Dear Indonesia Language Study Program Grantee:

Congratulations on having been selected as an IIE/Indonesia Language Study Program Grantee and being admitted to Spring International Language Center (SILC) at the University of Arkansas(UA)in Fayetteville, Arkansas for your Program of English Language Studies.  This program is funded and sponsored by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and is administrated by the Institute of International Education (IIE).  On behalf of the staff and faculty, I welcome you to our campus. 

We are eager to introduce you to the lovely community of Fayetteville, the friendly campus of the University of Arkansas, and the beauty of the Ozark Mountains.  With its numerous lakes and hiking trails, the area offers students many outdoor recreational opportunities.  Cultural and educational activities will be presented through campus programs, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Sam M. Walton College of Business, Bumpers College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Education, and the Walton Arts Center.  We are certain you will enjoy the University, your program, and Fayetteville.

University and Spring International faculty and staff will be responsible to:

Encourage you to express your ideas, suggestions, needs, expectations, and interests as a group and as an individual.

Respond to your professional and academic needs and goals.

Make use of interactive approaches to teaching and learning.

Emphasize the use of state-of-the-art technology in our computer lab, campus library, and science laboratory.

Introduce you to the culture of US Institutions and the academic conventions of US undergraduate schools.

Assist you in understanding your legal rights and responsibilities as an international student in the US.

You and your IIE/Indonesian Language Study Program colleagues will need to accept the following responsibilities for your learning:

Speak English only

Be responsible and prepared for each class, workshop, or seminar

Attend workshops and classes regularly

Make every effort to get involved in our campus and community activities

Contribute to the international community at the University of Arkansas

Share ideas and concepts from your culture

You will notice that you will have a very intense nine-week program of classroom instruction and academic visits along with social and cultural activities to enhance your learning experience.  Our goal is to facilitate your orientation to the US, to undergraduate study in the US, and American culture as well as to provide you with the opportunity to refine your English language skills.

You will also have the opportunity to spend the weekend with an American Family.  We will need you to complete the forms regarding housing and arrival included in this packet and return them as soon as possible.  We will need all of this information to make arrangements to meet you at the airport, tailor the program to meet your needs, and finalize your housing.

We would like to make some suggestions that will make your trip the United States an easier one.  Before you fly to the United States, make sure that you have your passport and DS-2019 in your carry-on luggage.  On the plane, you will need to fill out an I-94 (a long white card).  It is very important that you use the same spelling of your name that is on your passport.  When you arrive in the United States, you will have to go through US Customs and Immigration.  An American official will take your passport, DS-2019, and J-1 visa to check that they are valid.  The official will then return your passport, the stamped I-94, and your DS-2019.  Make sure you have each of these before you leave the immigration area.

Good luck with all of your travel plans.  We look forward to meeting you.  If you have any questions or problems, please feel free to contact our office.

Sincerely,

Leyah Bergman-Lanier, Ph.D.

Director of Spring International Language Center
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas