Information for Parents & Family
As parents or family of a Winthrop student we consider you part of our extended Winthrop family. You can feel comfortable that your child or family member will be welcomed and well taken care of at Winthrop.
The primary “home” for international students at Winthrop is The International Center. You can see the staff of the International Center by visiting our Contact Us link listed on our main website. It is the International Center that meets the new international students when they arrive at the Charlotte (North Carolina) International Airport.
Our Office then provides an orientation for new international students prior to the beginning of classes and continues to support them until they graduate.
Airport pick up
The International Center will arrange to meet all new international students at the Charlotte, North Carolina airport. The Charlotte airport’s designator is CLT. Make sure that you send the detailed arrival information to the International Center so we can meet your child at the airport. Please send that information as soon as you know it but at least by the date listed on the International Student Arrival form. Flight details can be faxed to 1-803-323-2340 or emailed to the International Center. If plans change or a flight is delayed, please contact the office at 1-803-323-2133.
Safety & Health
The Winthrop Campus is safe and healthy. Winthrop Campus Police are responsible for the safe environment we enjoy and we have the Office of Health Services if a student is not feeling well. We require all international students to purchase and maintain medical insurance which will help with the expenses incurred if a student is required to get medical treatment off campus with a local doctor or hospital. A student must purchase the insurance policy through the University or provide information regarding an already existing insurance policy which meets the same basic coverage requirements.
Academic calendar
To get a better idea of your child’s schedule and vacations you can refer to the academic calendar. Students are able to stay on campus during the holidays, but some students return home or travel within the United States during the holiday periods. Students can also continue their studies during the summer – from mid-May until mid-August. The immigration law does NOT require that international students study during the summer, so these classes are optional and require additional tuition & fees.
Housing and Meals
Winthrop requires first and second year students to live on campus and take their meals through the campus restaurants. By living on campus the students are more involved in campus activities and can participate in all that is happening outside of the normal classroom experience. University facilities, including the library, computer labs, sports facilities and Health Center are also convenient. You can find more information under “Housing & Meals” on the “Future international Students” section of the website.
To do before departing for the USA
Each student is required to provide a Medical and Immunization Form to the Health Services office. A copy of the form was mailed to the student along with their admission letter and other materials. Please have this form filled out prior to the student’s arrival at Winthrop. We also suggest that all students have routine visits to the doctor, dentist and eye doctor prior to coming to the USA. While these are all available here they will be more expensive in the USA than in your home country.
If your student requires particular medication make sure they arrive with a sufficient supply and the necessary documentation to be able to renew their prescriptions. If your child wears glasses, we recommend they bring an extra pair of glasses.
Make sure that your child does NOT pack their passport or I-20 in their checked luggage. They will need to have those documents in their “carry-on” luggage so they can present it at immigration check-point on arrival in the USA, prior to getting their luggage. We also recommend that you do not pack cash or valuables in the checked luggage.
Make sure you or your child has sent the details of their arrival information – date & time of arrival, carrier name and flight number. Without this information we cannot meet them at the airport.
Money Matters
When students arrive at Winthrop they should be prepared during the first week to make the necessary payments to the University for the first semester of study. Typically this will include tuition & fees, room & board, and medical insurance. Most students will bring with them a “bank draft” in U.S. dollars for an amount sufficient to cover for one semester, tuition/fees, room/board, medical insurance.
In addition to these expenses students will need funds for textbooks, supplies, entertainment and other personal expenses. Because these expenses will occur throughout the year, we recommend that all students open a bank account where they can safely keep funds for ongoing expenses. During orientation we will help all international students open a bank account. Funds can be wired from around the world into the students’ personal checking account. There is an ATM machine on campus, and others around the community, which allows students to withdraw funds at no charge up to a maximum amount (generally $300 per day).
Employment
Students in the USA on student visas are not allowed to work off campus. There are a few exceptions to this general rule after the student has already been in the USA for one year, but the student would need to contact the International Center to see if they are eligible for these exceptions.
On-campus employment is allowed, but for limited hours and paid at minimum wage. On-campus employment can help with “pocket-money” but will not help much to support the costs of education.
Communication
Your child will have a telephone line hooked up in their room in the on-campus housing. If your child chooses to get an inexpensive phone, or their roommate has a phone, you can contact them directly in their room. Most students get a cell phone when they arrive and use that for communication. In either case they will want to buy a phone card for making international calls.
Students will also be given a Winthrop email address and will have access to a number of computer labs around campus. You can contact the International Center at 1-803-323-2133 from 8:30am to 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time, or Campus Police at 1-803-323-3333 after hours in the case of an emergency.
Thank you for entrusting your child to study at Winthrop University. We promise to do our best to take care of them while they are away from home.
