1. What shall I buy before coming to Chicago?
?Please find the new student handbook from www.ucssa.org or www.iit.edu/~china. This handbook was written in 2000 by five major CSSAs in Chicago area and was revised in 2002. Basically it covers every topic that new students might be interested in. It is free for download. For hard copy inquiry please contact the president of CSSA-IIT.

2. How can I contact CSSA-IIT
?You can find the contact information of CSSA from www.iit.edu/~china. Feel free to contact us and we are glad to provide all kinds of help.
3. Who will pick me up at airport
?Please visit www.iit.edu/~china. You will find related items for new students. Fill the pick-up request form with detailed flight information. CSSA-IIT will organize the information and arrange picking up.
?If you don韙 want CSSA to arrange picking up or you are lost, you can take taxi or public transportation. Ask help from airport information desk.

4. What is the picking up policy?
?CSSA-IIT韘 new students pick up policy require new students being picked up pay $15 for O鞨are airport and $10 for Midway pick up. Payments can be made to the drivers right away or to CSSA treasure later. Being picked up persons need pay the parking fee at the airport garage. The present rate is $3/hour while it might change without noticing in advance.

5. Why CSSA-IIT charge us for picking up?
?Picking up is based on volunteer while it is not always easy for CSSA-IIT to recruit volunteers. If the flights coming early in the morning or late in the evening will made it harder. Then a certain amount of payment will help CSSA arrange the picking up.
?The payments you made will be used to reimburse drivers gas fee, mileage and labor. Sometimes the person picking you up may refuse to take your bill. Then you can choose donate it to CSSA-IIT as students activity fund.

6. How can you find me at the airport?
?If you enter US custom at Chicago, you will arrive at terminal #5 of O鞨are airport. After finishing security check, which may take a while, you can wait for CSSA person in the lobby.
?If you have entered US custom before coming to Chicago, you will arrive at terminal #1 or #2 or #3 which will depend on your flight. Please wait for picking up at the luggage claim area.
?Don韙 arrange two batches of people to pick you up to make "double certainty". This will bring big trouble for us and may take us several hours to search you in the airport. That is really no fun.
?Bring CSSA contact person韘 or driver韘 phone number with you. In case the flight delay or whatever situation, let us know as soon as possible.

7. How can I call back to China?
?CSSA-IIT can order one phone card before you come. You need commit to reimburse CSSA after arrival. This phone card can be used with home phone or any toll free phone. It will be very helpful when you have any problem before you meet with the persons who pick you up. Generally the value of phone card is less than $20 and the rate of calling back to China is around 5 cents per minute.

8. Temporary lodging
?CSSA-IIT is NOT responsible for finding temporary lodging for new students. We will help you seek apartment rental information per your request.
?Tips: Register as CSSA-IIT member and visit www.iit.edu/~china/bbs. Paste your help wanted advertisement there. Or subscribe the cssa-iit maillist at http://mailer.iit.edu. Then you can receive and send related information.

9. What should I do after arrival?
?Go to International Office to register. It is at the 4th floor of main building. Bring all important documents like I-20 form, passport, I-94 card etc.
?Contact with your advisor and arrange the interview. He/She will help you choose classes.
?Visit Hermann Union Building for orientation related information.
?Following the orientation guide to do student ID, medical insurance, U-pass, social security number (SSN) etc.

10. Where is the post office and bookstore?
?South commons

11. On campus housing
?On campus housing includes apartment and dorm. Overall, on campus housing is safer but more expensive.
?Apartment. Strongly recommended while hard to get in.
Normally, there are two ways to get in. One is to register at housing office of IIT at www.iit.edu/~housing (only graduate student and faculty are eligible). This way may take you one year. The other way is to take the sublease from other students. Be aware of maillist and the advertisement on campus.
?IIT on campus apartments have studio, one-bedroom apartment, two-bedroom apartment and three-bedroom apartment. If you share apartment with others (one person per bedroom), it may cost $200 to $400 per month, depends on the size of the room and the size of apartment. The on campus apartment includes the facilities (electricity, water, heating, gas etc.), so that you will save a lot in the winter because of heating. For details, go to housing office.
?Dorm (Residence Hall Housing). Dorm is also safe and comfortable (furnitured and air-conditioned), but it costs more. It costs $5,532.00-$7,296.00 per two semesters, if two students share one room; $5,768.00 - $6,876.00, if live alone. Note that the dorm is closed in winter and summer breaks. The fee includes 19 meals every week. The advantage is that you will have more chance to participate in the activities at IIT, since most undergraduate students live there.

12. Off-campus housing
?Off campus two-bedroom apartment is normally $450-$650 around IIT. Two or three people can share it.
?Look at local news paper
?Subscribe CSSA-IIT maillist
?Be aware of on campus advertisement .
The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author.
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the Illinois Institute of Technology.