Argentina Friends of Fulbright: Pre-Arrival Information

Below is important information to help you prepare for your stay on our campus.

Please make sure that you read each tab below and pay attention to key dates and procedures.

Your travel will be arranged by program organizers in Argentina. Your final arrival/departure point should be the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport-BHM (Birmingham, Alabama). Once your travel itinerary is arranged, the dates below will be confirmed. We look forward to seeing you on The University of Alabama (UA) campus!

Your arrival date will be in mid-January, Tuesday, January 17, 2023.

Orientation is on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Your departure date will be six weeks later, February 24, 2023. A full program schedule of courses, non-academic events, and activities can be found on the Argentina Friends of Fulbright Calendar.

English Language Institute (ELI) staff will meet your group at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport-BHM. Please note that because of increased security, staff must meet you beyond the secure area. Please wait for ELI staff to meet you at the baggage claim area. Our airport is small and our staff will be able to find you.

Be aware that if your flight has been delayed or changed, the program director will contact the airline to try and find your new schedule. It is recommended that you create a WhatsApp Group before your departure and send an email to amy.p.taylor@ua.edu for the program director’s phone details.

When you start your travel, please contact the ELI staff (+1 (205) 454-8066) (WhatsApp/LINE/WeChat) periodically to let us know your flight status. We will do our best to make your journey as easy as possible.

Upon arrival at the BHM airport, you will find an ELI staff member waiting for you. That ELI staff person will assist you with your luggage and transport you to the UA campus, which is about 60 minutes from the BHM airport.

Your DS-2019 packet will been sent to the Fulbright Commission.

You will receive an email from the ELI office. It includes your Campus Wide Identification Number (CWID). With this information, you can go to the setup your Crimson account. Please follow the myBama account setup instructions.

Click on the Crimson email icon in the new bar and look at your messages. Your Crimson email address account is automatically created when you setup your MyBama account. Please make sure you check this email account regularly; all official university communications will be sent to your Crimson email account, including instructions for Housing.

Health Services Clearance – Proof of the following immunizations are required for all students (domestic & international).

UA policy requires that all students born after 1956 provide documentary evidence of immunizations (measles, mumps, rubella, and meningitis). Before you can complete the registration process for class, all new students regardless of classification, must have:

1. Proof of the meningitis vaccination (Manactra and Menveo) for those under the age of 21 or who are living in on-campus housing.

2. If you were born after 1956, proof of two (2) measles containing vaccinations. One of these vaccines must be an MMR vaccination after 1980. Bring documentation of your immunization record from home.

3. Acceptable proof of tuberculosis screening within the last year.

Click Immunizations to read the policy and instructions.

1. Log into your MyBama account

2. Under the Student Tab, navigate to the Student Health Center & Pharmacy section

3. Select the “Upload Immunizations” icon

4. Print the form and take it to your health care provider/doctor

5. Your health care provider/doctor completes the form, signs it and places the official office stamp next to provider signature

6. Scan the complete and signed form and any other documents (clear and readable photographs are acceptable)

7. Log into your MyBama account, access the Immunization icon then follow document upload instructions

Once your form has been processed (48-72 hours), you will receive a confirmation email or an email regarding why we rejected what was submitted. If you have any questions, you can email immunizations@ua.edu or call (205) 348-6262 or (205) 348-4637. Be sure to include your CWID when you email or call.

All vaccines and tuberculosis screening are available at the Student Health Center but MUST be completed prior to moving into campus housing or start of classes. If your immunization records do not indicate that these requirements have been met, you MUST be vaccinated upon your arrival to UA. However, since your program includes health insurance under the UA student policy, immunizations that you get here on campus will be paid for by insurance. (You may need to pay a fee to visit the Student Health Center, though.)

To view the complete UA Health Requirement for Registration policy, please visit our policy page.

Immunization Control
Box 870360
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0360
Email: immunizations@ua.edu
Phone: (205) 348-6262 or (205) 348-4637
Fax: (205) 348-0630 or (205) 348-8611

Please submit this information by January 11, 2023.

You will have a class schedule arranged for you by staff of the English Language Institute, according to your requests, approval by UA administrators, and availability of classes. You will initially be a class observer, but you may participate in each class to the extent allowed by the instructor.

To download the list of courses for the Spring 2023 semester, open UA Courses for Spring 2023 and download the spreadsheet to your computer or tablet. (It is difficult to view the document on a cell phone.)

Your UA campus ID Card (Action Card) allows you access to campus events and facilities (including your dormitory).

After your admission to ELI, you will submit a photo and follow the instructions at actcard.ua.edu/photosubmit. Then your ACT Card will be on your phone.

For more information, visit the ACT Card website.

You will also use your Action Card for free admission to UA sporting events.

ELI will arrange for the Housing contract to be generated and the deposit to be paid, but you must go online and electronically sign the contract yourself, using your MyBama account/Crimson e-mail.

An email from the housing office will be sent to your crimson.ua.edu email address with information about the housing contract. Once you receive the email, please electronically sign the contract as soon as possible.

Below are some useful items to bring from home that you might find useful:

1. Medication you are currently taking (access to prescribed drugs will vary in the U.S.A.)

2. Medical History (if you are under treatment or prone to illness)

3. Non-prescription home remedies you commonly use (may or may not be available in the U.S.A.)

4. Extra eyeglasses or personal hygiene products (may not be available in U.S.A.)

5. Umbrella, raincoat, poncho

6. Sports equipment (you can borrow equipment from our student recreation center)

7. Small gift from your country to say thank you to family or friends

8. Sport clothes/bathing suit for workout/exercise

9. Photocopy of passport detail page and visa page. (It is advisable to keep this separately from your original passport.)