For Newcomers

     What a newcomer needs will depend on the status of the newcomer. For clarity, newcomers can be classified into several groups. Majority of newcomers are graduate students and they should be in one of their stages, i.e. 1. People that research several schools and apply for admission; 2. People who get admitted and prepare for visa, flight, airport pickup, etc; 3. People who arrive in Raleigh and try to set up academic and living environment. In any case, the NCSU KSA website can be a starting point in solving many of your problems.

     For those in stage 1, there are a lot of information available on the web. Please, follow our Useful Links section and check out quick facts, statistics, and comparison with peer Universities of NCSU. If you need further detailed information on academic departments, you may contact individual students. For those in stage 2, we strongly recommend that you should sign up with our Member's Board which is proven over several years to serve as a very nice web community for newcomers. If you don't have a ID, please make one first before signing up with the board. The member's board allows building a small group for newcomers to expedite communication among people who have similar problems. Newcomers will also be able to have a lot of useful survival tips from current students via the member's board. With regard to stage 3, the most critical things to newcomers are as follows:

   1. Housing
   2. Car and driver's license
   3. Bank account
   4. Computer (and Internet access of course)
   5. Furniture (bed, table, chair, sofa, etc)
   6. Electrical appliances (TV set, vacuum, washer, dryer, etc)
   7. Telephone and/or calling card (and other utilities, e.g. gas, power, cable, etc)

     Typically, the housing problem is addressed remotely in Korean before arriving in Raleigh. If you cannot afford enough time for that, don't worry because you can still look around for the housing while staying in a temporary place. None of above is an easy thing to do by yourself. But don't forget that NCSU KSA is always here waiting for your call for help.

     Finally, students will have to go through in-processing with various University offices:

   1. OISSS check-in
   2. Deparment check-in (get PIN number to register courses)
   3. University-level orientation (apply for SSN and health insurance)
   4. Deparment-level orientation
   5. Pay tuition and fees
   6. Register courses
   7. Buy books

     The NCSU KSA also tries to reach out for new Korean faculty members, visiting scholars and exchange students. What they need may somewhat different from what a typical graduate student needs. Whatever your status is, please do not hesitate to contact the NCSU KSA for help. The member's board and all other communities are widely open to you.