Common International Student Services Inquiries

Staff at Mount Aloysius College are here to provide the services our international students need to succeed.

Prior to your arrival, be sure to spend some time reading through the Student Handbook. It is filled with valuable information that will help you make a smooth transition to our campus community, including advice on acclimating to Mount Aloysius College and preparing for your arrival to the United States.

For general questions...

Email StudentAffairs@mtaloy.edu

For urgent requests...

Call Student Affairs (888) 823-6472 during office hours (8AM to 5PM EST) or Campus Safety at (888) 823-6327.

To make an appointment...

Call Student Affairs (888) 823-6472 during office hours (8AM to 5PM EST).

To obtain a letter to the Social Security Administration after obtaining a job on campus...

Set up an appointment with Andy Clouse or email questions to admissions@mtaloy.edu to discuss everything that you need.

To request a new Form I-20 for permission to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad...

Set up an appointment with Andy Clouse or email questions to admissions@mtaloy.edu to discuss everything that you need.

For permission to engage in employment for CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT...

Set up an appointment with Andy Clouse or email questions to admissions@mtaloy.edu to discuss everything that you need.

For permission to extend the duration of your program of study...

Set up an appointment with Andy Clouse or email questions to admissions@mtaloy.edu to discuss everything that you need.

To request permission to drop or withdraw from courses below the full-time level...

Set up an appointment with Andy Clouse or email questions to admissions@mtaloy.edu to discuss everything that you need. You must also check with your advisor before dropping any courses.

For permission to transfer to another school in the U.S....

Set up an appointment with Andy Clouse or email questions to admissions@mtaloy.edu to discuss everything that you need. You must also check with your advisor before dropping any courses.

For permission to depart the U.S. temporarily or permanently...

Set up an appointment with Andy Clouse or email questions to admissions@mtaloy.edu to discuss everything that you need. You must also check with your advisor before dropping any courses.

Arrival, Airport, Airport Transportation, & Hotels

When you schedule your flight to the United States, plan to arrive up to 1 week before classes start (no earlier).

There will be designated pick-up times from the Pittsburgh (PIT) and University Park (SCE) Airport in State College. Arrival at any other airport or city requires you to plan your own transportation to campus.

Athletes will coordinate arrival dates with their coach.

The following airports are recommended for your arrival to attend school at Mount Aloysius College:

• Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

• University Park Airport (SCE)

• Altoona-Blair County Airport (AOO)

• John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport (JST)

Long term rental cars are recommended if you are familiar with driving.

The college will provide limited airport transportation. You may be asked to stay at a hotel near the airport until transportation can be arranged. If transportation is needed, please contact Andy Clouse (admissions@mtaloy. edu). Students may start arriving on campus beginning on August 21, 2023 for the August intake.

Immigration

Students with F-1 visas should also have their Form I-20 ready to give to the officer. Do not use a B1/B2 visa or ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) to enter the U.S. to study.

• Secondary Immigration Inspection - Secondary inspection is not common, but in the event that you are detained for secondary inspection, answer questions truthfully and patiently. If you are an F-1 visa holder and the officer wishes to contact your Designated School Official (DSO), his/her name is on your I-20, and the phone number during office hours is (310) 506-4246. The after-hours emergency phone number is (310) 506-4442.

• Customs - Go through the “Nothing to Declare” exit if you have no goods to declare (per your Customs Declaration Form). Please note that if you are traveling with more than $10,000 in cash, this will need to be indicated on the form and you must go through the “Items to Declare” exit.

• COVID Travel Policies - We follow the current CDC guidelines and recommendations.

Arriving at the Mount Aloysius Campus

You will NOT be allowed to check in before your approved arrival date.

Students will arrive at Mount Aloysius College, and a Residence Life staff member on duty will meet them in Cosgrave, which is located across from Ihmsen Hall (the building with brick arches).

Residence Life will assist students with check in items as follows:

• Student ID: Campus IDs will now be virtual. You will use your phone for building access and meal plans. To set-up and obtain your virtual Campus ID, log into the portal page with your credentials. Afterwards, select the IT Helpdesk tab at the top, and scroll to the MAC ID eAccounts section, where there will be a link and further instructions.

• Confirming Housing Agreement: Before students move into their assigned room, they must complete a Housing Agreement, which is sent to all students via MAC student email.

• If you need assistance accessing your student account/email, please follow the directions on the Portal page.

• Issuing Residence Hall Keys: You will be given both a room key(s) and mail key for your assigned room and campus mailbox. All students must fill out a Key Issuance Form stating they received keys during check in.

Once you have fully checked in, Residence Life staff will show you to your residence hall so that you are able to begin settling it.

Student Visa Holders

Upon your arrival, you must visit the PDSO in the Admissions Office (Administration Building, Room 118) to confirm your arrival to campus.

Hotels

If you need a hotel upon arrival in the U.S., we recommend you reserve a room several days or weeks in advance: Ebensburg (10 minutes from campus), Altoona (15 minutes from campus), and Johnstown (35 minutes from campus) are great places to look. There is also a bed and breakfast in the town of Cresson.

Housing

On-Campus

Mount Aloysius College offers housing for both undergraduate and graduate students on campus.

• To learn more about on-campus housing (residential halls, rates, etc.) please visit the housing page on our website.

• Please also take a look at the suggested Packing List, curated for you by Residence Life.

• To help you prepare for life on campus, students suggest ordering supplies online from Walmart or Target for in-store pick up or delivery to campus so that your package is waiting in the mailroom upon your arrival.

• If you have packages to pick up before the start of the semester (prior to August 28th), they can be obtained at the Support Center, which is located in the basement level of the Main Administration building. If you are shipping your items and arriving outside of these hours, be sure to pack essentials in your luggage.

• Student mail is distributed to the student’s assigned campus mailbox in Ihmsen Hall. All packages can be picked from the Support Center or from our Amazon Hub Locker.

Meal Plans

Meal Plans are available to all students for quick and tax-free meals at our dining facility on the Mount Aloysius campus, and can be purchased by emailing ResidenceLife@mtaloy.edu at any time.

Students living on campus are required to purchase a meal plan. Several plan options are available to fit students’ lifestyle/academic schedule.

Please remember that part of the cultural experience of your time here is to integrate with American cuisine. Meal plans will not be reduced in price due to your international status. If you have dietary needs due to religious or other reasons, SAGE management will be happy to meet one-on-one with you to discuss your needs and how best to accommodate them.

Off-Campus

Local housing options are available for graduate students who choose to live away from the campus community. This is also an option for undergraduate students who have fulfilled their on-campus housing requirement: freshman, sophomore, and junior years required to live on. See below for off-campus housing considerations:

Though Mount Aloysius College does not endorse any of these companies, there are a variety of housing services and resources you may consider, including:

• Apartments.com

• Apartmentlist.com

• Craigslist.org

• Facebook Marketplace

• Hotpads.com

• Places4students.com

Food

On-Campus Dining

• Rent.com

• Rentspree.com

• Trulia.com

• VeryApt.com

• Zillow.com

• Zumper.com

Sage Dining Services provides tasty, convenient, and balanced meals designed by our chefs just for our community so that you can have access to healthy food options while learning and studying on campus. Eating balanced meals can help fuel your body throughout the day and keep you focused in the classroom.

Dining Plan Options

Students living in the residence halls are required to be on the meal plan. Those students may elect one of the standard meal plan options. Commuters and Clinical students have the options for a lower meal plan.

Additional Meal Plan Information

• New meal plan funds are added to your account at the beginning of each semester.

• Fall meal plan balances (including Mountie flex dollars) do not carry over to the spring semester.

• Flex dollars (if added later) will carry over unconditionally until graduation or withdrawal.

• Meal plan balances left at the end of the spring semester will not transfer to the following academic year.

• Meal plan pricing is per semester.

• Additional funds via Flex dollars can be added at the Business Office during regular business hours. Visit the SAGE website for hours of operation and more information.

Food in Cresson

Both Ebensburg and Altoona can boast of a bustling downtown with plenty of dining and shopping options. All restaurants in Cresson may be walked to from the College, the furthest being 1 ½ miles away. All restaurants listed have take-out options, and only one listed offers delivery options, however, you can use DoorDash for delivery. Dining options from Cresson are as follows:

McDonald’s

9090 William Penn Hwy (½ mile away)

Subway

926 2nd St in Sunoco Gas Station (¾ mile away)

Dunny’s Pizza

905 2nd St. (1 mile away)

Fox’s Pizza Den

1000 2nd St. (.9 miles away) *Delivery Available

Vito’s Restaurant & Pizzeria

617 Front St. (1 mile away)

New China

7447 Admiral Peary Hwy (½ mile away) *Take out only

Health & Safety

Cresson Springs Family Restaurant

7563 Admiral Peary Hwy (¾ mile away)

Sheetz

7551 Admiral Peary Hwy (¾ mile away)

R Beer House

101 Park Ave #3 (¾ mile away)

PJ’s Tavern

7874 Admiral Peary Hwy (1 ½ mile away)

Brick on Front

709 Front St (¾ mile away)

Health & Wellness Center and Immunization Requirements

Mount Aloysius College has a nurse and a physician that students can visit for acute illness while you are a student, free of charge. Mount Aloysius College will refer students to an outside provider if the need is greater than a service we can provide care for in the Office of Health and Wellness.

Mount Aloysius College requires insurance for the students for services needed off campus or prescriptions needed for an acute illness. The insurance card will need to be sent to the Office of Health and Wellness. This is one of the admission requirements on SLATE. View the documents and fill them out in your SLATE portal. Upon receipt of documents from the student, the Office of Health and Wellness will update SLATE.

Below is the list of documents that a student would need to provide to complete the admission process.

• Student Health Packet

• Completed and Signed Health Form

• Physical Exam

• Student Immunization Record

• COVID Vaccine Record (not mandatory)

• Meningitis Vaccine Record

• Insurance Card Front and Back Copy

The Office of Health and Wellness is available during regular business hours Monday through Friday. Available services include a wide range of everyday health needs, care for illness and injury, immunizations, injections, respiratory problems, and dermatology. This office also offers specialized clinics such as flu vaccination, travel medicine, and COVID vaccination clinics. STI/HIV testing is referred to a local clinic. If deemed appropriate, the physician may provide a referral to a specialist or determine if a higher level of care is required.

Campus Safety

Campus Safety personnel take student safety very seriously. Our Campus Safety staff are a proactive group of professionals that serves the college community seven days a week and 24 hours a day. Our Campus Safety Department is a full-service, private police department, formed under Pennsylvania Act 501, employing police officers and security officers. From foot and bicycle patrol to motor vehicle patrol, Campus Safety is available to all students and visitors at all times. They also offer vehicle lock out services, jump starts, and escort services when you need a hand.

Need Campus Safety?

24-Hour Police Officer On-Duty

Cosgrave 102

(814) 886-6402 | CampusSafety@mtaloy.edu

Resources and Services:

• Vehicle Assistance: Campus Safety has tools to open locked cars, jumper packs for dead batteries, and an air tank for flat tires.

• Lost and Found: The Lost and Found is located in the Campus Safety Department. Items will be disposed of after being unclaimed for 30 days.

• Escorts: A campus escort service is available to any visitor, student, or employee. Officers will gladly provide an escort, when available, at any time. In order to request this service, please call (814) 886-6327. Escorts are offered for someone arriving or departing campus when it is dark out or during inclement weather or for anyone with a temporary or permanent disability.

• Environmental Prevention: Campus Safety works to assure safe and secure conditions in campus facilities and grounds; including monitoring that foliage is trimmed, entrances are unobstructed, and campus lighting is in good working order. College community members are encouraged to make Campus Safety aware of potential safety concerns on campus.

Transportation

Public Transportation to Campus

Public transportation to and from the Mount Aloysius campus is limited and it is difficult to walk or bicycle to the surrounding Mount Aloysius community. It is recommended that students use a personal car to travel to and from campus.