You Are Welcome Here!

Penn State Behrend is currently home to more than 150 international students from 43 countries. Watch this short video from a few of our international students describing their experience here in their own words—and in their own languages.

The International Experience at Behrend

Things You Need to Know

Use these links to jump to a specific topic.

What is Campus Life Like?

We have put together this webinar with our staff and some student leaders to share more about campus and what you can expect here. Please watch it and let us know what questions you have.

Information for Incoming International Students

Visit Campus

We know that you want to be able to see your new home before you arrive! That's why we have put together a virtual tour of Penn State Behrend that you can view on your mobile phone or your computer. The virtual tour is available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. You can also explore campus using a VR app for your phone and feel like you are really on campus.

Campus Map

Here is a downloadable map of Penn State Behrend to help you prepare for your arrival. You can also visit our interactive map of campus.

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Getting Your I-20 and Visa

Hand holding pen to complete form

In order to be a full-time international student at a university in the United States, most students will obtain an F-1 or J-1 student visa. For an F-1 visa, you'll have to first get an I-20 document and have a visa interview. For a J-1 visa, you will request a DS-2019.

You will work directly with the Penn State office called ISSA (International Student and Scholar Advising) in order to get your I-20 or DS-2019. The email address for the Pre-Arrival office is [email protected]. Visit ISSA's website for more information about how to request the I-20 or DS-2019.

Mandatory Immigration Check-In

Before becoming active in the SEVIS database, all F-1 and J-1 visa holders must complete Mandatory Immigration Check-In. You are required to upload your immigration documents and provide ISSA with a current U.S. address and phone number so that you can become activated in the SEVIS database.

You can upload all documents prior to your arrival EXCEPT your I-94 record, which can only be retrieved after you enter the U.S. However, we highly encourage you to start on uploading your documents prior to your arrival, as this will save you time later. This MUST be completed within 30 days of your arrival to the U.S. If you have questions as you are completing the Immigration Check-In, please contact Alecia Hollinger, your International Student Adviser.

International Student Services

Our International Student Services office is housed in Reed Union Building, Suite 1. Alecia Hollinger is the International Student Adviser. Riki Hay is the Global Engagement Coordinator. Our office phone number is 814-898-6031 and our email address is [email protected].

  • To contact Alecia, email [email protected], schedule an advising appointment through Starfish, call 1-814-898-6317, message on Microsoft Teams, or fill out the Submit a Question form through the iStart website.
  • To contact Riki, email [email protected] or call 1-814-898-6909 or message on Microsoft Teams.

To see more information about Alecia and Riki, please visit our Meet the Staff page.

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Housing

On-Campus Housing

Living on campus is beneficial for making friends, acclimating to campus, and learning about U.S. culture. First-year students are required to live on campus, and we expect that this will help them feel more closely connected to the Behrend community, plus it is much more convenient than driving in the snow during the winter! Here is a link with information about on-campus housing. You also can see the costs for on-campus housing here. First-year students should NOT sign a contract with any off-campus housing agencies.

Global Boarders

Global Boarders is a program in which you choose to live in Trippe Hall with other students who live or have studied abroad, hope to study abroad, or want a culturally diverse living-learning environment. You will have an opportunity to attend programs throughout the year to learn about a certain area of the world and participate in meaningful discussions with your fellow students. If you want to select Global Boarders as your living arrangement, please indicate that on your housing contract or email [email protected].

For additional information, email [email protected] or visit the Global Boarders site.

Off-Campus Housing

If you are not a first-year student, there are many options for off-campus housing, but most require a car or other transportation to campus. You can see a list of available rentals here. The two apartment complexes within walking distance to campus are University Gate Apartments and Hudson Lofts. Please visit their websites for more information about availability and pricing.

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Paying Your Bill

You may use the tuition and fees calculator on the Bursar's website to estimate your bill amount.

Visit the Bursar's website to find out more about the tuition and fees rates, bill due dates, authorizing people to see and pay your bill, and payment options. For step-by-step instructions to pay your tuition on LionPath, go to the LionPath support website and scroll down to "Paying your bill." For international wire transfers, you can see detailed instructions in this Guide to Paying Your Bill with Flywire.

Tuition Bill Due Dates

In general, tuition bills are due:

  • Fall Semester: Due the 22 of August
  • Spring Semester: Due the 22 of December
  • Summer Session: Due the 22 of May

Housing and Dining Costs

To see the current on-campus room and board costs, visit Penn State Behrend's housing website.
 

Banking

PNC Bank is a local bank with offices close to campus and one ATM on campus, where you can withdraw money or deposit checks. You can even use your id+ card as your ATM card when you link it to your PNC account! There's no charge to link, and it's easy to do online. Here is a specific website for setting up a bank account as an international student.

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Health Insurance

Health care in the United States is very complex and extremely expensive, plus the United States does not have a national health care plan. Check out this short video for a brief overview of the U.S. health care system to assist you in advance of your arrival. Health insurance for international students is mandatory to ensure you have adequate health care coverage while you are studying in the United States. Insurance terminology can be confusing, so here is a website that explains common insurance terms to assist in your understanding of the system.

To Enroll in Mandatory Health Insurance Policy

The United Healthcare insurance policy is mandatory for international students who are located inside the U.S. This year's fall rate will be available later this summer. The cost for the health insurance will be added automatically to your semester bill* and can be paid together with your tuition, fees, and housing. You will enroll in the health insurance through your LionPATH account after enrolling in classes. To see more information about the health insurance requirement, please visit the University Health Services website.

*SPONSORED STUDENTS If students have an approved waiver, they will not be billed. If students do not submit a waiver by the established semester deadline, they will be automatically enrolled in Penn State SHIP and will be responsible for the premium charge on their student account. Do not purchase an alternate policy until you know that the policy meets ALL of the waiver standards completely. Contact the company that you are considering using to give them the waiver standards for them to confirm this. To see more information about the health insurance requirement as well as the waiver standards, please visit the University Health Services website.

Here is a link to the details about the undergraduate United Healthcare policy, including the annual deductible, in-network and out-of-network coverage, and other important information. The graduate student plan information is linked here as well. (This publications are available in alternative media on request.)

To determine whether you should visit a primary care doctor (such as our on-campus health facility), an Urgent Care facility, or an Emergency Room, visit this "Where Should I Go For Care?" website to look at the conditions that each kind of facility can treat.

You may also choose to purchase dental insurance, although this is not mandatory. To see more information about this option, please visit the UHS website.
 

Immunizations

Required Immunizations

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) - To satisfy Penn State immunization requirements, students must provide proof of:

  • Two doses of Measles (Rubeola), two doses of Mumps, and one dose of Rubella OR
  • Two doses of the MMR immunization OR
  • Results from a blood test showing immunity

The first dose must have been given on or after the student's first birthday. Dose two must have been given at least four weeks after dose one.

Meningococcal - required if living in University Housing - In addition to the MMR requirement, all students living in University housing must supply proof of the Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4): also known as Menveo, Menactra, MenQuadfi. This immunization is effective against the most common meningococcal infections caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y. One dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine administered at age 16 or older is required. Students may request an exemption from this requirement by completing the Meningococcal Immunization Waiver if there is a medical contraindication to immunization, or if religious or philosophical beliefs prohibit immunization. Meningococcal B (Bexsero and Trumenba) does not satisfy this requirement. *NOTE, not all Meningococcal vaccines are acceptable. If you have not already received your Meningococcal vaccine, we recommend that you wait and get the vaccine on campus to be sure that it is the correct type. The vaccine commonly used in China is not the type that Penn State accepts.

To see a list of the other recommended (but not required) immunizations, visit the University Health Services website.

How to Provide Proof of Immunizations

For instructions on how to submit your immunization records, please visit the Submission Requirements page of the University Health Services website.

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English Language Practice

The BEAM (Behrend ESL Alliance of Mentors) program offers an opportunity for students who are learning English and would like extra practice to be paired up with a native or high-level English speaker in a mentor/mentee relationship to learn from each other. The mentor shares:

  • Their own experiences learning the English language.
  • Practices or techniques which helped them become more skilled in the English language.
  • Pronunciation, idioms, slang, expressions, and other characteristics of the language.
  • Cultural facts and anecdotes from their countries of origin.

For more information about the program and to apply, visit the BEAM website.

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Things to Do in Erie

Penn State Behrend is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, a mid-sized city that offers the culture and entertainment options of a large metropolitan area with an abundance of natural resources and the friendly ease of a small town.

Pennsylvania's fifth-largest city, Erie, is located by Lake Erie's beautiful Presque Isle State Park, which boasts a 3,200-acre peninsula offering more than a dozen miles of sandy beaches, boating, and a thirteen-mile trail for walking, jogging, in-line skating, and cross-country skiing.

The downtown area offers a variety of cultural and historical attractions, including the Erie Art Museum, the Erie Playhouse, and the U.S. Brig Niagara, a victor in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. Erie is also home to the Seawolves, a Class AA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers baseball team, and the Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. Many shopping and dining options are offered along the Peach Street corridor, just a 10-minute drive from the Penn State Behrend campus.

This very drivable city is conveniently located within two hours of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, and is less than a four-hour drive from both Toronto and Penn State's University Park campus. There is a public bus system in Erie, which is free for Penn State students to use with their ID card. For routes and timetables, go to the EMTA website or visit the RUB (Reed Union Building) desk located across from the gaming lounge.

For information about things to do in Erie, check out the Visit Erie website or the Erie Arts and Culture website.

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Information for Parents

We know that the role of parents is very important in the education of their children, so we want to provide resources to keep you informed and involved.

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