Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the Cost of Attendance that I must certify my family has available each year for my visa interview at the US Embassy?
A: For the 2012-2013 academic year, approximately $57,000 for tuition/fees/room/food. For more details: http://cms.skidmore.edu/bursar/cost.cfm
Q: Can I have a part-time job on campus?
A: Yes. You will be able to have a campus job earning about $2,000 per year in your first-year ($1,000 each semester) and slightly more each year after. In your first-year, you can work up to 9 hours per week (you want to have as much time as possible for your school work). Int'l students are able to work on campus quite easily. As a non-US citizen, off-campus employment is possible in your second-year and beyond but US Government regulations tied to your visa status require that off-campus employment is limited and for such things as internships related to your courses (details will be explained by international student advisors when you arrive).
Q: How do I get to Skidmore?
A: Saratoga Springs is located approximately 110 kilometers from New York City, Boston, Massachusetts and Montreal, Canada and only 25 km from Albany, New York, the capital of New York State.
The Albany International Airport (ALB) is about 25 kilometers from Saratoga Springs and the Skidmore campus. All major rental cars companies are available at ALB or a taxi ride will cost approximately $60 one-way. Taxis are available without reservation from ALB
Amtrak rail service serves Saratoga Springs from New York City or Montreal. The Saratoga Springs station is about 5 km from campus. The Albany/Rensselaer rail station is about 25 kilometers from Saratoga Springs and taxi service is available from that station (same as above).
Megabus, Greyhound and Adirondack Trailways are another option for getting to Saratoga Springs from New York City or Boston.
Q: When will I receive my SEVIS Form I-20?
A: Non-US citizens will need a SEVIS Form I-20 to apply for their F-1 student visa at a US Embassy in their home country. For new students enrolling for the fall semester, your initial I-20 will be sent to you in June after all required financial and biographic data is received. A Designated School Official (DSO) will be in contact with newly enrolled students in May and help you through this process.
Q: As a new student, when should I arrive at Skidmore for the fall semester?
A: All new students who reside outside of the US are invited to attend the International Student Pre-Orientation in August. Organized by the international student advisors in the Office of Student Academic Services, this program is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED providing an excellent opportunity to prepare for education and living in the United States. This is a four-day program that precedes other pre-orientation programs at Skidmore.
The arrival date for the 2012 International Student Pre-Orientation is Saturday, August 25.
Q: What is International Student Pre-Orientation (IPO)?
A: International student advisors plan this four-day program to help students address academic and cultural adjustments one may make studying in the United States for the first time. Students will have the chance to learn their way around campus, set up a bank account (at a branch of a local bank or Bank of America), learn about campus academic and co-curricular resources and meet upper-class student leaders. Faculty from several academic departments present topics to students ranging from academic writing and plagiarism to expectations in an American liberal arts university classroom. Staying safe and healthy on and off campus will also be addressed. Exploring Saratoga Springs and a hike in the nearby Adirondack State Park are also included in the few days of activities. For students studying at Skidmore on an F-1 student visa, an overview of regulations on maintaining your status will be offered. And much more!
Peer mentors for this program are upper-class international students who provide guidance and direction to many of the activities. Peer mentors will meet arriving students at the Albany International Airport on SATURDAY, AUGUST 25. After IPO concludes and the school year begins, peer mentors remain a resource for new international students as the adjustment to Skidmore and the US continues.
Family members traveling with students are invited to activities on Saturday morning and the program for students concludes on the morning of Thursday, August 30. On August 30, all students finishing IPO will check-in for their next pre-orientation offered by the Office of Campus Life.
There is no extra cost for the International Student Pre-Orientation. Students or families with questions about IPO may contact Darren Drabek, International Student Coordinator in the Office of Student Academic Services by email at ddrabek@skidmore.edu
