Arrival and Departure Checklists

Arrival

Arrive to Campus

Despite the fact that most incoming students study at the Pittsburgh campus, prior to departure from their home countries, students should review their visa documents to be aware of the respective Pitt campus they are to study at. A select number of students study instead at one of the regional campuses.

When arriving to Pittsburgh, there are number of ways that students may choose to travel from the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) to the Pittsburgh campus. See Transportation for more information.

If a student should arrive prior to when on-campus housing is available, he or she is responsible for making temporary housing arrangements, prior to the start of the school year.

Getting into On-Campus Housing

Incoming students who have secured on-campus housing will need to contact Panther Central about their check-in procedures. As domestic students are not permitted to check-in early, international students should make sure to identify themselves as an international students. During the fall semester, on-campus housing check-in should be available approximately two days prior to the formal International Student Check-in procedures with OIS, but during the spring semester, it will likely occur on the same day.

International Student Check-in

All international students must make sure to attend OIS's International Student Check-in, which is a required event where immigration compliance and regulations are discussed. Details about the event will be provided by OIS through the my.ois.pitt.edu portal. Students should be prepared to provide the physical DS-2019 document at this event.

Panther Card

Prior to the start of the academic semester, incoming students should go to Panther Central's Panther Card center to receive their Pitt Photo ID. In order to receive the Panther Card, international students will need to provide an official document, such as a passport or international license. Go Panther Central's website for more information.

Welcome Week

Although incoming exchange students are not required to attend all the Welcome Week events, attendance for at least some is highly recommended. During the fall semester, Welcome Week includes events throughout the scheduled week to help new students to not only learn about Pitt but also about the city of Pittsburgh. Events include campus tours and shopping trips. For the spring semester, the orientation is not as robust. For a full schedule of the events, please visit the Welcome Week website.

Academic Sessions/Orientations

Individual schools, such as the Swanson School of Engineering or the College of Business Administration, may hold academic meetings or orientations prior to the start of the academic semester. Not all schools may have this event. Students should regularly check their Pitt email inboxes for any invitations that they may receive about these academic events. This may include an opportunity to meet with your academic advisor.

Prepare for Classes

Incoming students may want to visit the Pitt University Store to purchase the necessary textbooks and supplies in preparation for classes. Students are not required to purchase the necessary materials at the store and may choose to do so through online vendors as well.

Update Contact Information

Upon arrival, incoming students should update their local contact information within my.pitt.edu as well as within my.ois.pitt.edu. This information may include their local address and phone numbers.

Departure

Transcripts & Verifications of Enrollment

Prior to the finish of the academic term, incoming exchange students will need to submit a hardcopy of the Transcript Release Form to the Study Abroad Office in order to have a Pitt transcript sent to their home institution.  These transcripts will not be mailed to a residential address and must be mailed to the student's home institution.  Only exchange students will be able to have the Study Abroad Office mail transcripts to their home institutions.  Guest students will need to make their own arrangements on how to send a copy of their transcript to their home institution.  

Students may retrieve extra copies of the Pitt transcript free of charge by visiting the Transcript Office prior to returning home.  After returning home, students may purchase official copies of their transcript, please see the Transcript Office's website for details.  

Before transcripts will be released to a student, he/she should make certain that any financial obligations to the university have been resolved.  Otherwise, there will be a financial hold placed on his/her student account, baring the ability to receive a transcript.  

Additionally, a student who may require an official confirmation of his or her enrollment at Pitt, may ask request an Enrollment Verficiation from the Transcript Office.  Like the transcript, students may visit the Transcript Office for copies of the Enrollment Verfication free of charge prior to departure, but will be charged after returning home.  

On-Campus Housing Release

Incoming students who live on campus will need to provide the Study Abroad Office with a hardcopy of the Housing Release form. For students who are here at Pitt for only one semester, this will allow for students to be released from their yearlong housing contracts without penalty. Students should follow Panther Central's instructions and procedures when checking out. Students who fail to follow procedures and submit the necessary notifications may forfeit the initial housing deposit.

Email Deactivation

Pitt email and portal access for exchange and guest students will be deactivasted the month following the end of the study period. At the end of the study period, students should make the appropriate email inbox forwarding procedures to a private email account if he or she would like to keep any messages. For assistance on this process, students should contact Technology Services.

Testimonials

After the end of the period of study, a student who would like to comment about their Pitt experience may email the Exchange Program Manager directly. Pitt welcomes any comments to help improve the experience for incoming students.

Exit the U.S.

Students departing from the U.S. should take note of the end date listed on their visa stamps. If a student should exit the U.S. after the expiration date of his or her visa stamp, he or she will not be permitted to re-enter. Such is important for students who wish to travel to countries neighboring the U.S. and return to Pittsburgh prior to departure. For more further questions, please consult the OIS.