Pre-Departure Information for BECAL-CPK Students

You will be picked up from the airport upon your arrival to Wichita and taken to The Flats on the WSU campus. There is no cost for this service. However, for departure at the end of the semester, all students must find their own transportation to the airport at their own expense.

All BECAL-CPK students will live in The Flats Residence Hall on campus as part of the BECAL-CPK scholarship. For information about The Flats, please visit: http://www.wichita.edu/housing

Please see the housing contract for the official move-in and move-out dates and check the pre-departure information for the suggested arrival date and departure date (above) for BECAL-CPK students. If you arrive before or leave after the housing contract start/end date you may be subject to additional nightly fees or you may have to find off-campus accommodation. We generally are able to help find free accommodation at the end of the semester after the official move-out date if this occurs.

After you arrive in Wichita, you must open a bank account at Meritrust Bank to access the portion of your scholarship that will be used for meals. We will provide more information regarding this at a later time.

All University offices are open Monday – Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Prior to arrival, you will receive an email with more information about check-in and orientation for J-1 program students – dates are included above. 

Wichita State University requires that all J-1 students have medical insurance that meets the specifications as set by the Department of State. The required health insurance is covered by the BECAL-CPK scholarship.

A tuberculin (TB) blood test is required for all new students and is given by WSU’s Student Health Services when you arrive. All students living on campus are also required to have a meningitis vaccination, which you can receive at Student Health if you do not already have this vaccine. Otherwise, please bring your vaccination records with you to the U.S. We recommend that you take care of any existing medical or dental problems at home since student medical insurance does not cover routine dental work or eye examinations.

For more details, please visit: Medical Insurance: http://wichita.edu/MedicalInsurance

TB Testing and Routine Medical Care: http://wichita.edu/TBTesting

Important Documents

• Passport
• Itinerary
• Boarding pass
• DS-2019 and all admission documents

Cash

• USD$300-500; keep $100 in wallet, have $10s & $20s; keep $100 bills separate

Electronics

• Cell phone and charger
• Laptop/tablet and charger
• Converter/adapter
• Portable charger/power bank charger
• Headphones/earphones

Other

• Pens (1-2 for filling out forms)
• Small notepad (keeps school address, important contact information, etc.)
• Snacks/cookies (meat products not allowed)
• Chewing gum (reduces earaches on airplane)
• Hand/body lotion (aircraft cabin is dry)
• Eye-drops (eyes dry after long flight)
• A pair of socks (it may be cold on the plane)
• Light sweater/jacket (in case it’s cold on the plane)
• Books/magazines

Clothes (quantity depends on laundry habits)

• Short sleeves, long sleeves, T-Shirts, dress shirts
• Shorts, skirts
• Pants (slacks, khakis), Jeans
• Sweaters
• Light jacket and coat
• Cultural costume
• Sportswear, swimsuit
• Pajamas
• Underwear
• Socks
• Warm hat, scarf, gloves
• Sneakers, dress shoes, sandals, flip flops

Bathroom/Personal Care

• Comb, nail clippers, toothbrush, small toothpaste
• Traveler-size shampoo, conditioner, shower soap
• Skincare products, cosmetics

Daily Necessities

• Eyeglasses/ contact lenses (with spare ones), sunglasses
• Contact lens solution
• Personal medicines

School Supplies and Other

• Schoolbag/backpack or tote bag
• Pens/pencils
• Cultural products/ souvenirs

• Towels, wash cloths
• Bed linens (mattress pads, sheets, pillow, and blankets)—all twin extra-long mattresses are 36”x81— Single bedroom in flats use full size bedding
• Laundry basket, detergent, dryer sheets
• Clothes hangers
• Toilet paper
• Hair dryer, straightener, curling iron
• Iron with automatic shutoff and a small ironing board (do not iron on the floor or furniture)
• Multi-plug extension that is UL approved with a surge protector
• First aid kit
• Small can opener
• A few dishes and utensils (cup, plate, bowl, silverware, pan, fork, knife, spoon, etc.)
• Umbrella, raincoat
• Bicycle, bike lock (U-lock suggested) – bike racks available outside each building
• Painter tape—do not use Command strips as they tend to damage the walls

• Personally-owned upholstered “stuffed” furniture such as sofas, cushioned chairs, bean bags, bed/futon mattresses, memory foam mattresses, and bed toppers thicker than 3”
• Halogen lamps-- most lamps that do not use your standard bulbs or florescent tubes are halogen
• Pets (only non-dangerous fish are permitted in a clean, odor free aquarium, less than 20 gallons)
• Multi-plug extensions that are not UL approved and do not have a surge protector
• Abrasive cleaning supplies—some cleaning supplies are available through the Information Desk at no additional charge with your Shocker Card
• Double-sided foam tape such as Command strips, duct tape, Scotch tape, Box tape, wall paper and borders (these items cause considerable amounts of damage to walls, doors and furniture)
• Items that hang from the ceiling
• Incense and candles
• Lighter fluid
• Firearms and weapons
• Items that have an open heating element such as toasters, toaster ovens, George Foreman grills, and traditional coffee makers without an automatic shutoff feature
• Freezer units
• Refrigerators larger than 5 cubic feet
• Possession of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs
• Alcohol or drug paraphernalia (this includes, but is not limited to: beer can collections, shot glasses, wine bottles, bongs, empty alcohol containers, etc.)