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Download a printable version of FAQs
 
1) Welcome to the College at Old Westbury.
- Where is the college located? Maps.
- How do I get there? Directions.
2) What is the climate?
3) What is so unique about the location?
- What is there to do in New York City?
- What can you enjoy on Long Island?
4) How do I apply to the College?
- What documents do I need to file for admission to the College?
- What are the admission requirements?
- How long will it take to receive an admission decision?
5) What are the College costs?
- Tuition and other college fees
- What
are the estimated extra
costs for staying on
campus during the winter
or summer sessions?
- Are
there any financial
aid or scholarship
opportunities for international
students?
6) How do I get a student visa?
- What is an F-1 Visa?
- How do I apply for a student visa?
- How long does it take to get a student visa?
7) What must I do to enroll at the College?
- When do I register for classes and pay my tuition?
- How do I get my credits transferred?
- What is the total cost that I need to pay when I arrive?
8) Arrival tips
- When should I arrive to Old Westbury?
- Is Orientation mandatory?
- What should I bring with me when I move into the residential halls?
- Commuter students tips
9) Maintaining Your Immigration status and SEVIS
- What is SEVIS?
- What must I do to stay in status?
- Important College contacts
1) Welcome to the College at Old Westbury. top
SUNY College
at Old Westbury is a small
public college located in a
unique location on the north
shore of Long Island. Located
only 22 miles east of New York
City, the College offers a
sequestered setting with all
the advantages
of suburban shopping and a
wide variety of recreational
activities within a 10 minute
drive. Students enjoy the ability
to easily access the trains
and buses to get to where they
want to visit. When it is time
to concentrate on classes,
the quiet campus atmosphere
provides the ideal environment
for studying. The variety of
experiences that students can
gain makes Old Westbury an
ideal place for International
students that wish to pursue
their studies in the United
States.
The
College offers more than 40
undergraduate
programs in fields such as
accounting, business, computer
information sciences, education,
psychology, sociology and
visual arts. The high quality
of the School of Business has
enabled
the College to offer Master
of Science
programs in both accounting
and taxation.
Students
take advantage of quality academic
experiences in small classes
where the professors quickly
get to know your name. A small
population of 3,400 students
and a student/faculty ratio
of 17 to 1 encourages personal
attention.
One
of the most exciting
features about the College
is the diversity of its
students. In addition
to 80 international students,
the student body is one
of the most ethnically
diverse in the tri-state
area.
In
fact, the College
has been rated as the
most diverse in the United
States (North) in 2005
Best Colleges edition
published by US News
and World Report.
Where
is SUNY College at Old Westbury?
SUNY College
at Old Westbury is located
22 miles east of New York City
on Long Island. The College
is located on the north shore
of Nassau County. The area
outside of the College is considered
to be a suburban area with
many houses and a lot of shopping
areas.
Location
Map of New York and the tri-state
area with distances in miles.
Distance from Old Westbury to other major cities:
New York City = 22 miles, west (35 minutes)
Newark, New Jersey = 42 miles, west (1 hour)
Princeton, New Jersey= 76 miles,south (1.5 hours)
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania= 125
miles,west (2.3 hours)
Montreal,
Canada= 383.5 miles,
north (6.5 hours)
Distance to other points of interest on Long Island:
Stony Brook= 35 miles east (1 hour)
Southampton=
68 miles, east (1.75
hours)
Montauk (the eastern coast of Long Island) = 95 miles (2.5 hours)
Old Westbury is located near the red star.
How do I get there?
By car -
Old
Westbury
is located immediately
north of the Long Island
Expressway (Route 495,
exit 41N) in the village
of Old Westbury, N.Y.,
approximately 22 miles
east of the New York
City. The main entrance
to the College is located
on the west side of Rte.
107 approximately one
mile north of Jericho
Turnpike.
From the Long Island Expressway (Route 495), east or west: Travel to exit 41 north, Route 106/107. Proceed north for 1½ miles to the campus entrance.
From
the Northern State Parkway,
east or west: Travel to
exit 35 North, Route 106/107.
Proceed north for 1½ miles to the campus entrance.
By Bus - accessible by the Nassau County Buses N-20
The
Metropolitan Transit
Authority (MTA)
route
N-20,
which
travels from Main Street
in Flushing, New York,
to the Hicksville railroad
station, includes a stop
at the College's main
entrance. A shuttle
bus meets MTA buses at
the main gate during
the school year and registration
hours, at certain times.
By plane
Old
Westbury is serviced
by the major international
airports in the New York
City and New Jersey area
including; JFK International
Airport (21 miles),
LaGuardia Airport (20
miles),
and McArthur Airport
in Islip, Long Island
(28 miles).
From JFK Airport
Students
can use the New York
City Air Train to get
to the Long Island Railroad
(LIRR) at the Jamaica
Air Train station. Purchase
a ticket at the Jamaica
station to Hicksville
station which is a station
on the Main Branch of
the railroad. The cost
of a one way fare to Hicksville
depends on the time of
day and ranges between
$6 to $9 U.S. dollars.
The railroad charges
an additional fee ($3
to $5 more) for tickets
purchased on the train.
It is more economical
to arrive ahead of the
scheduled departure time
and purchase tickets at
the ticket machines or
in the ticket booth. For
information about the
New York train and bus
schedules or to get the
fare information visit
their website at www.mta.info.
From
the LIRR Hicksville train
station students can
take the N-20 bus
or the SUNY College
at
Old Westbury shuttle
bus that operates
between
the railroad station
and the College.
The N-20 bus costs
approximately $2 and
the Old
Westbury shuttle is
a free service for
an Old Westbury student
(must show student
ID card). For information
about the New York
area train and bus
schedules and to get
the fare information
visit their website
at www.mta.info.
Students can get to the College from one of the major airports by using the Air Train from JFK airport to connect with the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) train station in Jamaica, Queens. Transfer to the LIRR train that stops at the Hicksville station. Take the N-20 bus from the Hicksville train station to the front gate at the College. Our campus shuttle bus will pick up students at that front gate and bring you to the campus buildings.
1) What is the climate for Long Island and New York City? top
Average temperatures
The
temperature in New York
changes with the season.
New York City and Long
Island average temperatures
are as follows:
Fall
season (September to December)
= October average temperature
is 63° F day, 47° F
night
Winter season (December to March) = January average temperature is 38° F day, 25° F night
Spring season (March to June) = April average temperature is 58° F day, 41° F night
Summer season (June to September) = July average temperature is 83° F day, 66° F night
The climate in New York State is often cloudy during the months of November, December, and January. This changes significantly from June through September, however, with plenty of sunshine during that period. The average monthly amount of rainfall in the summer months is about 4 inches and is much less during the winter months.
To
find out more about the
local weather visit www.accuweather.com and
for information about
the climate in New York
City visit www.erh.noaa.gov.
1) What is so unique about the College's location? top
The
College sits on a 604-acre
campus, offering a setting
similar to rural parts
of the state.
There are
many trees and open meadows
that surround
the main
buildings of the campus.
Students can go outside
their residential hall
and enjoy a nice jog
or walk in this quiet
setting or they can
get
to several wonderful
shopping malls within
a 15 minute bus ride.
The
primary reasons International
students choose Old Westbury
for its academic quality
and the personal attention
they receive. They also
enjoy the convenience
of having a lovely country
setting and being able
to get to New York City
(midtown Manhattan) within
30 minutes by train.
They feel that the best
of both worlds are within
easy reach.
What is there to do in New York City?
Old
Westbury students can
chose from a large list
of festival, concerts,
conferences and sports
events to attend and
enjoy. The College's division
of Student Affairs and
Student Government Association
often organize trips
throughout the year
to encourage students
to participate in such
activities
as Broadways
shows, walking
tours of New York City
neighborhoods and visits
to museums.
If you want to know more about the thousand and one things you can do in New York City, visit these websites; www.nyctourist.com or www.iloveny.state.ny.us.
What can you enjoy on Long Island?
SUNY
College at Old Westbury
is located on the North
Shore of Long Island,
22 miles east of New
York City. If you are
a student that loves to
explore nature, there
are many activities from
walking on the sand at
Jones Beach or taking
a ferry to Fire Island.
Those that want to explore
the parks can visit nearby
Cantiague Park and walk
the trails, play shuffle
board or go ice-skating.
To find out more about
the local parks visit
the Nassau County Parks
Department website at http://www.nassaucountyny.gov or
visit our website at www.oldwestbury.edu for
links about tourism
information.
You can also find out more about events and activities on Long Island by visiting the Long Island Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website at www.licvb.com.
4) How do I apply to the College? top
As
a College with one of
the most diverse student
bodies in the Northeastern
United States, Old Westbury
is proud to include among
its undergraduate student
body citizens from more
than 20 countries and
welcomes applications
from other international
students who can add
to the rich mixture of
ethnicities and cultures
currently represented
on campus.
Old
Westbury welcomes applications
from international students
who have completed secondary
education and are eligible
to enroll in a university
level program. SUNY
College at Old Westbury
uses the State University
of New York (SUNY) application.
This application is used
to apply for up to four
colleges within the SUNY
system.
What documents are required for admission?
The
following documents
are required for admission
and can
be
obtained
by visiting www.suny.edu/student/form.cfm to
download a copy or
to fill out on-line.
- SUNY Application- the application code for the College at Old Westbury is 46.
- Autobiographical Essay
- Data Entry Information (Education History)
- English Proficiency Report
- Foreign Student Financial Statement
In addition, a letter from the applicant’s sponsor must also be submitted. The “Letter from Sponsor” form must be notarized. This form will be mailed to you.
The
following application
documents must be
submitted directly
to SUNY College at
Old
Westbury:
- Secondary school transcripts and certificates.
- An original copy of the secondary school transcripts and certificates in the original language (for all applicants who have never attended post-secondary education).
- Post-secondary school transcripts and certificates (diploma)
- Applicants who have attended a post-secondary school must send a copy of their post-secondary school transcripts and certificates in their original language. It is also strongly recommended that a syllabus or college catalog translated into English, be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar. This will facilitate the academic advisement and transfer credit evaluation process.
- An
evaluation of all non-American
educational documents
conducted by either
the American Association
of Admissions and Registrar's
Organization (AACRAO)
or World
Evaluation Services
( WES).
- All
applicants must have
all educational documents
evaluated by the
AACRAO or WES. An
official
copy of the AACRAO
or WES
evaluation
must be sent to the
College's Office
of
Enrollment
Services unless an
Admission Advisor
waives the specific
evaluation (this
waiver may be available
for a few foreign
countries only).
Contact the Office
of Enrollment
Services
for further information.
Information about
AACRAO's Foreign
Evaluation Services
can be found at
www.aacrao.org and
information about
WES
can
be
found
at www.wes.org.
- TOEFL
and IELTS test scores
- All
applicants whose
native language is
other than English
must take the Test
of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL).
A minimum score of
513 on the paper
version or 183 on
the computer, or
65 on the Internet
version is required.
For graduate admissions
a minimum score of
550 on the paper
version or 213 on
the computer, or 80
on the Internet version
is required. For
more information,
visit www.ets.org .
- A
minimum composite
score of 6.0 on the
International English
Language Testing
System (IELTS). For
graduate admissions
a score of 6.5 (IELTS)
is required. For
more information,
visit www.ielts.org .
- Immunization record
- New York State Public Health Law requires all enrolled college students born after January 1, 1957 to show proof of immunity against measles, mumps and rubella. These records are required upon entry to the College and are kept on file in the Office of Student Health Services. Students must also show proof of vaccination for meningococcal meningitis disease or sign a statement on the College’s Immunization form stating that they decline obtaining this vaccine. To download the form visit www.oldwestbury.edu/campus/formsapps.cfm.
- Transfer
students must also submit
copies of their passport,
visa, I-94 and previous
I-20’s.
- Graduate
Management Admissions
Test (GMAT)
- All
graduate applicants
must take the GMAT
exam. A minimum
GMAT
score of 500 is
required.
For more information,
visit www.gmac.com .
After all documents are received and admission standards are met you will be sent:
- An acceptance letter and package
The Acceptance package contains all information required to complete the enrollment (registration process).
This form must be completed and returned to Enrollment Services
- A request for $50.00 Tuition Deposit
Students that are living on campus must also submit another $50 for the housing deposit.
- A Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) I-901 Fee Form
This
form is required for
all international students
applying for a student
visa. The fee for F-1
student visa is $100.
For more information
about this fee visit www.ice.gov.
- Transfer of F-1 Status form (transfer students only)
This
form must be filled out
by the foreign student
advisor (DSO) from the
previous institution
you attended. Caution-
transfer students should
not have their previous
college release the SEVIS
record until you have
been accepted to the
College. The SEVIS release
date must be indicated
on the F-1 Transfer form.
Consult with the International
Admission Advisor at
Old Westbury to help you
determine
the release date.
What are the Admission requirements?
Freshman requirements (applicants that have never attended post-secondary school)
Admission
to the College is based
on a student’s
successful completion
of secondary school
and on their academic
achievement. All evaluations
conducted by World Education
Services are designed
to equate the level
of education in the other
countries to the level
of education within
the U.S. International
freshman applicants
must have an equivalent
secondary
school average of an
80 (US average) or above.
In addition, all international
freshman applicants
whose native language
is other than English
must score a minimum
of 513 on the TOEFL
exam (183 computer or
65 on the Internet version)
or 6.0 composite score
on the IELTS exam.
Undergraduate
International
Transfer Requirements (applicants that have attended post-secondary school)
Admission
as a transfer student
is based on the academic
achievement within the
post-secondary institution.
The evaluation that is
required from AACRAO
or WES
must
reflect a minimum cumulative
average of a 2.0 for
most programs at the College
(2.70 for Teacher Education
majors, 2.5 for programs
within the School of
Business (2.7 for Accounting),
Computer
and
Information Science and
a 2.0 for
Criminology
majors). Transfer applicants
whose native language
is other than English
must score a minimum
of 513 on the TOEFL
exam
(183 computer
or 65 Internet version)
or 6.0 composite score
on the IELTS exam.
Transfer
students that have taken
English Composition for
credit in an American
College and received
a grade of C or higher
are exempt from TOEFL
or IELTS. English
as a Second Language
courses are not an exemption
to TOEFL or IELTS.
Graduate
International Admissions
Requirement
Admission
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