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Graduate International Orientation (GIO)

(updated as of 8/9/2019)
 

What is GIO and for whom is the Graduate International Orientation?

Graduate International Orientation (GIO) is a mandatory orientation program for all new international graduate (*non-MBA) and graduate exchange students. Students will review immigration regulations, graduate specific policies, and programs geared specifically to support the international graduate population. *Please note that MBA has a special session designed for MBA international students that will take place during the international immersion week.
 
Graduate International Orientation will take place August 19 - 20, 2019
We recommend you arrive in Houston early. International students are permitted to arrive up to 30 days prior to the start date listed on the immigration document Form I-20 or DS-2019.
 
Any student unable to attend must notify OISS in advance and schedule a make-up session. Unfortunately, those students who do not attend will have a hold placed on their student record, which blocks them from registration until check-in and orientation requirements are met.
 

Important Pre-Arrival Reminders

Health Data Form

For information on vaccine requirements, please visit the Student Health website. There you will also find the required Health Data Form. Please direct inquiries regarding the Health Data Form or vaccination requirements to Student Health at (713) 348-4966 or hlsv@rice.edu.

Health Insurance Enrollment

All Rice F-1 and J-1 international students must purchase health insurance from one of the following providers:

  1. Aetna (Rice's Student Health Insurance Plan)
  2. SAS (Rice's Approved Alternate Health Insurance Plan for Internationals)
    • $1,433/year
    • Step 1: Go to the SAS website and complete the SAS Insurance Enrollment Form (click here)
    • Step 2: Submit your premium payment online by credit card (a mail-in version is also available for payment by check)
    • Step 3: Upon successful submission, you will see a confirmation page to print for your records

For more information about Health Insurance Plans, please see the OISS student health insurance website.
 

Arrival into Houston

Immigration Documents

Make sure to pack your I-20/DS-2019 and passport in your carry-on luggage so you can access them when needed. You will be asked to present your immigration documents when traveling to the U.S.

U.S. Port of Entry

When the U.S. Port of Entry immigration officer stamps your passport with an entry stamp, it should include the following:

  1. Date and location for your arrival
  2. Visa type (e.g. F-1 or J-1)
  3. Date until which you are allowed to remain in the U.S. For F-1 and J-1 visa holders it should state "D/S", which stands for Duration of Status.

Please take a moment to review your entry stamp for accuracy. If it does not have the correct information, please let the officer know that your entry stamp is incorrect.

Transportation from Airport

The following are options for transportation to Rice from the airport:

  • Graduate Airport Pick-up - Arrival hospitality program offered to new international graduate students arriving for the Fall semester (link will be available soon!)
  • Super Shuttle - estimated cost $30. Use code OWLS1 for a discount ($2 one-way, $4 round-trip), or use a mobile app for a 10% discount.
  • Taxi - estimated cost $70
  • Many International Student Clubs at Rice, such as the Indian Students Association at Rice (ISAR) or the Rice Chinese Students and Scholars Association (RCSSA), offer transportation from the airports for the new incoming students. Details of such programs are included in the Club welcome letter sent with the OISS admissions packets.

 

Immigration Check-in & Orientation Times, Procedures & Locations

Part 1: Check-in

During Check-in, you will provide OISS with your original immigration documents, as well as the copies, and attend a visa compliance session. The entire process takes approximately 1.5 hours. Please see https://oiss.rice.edu/orientation for the check-in times.
 

Part 2: Orientation

The required orientation for new international graduate students will be Monday and Tuesday, August 19 and 20, 8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Attendance is required for both days. (MBA students are not required to attend this orientation as they have their own separate orientation session with OISS)
 

Useful Documents and Other Material

 
For information about GIO and arrival to Houston, please review the information above. If you have further questions, please contact OISS at oiss@rice.edu.
 

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