Student Handbook and Resources

When deciding what clothing to bring, consider the weather and your own personal style. Americans often prefer to wear casual and comfortable clothing, and there are no requirements to dress formally in the classroom. It is suggested to bring jeans, T-shirts, comfortable outer layers for cooler days, and shoes for summer and winter. Chicago winters are very cold, and it often snows – warm clothing is a necessity outside. In the hotter summer months, lightweight, cotton clothes are the most comfortable. Remember to bring along your swimsuit!

All buildings in Chicago are heated in the winter, and many are air conditioned in the summer. This allows for more comfortable enjoyment of the spaces in extreme weather.

Depending on your program, you may find yourself interviewing for employment. You will want one or two formal outfits with a suit jacket for these situations.

Many medications for minor ailments are available at stores or pharmacies in Chicago. If you have a special prescription medicine that you must take, for example: heart medicine, please do not pack it in your luggage! Carry any necessary medications on the plane. It is your responsibility to ensure you will be able to access and refill your medication if needed while in the United States. Please do your research!

Any school supplies such as notebooks and writing utensils can be purchased upon your arrival to Chicago, either at the on campus bookstore or several other retailers around the city. If you bring your own computer, please make sure you have the correct plug and electricity convertor.

During your 1st week of classes you will receive a list of the books needed for each course. These will be available at the on campus bookstores on both East and West campus. Some students choose to order their books online at a discount, but be aware that books ordered online may take time to arrive, and you may not have your book in the time needed for studying or assignments.

There are many up front costs to consider when deciding to study in the United States. You must place deposits, pay for housing, buy furniture, and pay for your university supplies during your first month in Chicago. Please budget carefully and ensure you will have enough cash on hand to cover expenses should it take time to establish a line of credit in the United States.

As you prepare to depart your home country please make photocopies of your passport, US visa, I-20 or DS-2019, driver’s license, and any credit cards you are bringing to Chicago. Bring one set of copies with you to the US and leave the other copies at home. Remember NOT to pack your passport and I-20/DS-2019 in your checked luggage.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport is one of the world’s busiest airports. There are several ways to get to UIC from the airport: Click here to review some options.

Blue Line
Take the Airport Transit System (free inter-terminal trains) from Terminal 5 to Terminal 2 after clearing customs. Follow the sign to the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) station under the 1st floor. You can take the train directly from the airport to the UIC campus. You need to have $5.00 to buy a ticket from the automatic ticket machine. There is no ticket counter and the machines do not accept pennies.

Airport Shuttle Services
This is a private airport shuttle company. You can check the shuttle schedule and make a reservation on their website. The ZIP/post code for UIC is 60607.

Taxi
During the non-rush hours, the trip by taxi from O’Hare to the UIC campus is about 40 minutes and costs approximately $50 (including tip).

Generally speaking, American universities do not pick up students at the airport. PIP can only arrange airport pick up for students in groups of eight people or more. This service is only for transportation from the airport to the UIC campus. If airport pick-up is requested, the group should inform PIP of their flight arrival information immediately after they obtain their air tickets.

If there is any change in your arrival information, PIP must be informed as soon as possible to adjust transportation.

If you have missed the pick-up staff or time, please do not panic. Please contact the PIP office to arrange for alternate pick up service. PIP office main line: 312-996-0563 (8:30 am-4:30 pm).

Students who travel to UIC by themselves should contact PIP after they arrive, so we may assist with registration, orientation, etc.

• UIC Off-Campus Housingprovides a very helpful website filled with information and resources for anyone looking for an apartment near UIC. Their website also has a section where landlords can list available spaces or apartments, and helps students find roommates. You can use your UIC netid login to check it out. It also provides information about off-campus housing in the University neighborhood.
  This webpage does not book housing, assist contract signing or other legal affairs. It is for information purposes only.
  You can also find housing by using a real estate firm. Private houses for rent in the UIC area invite tenants through intermediary real estate firms, which in turn publish information about rental houses. One is listed below:

1. C. Gallucci Realty, Inc., Rental or Investment Property
   Address: 1355 W. Taylor St #1,
   Chicago, IL, 60607
   Phone Number: 312-421-1355

Renting an apartment is a big decision. Make sure to do research on the area, ask advice from UIC staff and fellow students to ensure your desired apartment is close to transportation, shops, and is in a convenient location. After you choose an apartment, you must sign a “lease”.

The lease has a purpose of protecting the rights of both the tenant and the landlord.

1. The lease should clearly state the beginning and end date of the rental period. Pay close attention to these dates and make sure they are for the length of time you need!
2. The lease stipulates the rules of the dwelling and the obligations of the landlord and the tenant in a written form.
3. The lease prevents the landlord from raising the rent or expelling the tenant without prior notice or cause
4. The lease helps prevent, but also provides a guide for how to handle misunderstanding and dispute.
5. The lease stipulates the condition of the termination of the contract.

You should never take on the obligation of an apartment without a written lease agreement, even if you are just taking over a space from a previous tenant – often called ‘subletting’. Make sure you get a copy of your lease to keep should you have any questions during your rental period.

Most landlords will require a security deposit, which is often the equivalent of one month’s rent. This deposit is held until you move out and then used to pay for any damages done to the unit as stated in the lease. The remainder will be returned to you.

Should a dispute arise between you and your landlord, it should be handled according to the terms of your lease and the laws of the State of Illinois. Below you can find resources that will be useful in case of any disputes:

Student Legal Services
​​1200 West Harrison Street,
3030 SSB Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 996-4857

Center for Renters Rights
Address: 3007 N. Ashland Ave,
Chicago, IL, 60657
PO Box: 578335
Tel：773-244-8152

Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance
Address: PO Box: 43142,
Chicago, IL 60643-0142
Tel：312-332-5310

Because the landlord does not normally offer furniture, the first thing you need to do after you sign a rent contract is to buy furniture, the first of which is a bed.
Some bed and bed accessory sellers in Chicago area are:

American Mattress
Tel：1-800-TO-DREAM (1-800-863-7326)

Serta
Tel：1-888-55-SERTA (1-888-557-3782)

Mattress Firm
Tel：1-877-346-5495

IKEA
Schaumburg Store: 847-969-9700
Bolingbrook Store: 630-972-7900

These stores usually deliver your items to your apartment, but a delivery charge may apply. Supermarkets like Kmart, Wal-Mart, and Target are good for other furniture. Special furniture outlets may have higher prices.

If you want to rent furniture rather than buy it, you can try the following shops:

Brook Furniture Rental
Address: 222 North La Salle Street #140,
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel：877-285-7368
International:+1-847-810-4006
Email: brookconcierge@bfr.com

Cort Furniture Rental
Address：22 West Ontario Street,
Chicago, IL 60610
Tel：1-888-360-2678
International: +1-512-900-6904

Your apartment lease should stipulate exactly which utilities will be your responsibility. In Chicago, the water bill is almost always paid by the landlord.. Depending on the apartment, the tenant is usually responsible for starting paying for electricity and gas service. You do this by asking your landlord or rental company which company provides each service. For example, most electricity in Chicago is provided by ComEd. You would then need to contact Comed to start up your electricity..

As an international student it may be more difficult to get a bill put in your name. ComEd requires a driver’s license or a US social security number to start service online. However, you can start the process online, then go to a ComEd “verify identity location” in person – one of which happens to be the Mariano’s grocery store on 40 S Halsted near campus! If you are ever struggling with a problem like this, always ask for help from a PIP or university staff member – we’re here to help you navigate a smooth transition to your life in the US!

All students are required by Illinois law to have medical insurance. Every international student of UIC must have medical insurance in accordance with the school’s medical care requirement.

CampusCare is a comprehensive package of health benefits provided by the University to eligible enrolled students and their covered dependents at UIC. All students are automatically enrolled in CampusCare and assessed the CampusCare fee on their student account when registering for courses. You may opt out of the program by submitting the online waiver form before the enrollment period deadline. You must provide proof of equivalent or comparable commercial medical coverage. If the commercial medical coverage is not equivalent to the school’s medical care requirement, it might result in the loss of being able to register for courses or receive a diploma. We strongly recommend all students in PIP programs stay in this university-based health insurance program. The insurance charge will be found in the statement in your “my.UIC” account in the billing section. This insurance covers three terms: spring, summer and fall. The rates of CampusCare for the 2021-2022 academic years are as follows:

Fall: $697
Spring: $697
Summer: $461

Students can also enroll any dependents including spouses or children in CampusCare.

Studying in a foreign country can be challenging and lonely. The UIC Counseling Center provides different confidential services that give all students the chance to talk about the stressors in their lives. This is a free service, and students can schedule an intake assessment to be linked to an ongoing service like individual or group therapy. Another option allows students to schedule during a moment of high stress or crisis. These are single-session appointments and can be made within 24-48 hours.

Sometimes you just need someone to listen – and the Counseling Center is here to help!

When you enroll at PIP, you should decide if you would like to join CampusCare or not immediately.

If yes, apply to CampusCare.

If not, submit a declaration to opt out of CampusCare. You must provide proof of equivalent or comparable commercial medical coverage. Confirm (by yourself) that the commercial medical coverage meets the minimum standards set by the US Department of State. If the commercial medical coverage does not meet the minimum standards set by the US Department of State, it could result in the loss of your J-1 status.

Medical Evacuation and Repatriation item: CampusCare does not include Medical Evacuation and Repatriation. J-1 students who purchased CampusCare must buy additional insurance which includes this benefit.

If the proof of commercial medical coverage does not include Medical Evacuation and Repatriation item, a J-1 student should purchase additional insurance which includes this benefit.

The minimum standards could be found on the UIC Office of Internationals Services’ website: OIS Medical Insurance Policy Requirements

Since the cost of the program is already reduced based on the partnership arrangements, you are not eligible to receive any financial assistance from the University during your course of study in this program and until your program/degree has been completed, including but not limited to financial aid, stipends, graduate assistantships, and tuition waivers. You may be eligible for part-time on-campus term-time employment that does not include tuition and fee waivers.

To learn more about other student employment restrictions and permissions on an F-1 student visa, please visit the Office of International Services for more information.

Studying and living at UIC is comparatively safe to areas in other large US cities. However, like every big city, it is important to pay attention to your personal safety. Here are some areas we would like to highlight:

No matter where you are, it is good to remain alert and be aware of your environment and people around you. One of the reasons that someone can be a victim of a crime is that they are not aware of their surroundings. Look around you while you walk – pay attention to other people near you. Be conscious of your belongings. When carrying bags or purses hold them closely to your body – never hang them on the back of the chair or put them on the floor in a restaurant. It is recommended to carry wallets in the front pockets of pants – not in the back – same with mobile phones..
Avoid walking alone at night. Have someone accompanying you, get a ride from a friend, or use the UIC Night Ride (see the Transportation section for more information). Do not accept a ride from a stranger.
Avoid carrying on your person, or keeping in your apartment large sums of cash. Almost all stores and restaurants in the US accept credit or debit cards. Keep your money safe in a bank!

As in many large cities, you will be asked for money by panhandlers or people without housing on the street. It may be hard, but best practice is to not give money to anyone who asks – walk confidently past without eye contact.

Lock your doors – front and back – even while you are at home. You should visually identify and confirm any visitor before opening your door when someone visits you. If the visitor is a stranger, do not open the door.

Never give your phone number and address to strangers.. Never give personal information (bank account, personal identification numbers) over the Internet or telephone. Consult with a university professional if you are ever asked to send money to someone you don’t know well over the internet.

Most crimes are “crimes of opportunity” – and happen when students leave their belongings unattended for short periods of time in the library or a café. It is better to bring all of your belongings with you than risk losing them to theft!

If you feel your safety is being threatened, or when you encounter danger or possible criminal behavior, do not hesitate: call the UIC police immediately. Even if you are unsure of the situation it is a good idea to call the police so they can decide the extent of the danger.
The US emergency number is 911. (You can also call the UIC police emergency number from any campus phone by dialing 55555.)
The number for a Chicago police emergency is 911. (911 is the emergency number throughout most of the U.S.) You can also call UIC Police:
Emergency Call: 312-355-5555 Non-emergency Call: 312-996-2830 Address: 1130 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607 If you are on the UIC campus, you can also press the alert button on a “Star Tel” tower (the big brown pole with a blue light) and ask the UIC police for help.

Most students who live around the UIC campus do not own cars because they take advantage of the public transportation system in Chicago. You can visit www.chicagotransit.com to look at the bus and train maps to help you learn what options are nearest you! There are many apps you can use to plan your route in advance, and even Google Maps has a “public transit” setting when looking up directions. You’ll be a pro navigating buses and trains in no time!

Just as with general safety in Chicago, you should always be alert and aware of your surroundings. If you feel uncomfortable while riding on the train, you can hop off at the next stop and move to another car. The first car is where the driver sits, and many chose to sit there to be near a CTA employee. While this can be a good practice, the best practice is to stay alert so you do not miss your stop and pay attention to the other people. If someone tries to disturb you, or makes you feel unsafe, change seats immediately or report to the engineer or driver.

Do not show off your valuables – including your phone! – during your trip. Try your best to keep them in an inconspicuous place. You should also not reveal to others that you are carrying a large amount of cash.

The City of Chicago, UIC, and public transportation are great options for navigating the city. Maintaining an awareness of your surroundings and practicing good common sense is the best way to prevent being a victim of a crime.

Campus dining halls are located on both the east and west campuses of UIC provide different meals, such as KFC (in Behavior Science Building only), Subway, Moe’s Southwest Cantina, and Sbarros. Lunch in either of the campus dining halls usually costs around $9.50.
Taylor Street is near the campus and has various kinds of restaurants: Italian, Middle Eastern, Indian, Thai and Greek food. Jewel-Osco, Mariano’s, and Whole Foods are the three largest grocery chains in Chicago. Branches of these three supermarkets are located near the UIC campus, on Roosevelt and Ashland, and Roosevelt and Canal, (Jewel), and Halsted and Monroe/Madison (Mariano’s/Whole Foods). You can buy food and daily necessities easily in these stores. Of course, If you wish to enjoy an authentic non-American meal, Chicago is an incredibly diverse city with different centralized locations of specific ethnic groups.

Each area can be reached by public transportation:

Chinese – Chinatown, off of the Cermak stop on the Red line
Greek – Greektown, just north of campus on Halsted
German – Lincoln Square, the northwest side of the city, take the Blue line north to the Western stop
Italian – Little Italy, East Campus is on part of this section of Chicago! Walking down Taylor Street you can find an amazing variety of Italian restaurants.
Mexican – Pilsen, south of campus on Hasted between 16th and Cermak. This is also an arts district.
Polish – Polish Village, Avondale neighborhood – less centralized than the others, but can be reached by the Logan Square stop on the Blue Line

When you first arrive in the United States, you will most likely need to purchase some daily necessities. Two stores that provide most of the things you will need are Wal-Mart or Target.

Chicago has many department stores, chain stores, special retailers, and discount shops: The more expensive and more popular chain stores are Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Neiman Marcus. These stores are mainly located downtown, on Michigan Avenue and in suburban shopping malls.

Just like Fifth Avenue in New York City, Michigan Avenue is the busiest commercial street in Chicago. Packed with specialty boutiques, it attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world. You can take the CTA Blue Line train at UIC Halsted, and transfer at Jackson for the Red Line heading north and get off at Grand Avenue and walk east a few blocks to reach Michigan Avenue.

You can also make full use of modern technology by shopping online to buy anything you want. A credit card is normally required. Regular shoppers on E-Bay, etc., should use PayPal instead of providing credit card information directly to sellers.

Although most people in other areas of the world do not tip when at a restaurant or bar, tipping is normal and common in the United States, and is considered part of the wages of the tipped staff members.
Americans tip to those who have provided them a personalized service: porters at airports, train stations, or hotels, servers at restaurants, hair and nail stylists, and delivery and taxi drivers.

The tipping standard is normally as follows:

In a restaurant, about 15-20% of the bill, depending on the service quality.

In a hotel, tip at least one USD to the porter. The standard tipping rate is one USD per piece of luggage.

For the hotel housekeeper (maid), about one USD per night at the hotel. The amount of tip depends on the service. Most rooms have small cards on a desk or bureau with information from the room attendant; place your tip under this card. one to two USD should be tipped to the attendant if you have requested him/her to bring some beverage to the room.

About 15% of the taxi meter fare is normally tipped to the taxi driver, and about $0.50 per luggage piece if the driver takes care of your large boxes.