The Next Step
g raduate a dmissions o ffice F LORIDA I NTERNATIONAL U NIVERSITY
Welcome to Florida International University and the graduate school community! This “Next Steps� brochure contains important information to assist you with your enrollment at FIU. Each section includes basic details of the subject along with links to websites which offer more detailed information. If you cannot find an answer to a specific question, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (305) 348-7442. We are happy to assist you in making a smooth transition to your graduate program. Best wishes on a successful academic career at FIU! Sincerely,
Louis Farnsworth Director, Academic Support Services University Graduate School Florida International University
1.
Orientation Graduate Student Orientation
The Florida International University Graduate Student Orientation is offered before the start of the fall and spring semesters and is designed to prepare you for your FIU experience. At the Orientation, you will: • Meet representatives from various departments such as Financial Aid, the Registrar’s Office, and your academic unit • Learn about University services available to you • Learn how to navigate the student webpage - my.fiu.edu • Find out about the many ways you can get involved on campus • Take a tour of the University Park Campus A special International Student Orientation will also be offered on the same day. Sign-up for the orientation will be available three months prior to the start of the fall and spring semesters. Please visit our website gradschool.fiu.edu for more information. If you are attending the Graduate Student orientation, and require special accommodations, please call the Disabilities Resource Center at 305-348-3532 or visit drc.fiu.edu.
International Student Orientation
All newly admitted F-1/J-1 international students are required to attend the International Student Orientation. The following topics are covered: maintaining valid visa status, SEVIS (Student & Exchange Visitor Information System), enrollment requirements, employment, social security numbers, as well as on-campus and off-campus resources for international students. Please note that the Graduate Student Orientation referred to previously includes an International Student Orientation session. For more information and deadlines, please visit the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) website at isss.fiu.edu.
Academic Program Orientations
Check with your academic program office regarding additional orientations that you may be required to attend. For a list of graduate program contacts please visit gradschool.fiu.edu/downloads/Graduate_Admissions_ Matrix.pdf
2.
Panther Identification (ID) Number Each FIU student is assigned a unique 7 digit number (Panther ID number) which is necessary for enrollment, registration, transcript request, application for scholarships, and other curriculum activities. Your Panther ID is the number you were previously assigned when you applied to FIU. You can find this number printed on your admission letter.
Panther Identification (ID) Card
University Park Campus Graham Center, GC 1210 Tel: 305.348.3910 Biscayne Bay Campus Wolfe Center, WUC 143 Tel: 305.919.5406
Parking Decal
If you are going to be commuting to campus, or living on campus with a motor vehicle, you must have the University Parking Decal displayed on your vehicle at all times. All students pay a Transportation Access Fee each semester, and a student decal will be issued to you by the Department of Parking and Traffic. You may obtain a parking decal only after you have registered for classes. You will be required to bring a driver’s license, vehicle registration, and a copy of your class schedule to one of these offices: University Park Campus Blue Parking Garage (1st Floor) Phone: (305)348-3615 Biscayne Bay Campus Wolfe University Center 353
Immunization As a pre-requisite to registration, Florida International University requires all students to comply with the following immunization policy regulations from the Florida Board of Governors regarding immunity of: • Measles, Mumps, Rubella • Hepatitis B and Meningitis Please fill out the enclosed Health History form and return it to University Health Services. If you fail to provide this information, a hold will be placed on your record preventing you from registering for classes.
3.
31/2009
You may obtain your Panther ID card only after you have registered for classes. You will be required to bring a valid picture ID, and a copy of your class schedule to one of the following offices:
All students enrolled at FIU and taking at least one course in the current semester are assigned an FIU e-mail account. Your FIU e-mail account will be available 24 hours after you have registered. All important communications from the University are sent to your FIU e-mail address. Therefore, it is extremely important that you check your FIU email on a consistent basis. For information on setting up your account, please visit webmail.fiu.edu.
Expires: 10/
The Panther ID card is your student photo ID which is required to check out books at the library, use campus facilities, request/obtain official transcripts, etc.
E-mail Activation
Financial Aid Financial aid for graduate students is available in several forms. Fellowships and Graduate Assistantships are awarded to students by their department or the University Graduate School. There are external scholarships offered by outside organizations and agencies. Federal and state financial aid is available to U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents only. To learn more about financial aid opportunities, please visit our website at gradschool.fiu.edu/financial.html.
To Apply for Federal or State Aid
Eligible students who wish to apply for U.S. federal or state financial aid are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. FIU’s school code, 009635, is required when completing the FAFSA. Applications for financial assistance are available in January for the following academic year which begins in August. FIU’s annual priority deadline is March 1st. Applications completed after this deadline will be processed in order of receipt. FAFSA web filers will require a Federal PIN (Personal Identification Number) to be used in lieu of student & parent signatures. Therefore, students will need to apply for a PIN. To obtain a Federal PIN, visit www.pin.ed.gov. In order to complete the FAFSA electronically, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov/. FAFSA Worksheets are available in the Financial Aid Office to assist students with the FAFSA web form. To request a paper form of the FAFSA, call the Federal Processor at 1-800-4FED-AID. Using your Panther ID, you may check the “TO DO LIST” online for any required documents that are needed for file completion. Most required documents for file completion are available through the Financial Aid Office web page under Required Forms at www.finaid.fiu.edu.
Viewing your Financial Aid Application
Students can view application status and awards using the PantherSoft web-based system with their Panther ID through the my.fiu.edu page or through the Financial Aid webpage www.finaid.fiu. edu – click on MY FINANCIAL AID. For additional information, contact the Financial Aid Office at (305) 348-7272 or by visiting the office at University Park, PC 125, or the Enrollment Services Office at the Biscayne Bay Campus, ACI 100.
4.
Registration Registration for classes takes place online via my.fiu.edu. Before registering, meet with your program advisor to select the appropriate classes for your program. A list of the most important facts to review before registering for any class can be found at www.fiu.edu/orgs/register/beforeRegister.htm. The Academic Calendar will be your main reference for deadlines regarding registration, add/drop dates, etc. Please visit www.fiu.edu/~register/ to view the calendar.
Conditional Admission Status
If you were admitted conditionally, an “Acceptance Form” was sent to you along with your admissions letter. You are required to sign the Acceptance Form and return it to the Graduate Admissions Office before you can register.
Registration Holds
Log on to my.fiu.edu to determine if you currently have any holds that will prevent you from registering. Contact information will be provided to clear any holds you may have.
Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes
Your Florida residency status as indicated on your admission letter (i.e. In-State or Out-of-State) was determined based on the information you provided to the Graduate Admissions Office at the time you applied. Tuition rates will be applied to your account based on this status. If you believe your status is incorrect, please complete the Residency Classification Form, and submit it along with the required documents to the Graduate Admissions Office. The form is available online at gradschool.fiu.edu/forms.html.
International Students All F-1/J-1 students admitted to FIU must report to the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) Office upon arrival on campus, and before registering for classes.
International students: • Must attend the mandatory International Student Orientation. Orientation is normally held on the Friday prior to the start of classes in the fall, spring and summer A/C semesters, and on the day before classes begin in the Summer B session • Must register as a full-time student (9 credits) for fall and spring semesters, and for 6 credits if admitted for summer semester • Are allowed to register for one online course per semester • Must obtain medical insurance (Students without proof of medical insurance will not be able to register.) Contact University Health Services for enrollment information. • Must present to the ISSS office an FIU I-20 or DS-2019, an I-94 card, and a valid passport
For more information regarding the International Student Orientation, tips on cross-cultural adjustment, and other important issues, please visit the ISSS website at isss.fiu.edu or call 305-348-2421.
5.
Housing & Meal Plan Planning to live on campus?
The Department of Housing and Residential Life allows graduate students to take advantage of the oncampus housing experience at FIU. Currently there are a number of different housing accommodations available for graduate students. Those include the University Park Apartments, Bay Vista Housing, Lakeview North, Everglades Hall, University Park Towers and Panther Hall. For information on all accommodations, please visit www.housing.fiu.edu. In order to secure on-campus housing, you will need to submit a completed Housing Agreement, a $100.00 (U.S.) non-refundable processing fee, and a vaccination form. There is no Housing Agreement submission deadline but students are encouraged to submit their agreement as early as possible as spaces are limited. Housing Agreements are processed on a first come first served basis by date received. The agreement is downloadable from the Housing webpage; follow the “Future Residents” link. Please contact the Housing office at (305) 348-4190 with any questions.
Meal Plans
Whether you live on- or off-campus, Panther Dining Services has a dining membership designed to best meet the needs of your busy life-style. To learn about the meal plan options, please visit the Panther Dining Services webpage at www.PantherDining.com or call 305-348-3426.
Computer Labs University Technology Services provides instructional and open computer labs to the FIU community. These labs are equipped with Dell and Macintosh workstations, providing access to current operating systems such as Windows XP, Mac OS X, and UNIX. Lab users have access to such applications as Microsoft Office XP 2003, Visual Studio.NET 2003, and other programming, statistical and engineering packages, as well as an assortment of other computer-based applications. There are a total of 10 instructional and open computer laboratories at the University Park Campus, and 3 instructional and open computer laboratories at the Biscayne Bay Campus. The facilities are available to upon presentation of an FIU ID card. Some of the labs function as both instructional and open laboratories. • UP Campus Open Labs - PC 411, PC 413, PC 414 (305) 348-2568 • BB Campus Open Lab - AC1 293 (305) 348- 3034 • Engineering Center Open Campus Lab - EC 2940 (305) 919- 3267
6.
GET IN TOUCH Graduate Admissions Office PC 231, UPC 305-348-7442 Fax: 305-348-7441 or 305-675-2498 Email: gradadm@fiu.edu Bookstore fiu.bncollege.com 305-348-2691 Career Services fiu.edu/~career 305-348-2423 Disability Services drc.fiu.edu 305-348-3532
TDD via FRS 1800-955-8771 Campus Life 305-348-2137 Financial Aid finaid.fiu.edu 305-348-7272 Health Care & Wellness Center fiu.edu/~health 305-348-2401 UPC 305-919-5620 BBC Housing fiu.edu/orgs/housing 305-348-4190 International Student Services (ISSS) isss.fiu.edu 305-348-2421 Library Weblib.fiu.edu 305-348-2451- UPC 305-919-5675- BBC Registration & Records fiu.edu/orgs/register 305-348-2320 Student Financials UPC- PC 120- 305-348-2126 BB Campus- ACI 140- 305-919-5540 Counseling and Psychological Services UPC- UHSC 270- 305-348-2434 BBC- WUC 320- 305-919-5305
Student Affairs
UPC- GC 219- 305-348-2797
Finalizing your Admission File Your acceptance to FIU was based on the academic information that was available when the Admissions Committee reviewed your application. You may have been admitted with courses in progress, unofficial test scores, or pending proof of degree. Therefore, it is important that you send these missing documents as soon as possible. To view any missing items online, go to my.fiu.edu, log in with your Panther ID and click on “To Do� List.