Welcome!

College of Science and Engineering

Exchange Info Session!

Please sign in and find your folder.

Grab free stuff too.

If you are not on the sign-in sheet, that is OK. Just add

your name.

Adam Pagel ● Susan Kubitschek

CSE International Program Team

115 Lind Hall (Next to Starbucks!)

pagel@umn.edu

kubit001@umn.edu

Find Campus Maps here!

http://campusmaps.umn.edu/tc/

We are joined today by our Director of Advising, Amy

Gunter

CSE Academic Advising is also in Lind Hall, suite 105

We are also joined by current CSE students who can

provide advice

Today’s Meeting

• Introductions

• Details—getting into classes, tuition/fees

• Transcript Documentation

• Info on the College of Science and Engineering and other areas of campus

• Campus advice, fun!

• Answer questions

Today’s Meeting

• Let’s introduce ourselves

• Please give us your name, home country, and area of study

• Have you been in the United States before?

• When did you arrive in the US?

Today’s Meeting

• Folders—our office created folders for you. If there is not one here for you today, please let me know after the meeting

• These contain copies of your application documents, in case faculty members want to review your credentials

ISSS

• Has everyone completed their Immigration Check-in with ISSS?

Future Announcements

• Remember: check your official University of Minnesota email often!

• All future announcements, reminders, etc. from the University of Minnesota will be coming to that address

• Anything a professor or university official puts in email is considered “official”

University of Minnesota Minnesota:

225,181 km squared (just a bit

smaller than the UK)

5.3 million people (UK has more

than 60 million)

Lake Superior: 82,100 km squared

(about the size of Austria)

Campus Geography

• A big, but very nice campus (more than 50,000 people)

• 2 campuses:

– Minneapolis

– St Paul

• “West Bank”

• “East Bank”

– Minneapolis campus is separated by the Mississippi River

Campus Changes! • You have seen by

now, we have a new train running right through our campus

• One ticket will give you 2.5 hours of time to ride. This is a very nice way to explore the area

• Please be careful crossing the street!

• Also, the police will be active watching the public

You must have a ticket!

Campus

• Speaking of police…

• Alcohol cannot be consumed in public

• Campus is now “tobacco free” (no tobacco at all on campus) but I don’t think the police will be involved in this process—it is more of a social plan

Housing

• Does anyone still need housing?

• Contact Adam if you are still looking for a place to live and we will try to help

Housing

• If you are living in on-campus housing and will only spend Fall Semester here:

• During Fall, you should meet with your building’s business office and begin a “contract release” request

• You should start this process in October

Academic Advising College of Science and Engineering Academic Advising

105 Lind Hall

Walk-in Academic Advising is available

Tuesday, September 8th, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

All Fall Semester: Monday to Friday, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Get tweets and updates from our

advising office:

@UMNCSE #CSEAcAdv #CSEUG

https://cse.umn.edu/r/academic-

advising/

Getting Into Classes • Who is already registered for

at least one class?

• You must be registered for at least one class before September 8

Getting Into Classes • Research courses online and

review space availability

• https://www.myu.umn.edu/

• Some classes will have prerequisites and you will need to speak with the faculty member

• Basic Course Designation Structure:– 1xxx = introductory, usually first

year courses

– 2xxx = second year

– 3xxx = third year, more advanced/specialized

– 4xxx = fourth year, senior level

– 5xxx = usually graduate level, but some seniors also take these classes

Instructor

Space available

Need to look someone

up? Use our search

http://search.umn.edu/

Getting Into Classes

• At the start of the semester, you can add and “drop” classes with no financial or academic penalty

• We call this the “Cancel/Add” period

• http://onestop.umn.edu/calendars/cancel_add_refund_deadlines/index.html

• As the semester goes on, the policy changes. Keep an eye on the dates! Know the academic calendar!

• You must be registered for at least one class by the first day of the semester, to avoid penalty fees

Getting Into Classes • You registration holds should be

removed by now, right?

• Targeting specific classes of interest, that you are prepared to take

• Contacting professors for permission

• Using departmental contacts when necessary—departments will be “alerted” to your interests but they cannot save seats for non-degree students

• Attend the first day of class to talk with the instructor

• If you have trouble registering online, you may want to try the email option: http://onestop.umn.edu/registration/email_forms.html

• What about classes outside of CSE?

• You must be register for at least 1 class by September 8 to avoid penalty fees

Getting Into Classes

• What about classes

outside of CSE?

• Similar advice—you

can take pretty much

any class you can get

into (up to the

maximum credit load

of 20 for

undergraduates)

• Advice for biology,

business, recreation

(code: PE), etc.

Getting Into Classes

• Peer adviser

presentation

Registration

• Be aware that in the

US undergraduate

students take more

credits than graduate

students

• So, a “full load” of 15

graduate credits is

much more work than

a full load of 15

undergraduate credits

Work Load

• US classes have much more

weekly work than courses

in some countries

• Group projects, lab reports,

presentations, assigned

problems, midterms,

quizzes—all are common

• Many classes also make

“participation” part of your

grade—asking questions,

responding to online

conversations, etc. Read

you syllabi carefully to

understand how your grade

will be determined.

Grading

• We use an A – F grading

system, without an A+

option

• https://onestop.umn.edu/gra

des_and_transcripts/grades

/grade_basis.html

• Your faculty members

should outline how grades

will be calculated for each

type of class

• If you are not sure how you

will be graded, you should

ask your faculty leader

After your exchange term • If your exchange is

managed directly by CSE

(POSTECH, ZHAW, TUM,

Agder, Chang Gung,

HKUST, Chalmers, BJTU,

NTHU, DTU, NUS and

Milano)

• You will sign a transcript

request form before for

you depart. This final

transcript will go to your

home school

• After you complete your

studies, I will send one

official transcript

• You can always request

more for a fee

• If your exchange is managed by

ISSS (NTNU, Brazil, etc.), they

will send you a transcript.

Tuition and Fees • All of you are here on

specific exchange agreements with different financial frameworks—it gets very tricky talking to students about fees

• If adjustments to your fees are necessary, they will be made in September or earlier

• Take more than 13 credits to take “full” advantage of your time here

Tuition and Fees

• There are a number of fees that you will see on your statement

• The American way

• http://onestop.umn.edu/finances/costs_and_tuition/index.html

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and Fees

• Note: Your tuition may look different from other students if you register for less than 13 credits, or if you take a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses, or if you take classes that have fees (like materials fees).

Tuition and Fees

• You will see other fees popping up as well, depending on:

• 1) Any “early” housing

• 2) the classes you take (some have fees associated with them—particularly if they have lab or recreation like skiing involved)

• 3) if you get a bus/transit pass (a good idea)

• http://www1.umn.edu/pts/bus/upass.html

• Try not to compare your student bill with other student bills. Two are rarely the same.

Tuition and Fees

• This is hard, but try not to obsess over your fees

• If there is a true error, we can usually get it fixed (visit Onestop or come talk to me)

• Pay on time to avoid even more fees

• Watch your U of M email for updates

• Adjustments will be made during the first week or two of classes

Campus Life• University of Minnesota: tier

one research university

• One of the largest in the US

• “University Life” is a big deal in the US.

• Sports!

• NCAA, Big 10

• Gophers!

• At Minnesota, students usually group themselves by “college” (business school, engineering school, arts school, etc.)

• Or associate strongly with a student group (marching band, student newspaper, officer training, Engineers Without Borders—hundreds more!)

The Twin Cities

• Studying

• Volunteering

• Getting Involved

• Student life

• Winter!

Campus Life

The Twin Cities

• Check out this website:http://onestop.umn.edu/u_resources/campus_life.html

Great list of campus links: newspaper, radio station, museums, concerts, etc.

Campus Life

Campus Life• It is impossible to “know

everyone”

• Students tend to have a core group of friends from their major, club, fraternity, etc.

• It is easy to meet people in Minnesota, but sometimes hard to get to be close friends. Midwestern Americans are known for being a bit reserved.

• “Minnesota Nice”

Campus Life—Shopping • We have a new “small”

Target store near campus, it just opened

• So, you don’t need a car to do shopping

• Check it out when you have time

• Corner of 5th St SE and 13th Ave (Dinkytown)

Campus Life—Safety • Campus is usually pretty safe—

Minneapolis is “safer” today than 10 years ago

• But, campus is a target for crime

• Most crimes are “property” crimes (where items are taken from students) late at night, when students are alone or in a very small group

• Lock things up! Don’t leave items alone (like, a laptop sitting on a table when you go get coffee). Go out in groups. Take a taxi or Uber home.

• Campus security is getting tighter, and the police are very active. But you need to look out for yourself and make good decisions.

• http://safe-u.umn.edu/

Gopher Sports

Many games and venues

www.gophersports.com

Gopher Sports

Special Announcement!

Our athletics department is providing free tickets for all

exchange students to our first football game!

September 3, 2015 vs TCU

Game starts at 8:00 PM but most students arrive early

Get your ticket here

z.umn.edu/exstudent15

Select the free “Student

Section” ticket

Other Special EventsLate night shopping at a big store

Target Run Shopping Event

Tuesday, September 1

10:00pm – 12:00am (last bus leaves Target at 11:50pm)

A chance to shop for anything you might need to start the semester.

Buses will load from the residence halls—meet up with students waiting

at a hall like Frontier Hall.

http://campusmaps.umn.edu/tc/building/FronH/

There is no scanning process, students just load up and can come back

at their leisure.

Other Special EventsExplore-U

Saturday, September 5

1:30-4:30pm

Location: Mariucci Arena

http://campusmaps.umn.edu/tc/building/MarA/

At this exciting event you will have the opportunity to learn about and

interact with over 150 student groups in which you can get

involved. Sample products and freebies while visiting exhibitor

displays from major vendors and retailers as well as local

entertainment venues, restaurants and businesses.

– Access Instructions: Scan student IDs entering this event

Intramural Sports

• Start or join a team!

• Fall Semester sports include soccer, basketball, hockey, bowling, flag football, etc.

• Registration takes place mid-September

• You can register as a “free agent” for a small fee

Many Sports Available

http://recwell.umn.edu/intramurals/

The Twin Cities

• Area Population: about 3,000,000 people in the two main cities and surrounding suburbs

• Each city is really a collection of neighborhoods, usually based on a lake, river, or park

• Our transportation system is very bad at getting people into the suburbs

• Cars are still “king”

Minneapolis and St Paul

The Twin Cities

• Shopping and eating

• Sports

• Arts

• Nightlife

• Outdoor life

Beyond Campus…

The Twin Cities-Bike City!

https://secure.niceridemn.org/map/

Paying the bike

“subscription” is cheaper

than buying a bike for one

semester

The Twin Cities-Bike City!

http://recwell.umn.edu/news/single-

speed-bike-rentals

You can now rent a bike

for the entire semester

from the U of M. $75 per

semester.

The Twin Cities

• Great Chinese food http://ourteahouse.com/

• Great noodle soups at Bona http://twincities.citysearch.com/profile/5588423/minneapolis_mn/bona_vietnamese_restaurant.html

• Korea Restaurant http://www.yelp.com/biz/korea-restaurant-minneapolis

A world of food…

• Scandinavian Groceries http://www.ingebretsens.com/ or http://www.midtownglobalmarket.org/CafeFinspang

• German “beer hall” style http://www.blackforestinnmpls.com/

• Wood fired (Neapolitan style) pizza http://www.punchpizza.com/

• Japanese: Obento-ya http://www.obento-ya.com/

• Middle East: http://holylandbrand.com/

• Fondue! The Melting Pot http://www.meltingpot.com/minneapolis/welcome

• East African http://www.safarirestaurant.net/

• Many More! Explore!

The Twin Cities

• ID—bring passport?

• Tipping!

• Go out in groups—look out for each other

• Be safe

• Know transportation schedules

• Rainbow Taxi: 612-332-1615

• Uber?

Going Out

The State Fair!

August 27-Sept 7, 2015

Free Shuttle Bus from

campus to the fair

and back

http://www.mnstatefair.org/

NFL… Packers or Vikings?A big deal in the US during the fall

Pick a team, have some fun being a “fan” and watching games on TV, etc.

The Packers have won the Super Bowl several times

The Vikings are bad, but they need fans too!

A cheese head

Me at historic Lambeau Field

during a Packer victory

Starting this fall, the Minnesota Vikings will play

games on the University of Minnesota campus

while the new stadium is being finished!

Minnesota

• Boundary Waters

• Outdoor Center organizes trips

• Make friends…

• Go to the BWCA! Trips coming up in Sept and Oct

Going Way Out

http://recwell.umn.edu/outdoor/

The Region

• Milwaukee, Chicago… Fargo?

• The Empire Builder

• Megabus

• Go with a friend

• Let folks know before you go

• Research discount airlines like Sun Country and Southwest—they don’t put their fares on sites like Expedia

Regional Trips

J 1 Visa Status

• You can stay in the US up to thirty days after your study ends

• Have some fun!

• Minneapolis has a convenient airport

• Check “cheap” airlines for travel inside the US

http://www.suncountry.com/

http://www.southwest.com/

Buddies

I hope that many of you

have been contacted by

Buddies

They can be a great

resource for advice, fun,

etc.

Fall Events

We will plan some fall

events for the buddies

and all of you, and you’ll

receive updates and

invitations on email.

Questions?