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What do I need
to do after arrival?
1.
There are a lot of things you need to
do.
2.
Go to your department and talk to the
secretary or somebody who is in charge of you to get their advice.
3.
Check your register status to make
sure you are registered and have enrolled classes.
4.
Go to Willard to get your Buff One
Card, i.e. your Student ID Card, and your RTD Bus Pass.
5.
Open a bank account in Federal Credit
Union, which is in UMC, or other banks you like. Two accounts - saving and
checking accounts are usual. You can apply Visa credit card and debit card
in the same time. But you do not have SSN now. So after you get your SSN,
you need to go back to update your information. The credit card usually
needs 2 weeks to get. You can convert you Buff One Card in Federal Credit
Union into Buff Gold Card which is a kind of ATM card. Then it will be very
convinient to draw money in ATM.
6.
Go to FSSS (or OIE) to update your
visa and immigration information with your passport, I-20, etc. They will
make carbon copy of your documents, give you some files and tell you what
you need to do.
7.
Go to Telecommute Center
to activate your computer account and email. You need the account to use
almost every computers in campus and your Webmail.
8.
Go to the Norlin library and open a
patron account which is necessary to borrow books. There are computer labs
in Norlin and almost every branches. There is an Asian library in the 1st
floor of Norlin where you can check out emprise books like Jinyong's and
Gulong's books, and many other Chinese books.
9.
Go to Social Security Service in
Table Mesa Shopping Area to apply for your Social Security Number (SSN).
SSN is extremely important for your life in America. You will only have one
number. Usually it takes 2 weeks to get the mail which contains the Social
Security Card in it. Keep it safely!
10.Find
long term living place. You can read newspapers, surf in the Internet, or
post to get information about rent. Usualy when you are satisfactory with
the description of the landlord, you need to call them and make an
appointment with him/her to visit that place. The rent is usually from
$800-$1000 for a two-bedroom apartment according to the distance,
neighborhood and availability of bus. Do not be to picky, otherwise you
will be in much trouble.
11.After
you rent your living place, you need to install phone, open the electricity
and buy household items. There are two choices for phone service - Comcast
(known previously as AT&T) and Quest. You need to call them and make an
appointment of install. Furniture and mattress can be picked from around
your living place. If you are rich, buy them from the store.
12.Change
your address after you move. You need to report to INS your new address in
ten days after you move. Go to FSSS to get the form, fill it and mail it.
Then, you need to go to PLUS system, Regent Hall, Business Office of
Wardenburg Health Center, Norlin Library, your secretary to tell them your
new address.
13.Sign
Tax Treaty in Payroll Office. We Chinese students have $5000 tax exempt in
US. But you need to fill several forms. Usually, Payroll Office will inform
you to make appointments with them for instruction of filling forms. Don't
worry. It is very easy.
14.Choose
you medical insurance program. CU offers 3 plans - Buff Value, Buff Limited
and Buff Max. Your department usually will pay 70% of Buff Limited if you
choose Buff Limited and Buff Max. Do not choose Buff Value if you are
illness-proof. Buff Limited is enough. Buff Max is too expensive. Of
course, you can buy other medical insurance plans of other companies which
are better than CU's. Having CU's plan, you do not need to pay in Wardenburg Health Center
except $5 co-pay each visit, and only %50 of expense for medicines.
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