• Keep current as to the status of your nearest US Consulate and whether you will be able to seek an appointment for your visa interview.
• Even if you are unable to attend in the Fall semester (Sept – Dec), it is still important for you to seek an appointment as soon as possible, so that you can secure your visa and hopefully join us in person for the Spring semester (Jan-May)
• Once you have confirmation on whether you will or will not be joining us in-person, it is important that you let us know.
• If you will be arriving in-person, you can submit your travel arrival details here. We will provide you a specific date and time range in which you should book your flight to arrive. It will only be during this designated time period that we can arrange your transportation to the College from the airport.
• The preferred airport is Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Currently, US regulations require ALL travelers arriving to the United States to get tested no more than 3 days before you travel by air into the United States (US) and show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight, or be prepared to show documentation of recovery (proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel). More details can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html.
  
• More details on new international student orientation for 1st year, 2nd year, transfer and new graduate students, can be found on the International Orientation webpage.

Ramapo College has developed a central web page for all communications, details and resources related to COVID-19, and can be found here: https://www.ramapo.edu/health/coronavirus-covid-19/

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements

• As was noted in the College communication on May 14th, “any student who plans to access Ramapo’s physical campus will need to show proof of full vaccination.”
• The College’s immunization policy allows for students to apply for religious and medical exemptions.
• Residential and commuter students will need to show proof that they have completed the final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine (second dose of a 2-dose COVID-19 vaccine or single dose of a 1-dose COVID-19 vaccine) by mid-August.
• Students participating in fully remote instruction for Fall 2021, while not required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination at this time, will have access to the campus this fall by submitting proof that they have completed their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by mid-August.
• So…what is an approved COVID-19 Vaccine?
  • The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA; the US agency that approves pharmaceuticals) has authorized three vaccines for emergency use in the United States: The 2-dose series by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, or the single-dose by Johnson and Johnson
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved additional global vaccines against COVID-19. Any individual that has received the complete doses of one of these vaccines are considered fully vaccinated and not need to be re-vaccinated by an FDA approved vaccine. The current list (as of 16 June 2021) is as follows:

• • However, if you are only partially vaccinated or vaccinated with something other than these 4 options, you would need to be co-vaccinated by one of the 3 US-approved options.
• What if I CANNOT get the vaccine before arriving at Ramapo College?If you do not have access to an approved vaccine prior to your arrival, it will be possible for you to receive a vaccine soon after arriving in New Jersey, USA. The Ramapo International Center will facilitate this opportunity and provide you with more details as part of your  orientation program. Currently, the cost of the vaccine is being covered by the U.S. Government. The administration cost (~$40 per dose) is covered by the insurance with no cost sharing. When the government stops paying for the vaccine, it is expected that insurance will cover both the vaccine and administration. Therefore, you should expect that you will have NO expenses related to receiving the vaccine in the U.S.It is important to note, you will also be required to test weekly for COVID-19 until such time as you are considered fully vaccinated*. Aetna, the College’s student health insurance program, is currently only covering no-cost testing, based on CDC guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html), for those who present symptoms of COVID-19. In other words, should you be displaying symptoms of COVID-19 and require testing, the insurance will cover the cost. However, if you are asymptomatic (no symptoms presented) and being tested for “surveillance” reasons, then this is not covered by the insurance. To summarize, during the period of time from when you arrive in the US until you are fully vaccinated, and will undergo weekly surveillance testing. There will be an administration cost associated with those weekly tests.

COVID-19 Quarantine

Will I have to quarantine upon arrival at Ramapo College?

Currently, U.S. regulations require ALL travelers arriving in the United States to get tested no more than 3 days before you arrive by air into the United States (US). You will need to show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight or be prepared to show documentation of recovery (proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel). More details can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html.

Vaccinated students will not be required to self-quarantine upon arrival at Ramapo College.  However, it is recommended that you get tested with a viral COVID-19 test 3-5 days after travel. A list of neighboring COVID-19 testing sites can be found here, https://www.ramapo.edu/health/coronavirus-covid-19/if-you-feel-sick/. If you have a positive result, report it to Debra Lukacsko, Associate Director of Health Services, dlukacsk@ramapo.edu. Should you test positive for COVID-19, you will be given access to a self-isolation apartment on campus.

Unvaccinated students will be required to self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. It is recommended that you get tested with a viral COVID-19 test 3-5 days after travel (see link for COVID-19 testing sites above). If you have a negative result, the self-quarantine will remain for a full 7 days. If you choose not to seek a test, the self-quarantine period will be a full 10 days after travel. You will be required to test weekly for COVID-19 until you have become fully vaccinated*.

COVID-19 Testing

• You will need to get tested no more than 3 days before you travel by air into the United States (US) and show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight, or be prepared to show documentation of recovery (proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).
• Testing details on what type of test can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html
• Residential students: Routine COVID-19 surveillance testing may be required and further details will be communicated to your Ramapo e-mail address. This will be conducted on-campus and at no additional cost.

What To Do if You Feel Sick

You may visit a local health clinic. Be sure to bring your insurance card with you. More details can be found here: https://www.ramapo.edu/health/coronavirus-covid-19/if-you-feel-sick/

• You will have signed up for one of the registration sessions offered by the Center for Student Success. More details can be found here: https://www.ramapo.edu/orientation/virtual-orientation/
• All first year students are pre-packaged for their Fall courses. However, you should still review and can request adjustments.
• For those that will be taking your courses from your home countries, it is advised that you choose either of these categories: Online, Virtual Synchnronous-Asynchronous or Virtual Fully Synchronous (definitions  can be found here: https://www.ramapo.edu/provost/2021/03/08/fall-2021-academic-information-for-students/)
• More guidance can be found here on how to interpret the course catalog: https://www.ramapo.edu/registrar/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/03/Instructions-to-Determine-Course-Delivery-Modes.pdf
• Be sure to check the Academic Calendar (https://www.ramapo.edu/academic-calendars/) for important dates and deadlines, such as add/drop dates for classes, etc.

New students…

• If you choose to defer, you can do so for 1-2 semesters maximum.
• The deadline to inform the College is August 1st or sooner.
• You will e-mail Kerri Cavan (kcavan@ramapo.edu) and the International Student Office (intlservices@ramapo.edu)

Continuing students…

• If you choose to defer, you can do so for 1-2 semesters maximum.
• The deadline to inform the College is August 1st or sooner.
• You will e-mail the International Student Office (intlservices@ramapo.edu)

If a Merit scholar chooses to defer for a semester or up to a year… 

They would notify Ellen Saranovic (esaranov@ramapo.edu), Kerri Cavan (kcavan@ramapo.edu) and the International Student Office (intlservices@ramapo.edu). Their scholarship would be deferred until the next semester/year.  Students cannot defer longer than a year or they will lose their scholarship.

If a Merit scholar is unable to come to campus but is still able to enroll in classes remotely full time…

Their scholarship would remain active and be applied. Students must be taking the required 32 credits in an academic year (32) in order to retain the scholarship.

If a merit scholar wants to stop out for a semester or a year once they have started….

Unless it is a medical withdrawal, they can stop out for up to a year, but they will lose the scholarship for the period that they stop out. The balance of their scholarship will be reinstated upon their return as long as they do not stop out longer than a year, and they advise Ellen Saranovic (esaranov@ramapo.edu) and the International Student Office (intlservices@ramapo.edu) of their class registration. Upon notification, the remainder of the scholarship will be re-instituted.

• The Housing portal where you will sign up for on-campus housing is open between June 08 – 22, so you should complete the details here: https://www.ramapo.edu/reslife/student-info/#s2 (Under “First Year”).
• Deadline to withdraw from housing with 100% refund is September 07, 2021, minus the housing deposit which is non-refundable.
• Cost details will be updated in early July and can be found here: https://www.ramapo.edu/reslife/housing-dining-costs/.
• It is important to note that these costs do NOT include the period over winter break or summer, which come at an additional cost as the residence halls are ONLY open for international students.

All Ramapo College students are billed for comprehensive health insurance, which is necessary to have with the US healthcare system. The cost is $2274 for the full year (01 August 2021 – 31 July 2022). More details can be found here: https://www.ramapo.edu/student-accounts/student-medical-insurance/?non=open. If you would like to waive this coverage, you need to complete and provide evidence of a comparable plan no later than September 17, 2021. Details are on the same website.

Alternative insurance companies providing coverage for international students can be found here:

• International Student Insurance: https://www.internationalstudentinsurance.com/
• ISO Insurance: https://www.isoa.org/
• Compass Student Insurance: https://www.studenthealthusa.com/
• PGH Global: https://www.pghstudent.com/
• GeoBlue: https://www.geobluetravelinsurance.com/products/longterm/navigator-stud-overview.cfm
• Insurance for Students: https://www.insuranceforstudents.com/

The Fall 2021 cost and deadline information will be posted in early July. Details can be found here: https://www.ramapo.edu/student-accounts/deadlines/.

Counseling Services (Emergency)

For medical emergencies, please call Public Safety anytime, at 201-684-6666 or the Ramapo emergency line at 201-684-7522.

Counseling Services (Non-Emergency)

Students who are in need of mental health support can call Counseling Services at 201-684-7522.

If for some reason no one answers the phone, please leave a message with your name and phone number and a staff member will call you back as soon as possible.

A Resource for Staying Mentally Healthy

You may be interested in mindfulness skills or ways to decrease stress.  Please consider utilizing “TAO Self-Help” (Therapy Assistance Online) which is a completely private online library of behavioral health resources that includes interactive educational modules and practice tools to help you understand and manage how you feel, think, and act. You can learn stress management, mindfulness skills, problem-solving, relationship skills and strategies to avoid dwelling on your concerns and to develop more helpful thinking patterns. TAO Self-Help is exclusively licensed to Ramapo College; therefore, it is of no cost and you can do this on your own: https://www.ramapo.edu/counseling/tao-self-enrolled-self-help/

Health Services (Emergency)

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call local emergency services at 911 or Ramapo Public Safety anytime, at 201-684-6666.

Health Services (Non-Emergency)

Students who are in need of medical advice can call Health Services during business hours at 201-684-7536. Please leave a message with your name and phone number and a staff member will call you back as soon as possible. Messages are being checked multiple times per day.

For additional information on health and counseling services, please visit the respective web pages for Ramapo College’s Health Services or Counseling Services.

What else should I know or be prepared for? 

At this point in the process, you should have completed (or be in the process of completing) the following:

• Scheduled a visa interview appointment at a U.S. Consulate
• Make arrangements to become fully vaccinated BEFORE arriving to the U.S. (if possible; depending on the vaccine, this could take up to 6 weeks)
• Book your international flight
• Prepare to complete a COVID-19 test prior to your departure from your home country and within 3 days of your scheduled arrival to the U.S.
• Registered for your Fall 2021 courses (details)
• Confirmed your on-campus housing (details)
• Considered if you will retain the default health insurance automatically billed for by the College or purchase an alternative option and waive the default health insurance by the required deadline (details)