The Exchange Buzz

May 16th, 2013

Office of International Education

Volume 1, Issue 1

Did you know... GT is No. 7 public University in the U.S. No. 1 Industrial Engineering program in the U.S. There are over 300 student organizations Atlanta is the only city in North America that has been destroyed by fire as an act of war. Atlanta is known as the birth place of the civil rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King started the worldwide "Civil Rights" movement here in Atlanta Metro Atlanta is home to over 5 million people Atlanta is home to Coca-Cola! HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport has been the world's busiest airport since 1998 In 1996, Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics. Many facilities were built and now used on the Georgia Tech campus, including the Campus Recreation Center.

Congratulations on your Admission!

You have been admitted to Georgia Tech as an exchange student for the upcoming semester. If you have not already, you should soon be receiving a package which contains your official admission letter and your DS-2019 form (Certificate of Eligibility for the Exchange Visitor Status). Please carefully review all the following information that is included within this Newsletter to acquire your J-1 visa. Do not hesitate to ask us if you have any questions after reading the materials. Over the next few weeks we will be sending additional newsletters to help prepare you for arrival. These newsletters will include information about course registration, visa prep, immunizations, health insurance, paying fees, and many other articles about preparing for your semester at Georgia Tech. We hope you take advantage of this information and please let us know if you have any questions. -Katie & Charlie

Now Visa Application

1.) Visa Application (non US citizens only)

When you receive your DS-2019 form, you SHOULD pay the $180 SEVIS fee on-line with a credit card at: www.fmjfee.com. You will need the SEVIS ID number in the top right corner of your DS-2019 (N000*******) and your passport to pay the fee. When you have paid the fee, print out the payment confirmation to take with you to the consulate. You must pay the fee at least three days before your visa interview. The SEVIS fee is a non-refundable application fee, meaning you must pay it before you can apply for the visa, but if you are denied a visa you will not receive the $180 back. If you are denied a visa however, you do not have to pay the fee if you apply for a J-1 visa again in the next 12 months from when you originally paid the fee. Students who do not need a visa, for example, Canadians, should pay the fee 3 days before arriving at the port-of-entry. These should take the receipt of payment with them when entering the US.

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Visa Application Continued...

Key Points:
Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months. Make your J-1 visa appointment! Fax Immunization records to Health Services BY JULY 1ST: http://

health.gatech.edu/ new_students/Pages/ All-Students.aspx

Please email Academic Advisor with questions about courses, registration, and housing. Pay housing deposit if living on campus. Look for off-campus housing and roommates using the Facebook group, GT Incoming Exchange Students. Keep reading the Exchange Buzz for more updates to come!!! Newsletter Website:
http://oie.gatech.edu/ oie.gatech.edu/ exchange/ newsletters.%20

To apply for a U.S. visa, go to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and take with you the DS-2019 form, the letter of admission, a bank statement and other evidence of financial support at Georgia Tech, and any other documents that the visa application requires. Please review the visa application information for your nearest embassy or consulate at www.travel.state.gov for more details. The U.S. consular official must be convinced that you have adequate financial resources to support your stay in the United States and that you do not intend to become a U.S. immigrant. The intent to remain a non -immigrant is usually established by demonstrating that you have significant ties to your home country that would enhance the chances of your returning. When the U.S. consul is satisfied with your application, you will receive a visa, stamped in your passport. Please note that the Office of International Education and Georgia Tech have little or no influence on the visa-issuing decision at the U.S. embassy/consulate. If you are denied a visa, however, please tell us and we will do whatever we can to assist.

Off-Campus Housing:
Please search for and join the Facebook group "Georgia Tech Incoming Exchange Students" so that you can network with each other to find possible roommates. Former exchange students are also members of the group and may be able to give you other suggestions to the ones If you have questions about an area below if you message them directly. of town please ask us at The Georgia Tech Housing Office is an gtexchange@oie.gatech.edu independent department that is responsible for meeting the needs of all We encourage all Exchange stustudents living on campus and must un- dents to live on campus to ensure fortunately prioritize the diverse housing the full GT experience needs requested by students. We realize that this can cause a hardship for exchange students to find short-term housing, especially from outside the US. In the hopes of assisting as much as possible in locating housing, our office has put together some suggested resources to help you: http://100midtown.com/ http://westmarlofts.com http://
atlanta.craigslist.org http://ajcexchange.com www.atlanticstationapartments.com

Get excited for your life to come in ATLANTA!

Immunizations:

It is HIGHLY important that you refer to the Georgia Tech Stamps Health Services website listed below in order to follow the steps required to satisfy the Georgia Tech immunization requirements. Please determine which immunizations that you need to fax to the Health Center here at Georgia Tech. http://health.gatech.edu/new_students/Pages/All-Students.aspx