Pre-arrival Information for Students

Transportation

Make your plane reservation to arrive at the Lubbock International Airport. At the Lubbock International Airport, people will speak only English (and possibly Spanish). If you let the Intensive English Program know your arrival information in advance, we will try to have someone meet you.

If you have not made arrangements with the Intensive English Program, you will need to take a taxi to the university (or to a hotel). Taxi/Cab Service is available just outside the entrances to baggage claims 1and 2. A direct phone to taxi dispatch is located at each end of the terminal on the sidewalk and loading area near door 1 and door 4. Sometimes there will be taxis waiting outside the airport. The taxi will cost about $15.00, and a 15% tip ($2.25) is usual. It will take about 15 minutes to get to the university from the airport.

For more detailed information about Lubbock International Airport, you can visit their website at http://www.flylia.com.

Weather

The weather in Lubbock is generally mild and sunny and dry.
Spring (March - May) and fall (September - November) are mild seasons. Sometimes you will need a jacket, especially in the evenings.

Summer days can be very hot, but the humidity is very low. Students often wear shorts to class in the summer (June - August). Some days in winter (December - February) are cold. Everybody needs a warm winter coat for these days.

Housing

On-Campus Housing:
Students must have sheets, blankets, pillows and towels for the dormitory. Please check the Student Housing and Dining brochure for the bed length in your dormitory before buying sheets. You can visit the Housing and Dining Services website at www.housing.ttu.edu for more detailed information about residence hall living at Texas Tech.

If you have received your room assignment from the housing office, you may check into the dormitory at any time of day. If you do not have a room assignment, you need to go to the Housing office in Doak Hall, which is open 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

If you arrive without a room assignment or without sheets and towels, you can stay in a hotel the first night. A list of hotels near the campus can be found below.

Off-Campus Housing:
Students who are planning to live in an apartment or house off-campus should plan on arriving early to look for an apartment. Information on Lubbock apartments is available on the internet at www.lubbockapartments.com. More information is available at the International Student Services Pre-Arrival Site: http://www.iaff.ttu.edu/Main/ISSS/prearrival.asp#Housing

Hotels

If you need to stay in a hotel until you find a place to live, you should make a reservation in advance. The following hotels are near Texas Tech. Some of them may provide transportation from the airport:

Woodrow House Bed & Breakfast www.woodrowhouse.com
2629 19th St.
Lubbock, TX 79410
Phone: 001-806-793-3330

Staybridge Suites www.staybridge.com
2515 19th St.
Lubbock, TX 79410
Phone: 001-806-765-8900

Overton Hotel www.overtonhotel.com
2322 Mac Davis Lane
Lubbock, Texas 79401
Phone: 001-806-776-7000

Registration

On the day of registration you should go to the Intensive English Program Office. The office is located in room 200 of the Foreign Language Building. Registration will be from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. You may come anytime during these hours. If there is someone else in the office, please wait outside.

Please bring:
• All of your documents: passport, I-94, I-20.
• Your Lubbock address and telephone number if you know them.
• Cash, check, traveler's checks, or credit card to pay your tuition and fees. (We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.)

If you are paying with a credit card issued in your country, it is recommended that you inform the bank or credit card company that you will be studying in the U.S. Charges for large amounts such as tuition, housing, etc. are sometimes declined if the charges are unexpected.

If you are paying with cash or traveler’s checks, please have the exact amount. We do not
keep change in the IEP office.

STUDENT'S GUIDELINES
FOR MAINTAINING LEGAL F-1 STATUS

• Maintain a passport valid for at least six months into the future.
• Attend the program that you have been authorized to attend. It is important that you report to the Intensive English Program office as soon as possible, but no later than the beginning date on your I-20.
• Continue to carry a full course of study* (4 classes in the IEP) each fall and spring term.
• Apply for an extension of stay if your program will take longer to complete than the time specified on your I-20. Applications are processed through the IEP office. You must have a valid reason for the extension.
• Do not change schools without first contacting your Immigration Counselor in the IEP office for the proper procedure.
• Limit on-campus employment to 20 hours per week while school is in session.**
• Do not engage in off-campus employment without authorization. You are only allowed at the school that issued your I-20. You are limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session.
• Report a change of residence to the IEP office and to DHS within 10 days of the change.
• Pay all debts to TTU and the Lubbock community. If problems arise, talk with your Immigration Counselor in the IEP office.
• Check documents with your Immigration Counselor before leaving the U.S.A. for any reason.
• Present documents to your Immigration Counselor after returning from travel outside of the U.S.A.
• Please do not hesitate to call the IEP office regarding any immigration questions.

* FULL COURSE OF STUDY: Students who fail to maintain a full-course of study are out-of-status and ineligible to work on campus, to transfer schools or to apply for off-campus employment.

Failure to maintain a full course of study or other violation of immigrations regulations could keep you from completing your studies in the U.S.

** ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT: F-1 students who maintain their legal status and are in good standing at TTU are eligible to work ON-CAMPUS up to 20 hours per week. When classes are not in session, the student may work full-time. F-2 dependents are not eligible to accept employment.