International Students Arrival

Early Arrival Housing Schedule

University Housing opens on Monday August 14. International students are eligible to participate in Virtual Orientation during the summer, which provides important University information and allows for academic advising and course scheduling. International students are not required to arrive to campus earlier than other students, but may need to arrive early due to travel arrangement limitations.

Early Arrival Housing is not included in the fall semester room and board charges. Students who arrive between Monday August 14 - Wednesday August 16 will be charged a $30.00 nightly fee, and the Campus Meal Plan will be activated upon check-in. The early arrival fee will be charged to the student's LionPATH account for payment on the September bill.

Monday August 14

Early Arrival
$90.00 fee

after 8:00 a.m. 
(open 24 hours)
Findlay Commons Desk
in East Halls

Tuesday August 15

Early Arrival
$60.00 fee

Open 24 hours
Findlay Commons Desk
in East Halls

Wednesday August 16

Early Arrival
$30.00 fee

9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Bryce Jordan Center (BJC)
Gate B

7:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. Thursday
Findlay Commons Desk
in East Halls

Travel Information

Please visit the Travel Information page to learn more about travel options to the University Park campus.

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Penn State University Park is located in State College, Pennsylvania. The University Park campus is adjacent to the town of State College. There are several options available for travel to campus. Depending upon your estimated arrival date/time, your destination will either be Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) Gate B OR the Findlay Commons Desk in East Halls, regardless of your fall semester room assignment. You may need to enter "Findlay Commons State College" or "Bryce  Jordan Center" into your GPS to locate the building.

When you reach the location based on the day and time of arrival, enter the building and follow the signs to officially check-in for housing. This process generally takes about 5-10 minutes, however, it could be longer if there is a line of students waiting. After you are checked in, you will then need to travel to your fall semester room assignment on campus. While the campus is walkable, some locations may be 20 minutes away, and if you have luggage, this could be burdensome. If you are using a car service, you may consider asking them to wait and then drive you to your final desitination after compleing the check-in process. There is also the CATAbus service on campus with the Blue Loop, White Loop, and Red Link that you can use to travel across campus. 

Pre-Semester Housing

International students are encouraged to arrive at University Park after Monday August 14, but it is understandable that there may be limited travel opportunities and students may need to arrive prior to this date. University Park offers "Pre-Semester Housing", which is an on-campus housing residence hall offered to students to live temporarily until the entire campus opens on Monday August 14.

Pre-Semester Housing is for University Park International Students only. The University is not able to accommodate off-campus students who need housing between summer and fall semesters, or to accommodate students whose off-campus lease does not start on the date that they arrive to the area.

Pre-Semester Housing Information
  • Eligibility: pre-semester housing is reserved for International Students attending University Park
  • Check-In: any date between Monday August 7 through Sunday August 13 at Pollock Commons Desk, which is open 24 hours a day. 
  • Check-Out: All students must check-out by 9:00 a.m. Monday August 14
    • Students living on campus will move to their fall room assignment at 9:00 a.m. Monday August 14. You will need to check-out of pre-semester housing as early as possible by removing all personal items from the room and returning the room key to the Pollock Commons Desk (failure to return the room key will result in a $64 core change fee). Check-in to your fall room assignment at the Commons Desk of your fall room assignment, then move items to your fall room assignment. Moving bins will be available. 
    • International Students on campus currently for summer sesions who will be living off campus in the fall semester will need to move to their fall off-campus apartment after 9:00 a.m. Monday August 14. On-campus housing is not available after Monday August 14.
  • Housing Location: Pollock Halls, Porter Hall & Shunk Hall
  • Check-in Location: Pollock Commons Desk, open 24 hours/day
  • Cost: $30.00 room and $26.40 Campus Meal Plan = $56.40 per night cost from the date of check-in though Sunday August 13, PLUS $30.00 room rate per night for Monday August 14 - Wednesday August 16 = $90.00. The fall semester Campus Meal Plan will be activated on Monday August 14 when you check-in to your fall room assignment (remaining dining dollars from summer will be transferred to your fall semester account), and we will not charge you extra to use the meal plan for those three days.
  • Payment: charges will be applied to your student LionPATH account for payment
  • Food Services: Pollock Dining Commons is available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday - Friday; brunch and dinner Saturday - Sunday. HUB Dining is available for lunch Monday - Friday
  • Mail/Packages: please use your FALL room assignment mailing address for having packages delivered or if you are registering for accounts. Do NOT use your pre-semester housing mailing address due to possible issues with forwarding mail and packages, especially if you plan to order cell phones or bank account cards.

 

Register for Pre-Semester Housing Online 

  • Registration opens 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET Thursday June 1
  • Register online through eLiving under Contracts > Summer / Break Housing Request
    • Select your arrival date
    • Select "international" as the reason housing is needed
  • Registration closes at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET Tuesday August 8 

Questions? Please contact Housing Assignment Office