We are looking forward to welcoming you very soon to your English program at the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute (VTLCI). It is time to think about your arrival and housing arrangements while you are here in Blacksburg. Please make your plans now so that you will have time to ask us any questions.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
- THE FALL I TERM BEGINS MONDAY, AUGUST 22.WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND EARLY ARRIVAL.ORIENTATION AND TESTING WILL BEGIN THE WEEK OF AUGUST 15
- AFTER YOUR ARRIVAL IN BLACKSBURG PLEASE SEE BETH LOAR IN THE LCI ANNEX BUILDING BEFORE SIGNING ANY LEASES OR CONTRACTS FOR HOUSING.
- STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ARRANGING THEIR OWN HOUSING. A LISTING OF AREA HOTELS AND APARTMENTS ACCOMPANIES THIS E-MAIL.
- PLEASE DOWNLOAD PRE-ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS IN THE NEW STUDENT SECTION OF THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE INSTITUTE WEBSITE: http://www.lci.vt.edu/elp/students.
- DIRECT QUESTIONS CONCERNING YOUR ARRIVAL TO: lci-info@vt.edu.
- IF YOU ARE NOT PLANNING ON ATTENDING, OR NEED TO DELAY YOUR ENROLLMENT, PLEASE E-MAIL US AT lci-info@vt.edu.
- NEW STUDENTS WILL BE ASSIGNED AFTERNOON SCHEDULES.
HOUSING INSTRUCTIONS
You will have three options for housing. All housing is subject to availability, so if you have not already made plans we suggest you do so immediately.
1) Homestay (single students only; strongly recommended for beginning students)
Enjoy a complete cultural experience with additional time to practice your English by staying with an American host. Homestays are convenient to the school or on local bus lines. Ideal for short-term stays. Homestay placements are managed independently by Blacksburg Homestay. A placement fee is required for this service.
Rates and booking assistance are available at: http://www.blacksburghomestay.com.
2)Apartments (single students, couples and families)
Apartments offer private, economical living situations best-suited to long-term students and families. They are abundant in the area surrounding the university. Many are within walking distance of the Institute or are on the town bus routes.
Apartment rooms include cooking facilities and are usually not furnished. Bathrooms are usually shared among roommates. A one-year lease is generally required. Rent may or may not include utilities.
For additional information on apartment housing, please see our Pre-arrival Information Sheet and the following website:
http://www.uusa.vt.edu/uusaservices/och/rentals/vtoch.htm.
Blacksburg Homestay sometimes has furnished apartments available. Rates and booking assistance are available at: http://www.blacksburghomestay.com.
Contact the Language and Culture Institute office at lci-info@vt.edu for housing assistance.
3) Roommate and Boarding Situations
Many Virginia Tech students seek roommates in area homes during the academic year from September through May. Some families also rent out rooms to students. Both of these housing options require research and are best arranged upon arrival. Considerations for finding a suitable roommate or boarding situation include cost, furnishings provided, lease or rent term, utilities included and proximity to bus lines. Postings for these situations can be found at the Virginia Tech Off-Campus Housing Office (121 Squires Student Center), in the Collegiate Times student newspaper and on the Craig's List website at http://blacksburg.craigslist.org/roo/.
AIRPORT ARRIVAL
Blacksburg is approximately 64 kilometers west of Roanoke, Virginia. There are several daily flights into the Roanoke Airport (ROA) from international airports in New York City, Washington DC, Baltimore, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Detroit, Miami, and Chicago. Domestic flights from other major U.S. cities are also available.
Ground transportation from the airport to your destination in Blacksburg can be arranged as follows:
1) By Taxi (recommended): Reserve a taxi for your arrival by e-mailing roanokeats@aim.com, calling 1-800-288-1958 or faxing 1-540-362-8006 by 7pm the day before arrival. Upon arrival, go to the Roanoke Airport Transportation desk next to locate your driver. The cost is appoximately $64.
2) By Bus: The Roanoke Airport is also served by the Smart Way Bus (http://www.smartwaybus.com). This bus leaves the Roanoke Airport every hour and a half from 6:35 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. daily and to 8:35 p.m. on Friday
and Saturday. The ride costs $4.00, exact fare in cash only.
Please be sure the Language and Culture Institute office knows your date of arrival and flight number, and that you inform our office of any changes in your arrival plans.
In case of an emergency related to your arrival, call our office at 1-540-231-9814 (from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday) or call the Student Advisor Diana Housein-Salaita after hours by cell at 1-540-557-7821.
Hotel Options
If at all possible, plan to arrive before 8:00 P.M. If you must arrive late, plan to spend the night in a Roanoke Airport hotel that has airport shuttle service. We strongly recommend that if you think you will need a hotel, you make your reservation in advance.
Quality Inn, Airport | $59-69/night | 1-540-366-8861 | |
Comfort Inn, Airport | $119-139/night | 1-540-527-2020 | |
Mainstay Suites, Airport | $104-164/night | 1-540-527-3030 | |
Holiday Inn, Blacksburg | $99-149/night | 1-540-552-7001 |
PLACEMENT AND SCHEDULE
- Class placement depends on the student's placement test results, size of classes, availability of teachers, classrooms, etc., and student requests for a particular schedule cannot be guaranteed.
- Schedule preference requests from current students have priority over those from incoming students. New students should anticipate being given an afternoon schedule in their first term: from 1:00 to 5:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday or from 12:00 to 5:45 Monday through Thursday, if an optional elective course is added.
- Please also note if couples with children are both F-1 students, they must do their placement testing (approx. 3 hours) at the VTLCI at different times.THE VTLCI DOES NOT PROVIDE CHILDCARE, NOR DO WE HAVE FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE CHILDREN IN THE BUILDING.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you here in Blacksburg shortly.
No comments:
Post a Comment