Be sure to complete all applicable steps before your arrival at Macalester and before any task specific deadline. If for any reason you do not plan to attend Macalester this fall, please email ISP immediately.
- ✓ Obtain a valid passport. Your passport must be valid 6-months beyond your period of stay in the U.S. If you are graduating in 4-years time then 6-months beyond your Macalester graduation date or program end date (refer to your I-20 as F-1 student or DS-2019 as J-1 student). If you are an exchange student then 6-months beyond your program end date in December or May.
- ✓ Obtain a student (F-1) or exchange visitor (J-1) visa from a U.S. embassy/consulate
Notes: Students from Canada and the Bahamas generally do not need to apply for a visa, but must present the I-20 (or a DS-2019 if you’re a J-1 visa holder) upon entering the United States.
•Click this link to see 10 tips for student visa applications;
•Check the Department of Homeland Security’s Study in the States applying for visa;
•Take a look at the Department of State’s Visa Appointment & Processing Wait Times page for more information.
- ✓ If you attended a school in the United States immediately prior to Macalester, fill out the SEVIS Transfer Form. If you will attend a summer program in the U.S. before coming to Macalester, please email ISP immediately so we can discuss your visa situation.
- ✓ Bring copies of your admission letter, financial documents, previous school transcripts, and medical prescriptions.
- ✓ Complete a payment through a wire transfer or other form for any tuition and room and board balance.
- ✓ Submit the student employment application form, which will be sent to you from Macalester’s Employment Services Office. This application is only for students with employment awards in their financial aid package. Consult the Student Employment Services Website for more information.
- ✓ Submit your registration form on the Orientation website.
- ✓ Obtain visitor (B-2) visas for family members coming with you.
- ✓ Check out our family travel page for more visa application information and accommodation suggestions.
- ✓ Get a physical exam and complete your Health and Medical Forms through your Macalester Patient Portal by Friday, August 22, 2020.
- ✓ Finalize your travel plans and finish your Arrival Form for PO4IS/Ametrica.
- ✓ Read the information on the Host Family Program and, if you wish to join, complete the application form. (ISP has made the difficult but necessary decision to postpone pairing new students and hosts until Fall 2021.)
- ✓ Read the information on the Ametrica Project and, if you wish to join, applications will be available in the near future. (Ametrica program has now completed for 2020. Application for 2021 will be available late spring/early summer 2021 in New Student Portal.)
- ✓ Make sure to read ISP’s International Student Handbook before you arrive. It will also be mailed to your home.
Please ask us any questions by emailing isp@macalester.edu or calling +1 (651) 696-6992.
Incoming students are welcome to mail luggage or packages to ISP prior to departure after mid-August. We will hold it for you until you arrive. Simply address your package in the following format:
Your Name
Macalester College
International Student Programs
C/O: Aaron Colhapp
1600 Grand Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55105 USA
ISP offers airport pickups to all incoming international students and Ametrica participants. We shuttle several Macalester vans to and from the MSP airport during Pre-Orientation for International Students (PO4IS). To be eligible for a pickup, you must arrive within the designated arrival time. For Module 3 arrival, Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021, please fill out the Arrival Form as soon as possible. We strongly encourage you to take flights that arrive between 8 am and 5 pm. (If you arrive after 5 pm, we will pick you up based on availability.) If you can, please inform us ahead if your flight will be delayed.
There are numerous factors to take into account when deciding to purchase a cell phone and/or a cellular plan, including but not limited to cost, carrier, reception, compatibility and minutes/texting/data options. The guide to buying a phone in the US, as well as this guide to phone carriers or networks and SIM cards can help you make these decisions. Like many things related to technology service and cost mentioned are subject to change.
Students will have an opportunity during Pre-Orientation for International Students (PO4IS) to open a bank account with U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo. For more information about these banks, refer to our Banking in the US Guide.
Most international students choose to take the Macalester sponsored insurance plan, United HealthCare Student Resources. If students decide to opt out of this health insurance plan, they must demonstrate that their personal plan meets Macalester’s standards. More information about health insurance can be found at the Health and Wellness Center website.
Your dorm room comes equipped with a bed, mattress, desk, chair, dresser, and closet. You will need to bring/purchase your own pillow, bed sheets/beddings, hangers, laundry basket, and shower caddy, amongst other things. During Pre-Orientation for International Students (PO4IS), ISP will offer a shuttle service to Target, a department store which sells a wide range of goods. We strongly recommend you to purchase things online before you arrive. You can also shop at Target and Amazon and have them mailed to the following address:
Your Name
Macalester College
International Student Programs
C/O: Aaron Colhapp
1600 Grand Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55105 USA
Thankfully, Minnesota’s summer and fall are quite mild, so you don’t need to worry too much about cold weather for the first month. For more information on different places where you can purchase winter clothes, with a wide range of prices, check out ISP’s Winter Clothes Shopping Destination guide. Here are some links to dress warmly for Minnesota winter: How to dress for Minnesota Winter & How to dress for Winter.