Travel Information
Travel to Manhattan
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. You can also make online reservations for the KCI Roadrunner before your arrival at: www.kciroadrunner.com/
K-State Shuttle Information for Spring 2009 TBA
Plan your Arrival
You may be refused entry into the United States if you attempt to arrive more than 30 days before the program start date listed on your SEVIS I-20 form.
Please plan your travel so that you will arrive by the date on your I-20 and admission letter, this will give you ample time to rest before you take the English Proficiency Test. This will allow you to do your best on the test. This test takes two and a half hours and consists of an essay plus listening, grammar, and reading tests. It will be used to place you in the appropriate level of English classes.
Travel Plans
Make travel reservations well in advance of your departure date. This is especially important if you travel in the United States during peak tourist seasons or holidays. These include the Easter observance (either in March or April); the summer months of June through August; and the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day holidays in November, December, and January. The ten U.S. Federal holidays are listed below.
New Year's Day - January 1
Martin Luther King Day - observed the third Monday in January
Presidents' Day - observed the third Monday in February
Memorial Day - observed the fourth Monday in May
Independence Day - July 4
Labor Day - observed the first Monday in September
Columbus Day - observed the second Monday in October
Veteran's Day - November 11
Thanksgiving Day - observed the fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day - December 25
What to bring
- A good bilingual dictionary, since it might not be possible to obtain one for your language in the United States
- All of your essential identification papers and documents, to be carried on your person or in your hand baggage (DO NOT PUT IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN BAGS YOU HAVE CHECKED ONTO THE PLANE - KEEP THEM WITH YOU.
- Books, manuals, or journals that you think may be useful for reference in your field of study and that definitely will not be available in the United States
- Pictures of your family, home, and country, for yourself and to show to your new friends
- Items from your culture, such as musical instruments, recordings of traditional and contemporary music, picture books, arts and crafts, and small gifts, to share your talents and customs with people in the United States (For festive occasions you may consider bringing traditional dress and accessories from your country.
- This would be a great way to show and tell Americans more about your culture and traditions. There will be many opportunities to share your culture while at K-State.)
- Enough money to live on until you can open a bank account and arrange for funds to be transferred from home
Important Documents
Do not check the following documents in your baggage. If your baggage is lost or delayed, you will be unable to present the documents at your port of entry. As a result, you may not be able to enter the United States.
- Your passport, valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected stay
- SEVIS Form I-20
In addition, it is strongly recommended that you also hand carry the following documentation:
- Evidence of financial resources
- Evidence of student status, such as recent tuition receipts and transcripts
- Paper receipt for the SEVIS fee, and Form I-797
- Name and contact information for your "Designated School Official"
- 24-hour emergency contact number at the school you are attending
For comprehensive information on procedures for traveling and arriving in the United States, visit:
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/travel/customs.htm
What not to bring
You can obtain a booklet on customs regulations at the consulate or embassy where you acquire your visa. Prohibited items include some foodstuffs, narcotics, weapons, and items for resale. The U.S. Customs Service also provides this information on their Web site at http://www.customs.gov/travel/travel.htm.
- Expensive jewelry, treasured possessions, family heirlooms, or delicate things, since there is always a chance that these items can get lost, stolen, or damaged during travel or during your stay
- Firearms, knives, weapons, or articles that could be perceived as weapons
- Narcotics or drugs
- Medications, unless you have written prescriptions from a doctor
- Any article of clothing, artifact, or medicine made from endangered animals
- Electrical appliances (Appliances in the United States work on a 115 volts and 60 cycle system. It is usually best to purchase electrical items in the United States, especially if you plan to live in university housing, as some items will not be allowed. Most items are reasonably priced. Also note that video systems, including televisions, VCRs, and DVD players, including those in laptop computers, use different systems in different parts of the world, and those you bring from home are unlikely to be compatible with the U.S. media.)
- Things you can easily buy in the United States, such as notebooks, pens, paper (paper in the United States is of a slightly different size than in countries following the metric system), toiletries, towels, or bed sheets (These items will take up valuable space in your luggage.)
- Food, seeds, or plants (The United States has very strict restrictions on importing foods, perishables, and agricultural goods into the country.)
- Books that can easily be obtained in U.S. libraries (Some universities have their library catalog on the Internet, where you can check the availability of books. You can also contact the university library staff to verify the availability of any essential books. You can usually also obtain books through interlibrary loans. The web site for KSU's Hale Library is http://www.lib.ksu.edu/index.html )
- Animals
What to expect when you arrive at a U.S. Port of Entry
Please go to this U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Website:
http://www.ice.gov/sevis/factsheet/100104ent_stdnt_fs.htm