Although you must be very excited of visiting US BUT there are something you must done before you go to US
Before go to US
Do have a usa phone number with internet before you go to US
Better to have a laptop with you if not do check you have one in your office.
Do prepare a talent that you can present anytime
Do prepare some gifts to show your culture
As for me, Internet is super important for me. Thus, I have the plan for unlimited data use for 50 US dollar per month.
Arriving in the US - orientation
1. Upload some data to IIE portal
your visa and I- 94 form to IIE portal ( http://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/ )
When you pass the gate, show your passport and your DS2019 to the officer. after finish this procedure, you can go to the website to fill in your i 94 form. Then, screenshot the page you have done. Uploard both your visa and I 94 form to iie portal.
Update your physical and mailing address on iie portal in ten days
When you arrived your apartment and you can upload your address in the US to iie portal.
Upload your initial report with your superadvisor's signature to iie portal
There are two things you have to do.
1 Talk to your supervisor and get to know what mission you are going to do in the FLTA grant year.
2. Talk to the Chair of your department and get to know how to choose the course in the University.
When you finish these two things, you can complete your initial form, give it to your supervisor and invite the supervisor to leave his signture. Scan the form and upload to iie portal.
2. Get ready for your orientation
There is three days workshop to help all the FLTAs to get into US life and get use to the academic world in the US. The orientation includes three parts:
Microteaching - all the FLTA divided into small group and you have to write the lesson and demostrate 15 mins class.
Farewell party - ( talent show )
more information goes to
3. Arriving in the US - heading to host institute and get a local bank account in 14 days -
you do need an address in the US and you do need a American phone number with internet.
get your every paper with you (TOA, DS 2019 , I94 ..)
Get an Account - go to register in online bank account - download the app of the bank
go back find iie register's email - Activate your zelle for transfer money - fill in some data and press request Money
( Remember your rounting and acount number )
5. Apply for Social Security Number when you receive the letter from IIE
Find the nearest Social Security Administration near you. You can make an appointment beforehand or wait there. (Almost it takes an hour in the morning and half-hour in the afternoon)
show the letter that iie email you and gave you on the orientation + prepare your i 94 + ds 2019 + passport + SS5 and your TOA.
Tell the officer your mailing address that you will receieve your social security card by mail. ( It takes two weeks for arriving.)
NOTICE YOUR MAILBOX ALL THE TIME
6. say hello to all the facuties in the univerity
Walk though some offices like student cards and international student affairs and go find the assistant that can help you register your students id and so on.
7. get ready for the classes you taught and you took
as a teacher or an assistant
some of the FLTAs are going to be a primary teacher which means he/ she has to teach a class independently.
some of the FLTAs are going to be a teaching assistant which means he / she has to obeserve hes/ her professor's teaching and help his / her professor to do some trivia things.
as a credit student or an audit student
As a FLTA, we must take two courses, one is that something related to the American culture, society and so on. The other is something related to your own profession.
once you have the student ID of your university, you can underthough the process of taking courses. Notice that each university has different rules of taking courses so do ask your professor with that.
some Tips that helps your to choose a course
think of the purpose of taking a course: speaking and improving your English so that you might take the size of the classes into consideration.
think of the time you have work as a teacher or an assistant: as a role of teacher and a students, we have to find the balance of it. thus, teacher is your first priority then student
take the suggestion of your professors: we don't have to pay the tuitions so that our main leader has to ask the professor's will to see if he/she is willing to let FLTA be in her/ his classroom. it's oaky to be in any kind of classroom, just open your mind and will to try.
be puntual and do show up each time : we are on the behalf of your country so that we should be a good student who is willing to pay attention and WORK HARD.
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