WELCOME to the University of Southern Maine!
Congratulations to our newly accepted incoming
national exchange students!
Information for NSE Students ACCEPTED to
USM for 2009-10
Below please find your list of THINGS TO DO to get ready to come to USM!
6. Travel Plans
7. Join USM's NSE FACEBOOK Group
USM charges a small $25.00 NSE fee which must be paid before your course registration can be finalized.
We prefer that you pay by check. Please send your check made payable to the "University of Southern Maine" to:
University of Southern Maine
National Student Exchange
96 Falmouth Street, PO Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104-9300
Spring Classes begin at 8 AM on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
SPRING 2010 COURSES ARE NOW ONLINE! How do you find them?
STEP #1: Go to USM's online course search
STEP #2: Use the series of pull down menus to select "University of Southern
Maine" as the INSTITUTION and "2010 SPRING " as the TERM. Hit the Green GO Button
STEP #3: To find the MAJOR you are interested in hit the Green "SELECT
SUBJECT" button to find an alphabetical listing of the majors offered at USM. Once you have selected one you'll go back to the course search page.
STEP #4: Once you are back at the course search box "COURSE NUMBER" should be left blank. Use the pull down menu to select UNDERGRAUDATE in the
"COURSE CAREER" box. And make sure the next two boxes are unchecked.
STEP #5: Hit the green SEARCH button for a list of fall classes.
An important note about selecting classes You should only chose classes that are held in PORTLAND or GORHAM (unless you have your own car). It is also important to note that it takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes to travel between these two campuses so you need to build travel time into your schedule if you are taking classes on both campuses.
STEP #6: E-mail your course choices to Kimberly Sinclair in the NSE Office.
Select at least 4 courses plus 2 alternates.
STEP #7: You will also need to send us a copy of your most recent TRANSCRIPT.
Our fax number is 207-228-8161. An unofficial copy is fine for now, but please
send us an official copy after your Fall 2009 grades have posted. We
CANNOT register you without a copy of your transcript as we must be able to verify pre-requisites.
Once you have been registered & paid your NSE fee our office will e-mail you a registration confirmation. Any additional changes to your schedule can be made via Kimberly prior to the start of classes or during the Add-Drop Period which is the first week of school.
In August, you will receive a bill from the USM Central Billing Office. If you are coming here on Plan B (paying your home school) please bring with you proof that you've paid at home in case there are any questions.
ON CAMPUS HOUSING:
If you requested on-campus housing during your NSE placement, our office will MAIL you a housing application in Early April. You will need to complete the housing form and return it as soon as possible with the required $75.00 deposit.
All USM residence Halls are based in Gorham.
We recommend that you live in Philippi Hall
To learn more about the residence halls and see current room and board rates
visit the Residence Life Homepage
If you live on campus please note that meal service is not offered during
vacation weeks. We recommend that you plan to spend $125 per week for
meals during those times. Check out the 2009-10 academic calendar
Limited student parking is available on the Gorham Campus if you are bringing
a car. You will need to obtain a permit after your arrival on campus.
If you plan to live off campus we recommend that you plan to arrive early in
order to locate an apartment. Our office does not facilitate off campus
placements.
Possible Option: Bayside Village Student Housing This is not a University run housing option - it is an independently run student complex.
You can check rentals online via our local newspaper: the Portland Press Herald
USM Commuter Student Services also keeps a listing of Off Campus Housing
TEMPORARY HOUSING:
If you do plan to search for off-campus housing you should arrange for temporary housing prior to your arrival in Portland. Suggestions include:
The Inn at St. John Bed and Breakfast in Portland
The Eastland Park Hotel in Portland
Motel 6 in Westbrook - this is not in walking distance, but you can reach the Portland campus by bus
Students should plan to arrive on Sunday, January 17th. If you are living on campus you may move in between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM.
Please be aware that all new students must document immunization against measles, rubella, tetanus/diphtheria and mumps. This should be done during the first week of classes. A listing of the immunizations that USM requires for students can be found on the Health Center website.
If you have been immunized, please bring documentation with you. Otherwise, immunizations will be made available to you after your arrival on campus.
Please be sure that you bring any information that you might need should you have to access your health insurance plan. If you are not currently enrolled in a health plan, you are eligible to purchase U.S.M.'s plan. To learn more about the insurance coverage visit the USM Insurance Plan website.
BY AIR: Some students fly directly to the Portland International Jetport. If you are living off campus in Portland this will be only a short ride (15 minutes) from the downtown area. If you are living in Gorham it will be approximately a 25-30 minute ride.
Some students find it more convenient and cost effective to fly into Boston. If you chose this option it is very easy to take a bus to Portland. Concord Trailways offers excellent bus service from Logan Airport just outside of the baggage claim area to Portland for $25 one way. The ride is approximately 2 hours.
BY CAR: If you will be driving to USM and intend to have a car on campus, a student parking sticker is required. It may be obtained when you arrive from the Office of Police & Safety (Upton Hall in Gorham or the Portland Campus Parking Garage). Each semester you will pay a student transportation fee (which is currently $90 per semester) this will cover the cost of a parking sticker and access to the parking garage in Portland. This fee also provides free bus service between the Portland & Gorham campuses.
UPON ARRIVAL: Taxis to the USM Gorham Campus residence halls are available outside of the airport baggage claim area and just outside of the bus station. The cost to Gorham will be about $40-45 one way.
If
you are staying in a hotel until you find a place off campus a taxi ride will cost you less. Some hotels even have shuttles to meet guests upon arrival.
If you re planning to live on campus it is extremely important that you contact my office with your arrival details at least 2 weeks in advance. Please use our electronic travel plans form to submit your arrival details.
Student Involvement & Campus Activities
Support for Students with Disabilities
Commuter Student Services: Good place to find apartment listings or rooms
for rent.
Local Weather: Gorham Zip Code 04038 or Portland Zip Code 04103
Portland International Jetport
Maine Convention & Visitor's Bureau