The ACTion Card is your school identification card and is your key to accessing on-campus housing and essential campus services.

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.

All full-time students must have medical or health insurance. You will buy it when you register for classes.

If you already have medical insurance, you may submit an Insurance Waiver Form. This form must be reviewed by the ELI prior to the first day of the session. The form can be submitted by mail or e-mail info@eli.ua.edu.

If you are sick and need to visit the student health center, you must present your ACTion card and your insurance identification card. Please visit the

International Student and Scholar Services page for an overview of the US healthcare system for international students.

Effective January 1, 2015, The University of Alabama is a smoke-free campus. Smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, is prohibited in all facilities, grounds and parking areas on the UA campus.

You do not have to buy a computer. There are computer workstations located throughout campus (computer labs and libraries). However, if you do choose to have a laptop, UA has free wireless internet throughout the campus. There are several locations off-campus that offer free wireless internet including restaurants, cafes, and public libraries.

You can find wireless network access in many areas across campus. You can find more information on setting up your wireless connection at the Office of Information Technology website.

There are many ways where you can meet people and practice your English skills. The ELI hosts many activities during the session. The UA campus also hosts cultural activities, sports, and clubs where you can learn about American culture.

There are several organizations on campus that host coffee hour where you can meet people and practice your English.

A class that you can take called “Culturally Speaking” and a program called “Culture and Language Exchange Program” allow ELI students to communicate and learn from current UA students. You can learn more about these programs and activities during orientation.

Students have several choices where to open a bank account. Please see Jill in the ELI office for more information about banks that are conveniently located on or near campus.

We advise students to get a check card or debit card that can be used at ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) in the U.S. This will give you easy access to your funds without having to bring large amounts of cash with you. If you choose to open a bank account after you arrive in Tuscaloosa, your family will be able to transfer money directly to your account by bank wire.

SIM cards can typically be found at retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy. You can also find SIM cards at the smaller phone stores such as AT&T and T-Mobile.

SIM cards are also available in the ELI lobby, B.B. Comer Hall 101.

You will receive a school email address through your myBama account. MyBama is UA’s portal that provides secure access to email, course information, campus news, and announcements.