Arrival & Orientation

Fall 2025 & Spring 2026 Arrival Details

* Campus accommodations will not open prior to New International Student Orientation. Student will need to arrive to the Piedmont Triad area at least the day before orientation. Information will be provided to help new students secure alternate accommodation arrangements until they can move on campus. 

In order to enter the United States as a citizen of a foreign country, you’ll need a valid nonimmigrant or immigrant visa. Typically, this will be an F-1 visa, a nonimmigrant student visa that permits studying a degree at a college or university in the United States, or a J-1 visa, a nonimmigrant exchange visitor visa that permits participating in various exchange programs, including exchange student study as well as short-term scholar, research scholar, and professor EV programs.

Application Instructions

Review Visa Application & Renewal Instructions for our 10 step guide to applying for an F-1/J-1 visa.

In Summary

1. Download copies of your acceptance letter and Form I-20/DS-2019.
2. Once received, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.
3. Follow the instructions on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply for a visa.
4. Participate in your visa interview.
5. Prepare for your travels!

Please read the important guidelines below in order to ensure that you have as smooth an arrival as possible.

When to Arrive

Please plan your flight so that you arrive at High Point at least the day before Move-In Day, the first day of orientation events. Generally, you’ll want to arrive in the Piedmont Triad the Wednesday before classes begin, but check with the Arrival Details tab for your semester’s dates.

Arriving the day before Move-In Day will give you a chance to stay overnight in a local hotel and recover a bit from jetlag before moving into on-campus accommodations. As orientation begins early in the day, you’ll likely not be able to arrive and start the required orientation events on the first day of orientation.

How to Route Your Flight(s)

The closest airport to High Point University is Piedmont-Triad International Airport (GSO, also known informally as the Greensboro Airport). We strongly advise that you plan your flights to land at GSO as your final destination. If you fly into other airports, the expense of traveling to High Point can be quite high.

How Should I Prepare for My Trip?

Before you leave for the United States, familiarize yourself with the documents you will need when you arrive. Required documents include your: Passport, Visa, Form I-20.  It is also smart to have your acceptance letter, proof of financial ability, and any other supporting documentation with you, in case the Customs and Border Protection officer asks for them.  You should carry your original travel documents on you at all times while traveling and should travel with ALL issued I-20s. Be prepared to show the most recent Form I-20 upon entrance at Customs and Border Protection. Do not put them in your checked baggage. For more information on traveling to the United States, visit the Getting to the United States page.

Once You Land

If you land at GSO on the arrival date listed above between 9:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. (as we are suggesting), our staff from the Office of Global Education will be present to greet you at the airport in the baggage claim! We will help you request a shuttle to your night’s hotel accommodation.

Where to Stay Once You Arrive

The Office of Global Education recommends that you spend the night before orientation at our recommended hotel (the Greensboro – High Point Marriott Airport) next to GSO/PTI (the Greensboro-High Point/Piedmont Triad International Airport), so that you are ready to move onto campus the next morning.  We have partnered with this hotel to provide a discounted rate for international students/families, and this special rate is also available before/after the arrival date, in case you need to add on some nights.  We then provide a free shuttle pick-up on the morning of orientation to transport hotel guests to campus (see more on that below).

**If you choose to stay elsewhere or fly into a different airport, you will be responsible for transporting yourself to the Marriott hotel or to campus. Please be aware that although flights may be cheaper for Raleigh (RDU) or Charlotte (CLT), it is at least a 1.5 hour drive between these airports and the GSO/PTI airport, which means that it can be a costly shuttle/taxi.

Booking your Hotel

• Visit the Marriott GSO booking page: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/gsonc-greensboro-high-point-marriott-airport/.
• Select your dates (for most students, this will just be one night).
• Under the “Special Rates” drop-down, select “Corp/Promo Code” and type in HPJ, then click “Done” at the bottom.  This is the ONLY way to access our discounted booking rate – You must enter in this code first.
• Then, click “View Rates.”

You may notice some wording on the website that would suggest that you must be 21 or older to book a room.  We called the hotel to verify this policy, and wanted to let you know that you do NOT need to be 21+ to make the reservation, as guests of High Point University.  Just be prepared to at least show a form of identification (your passport).

If your flight is scheduled to land at the GSO/PTI (Greensboro) airport before 9:00 P.M. EST (Eastern Standard Time) on the arrival date, a member of the Office of Global Education will be in the lower level baggage claim area to assist you with getting to the Marriott GSO hotel.  There is a hotel shuttle that runs 24 hours on-demand that can be requested simply by calling their front desk (+1 336 852 6450).  Our staff will assist you with either calling the shuttle or helping you walk directly to the hotel (if you would prefer to walk).

If you arrive after-hours, and cannot place the call on your phone, there is a courtesy phone on the baggage claim level where you can call the front desk to request a ride.

Getting to Campus

The morning of orientation, we will provide a shuttle service from the recommended hotel to the HPU campus.

If you choose to arrive on another date or to another airport (e.g., the Charlotte-Douglass International Airport (CLT) or the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)), you will need to plan for transportation to either the recommended hotel or to campus the morning of orientation. You can find directions to HPU and a campus map to help you plan.

To help the Offices of Global Education and Admissions plan for your arrival, you will be asked to provide your travel itinerary information and request shuttles in your Panther Portal after you have been accepted to study at HPU.

International Student Orientation

Mandatory orientation events for the Fall International Student Orientation begins on the Thursday before classes start in August and are held on both Thursday and Friday. Due to the calendar and the start of classes, however, all orientation events for Spring International Student Orientation are held on the Friday before classes start in January.

Orientation will kick off in Cottrell Hall, the home of the Global Education Office. We’ll meet in the first-floor lecture hall named Baur Institute for Executive Education, which is located in the central lobby of Cottrell Hall. Global Education and Admissions staff will be present to greet you and guide you to the correct location.

• We’ll have a light breakfast on campus upon arrival, but it’s advised that you eat breakfast at your hotel before meeting the shuttle bus.
• The Office of Global Education will provide a complimentary shuttle service to the HPU campus from the Marriott Greensboro Airport hotel on the morning of orientation.
• Please be checked out of your room with all of your luggage and ready outside of the hotel to board the shuttle at the arranged time.

What can I expect for orientation?

There are two parts to the orientation: International Student Orientation and New Student Orientation. New Student Orientation is arranged by Admissions and will likely be held prior to move-in weekend. This is attended by all new students. Some events may be held through move-in weekend. International Student Orientation supplements New Student Orientation will take place move-in weekend (Thursday and Friday for Fall Term, Friday for Spring Term).

The first part of International Student Orientation is dedicated to getting you settled into campus. We’ll:

• get your HPU Student ID Card (known as the “Passport”) made and activated,
• give you your residence hall keys and help you access your room,
• enjoy a lunch together, and
• take a trip to a nearby home goods store to purchase any items you may need for your room.

The second part is dedicated to orientating you to life in the United States and, specifically, to High Point University. We’ll be together for the majority of the day, discussing:

• higher education in the United States,
• academics and campus life at High Point University as it relates to international students,
• immigration basics and how to maintain your lawful status as an international student or scholar,
• resources available to you as a student living on campus,
• technology needs and preparing for classes,
• library services and accessing academic resources, and
• exploration of campus and how to find what you need before you need it.

Throughout the weekend, you’ll then take part in any New Student Orientation events alongside all new students beginning at HPU. Information about these events will be provided by the Office of Admissions. Please read over all materials that you are sent from HPU, as they will describe your day-to-day schedule in detail.

Classes begin on Monday. For these and other dates, check the academic calendar on the Details tab above.

Be sure to complete the following steps on your Admissions Portal by clicking on the links under “Enrollment Checklist”

1. Student Account Center (to create an account and pay your bill).
2. Medical History/Immunization Form (this must be provided prior to the start of the semester).
3. Student Health Insurance (Information about HPU-provided plan).
4. Insurance Opt-Out (If you elect to purchase your own [equivalent] health insurance plan.

Then, click on each of the Purple Buttons to finalize your enrollment:

1. Arrival Information (upload your flight itinerary here and provide information for orientation events).
2. Book My Hotel (this is the link to the preferred hotel which provides an HPU special rate).
3. Course Preferences (for exchange and study abroad students only: start selecting courses and building your schedule).

Payments

Billing statements will be sent via email once accommodations are assigned—by August for fall term and December for spring terms. All balances must be paid within 10 business days of receiving billing statement. Payment can be directly wired to High Point University; may be made in person by cash, personal or certified check, money order, or credit card; or may be made online to the Student Account Center.

Immunization Records

You will be required to submit a Health Form in your Panther Page (admissions portal), but are not required to have a physical, as only the immunization records need to be filled out by your physician. You must, however, have a TB test (Tuberculosis) that has been administered and read within the past 12 months before coming to High Point University.

Read more about the Immunization Requirements including what and how to submit your records.

Health Insurance

Per North Carolina law, all students must be enrolled in a comprehensive insurance plan in order to be enrolled in classes at HPU. You can choose to be enrolled automatically in the HPU Student Health Insurance program, which offers an insurance plan through United HealthCare. Once enrolled, the policy premiums will be billed to your student account. Alternately, you can opt out of HPU’s Student Health Insurance program if you can show proof of “other comparable coverage” by completing the waiver process discussed on the HPU Student Health Insurance program website. To be approved for the waiver, the alternate policy must be comparable to HPU’s student health insurance plan, and it must cover emergency and non-emergency care in the U.S. and in the High Point area while you are an active student or, depending on visa requirements, throughout the duration of your time in the U.S.

If you are an exchange visitor with a J-1 visa, or a dependent with a J-2 visa, the U.S. Department of State has a stricter requirement for your insurance needs. You’ll need to purchase a policy that meets DOS standards and you must maintain insurance coverage throughout the duration of your stay. Read more about your J-1/J-2 regulatory insurance requirement.  

Tuition Protection Insurance

Because a college education represents a substantial investment of both time and money, HPU offers a Tuition Protection Plan which provides coverage for tuition, fees, room, and board paid to HPU by a student who suffers a serious illness or accident and has to leave the university before the semester is complete. This plan provides coverage of up to 75% of the fees paid to HPU, depending on when the withdrawal occurs.

All degree-seeking undergraduate students are automatically enrolled in this tuition insurance program unless they complete the waiver to opt out online. Exchange students are automatically waived due to the tuition waiver benefit of their exchange program.

Registering for Courses

• Undergraduate Students: your Student Success Coach will reach out to you about academic advising and course registration. Watch your HPU email closely for this important information and introduction.
• Graduate Students: you will be provided information about your academic advisor and your registration process after you’ve been accepted to your program of study. Communicate with your admissions recruiter for this information.
• Exchange Students: you will be sent instructions from the Office of Global Education outlining your course registration process. The Office of Global Education will work with Academic Services to pre-register you for courses and will then notify you of your enrollment. This process take several weeks, so we appreciate your patience. You may be able to make changes to your schedule before arrival or during orientation week. It’s important to know that class availability may be very limited for exchange students pursuing some fields of study (e.g., Psychology).

Our course catalog is open to all users online through a portal called MyStuff. Go to MyStuff and click on the orange Search for Classes button and then the blue Search for Classes link. This will open the Search for Sections page where you can search by term, dates, subject, course levels, days of the week offered, course titles, or the last name of your instructor.

Securing On-Campus Housing

The Office of Student Life manages on-campus housing. Our Housing and Residence Life staff are committed to providing a safe and extraordinary residential community. They’ll help you through your time living on the HPU campus. Read more about Housing and Residence Life.

Undergraduate students are required to live on campus. Information about the Housing Portal will be provided by the Offices of Admissions and Student Life. Work closely with your admissions counselor to know when and how you’ll register for housing.

Graduate students may request to live on campus. Work closely with your admissions counselor to know when and how you’ll register for housing.

Exchange students are required to live on campus. Housing assignments will be made by the Office of Student Life (typically around April for students beginning in Fall and November-December for students beginning in the Spring. The Office of Global Education will work closely with the Office of Student Life to make sure your needs and preferences are taken into consideration. Most exchange students are placed into Tier 1 housing, but other housing options are available.

Academic Records Release

Exchange students who need a transcript sent to their home university after their exchange studies will be required to complete an Academic Records Release Form. This form is found on your Panther Page (admissions portal). Before your transcript can be released, you must make sure there are no holds on your account—for example, make sure there are no outstanding loans from the library or no outstanding payments on your student account.