International Students Post-Arrival Information

By federal immigration regulations check-in is MANDATORY and is one of your primary responsibilities upon entering the United States.

• This applies to ALL international students, including anyone in ELI or anyone transferring from another university in the USA.
  
  
• F-1 and J-1 Students: Failure to check-in will result in termination of your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record, as well as any corresponding F-2 or J-2 dependent records.
  
  
• Check-in will be done remotely. We will send an email to your AKRON email address with instructions.

The University of Akron requires that all international students have major medical health insurance.

• When you register for classes, the mandatory health insurance fee will be automatically added to your student account, unless you have a comparable alternative plan. 
• More information about the UA plan and the requirements for a waiver can be found online.
• The online orientation contains much more information about the need for health insurance in the USA.

To find out if you are eligible for a waiver, email international@uakron.edu asap with the following. Pay attention to deadlines which will be published in our weekly newsletter. Requests that are submitted after the deadline will not be approved.

• Your name and UA ID
• Your waiver request
• A copy of your alternative plan

For special populations:

• If you are a Global Nomad student, DACA recipient, are undocumented, or have a nonimmigrant status other than F-1 or J-1, contact us for more information.
• If your family will be living with you in the U.S., and you wish to purchase insurance for them also, contact us for a list of suggested insurance companies.

Contact Student Accounts:

• Phone: 330-972-5100
• Fax: 330-972-2082
• Email: cashier@uakron.edu
• Campus location: Simmons Hall Lobby

• Your actual cost of attendance will only show on your bill after you have registered for classes.
• You will have time to open a bank account during orientation, but you should plan ahead as it usually takes a few days to send money from home.
• You should plan ahead in case of any large expenses that could be incurred when you first arrive – do you need a laptop? Does your landlord require first and last month rent when you sign your apartment contract? Do you need to furnish your living space?
• Students with graduate assistantships: remember, you will not receive a paycheck as soon as you arrive. Please plan ahead.
• If you are under 18 and will not have a bank account, how will you pay your bills? Plan ahead!

How to view or pay your bill

How to pay from an international location

Due dates

How to avoid late fees and/or holds on future registration and transcripts:

• If you do not plan to attend The University of Akron, you should drop your classes as soon as possible to avoid any financial responsibility.
• UA reserves the right to drop your classes if you have not made payment arrangements with Student Accounts.
• A late registration fee of $100 will be assessed for any “first time” registration that occurs on or after the first day of the term.
• A late fee of $100 will be charged if payment is not received by the due date.

Optional “Promise to Pay” installment plan

PNC Bank is the approved banking partner for The University of Akron and is located on campus.

While in quarantine you will not be able to open a bank account remotely. Please plan ahead.

PNC staff will be available at the start of the semester to help you sign up for a bank account. Please be sure to follow all posted COVID safety protocols while in the PNC bank on campus.

• For your convenience, a PNC branch is located in the Student Union on the 1st floor.
• PNC Bank helps make it easier for University of Akron students to keep track of their money.
• PNC has 8 on-campus ATMs.

More information about banking in the USA and the types of bank accounts available is included in the online orientation.

Since it can take several weeks to open an account with a foreign currency check, we recommend that you do either or both of the following:

• Contact PNC in advance to discuss you specific currency needs
• Bring an amount of U.S. money from home (if you can) to open your account with U.S. dollars, and then wire funds from home as needed
  • PNC can help you make wire transfers

Note: you are not required to use PNC Bank, you can use any US bank you choose for your banking needs while you are in the USA.

Most students want a cell phone when they arrive in the USA. Details about the types of plans available - pre-paid plans or contract plans - is in the online orientation. Be sure to check the bonus level, section 8.

• Most cell phone companies require you to have a contract, or “plan”, although pre-paid plans are available.
• You must be over 18 to sign any contract in the USA.
• If you will be under 18 when you join UA please check the information for Students Under 18 for additional information.

Note: We want you to contact your family and friends at home once you arrive so they know you made it safely to Akron! To help you do this, we can provide you with a FREE SIM card when you arrive, if you need one.

• The SIM card comes with a monthly plan.
• You will pay a flat monthly fee for the service before you use it.
• This is not designed to be your long term cell-phone plan, but will enable you to call home when you arrive, rather than waiting until you have researched all the cell phone options available.

Having your contact information up-to-date ensures that we are able to give you the information you need in a timely manner.

• While you're at The University of Akron, there will be times when university personnel will need to reach you.
• Emergency contact information ensures that we are able to reach the correct people on your behalf in an emergency situation.
• Maintaining accurate, updated information is necessary in order for you to maintain immigration compliance!

Also, it is important for UA personnel to know what information you have permitted to be shared, and with whom it can be shared (this is also known as a FERPA release).

The Registrar’s website has detailed information on how you can make updates or changes.

Z-Alert – UA's free emergency text-messaging service

The University of Akron provides this service for all students, parents, faculty and staff.

How it works:

Text messages will be sent when campus closes due to weather or an emergency, or when a situation arises that immediately affects safety.

Sign up:

Follow the instructions at Z-Alert to begin receiving our notifications.