Texas Tech University

Frequently Asked Questions

When I arrive in Lubbock, what do I need to do my first few days?

  • Take your TSI test, complete your Immigration Check in, attend Red Raider Orientation AND attend International Student Orientation. Schedule a follow-up appointment with your Academic Adviser (after you've registered for classes)!
  • Personally: open a bank account, get a local phone or SIM (Free Sim cars are available at the Office of International Affairs), orientate yourself to the campus, purchase items needed for your home and academics!
  • Go Shopping! There are many place close to campus where you can go and get things like school supplies and things for your dorms. We recommend the Walmart located on 4th and Marsha Sharp Freeway. It is a 5 minute bus ride from the campus. 

When I arrive in Lubbock, can I get a ride from the airport?

YES! We have an Airport pickup team that can pick you up if you arrive in Lubbock. Texas Tech has partnered with TTU and Lubbock community members who have volunteered their time to offer to  pick you up upon arriving in Lubbock.

We only offer 7 days of pickup and we can only accommodate pickups for yourself (the student) and one family member/friend! We want you to engage with a friendly face as soon as you arrive, so sign up below. 

PLEASE be sure to keep your arrival information updated. We don't want our volunteers showing up and being unable to find you because you changed your flight plans and didn't notify us! Learn more here.

 

Where can I stay when I first arrive in Lubbock?

What can I expect? There is a chance that you will arrive in Lubbock before it is time to move into your dorm or apartment. We are very excited to tell you that we have partnered with Lubbock's Tourist Department, Visit Lubbock to get you special rates on hotels close to campus!

Our Hotel Partnership Program.We have a block of rooms in 7 wonderful hotels who have kindly worked with us to accommodate incoming international students. To get these rates please visit the link

What if I am arriving before hotel block dates? Unfortunately we only offer discounted rates right before orientation, however there are still many affordable options in Lubbock and close to campus that you can utilize outside of our International Orientation block dates. We can not change the dates we have set.

Airbnb Lubbock

What housing options are available?

  • On-campus housing: There are many great on-campus housing options available to you! To learn more visit Virtual Brochure!
  • Off campus: Visit our Housing guide to see a variety of options near campus that cater to the student community. We recommend you pay attention to whether you are within walking distance to campus, and/or on the bus routes that easily transport you to campus. Also, make a note of how close you are to a grocery store or Wal-Mart if you will not have access to a car.

    Signing a lease? Need Help? We recommend that you use Student Legal Services FREE service, as they will review your lease prior to signing Apartment leasing is a new experience for college students, so utilize this FREE service to make sure you understand what you are signing and are being treated fairly.
  • Temporary Housing: Please visit our housing page to learn more!
  • Questions about Housing: We encourage you to speak directly to housing regarding any questions you might have about move in.  You can find their contact information here

How do I get around Lubbock and campus?

People in Lubbock do not utilize public transportation as much as larger cities like New York or Austin. People rely on their cars to get around the city. It is important that you study the bus system and other alternative ways to get around before arriving so you are prepared. Traveling around Tech Campus is very easy due to the TTU bus system, but if you would like to venture out into the city be sure you familiarize yourself with Uber, Lyft, or the Citibus System. 

  • Citibus: This is the bus system that serves campus, as well as the wider Lubbock community. As a student, you can ride on ANY Citibus, whether you are on or off-campus, for FREE. Though there are several bus lines that run between off-campus student apartments and campus, as well as loop around campus itself, the Citibus lines that exist away from campus are somewhat limited. For the most up-to-date data on Citibus services, download the Doublemap App for live bus tracking. Download the app through the App Store or Google Play store. Search for "Citibus (Lubbock)" in the location selection after downloading.  to the Citibus lines that serve the wider Lubbock community. NOTE: You will need to show your student ID on Citibus lines that do not serve campus.
  • Lime Scooters: Scooters are available around campus, and are a highly effective, short-term option for getting around campus. Students can find and rent Limes through their app. 
  • Bikes:Many students choose to buy bikes when they arrive on campus. “At the start of each fall semester, Texas Tech students and employees may purchase a used bicycle from Transportation and Parking Services. The department saves bicycles from abandoned bicycle collections (OP 76.09) that best combine quality and condition” (Transportation & Parking Services). Visit Bicycle Sales to learn about dates of the sale and how to purchase. LIME also has bikes on campus for short-term rental through their app.
  • Walk: The core of Tech's campus is very walkable, but we have the second largest campus (in terms of area) in the nation, so if you are needing to reach the edges of campus, there should be a bus that can get you very close to your ultimate destination. Fun fact: The only campus that is larger is the US Air Force Academy, and that's only because of their runways!
  • Late night options:
    • 742-NITE: Call and get a ride on-campus from 6:50 PM-1:15 AM with a valid Tech ID. They offer curb-to-curb pick-up and delivery so that you don't have to walk alone on campus after dark.
    • TTU S-Bus Safe Ride: This bus serves Broadway Ave., The Depot District, & Student Apartments near campus to ensure you have a SAFE experience. Service times: Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights 9 PM to 2 AM.
    • 742-RIDE: With your Tech ID, you can call and get a free ride home between 10 PM-4 AM.
    • For more information about ALL these services, read SAFETY FIRST ON AND OFF CAMPUS!
  • Car: Car is the best way to access all that Lubbock has to offer, as the city is very spread out. That being said, most international students do not own cars and the Citibus does service 800 stops around Lubbock that you will have free access to with your Tech ID!
    • Other options: Taxi-type services Uber and Lyft serve the Lubbock community as well.

What happens if I struggle emotionally and culturally after I arrive in Lubbock and to Tech?

  • Cultural adaptation is a process, and you are going to experience highs- and lows- as you adjust, and this is completely normal. The best way to prepare for the lows is to build community so that you have a network to reach out to on those tough days as well as the great ones! As a result, we encourage you to identify clubs, programs and activities early in your first weeks that will help you connect with others, build friendships, and stay healthy physically, as these things will help you to walk through the times when you find yourself missing home and family, or struggling emotionally, physically or academically.
  • Global Guides program: Offered to incoming undergraduate students, this program matches a current student to you to be your guide, mentor, and friend as you transition into your first year at Texas Tech. 
  • Mentor Tech: Through faculty and staff mentoring and peer group networking, Mentor Tech's mission is to improve the retention and eventual graduation rates of all students in the Texas Tech University System, with a special focus on those from under-represented groups, by fostering a campus climate that is conducive to their academic, social, and cultural needs and interests.
  • Student Counseling Center: As the primary student mental health clinic on campus, the Student Counseling Center provides a safe environment for students to explore issues of concern, resolve psychological distress, and maximize their potential at Texas Tech University!
  • MindSpa: With each new semester, many suffer the negative effects of stress with few opportunities for relief and rejuvenation. The Student Counseling Center MindSpa provides Texas Tech enrolled students, faculty, and staff a sanctuary in which to pamper and nurture mind, body, and spirit. The MindSpa provides many tools for stress management, including a massage chair, biofeedback software, yoga mats and mind-body exercise DVDs, and even Xbox 360 with games that help you relax.
  • Visit the TTU Beyond Ok webpage to learn about Campus Resources, Tips and more on how to stay mentally healthy. You can also download the Free Support Hotline here.

How can I get plugged into campus activities and groups?

  • Attend International Student Life (ISL) events: These events will help you get to know other internationals who are walking the same road! You will receive a International Student Newsletter each week from Beth Mora, with information on any events ISL will be hosting. Be sure to also follow us on Instagram!
  • Attend Raider Welcome week events: There are over 100 events scheduled for Winter Raider Welcome week, happening August 18-31, 2019! These welcome events are great places to meet friends, find people with shared interests, learn more about Tech traditions, experience culture, learn how to succeed academically, and get involved in the community. Take advantage of these events designed for you—check out the full schedule!
  • Check out TechCONNECT: Currently, there are over 500 organizations on campus that you can join! Mind-boggling, right? TechCONNECT has a complete list of these organizations, and pretty much any interest you have, there is likely a club or organization of people that share that interest.
  • Make new friends! Talk to your classmates or get involved in student orgs. The best way to embrace a new culture is to meet new people!

What opportunities might I have for cultural exchange?

  • Students for Global Connections: This is the student organization that is advised by the International Student Life Administrator, and exists to connect the international student body, organize events focused on cultural exchange, and be an ambassador of Texas Tech to prospective and newly admitted international students!
  • Cultural Exchange Program: Run by a community partner, this is a one year program that “matches” you to a community member or community family. You will meet with your match at least once per month, and it is a great opportunity to see American culture up close!
  • Culture Fest: Each fall, we have a festival that highlights the diversity of our campus. You can simply come experience it, you can volunteer, or you can represent your country and heritage by dressing in traditional clothing, working a booth with a country, language or culture-specific organization, or performing traditional dance or music from your country.
  • Carry your flag! Each Homecoming week, the Tech Student Activities Board hosts a parade the day before the Homecoming football game, and International Students have the opportunity to carry their nation's flag, or the flag of a nation represented here at Texas Tech, in that parade! It's a fabulous opportunity to participate in a Tech tradition while also sharing your national pride!

How do I stay up to date with what is going on in International Student Life?

We're so glad you asked! There are several ways to do this:

  • Join our Facebook page
  • Follow us on Instagram: ttu_isl
  • Read your weekly update email from Beth, your International Student Life Administrator, that will go directly to your TTU email. Not reciving the emails? Please let us know! Send an email to beth.mora@ttu.edu

How do I find others in Lubbock and on campus who are from my country?

Ourlist of international student organizations is the best place to start, though any International Student Life (ISL) event can offer an opportunity to engage with your fellow countrymen or others within the international student body.

Where are the best places to study?

  • Everybody has their favorite places, and you will have to find yours, but popular study areas are the Student Union Building (SUB), the Library (with numerous zones that range from individual study carrels in the stacks to the main floor computer zones to project zones where groups can work together), your dorm's study lounges, and off campus, coffee shops are always popular!
  • Library Study Rooms
  • Student Union Building Study Rooms

Where are the best places to eat on campus?

Again, this will be personal preference, but there is lots of variety available on campus! Check out this online brochure to learn about costs, where your money goes the farthest (at Hulen/Clement's all-you-care-to-eat facility & The Fresh Plate at Bledsoe/Gordon), how dining plans work, and even how special diets are accommodated!

What resources are available to help me academically?

  • TECHniques Center: This Center, located in West Hall, offers one-on-one tutoring and academic counseling!
  • The Learning Center: Located in Holden Hall, the goal of the Learning Center is to provide a student with the resources needed to obtain academic independence and success. They offer a variety of FREE services to all currently enrolled undergraduate Texas Tech students to ensure academic success, including:
    • Drop-in peer tutoring in subjects such as Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Accounting, and Engineering.
    • Individual academic planning, support, and coaching.
    • Peer academic coaching that provides students with skills in test taking, time management, etc.
    • Online tutoring Monday through Thursday from 7:30-10pm (in some subjects).
  • Math Tutoring Center: Located in room 106 of the Mathmatics Building, students can get assistance with math homework. Open Monday-Friday from 9:00 - 4:30. You can also hire a private tutor from the Math Dept here.
  • The University Writing Center: Located in room 175 of the English/Philosophy Building, the UWC provides tutoring services to undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty and staff. Tutorials last for 30 minutes, whether face-to-face or online. Our online services are asynchronous and feedback is returned to students within 24-48 business hours as tutors do not work on weekends. The hours of our main UWC are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. To set up an appointment, drop by in person or call (806) 742-2476, ext.2.
  • Graduate Student Writing Center: Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows can access writing support through the Graduate Student Writing Center (GSWC), a satellite of the UWC. To learn more about the GSWC's face-to-face and online services, please visit Graduate Student Writing Center.

What resources might be available to me should I find myself struggling financially?

  • Raider Red Food Pantry — Located in Doak Hall, this food pantry is accessible to undergrads as well as graduates should you need the help it provides! *Temporarily closed in summer 2020. Watch their website for news of reopening*
  • TTU Career Closet — The University Career Center wants to help you look your best for interviews and job fairs, and they understand that professional clothing can cost a lot! Contact Toni Krebbs in the Career Center for more information!
  • TTU TPEG — The Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) is for very special situations where there is a critical and compelling need to assist a student who has had a sudden and major financial problem. It is not for chronic financial mismanagement, neglect, and abuse. TPEG funding is limited and awards are usually very modest at best. Awards are normally not made during a student's first year as a student at Texas Tech. Examples of important issues might be, but are not limited to, currency fluctuations in one's home country, or a natural disaster in one's home country which affects the economy and the financial services sector and, thus, a student's ability to receive enough funds from his native country to pay his financial obligations here in the United States. A TPEG is not meant to be used to pay required student fees. It is not a scholarship and does not waive out of state tuition. Any application for a TPEG must be correctly, rigorously, and timely documented. Without satisfactory documentation, an application will not be considered.

    If you desire to schedule an appointment with Ms. Beth Mora, the International Student TPEG  Coordinator (beth.mora@ttu.edu). Please email her to schedule an appointment prior to review by the committee. TPEG committe application review will take place 7 days after the application due date.
  • PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
    • Only current TTU International students may be awarded.
    • International students must be enrolled full time during the semester they apply.
    • International student must have completed a year of study to be eligible.
    • TPEG funds will be awarded on the 24th of September, November, February, and April, depending on the cycle.
    • TPEG grant applications are open from the 1st through the 15th of that award cycle month. Applications submitted after that date (15th) will not normally be considered.
    • The TPEG Committee will notify award winners by the 23rd of the month for that cycle. 

Visit Scholarships page and find more information on how to apply for TPEG!

  • Raider Relief Fund Emergency Award Program — This fund, operated by Red to Black, desires to help students in emergency situations pay for living and other educational experiences. Be sure to read the guidelines and application process before beginning your application.
  • Check out this page for a list of scholarships and grants offered to international students!
  • Red to Black: This department offers peer-to-peer financial coaching to Texas Tech students. They provide individual coaching sessions and group presentations on topics such as creating spending plans, the importance of starting to save early, maximizing financial aid (including student loans), how to choose employee benefits and establishing and wisely using credit.

What are some popular experiences I could have here in Lubbock to learn about the local culture or history?

Life in Lubbock - There are a lot of experiences both on and off campus to enjoy while living in Lubbock. Visit our Life in Lubbock page to learn more about what to expect while living in West Texas.

Where can I find a DHL service point in our area?

How can Grad Students Pay to Attend Sporting Events?

How to add the Athletics Fee:

"Each Texas Tech student on the Lubbock campus, including all undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical students enrolled in at least one (1) or more hours (with the exception of grad students who have had their athletic fee waived) have the athletics fee automatically applied to their tuition and fees at the rate of $15.30 per Semester Credit Hour, capped at $61.20 per term. "

1. Go to Raiderlink
2. Click on the "My Tech" tab
3. Click on Student Bussiness Services
4. Select the "elect to Pay Application"

Visit the website to learn more: https://texastech.com/sports/2016/6/8/student-ticket-information.aspx

Where Can I Find Temporary Housing While I Wait to Move into my dorm/apartment?

TTU Housing does not offer any type of temporary housing options between move-in or during winter break. You are responsible for ensuring you have somewhere to live during this time. This is part of your lease agreement if you signed a non-12-month lease with on-campus housing. 

TTU International Student Life has put together a Temporary Hotel Discount Program to help students during these times. We have also compiled a list of options that might help you find somewhere to stay. 

Hotel Partnership Program

Furnished Housing Resources:

Legal Assistance

TTU Student Legal Services

About:
We provide legal advice, counsel, and limited representation for currently enrolled students at TTU. Our licensed attorneys can advise and/or represent students in a variety of legal areas including, but not limited to: landlord/tenant disputes, expunctions, misdemeanors, name changes, essential needs licenses, and small claims consumer disputes.

Location
: The Office of Student Legal Services has now relocated to the second floor of the SUB and normal operations have resumed.

Website: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/sls/


Gilda McDowell
 
Email- gmcdowell@gildaimmigration.com
Address - 2405 20th Street
Phone - (806) 799-3379

About - "I am an immigrant from Mexico. I came to Lubbock in the Fall of 2006 to attend Texas Tech Law School. I have been licensed to practice law since November of 2009 and I have been handling immigration cases exclusively since then. I'm the only attorney in the office, but I have 4 amazing staff members who are also immigrants to this country, 2 of them are Texas tech students right now. We are all passionate about what we do because we all have been through the immigration process at some point in our lives, so we strongly believe that we are changing people's lives by helping them achieve their immigration goals.  That being said, we handle family-based petitions, and various types of employment-based immigration for applicants with college degrees or higher, for example, visas for outstanding researchers and professors, athletes with extraordinary abilities, as well as green card and citizenship applications, etc." 

Gilda McDowell