Manhattan is a safe, friendly city of 45,000, situated in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. It is about a two-hour drive to Kansas City and Wichita and about an hour drive to Topeka, the state capitol.
A number of different national student groups have campus organizations. These organizations work through the International Student Center. If you have specific questions about K-State, Manhattan, the climate or transportation, you might want to contact the president of your organization to get an international student's perspective. The International Student Center web-page has a listing of the different student organizations and an e-mail address for a contact person at International Student Organizations.
Kansas has a typical continental climate with rather large changes in temperature between winter (January) and summer (July), and between day and night. There are four distinct seasons. The weather in fall and spring is moderate and comfortable. Typical daily temperatures range from:
-15 degrees C (4 degrees F) to 11 degrees C (51 degrees F) in winter
16 degrees C (61 degrees F) to 37 degrees C (99 degrees F) in summer
Average precipitation in Manhattan is 835 mm (33 inches) per year. It rains at times during the spring months and it usually snows a few times in the winter.
Students dress informally on the campus. Both men and women wear slacks or blue jeans with a shirt, t-shirt or sweater. You will need a heavy coat and warm gloves for Kansas winters. It can be cold as early as October and as late as April. Summers are warm and most students wear shorts, t-shirt and sandals to class. International students often bring their national dress to wear for special occasions.
The closest major airport to Manhattan is Kansas City International Airport (KCI), which is about 130 miles (208 km) from Manhattan. The airline is USAir Express, which flies small planes between KCI and Manhattan. Check with your travel agent for rates. The fare will be substantially lower if you fly USAir to Kansas City from your port-of-entry in the U.S.
From KCI you can take either a plane or a shuttle bus to Manhattan. KCI Roadrunner Express, Inc., is a shuttle-bus that will bring you to Manhattan from KCI. The student charge is $40 for a one-way ticket and allows you three pieces of luggage. The Roadrunner Express will make arrangements to deliver you to any location in Manhattan. You should make reservations. When you arrive in the U.S., call them from your point-of-entry airport. It has a toll-free (800) phone number: 1-800-747-2524.
There is no bus service in Manhattan. If you arrive at Manhattan Airport during enrollment week for fall or spring semester, volunteers from the International Student Center (ISC) can meet your flight. If you arrive at any other time of the year, you should write to the International Student Center, KSU, Manhattan, KS 66506, and they will find a volunteer to meet you at the Manhattan Airport if you give them a specific arrival time. The ISC is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Note: The ISC is closed Wednesday afternoons. Their phone number is 785-532-6448. Their fax number is 785-532-6607. You can also take a taxi from the airport. The cost from the Manhattan Airport to the campus will be approximately $15. The distance to the University is about five miles (7.5 km).