City Colleges of Chicago

International Student at the City Colleges of Chicago

Academic Vocabulary

Academic Calendar

Useful Links

Resources Main

Health Insurance Requirements
The Board of Trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) requires international students and dependents to maintain health insurance during their course of study.

Failure to obtain such insurance or willful violation of this insurance requirement will be considered a violation of status. It is mandatory that all international students under F-1 status attending one of the City Colleges of Chicago must have health insurance at the time of registration. Students will not be permitted to register without proof of insurance.

You may submit either a receipt of insurance purchased through a City College for the insurance company that we are currently using** or a copy of a private insurance policy with expiration date.
** Rates subject to change.

Temporary Housing Accomodation for Students
Ira-Nicki Harris Family Hostel
24 East Congress Parkway
Chicago, IL 60605

The hostel offers dormitory-style accommodations, common kitchen and dining facilities, a laundry room, and internet access to make your stay a comfortable one.

Telephone: 312.360.0300
Fax: 312.360.0313
Email: reserve@hichicago.org

U.S. Postal Service
The U.S. Postal Service delivers mail Monday-Saturday. Mail is not delivered on Sunday or legal holidays. Special delivery and express mail is delivered seven days a week. When mailing a letter in the U.S. use the zip code to ensure a speedy delivery. View current postal rates.

Driving in Illinois
The State of Illinois recently passed a law, which will allow certain non-immigrants the ability to obtain an Illinois Driver's License. In summary, the law states that the Illinois Secretary of State's office can issue temporary driver's licenses to foreign nationals who reside in Illinois , are ineligible to obtain a social security number, and present documentation issued by the USCIS authorizing the individual's lawful presence in the country. The law indicates that the temporary driver's license to be issued to the foreign nationals will be valid for three years or the period of time that the foreign national is authorized to remain in the U.S. , whichever is earlier.

The new law becomes effective on January 1, 2005; however, before the new law can come into effect, the state of Illinois will need to devise regulations to implement the law. This means that non-immigrants may not be able to benefit from this new law until some time after January 1, 2005.

Cultural Differences
The following website introduces some of the more important cultural differences of living in the USA. http://www.edupass.org/culture/

Chicago Weather
Lake Michigan and the flat terrain of the Midwest combine to make Chicago’s weather sometimes unpredictable and occasionally extreme. The average temperature is about 52° Fahrenheit (11° Centigrade). The hottest temperatures occur during July and August and can reach 95°–100° Fahrenheit (35°–37° Centigrade). The coldest days are usually in January when the temperature can drop to 5° Fahrenheit (20° Centigrade). From November through early April, the temperature is usually below 40° Fahrenheit (4.4° Centigrade), and warm winter clothing is essential.