Welcome Guide for International Students

Welcome to the United States of America and Felician University! 

We appreciate your choosing to continue your studies in the USA and for selecting the great state of New Jersey for your tertiary studies. Felician University sits in the heart of Northern New Jersey and the Northeastern United States, located just 10 miles from New York City. 

Words of Welcome

Let’s hear from some of our Felician University family members:

  • Julie, Class of 2023, New Jersey: “Getting involved on campus is super important to your overall college experience. Find a campus job, attend events, and participate in activities related to your major.”
  • Kayla, Class of 2026, New Jersey: “Take advantage of the small campus to interact with professors. Be on top of your work and make the best of your time here.”
  • Mulique, Class of 2024, Jamaica: “Felician is an amazing experience where you’ll meet people from diverse cultures. Enjoy your time and welcome to the Felician Family!”
  • Anh, Class of 2024, Vietnam: “Felician will transform you into a better, wiser individual. Learn, have fun, and make the best of every opportunity.”

Acclimating to your new home

New sights, sounds, smells, flavors, culture, and climate welcome you as you begin your student studies.   Here are some great things to keep in mind: 

  1. In the United States, the weather varies from region to region. Felician University is located in the Northeast and with that distinction comes varying degrees of cold and hot weather. Our winters are often very cold with common average temperatures around -3.8 degrees Celsius from late November to late February. Our spring seasons bring with them a hearty amount of tree and grass pollen. In the summer, temperatures can reach an average of 35 degrees Celsius.  Please note that you are able to see the school Nurse to distinguish between a seasonal allergy and a common cold. 
  2. In the United States, we do not call our professors or staff members by their first names unless they direct us to do so. Doctor or Professor is satisfactory for you to address your professors and Miss, Mrs, or Mr. is always acceptable in addressing a Felician University staff member. It is never okay to address anyone as Ma, Auntie, etc. 
  3. In writing emails to Felician University faculty and staff, please do so with politeness and respect. It is never okay to use exclamation points (!) when the conversation does not call for it. Nor is it okay to send more than 1 email within a 24-hour span. Please do not immediately seek a response from other people by including them in the original email. Mild misunderstandings originate here when this happens. There is a common saying, “Please do the needful” throughout India.  Please do not use this in your emails to faculty and staff here at Felician University as its meaning is very often negatively misinterpreted. 

Keeping your F-1 Student Status

You have an I-20 and visa, so what comes next in your journey to the United States? Believe it or not, there are multiple, U.S. government regulations that you must follow to keep your F-1 status. If you violate these regulations, you may find yourself in immediate danger of losing your F-1 student status. Regaining that legal status can be a challenge – so you should not assume you will be successful. 

Therefore, make sure to keep yourself in status by following these rules: 

  1. Each semester you must register for a full course load of credits. For graduate students that means 9 credits and for undergraduate students that means 12 credits. No more than 1 online or hybrid course can count toward your full course load of credits. In your final semester, you cannot have just 1 online or hybrid course – meaning your final course must be in person. There is no exception to these U.S. government regulations. 
  2. Do not work in any capacity off campus without the written permission of the staff from the Office of International Programs. Working off campus (even volunteering) can have an immediate negative impact on your F1 student status. Do not risk it! 
  3. Attend all of your classes. Many professors include attendance as part of the grade for the course.  If you have poor attendance, you will likely fail the course. You told the U.S. Consulate Officer that you wanted to come to America to study… so make every effort to attend every class. 
  4. Pay your tuition bill upon arrival or set up a payment plan with the Office of the Bursar. There is no excuse for not paying your bill as you told the Office of International Programs and the U.S. Consulate Officer that you had the funds to cover your tuition and fees for the entire duration of your program.  Not paying your bill will cause the Office of the Bursar to place a hold on your student account – preventing you from registering for classes and gaining access to an official transcript.  If you cannot register for classes your F1 student status will come to an immediate end. 
  5. Monitor your I-20 end date. If you know you will not complete your studies by the date listed on your I-20 document, please contact the Office of International Programs at least 2 MONTHS prior to the end date so that you can have it extended in a timely manner. If you wait until after this date, it will be too late for the Office of International Programs to assist you.  This means that you may be asked to return to your home country as your file will be marked as complete. 
  6. Regularly check your Felician University email account for emails from the Office of International Programs and your professors. You will not be contacted via your personal (Gmail, Yahoo!, or Hotmail) email account. Many of the emails from the Office of International Programs are time-sensitive. 
  7. File a timely tax return each spring.  Even if you did not work, you are required to file a yearly tax return. The Office of International Programs will hold a tax workshop where a limited number of students will be able to file their tax returns for free.  Please monitor your Felician University email account for further details.

Health Insurance

Felician University does not offer health insurance to domestic students nor to international students.  For this reason, the Office of International Programs advises international students to purchase health coverage through iNext – a reliable and affordable insurance provider. 

The iNext website can be found here: https://www.inext.com/plans/travel-to-usa/academic/

New Jersey Driver’s License or State Identification

  1. Go to a local Social Security office and request a letter stating that you are ineligible to receive a Social Security card. If you already have a Social Security Number (SSN), please ignore this step. 
  1. Please take with you the following documents to the Social Security office. 
  • Passport
  • I-20
  • Copy of your electronic I-94 number. 
  • Proof of address
  • Felician ID card 
  1. Once you have all of the above documents, you should go to an NJ Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV) office. You will then speak to a representative and explain that you would like to apply for a driver’s license. 
  1. Please take the following documents to the DMV office:
  • Passport 
  • I-20
  • Copy of your electronic I-94 number. 
  • Proof of address 
  • Felician ID card
  • Letter from Social Security Office (SSN if you have one)
  • Letter of enrollment verification from Felician University 

How to apply for a Social Security Number

If you get a job while in the U.S., you will need to obtain a Social Security card from a U.S. Social Security office. This card will contain your Social Security Number. You need a Social Security Number for tax and employment purposes. Your Social Security Number is permanent, so you only need to apply for it one time. 

In order to obtain a Social Security Number, you will need the following documents:

  • A referral letter from a DSO. 
  • Job offer letter from the hiring office on campus
  • Passport – valid at least six months into the future
  • I-94 – you can obtain this document online at: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home
  • I-20 

Bank and Financial Transactions

We recommend that you open an account in a U.S. bank, such as Bank of America or Chase Bank. As an international student, you will be required to provide more information and documentation than would normally be required of a U.S. citizen or resident alien. When you go to a bank to open an account, you will need to bring: 

  • Passport with a valid visa
  • I-20 
  • Felician ID Card or any government ID 
  • I-94 
  • Proof of Residency (bill sent to your current U.S. address) 
  • Verification of enrollment at your college/university 
  • $100 (at least) to make an initial deposit

The banks nearest to Felician University are: 

Bank of America

8 Park Ave, Rutherford, NJ 07070 

Phone: (201)-935-6616

Chase Bank 

24 Park Ave, Rutherford, NJ 07070

Phone: (201) 939-3783

Important Offices

  • Office of the Registrar (Lodi Campus): Handles academic matters, course registration, transcripts, and more.
  • Office of Student Financial Services: Manages scholarships, tuition, refunds, and international bank transfers.

Stay Connected

Remember, we’re here to support your journey. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or need assistance. We look forward to involving you in the learning process and helping you thrive at Felician University.