Country

1) Important Documents:
You should copy all of your important documents* before you come to the U.S. and leave copies with family and your institution in home country in case you need them for some reasons. Remember, you must bring the originals of the important documents with you. You might need a U.S. Certified original copies of your birth certificate and its translation to obtain a driver’s permit or state ID. Please find the detail at Motor Vehicle Division New Mexico or ask us during the orientation upon arrival.


*Important documents include;

  • Welcome Letter from GEO
  • Passport
  • J-1 Visa (attached to the passport)
  • DS-2019
  • A copy of financial letter
  • Transcripts from your home institution
  • Credit card information
  • International and/or home country driver’s licenses (if any)
  • Flight itinerary
  • National ID card from your home country

     2)  Medical Issues:

  • Get copies of your immunization records (Measles, Mumps, Rubella [MMR] is required) in English. You will need to provide these if there is an outbreak.

  • Bring prescriptions for any regular medications (plus several months’ worth of these medications).

  • Get extra eyeglasses and/or contact lenses if you need them – these are expensive in the U.S. and are usually not covered by insurance.

  • Get your dental work done – dentistry in the U.S. is expensive and not covered by insurance.

​     3) Financial/Initial Costs: 

You should arrive with access to approximately $5,000 via a credit or ATM card to cover initial costs.  It may take time to open your bank account in the U.S. For your protection. DO NOT carry more than $1,000 in cash while traveling to the U.S.