Frequently Asked Questions
When should I arrive at Pitzer College?
Whom do I contact in case of emergency?
How will I register for classes?
What will my living arrangements be like?
Do I need to submit a Physician’s Report?
Where can I receive medical care on campus?
Do I need proof of insurance?
How can I pay my fees and make my security deposit?
How will I get money and where can I do banking?
Can I have a paid job in the U.S.?
Where can I receive mail?
Will I have telephone and computer access?
Do I need to bring a laptop computer?
When and how will I get my textbooks?
May I own or operate a motor vehicle?
What facilities are available for me to use?
What are the extra costs for students at Pitzer College?
What kind of clothes do I need?
Do I need to bring a suit, party dress or traditional Japanese clothing?
Where will I wash my clothes?
What will I do during Fall, Winter and Spring breaks?
What is Pitzer's academic yearly schedule?
When should I arrive at Pitzer College?
You should plan on arriving at Pitzer College in time to participate in the International Place (I-Place) Student Orientation and Homestay Program (please see specific dates on the Academic Calendar). Waseda University will notify Pitzer College of your flight information. A representative of International Place will meet you at the airport holding a sign with your name on it.
Your Pitzer residence hall is open for check-in from from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 PM on the Thursday before classes begin (please see specific dates on the Academic Calendar). Please come to Scott Hall 110, the International Programs Office, by 10:00 A.M. for important check-in information.
Early Arrival: If you arrive I-Place Orientation, you will need to make arrangements and pay for your own accommodation.
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Whom do I contact in case of emergency?
If you become stranded or need some information, call Todd Sasaki, Associate Director of International Programs, on the office cell phone at (909) 451-3978 or the International Programs Office at (909) 621-8308 (open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday).
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How will I register for classes?
You must meet with your faculty advisor on Thursday, before classes begin. Your advisor will help you select courses and explain the registration process. You must meet with your advisor before you can register for classes (please see specific dates on the Academic Calendar and the Welcome Week schedule) 3:15 to 5:15 P.M. in Scott Hall, Room 110, in the International Programs Office. The meeting will last approximately two hours. If you do not attend this meeting, you will not be able to register for your classes. Please notify the office if you anticipate difficulties in being available to attend this important meeting. Tel: (909) 621-8308 or Fax: (909) 621-0518. All instructions for registration will be given at this meeting.
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What will my living arrangements be like?
Housing includes dormitories and off-campus apartments. In the August and January sessions, all dormitory rooms are doubles or triples. Dorm residents will have Pitzer roommates. Each corridor in the dorm is supervised by an R.A. (Resident Advisor), who can help answer questions you may have. Dorm rooms and apartments will have a bed, mattress, desk, chair, shelves, closet and drawers. Bed linens can be purchased at cost at the International Programs Office (about $50 for sheets, pillow and blanket). Each dormitory and the apartment complex has a laundry room where you can do your own laundry.
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Do I need to submit a Physician’s Report?
You must take the Student Health ServiceForm, which was enclosed in your acceptance letter,to your family doctor. Please mail or fax (909-621-0518) the completed form back to the International Programs Office, Pitzer College, 1050 N. Mills Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711. We will forward it on for you to the Student Health Service Office. It is a good idea to make a copy before you send it and also bring that copy of the form with you to Pitzer College. Students cannot receive treatment at the Center until the form is on file in the Student Health Service Office. Have your doctor complete the following procedures:
1) Review your medical history.
2) Complete a physical examination and tuberculin skin test (including a recorded measurement of the result on the form provided).
3) Verify that the following immunizations are current:
a)measles, mumps, rubella
b)tetanus/diphtheria (a booster given within the last 10 years).
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Where can I receive medical care on campus?
You are eligible to use the Baxter Student Health Center for routine health care. Emergency medical care is available at two local hospitals. They are located about 15 minutes from the Pitzer campus. If you have special needs or disabilities, please complete the Special Needs/Disabilities form, which was enclosed with your acceptance letter and mail it to the International Programs Office. You may also fax it to 909-621-0518.
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Do I need proof of insurance?
Please bring with you proof of health insurance in English that will cover you for major accident and illness (hospitalization) while you are in the U.S. If you cannot purchase such insurance in your country, we will assist you in purchasing a Student Health Insurance plan before or on the first day of your program. The approximate cost of insurance for five months is $300; the cost for nine months is about $700. If you plan on purchasing health insurance through Pitzer, please let us know BEFORE you arrive in Claremont. Please be sure that you have insurance coverage during travel and for the first two weeks of the session.
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How can I pay my fees and make my security deposit?
You can expect to receive an invoice for any fees due the College during the first week of your program. Payment must be completed by the end of the second week of the program. Please note that all international students are required to make payment of a $100 security deposit after arrival. If students incur no charges or fines during the semester, the deposit or any remaining balance of the deposit will be refunded. All payments must be made in U.S. dollars and can take the following forms:
1) Check in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank and made payable to Pitzer College.
2) An international money order in U.S. dollars and made payable to Pitzer College.
3) Travelers' checks in U.S. dollars.
4) Bank transfer to the following Pitzer College account:
Wells Fargo Bank
ABA No. 121 000 248
S.W.F.T. No. WFB IUS 6S
Pitzer College Account: 415 937 1699
Attention: International Programs Office
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How will I get money and where can I do banking?
Upon arrival in the U.S., it is good to have at least $50 in U.S. money to avoid difficulties in currency exchange. Currency exchange offices are located only at LAX and not at Ontario Airport. It is safest to carry travelers' checks. Near the campus are several banks where you can deposit checks and establish accounts. You can also wire money ahead of time from home. The bank will hold these funds for three days. Pitzer staff members can assist you with establishing an account at a bank during the first few days of your program. Two local banks you might want to consider using are:
Bank of America
339 Yale Ave.
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 865-2424
California Bank & Trust
102 Yale Ave.
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 624-9091
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Can I have a paid job in the U.S.?
International students on an F-1 Visa may not work off-campus without a work permit granted by the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS).
International students without work permits are allowed to work only on campus. At Pitzer, this means you can work in the McConnell Dinning Hall, at the Honnold Library, or as an assistant to a faculty member who has non-work-study funds. Most other jobs on campus are work-study funded and are limited to U.S. residents.
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Where can I receive mail?
Until you move into your permanent accommodation, you may have mail sent to you via:
Your Name
c/o International Programs Office, Scott Hall 110
Pitzer College
1050 N. Mills Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711-6110, U.S.A.
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Will I have telephone and computer access?
All dormitory rooms have telephone jacks that allow you to have a telephone. You will be given instructions for setting up phone service in your orientation at Pitzer. In addition, all dorm rooms have high-speed internet access. You will need an Ethernet/LAN cable in order to connect your computer to the Pitzer network.
Messages may also be left for you at the International Programs Office at (909) 621-8308. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Do I need to bring a laptop computer?
It is not necessary, but many students find it convenient. All dorm rooms have high-speed internet access. You will need an Ethernet/LAN cable to connect your computer to the Pitzer network. You will also have access to PC and Macintosh computers and free e-mail accounts in Pitzer College's computer labs.
The Fletcher-Jones Language Laboratory is equipped with computer workstations, audio and text resources, direct Internet access, and a wealth of language, cultural, and educational resources. Video workstations enable individuals, pairs, and small groups to access audio and video satellite programming from all over the world.
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When and how will I get my textbooks?
You will purchase your textbooks at the College bookstore after classes begin. The instructors will provide you with a book list for each class.
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May I own or operate a motor vehicle?
The program prohibits its participants from driving motor vehicles. Automobiles in California are expensive to own and maintain, and all drivers must have insurance, which is expensive as well. Fewer than ten percent of international students have cars here. California laws dictate that all individuals always wear a seat belt when traveling by motor vehicle. Public transportation information is available at the International Programs Office for Los Angeles, the surrounding areas and Claremont. Transportation within Claremont is easy and pleasant. Walking and bicycling can take you most places. We can assist you with finding a bicycle to purchase. When riding a bicycle you must wear a helmet and follow the regular rules of the road.
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What facilities are available for me to use?
You will receive a Pitzer ID card which can be used to access the following facilities:
Library
You may borrow books and other materials from the 1.7 million volume Honnold-Mudd Library or any of the other five smaller libraries at The Claremont Colleges.
Bookstore
Huntley Bookstore offers students textbooks, school supplies, food items, gifts, cards, souvenirs, and art supplies.
Facilities for Sports
With swimming pools, sports fields (soccer, football, and baseball fields), weight rooms, dance studios, ball courts, (basketball, volleyball, racquetball, and squash courts), you have many opportunities to pursue your sports interests at the facilities of the Claremont Colleges.
Dining Services
Students can enjoy a meal at any of the 11 dining halls of The Claremont Colleges or one of the small restaurants on each campus.
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What are the extra costs for students at Pitzer College?
$300 per semester Health insurance
$300 per semester Books*
$100 per year Security Deposit **
* For students in Comparative Global Studies Program, these fees are already included in the supplemental fee for the semester of external study.
** Refundable if there are no damages, fines, etc.
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What kind of clothes do I need?
In class, students wear casual clothes such as jeans, shorts, sweatshirts, T-shirts. The year-round climate is mild and comfortable. While the temperature may drop to near freezing some nights in December and January, it will generally climb to 15 degrees centigrade or higher in the daytime. The rainy season is in the winter; summer is warm and dry. A light jacket is sufficient in winter.
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Do I need to bring a suit, party dress or traditional Japanese clothing?
It is not necessary, but there are events such as the International Banquet and International Festival and Farewell Party where students may need more formal clothes or might want to wear traditional Japanese clothing.
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Where will I wash my clothes?
There are card operated washing machines and dryers in each dormitory. You can purchase cards for operating the washing machines and dryers in Mead Hall Lobby.
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What will I do during Fall, Winter and Spring breaks?
Break time is an excellent chance to see the United States beyond the college campus. Most students use the time to travel or study. Students may choose to travel with friends, arrange a homestay or return home. During Fall and Spring breaks all housing remains open. During Winter Break the dormitories are closed. Typically, meal service is not available during break times and the dining halls reopen the night before classes resume.
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