Please make sure that you read this important information regarding campus facilities and services, your way around campus, and staying healthy.
You will be staying in a dorm on campus. Each room will contain two beds. ELI will provide linens for the bed and towels, and you may want to bring or purchase other personal items for use in your room. Room assignments will not be determined until shortly before you arrive in January; you may be assigned to share a room or suite with other students who are also part of the Friends of Fulbright Exchange Program.
In the United States, you will be covered by a health insurance plan (see next tab). The insurance covers any accident or injury you may sustain while you are here, as well as pre-existing conditions. You will have a co-payment every time you visit the doctor. The policy does not cover preventive services like regular check-ups, blood tests, dental check-ups, and eyeglasses or contact lenses.
You will also have access to the UA Student Health Center which provides no-cost or low-cost services to people with the UA student health insurance policy. Unless you have an emergency, you should visit it before going to a hospital or private doctor.
A general overview of the American medical system and what you can expect can be seen in this video.
REQUIREMENTS: University of Alabama policy mandates that all international students are required to maintain medical insurance coverage of at least:
• US $250,000 per injury/illness;
• US $25,000 coverage for repatriation of mortal remains;
• US $50,000 coverage for emergency medical evacuation; and
• A deductible that does not exceed $250 per person per policy year for in-network care and does not exceed $500 per person per policy year for out-of-network care.
As a J-1 student participating in this program, UA’s student health insurance coverage is included in your prepaid program fees.
UA Student Health Insurance forms are available here.
HOW TO USE YOUR INSURANCE
Make sure you present your insurance ID card as proof of insurance each time you visit a doctor.
With most insurance plans, after you receive treatment, the doctor or hospital files a claim with the insurance company for you. This claim is reviewed by the insurance company, and if the treatment is covered, they will make payments to the hospital or doctor. The insurance company will notify you of their decision on the claim.
If the insurance company does not pay the entire bill, the doctor or hospital will send you a bill for the remaining expenses. Most insurance companies don’t cover 100% of treatments, so you will be responsible to pay what the insurance company will not. Make sure you fill out all forms from the doctor or insurance company carefully and completely. If you disagree with the decision of the company about payment of a claim, you have the right to file an appeal. Your insurance company can explain the appeal process.
While in Tuscaloosa, you will receive an all access meal plan. This will allow you to unlimited all-you-care-to-eat meals and snacks, 7 days per week. You can use your meal plan at dining hall locations on-campus.
You will have access to all six campus libraries, located in various areas of the UA campus. Reference librarians will be available during normal library hours and you can chat with a librarian online anytime. You will have access to all library databases and electronic resources via your <a href="https://login.ua.edu/cas/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fmybama.ua.edu%2Fc%2Fportal%2Flogin" ID through May 2023.
During your stay in Alabama, you will have wireless internet access anywhere on campus. You are welcome to bring your own laptop computer or cell phone. You WILL need to register your devices using your MyBama ID before using the wireless internet services.
WI-FI
Eduroam is the official wireless network for UA students, faculty and staff. Eduroam is a secure, worldwide federated network access service developed for the international research and education community.
Students, faculty and staff can use their @ua.edu email address and password to obtain wifi access on over 500 campuses across the globe. Visiting students, professors and staff from other institutions may also connect to the UA network using their home credentials.
With over 6,000 wireless access points in buildings across the UA campus, OIT strives to provide superior wireless internet service. Get connected to the Eduroam network here.
If you don’t have a computer or prefer not to bring one, you may also use computers in any library or campus computer lab, using your <a href="https://login.ua.edu/cas/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fmybama.ua.edu%2Fc%2Fportal%2Flogin" ID.
Cell Phones
Before you leave your home country, check with your current phone provider in Argentina and find out if there are international calling/data plans or service in the U.S.A. Otherwise, you may want to consider purchasing a cell phone or local SIM card. Please be aware that some telecom providers sell phones that will need to be “unlocked” and may be inconvenient.
The ELI office has local SIM-cards available upon arrival. The ELI does not endorse any particular company and makes these SIM-cards available for your convenience. You will need to follow the instructions to activate the SIM-card. Another option is to go to the nearest electronics store and purchase a cell phone or prepaid SIM-card. Ask the ELI office for information about the nearest electronics store.
Mobile Applications
UA wants you to stay connected, even while on the go.
UA has a suite of apps providing instant access to the campus directory, map, and news, Crimson Tide sports, library catalogs, class schedule, and more! This is the official mobile app for The University of Alabama and can be downloaded from Google Play or App Store.
You have the opportunity to rent a bicycle on a month to month basis. These rentals provide a cost effective, alternative means of transportation around campus and surrounding areas. You can find more bike rental information on this webpage.
UA will provide transportation for most of the field trips and for cultural excursions in our passenger vans. You may use the Crimson Ride campus bus system free of charge.
UA also provides late evenings and weekends transportation with limited bus route service and an on-demand, limited area, van service called 348-RIDE. Requesting a 348-RIDE pickup can be done on a laptop or internet-connected phone.
For other travel in and around Tuscaloosa, you can use the Tuscaloosa Trolley system free of charge with your Action Card. The Tuscaloosa Trolley provides limited route service and is operational Monday to Friday, 5:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
Other modes of transportation are available near and around campus:
• The nearest Greyhound bus station is near downtown Tuscaloosa.
• Amtrak train service provides connections to nearby cities at the Tuscaloosa train station.
• On demand car services such as Lyft and Uber are available in Tuscaloosa.
Receiving Mail
For the safety and security of our students, mail and packages are not delivered directly to the residence halls. All deliveries are made to the Campus Mail Center.
Students residing on campus at one of the residential communities are able to receive letter mail and trackable inbound UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS items. Every student actively enrolled and taking classes at UA are automatically assigned a 6-digit mailstop code (MSC#). This mailstop code (MSC#) is permanently-assigned and allows every student the opportunity to receive any trackable item at the mail center.
The mailstop code will always start with the last two digits of the year that the student became actively enrolled in classes at UA. (i.e. if a student became actively enrolled in the year 2014, their permanently-assigned MSC # would begin with “14”.) Students can find their mailstop code (MSC#) by clicking on the Ferguson Mail Center icon under the Student tab on the MyBama web portal. Please be sure to include your district number on packages. This will allow us to deliver packages to the parcel lockers nearest to you for convenient retrieval.
Use the same address regardless of the carrier (USPS, UPS, FEDEX, DHL). Please use the below address structure exactly being sure to use the student’s full name, and correct MSC #. Mail and Packages received with tracking or incomplete, incorrect or no MSC # will be returned to sender. Students can access their unique MSC# located in myBama.
Once in myBama select student, under Campus Services select under Ferguson Mail Center, MSC (Mail Stop Code) number.
STUDENT’S FULL NAME
MSC # __ __ __ __ __ __
DISTRICT # __ __ __
1831 UNIVERSITY STATION
TUSCALOOSA, AL 35487
Sending Mail
Outbound US Post Office Mail
You may send outbound mail/packages at the Campus Mail Center. The center sells postage, including rolls/books of stamps, as well as envelopes and packaging items. Outbound mail brought to the Campus Mail Center after 3:00 PM will be sent the next business day.
Outbound UPS and/or FedEx
For US or international shipments, you must visit an authorized UPS or FedEx shipping outlet, such as The UPS Store or a FedEx Office location.