International Student Admission Information
Current
Students:
Credit System
Student ID
Grading System
Advisement
Courses
Assessment
Academic Honesty
Regents' Exam
Graduation
Immigration
Notes:
Passport
Visa
I-94 Record
Temporary Departure
F-1 Regulations
J-1 Regulations
Getting
Settled:
Housing
Health & Insurance
Transportation
Money & Banking
Safety
Getting Settled
Housing
Armstrong, through the Division of Student Affairs, offers student-only, on-campus apartments at Compass Point, University Crossings and University Terrace. These residence halls consist of apartment style living in either two or four bedroom units with a shared living room and kitchen. On-campus housing has the advantage of fuller immersion into campus life, as well as facilities that are engaging, fun, well-maintained, clean, and equipped with contemporary safety features. All University Housing communities are located within a short walk to everything on campus, with a counseling center and health clinic on-site. Residence Life programs and activities are designed to promote student success, academically and socially. Our apartments are fully furnished with convenient monthly payment installments that include utilities, cable television, internet, local telephone service, and gated parking..
For more information and application for campus housing, go to the Housing and Residence Life web site.
For more information on off campus apartments, you can visit:
www.marjac.com
www.apartmentsnationwide.comTop
Health & Insurance
Insurance
The University System of Georgia requires health insurance for all international students on nonimmigrant visas. International students are required to purchase insurance through Armstrong Atlantic State University through the Pearce and Pearce Insurance Company. The fees for insurance are paid by semester and are due at the time you register for classes and pay tuition/fees. The cost of the insurance is automatically billed to your account at AASU. Information about the insurance is available to http://www.pearceandpearce.com.If you already have insurance through your home government or parents that is equal to the coverage provided by Pearce and Pearce, you can apply to the company waive their insurance. Please go online to Pearce and Pearce to make the application. If you have questions about the insurance, please contact the Office of International Education.
Although health insurance for accompanying family members is not required by the University, it is strong ly recommended because of the high cost of medical care in the United States. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services require that all J-2 accompanying members have health insurance.
Pre-existing conditions are not covered by most policies. A pre-existing condition is an illness or medical need you had prior to purchasing insurance. For example: if an international student is being treated for a back injury before coming to the U.S., then the insurance purchased after arriving to the United States will not cover the cost of treatment (the back injury existed prior to the insurance coverage and is therefore a pre-existing condition not covered by the insurance).
Some insurance definitions include:
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Benefits: The money the insurance company pays if you become sick.
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Claim: The form and procedure you use to request payment or reimbursement of your medical expense from the insurance company. Ask your insurance provider for a Claim Form when need and for instructions on filing a Claim.
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Coverage: the conditions under which the insurance company will pay or reimburse your medical expense.
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Deductible: refers to the amount the student must pay before the insurance company will begin to cover expenses. Be sure to ask about deductible rates before purchasing a health plan to find out if the rate is affordable.
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Dependents: Children or spouse.
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Exclusion: Circumstances under which the company will not pay for or reimburse medical expenses.
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Policy: The insurance contract.
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Premium: The price you pay for insurance.
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Transportation
It is less expensive to use public transportation than to own and operate an automobile. The CAT bus system (Chatham Area Transit) will take you almost everywhere in the Savannah metropolitan area. Information on the schedule and on routes can be obtained in the lobby of the Memorial College Center or by calling (912) 233.5767. When you call, CAT staff will tell you the quickest and most convenient route.
For fares and schedules of long distance bus transportation, you can contact Greyhound Bus Lines at 1.800.231.2222 or their local station in Savannah at (912) 232.2135.
Listed on the yellow pages of the telephone directory, you will also find numerous taxi companies.
Automobiles
Cars are expensive to operate, repair and maintain. You must pay for fuel and, in some areas, parking. If you are going to drive, you must have a valid Georgia driver's license. State law also requires that you purchase automobile insurance. If you rent a car you should also purchase the insurance if needed. If you drive a care without a license and insurance, you are breaking the law.When you apply for a driver's license, you must present the following documentation for consideration: passport with photo ID, I-94, I-20 student ID or the pink copy of the IA-66, Social Security card, and a letter from your back stating your local address. Remember to use your name and date of birth as it appears on your passport. For information on taking the Georgia driver's license, or for a booklet on the written exam, you can contact the Georgia Driver's License Bureau at (912) 651.3004.
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Money & Banking
It is not wise for people to carry large amounts of money or to keep it at home; you should deposit money in a bank. Opening a saving and a checking account at a bank can make saving and spending easier. In choosing a bank you will want to consider the branch and automatic teller locations, hours of operation, bank charges, and interest rates. Visit the resources page of this site for a list of banks in the Savannah area.
Checking
Banks offer different kinds of checking accounts. Many banks offer college accounts with no service charges. The establishment of accounts depends upon you financial needs. Paying by check provides a record of payment made for goods and services. When opening a checking account, use your name as it appears on your passport to avoid confusion.Savings
Money which you want to save can be kept in a savings account where it will earn interest. Savings accounts and checking accounts at the same bank customarily allow you to transfer money from one account to the other. When opening a savings account, use your name as it appears on your passport to avoid any confusion.Credit Cards
Credit cards can be obtained from banks, charge-cards companies, and financial organizations. Some will charge an annual fee, some will charge interest and some may charge both. The interest rate charged on your purchases can be high, so be be aware of your spending. (If you intend to pay the entire balance at the end of each month, then you will not want a no-fee card. If you are going to extend payment, then you want a card with low interest rate). You may have to wait as much as six months from the time you apply to be issued a credit card.Account Balancing / Record Keeping
The bank sends a monthly statement or record of checks written and paid on your account. It is important to be sure that your record of the amount remaining in the account is the same as the bank's record. The record also reflects all banking activity, including interest earned and amounts subtracted from the account by the bank for service charges or for the printing of personalized checks. If you use an automatic teller to withdraw or deposit cash, these transitions will also appear on the monthly statement.Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)
The automatic teller is a computerized device through which bank customers can make deposits or withdrawals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To operate an ATM, the customer receives a plastic instant access card along with a personal identification number (PIN).There is a Bank of America ATM on campus, outside the north side of the Memorial College Center, near the Shearhouse Plaza. Ask your bank for further information on their ATMs.Top
Safety
911 is an emergency phone number that can be used for any type of emergency. You do not need to insert a coin in a public pay phone when dialing 911.
The AASU Public Safety Department is located on Science Drive, near the traffic light at the entrance of the campus. Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To report a crime, suspicious behavior, unsafe conditions on campus, or in the event of an emergency, immediately call 344.3333. Armstrong's Public Safety Department will provide you with a campus escort if you feel unsafe at night when walking alone.
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