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ISS Office Services 

ORIENTATION

Orientation begins long before students arrive on-campus.  Once a student confirms his/her intention of coming to Geneseo, information packets are mailed with:

• instructions on applying for a visa,
• readings on American culture, plus
• checklists of things to do before leaving home, and 
• checklists of items to hand carry to the U.S.  

Upon arrival the "formal" orientation program includes presentations on the American classroom and American culture.  

Part of orientation is dedicated to shopping for room and study necessities.  Experienced Geneseo students and staff escort new international students to the shopping malls to explain the pricing schemes used in the U.S. and suggest the best purchases students can make. 

Orientation does not end with the start of the semester.  Special programs, designed to ease the adjustment to Geneseo, are offered throughout the semester. 

AIRPORT PICK-UP

Once students confirm their flight arrival information, a member of the International Students Services Office is assigned to meet the student at the International Airport in Rochester, New York. 
 

ROOM MOVE-IN

Upon arrival, students are driven to the Geneseo Campus and move into their residence halls.  The ISS Office furnishes each new student with pillows, sheets, a blanket, and towels for the first few days on campus.  During orientation students are able to purchase the bed linens and room decorations of their choice.
 

ADVISING

Each semester the ISS Office prepares a booklet summarizing important aspects of U.S. government regulations for international students.  This booklet, entitled “Maintaining Your Nonimmigrant Status,” is given to all students when they arrive on campus.  Copies are available throughout the semester at the International Student Services Office.
 

ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT

The ISS Office assists newly enrolled international students with the completion of the paperwork required to work on campus.  Staff of the local Social Security Office of the U.S. government come to Geneseo to process the student applications for a required "social security number." The ISS Office provides an outline of all the steps students must complete to be able to work on campus. 
 

TRAVEL

With Niagara Falls a nearby tourist attraction, the ISS Office frequently advises international students about the visa requirements to enter Canada and the paperwork needed to re-enter the United States. 
 

INTERNSHIPS

The ISS Office, working closely with the academic department chairperson, evaluates potential internships, and prepares the appropriate paperwork for the U.S. government related to this type of off-campus "curricular" practical training.
 

EMPLOYMENT OFF-CAMPUS

The ISS Office assists international students who wish to work for a U.S. company in their field of study with the application forms for such employment (called "practical training").