Newly Admitted Students

Please keep your passport and I-20/DS-2019 with you at all times. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement will ask for them a few times during your trip.

• Sign your I-20/DS-2019 before arriving in the United States, as you will go through Immigration and Customs.
• Do not put them in the suitcase you will be checking in. Keep them with you in your backpack, purse, or the suitcase you will bring with you to the cabin in the plane.
• They will ask you questions about your reasons to enter the United States. Please stay calm, show your documents, and answer their questions. Lines are usually very long, so be prepared for that.

It is also recommended to bring a record of your immunization history with you to Michigan Tech. For more information, please visit the Dean of Students webpage.

Michigan Tech is located in the city of Houghton, in the Keweenaw County of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Flight information:

• The city of Houghton does not have an airport of its own. It is served by the Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX), located in the city of Hancock (which is adjacent to Houghton).

• All flights to the Hancock/Houghton (CMX) airport connect through the Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). There are only two flights per day making the trip. The only airline that arrives is United Airlines.

• When booking a connecting flight, make sure that there is a gap of at least 2-3 hours between your flight's arrival time and the next flight's departure time, to ensure that you have sufficient time for immigration and also to account for potential delays.

• If your flight gets canceled or delayed, go to the United Customer Service Desk at the airport, call the United Customer Services phone at 1-800-864-8331, or visit the United Airlines website Missed, delayed, or canceled flights for more information. If United Airlines rebooks your flight to a different airport than CMX (Hancock/Houghton), it might be very far and you will need to arrange your own transportation to the Houghton/Hancock area. For example, Marquette is 2 hours away, Green Bay is 4 hours away, and Houghton Lake is 8 hours away (be advised that Houghton Lake is NOT the same town as Houghton).

Indian Trails Bus from Chicago, IL to Houghton, MI:

• Purchase your ticket on the Indian Trails website. You will need to take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft from Chicago's airport to the bus station. The bus leaves Chicago around 5-6 pm in the evening, travels overnight, making multiple stops, and will drop you off at the Michigan Tech campus the next morning around 6-7 am. IPS will provide limited pick-up service from the Hancock airport, and also from the Indian Trails bus stops in Hancock and Houghton, July 19th-August 27th. This service costs $10 per person and tickets are non-refundable. If you have an approved visa and have not been sent a welcome email from IPS with the ticket purchase link, please email ips@mtu.edu.
• Do not try to take a taxi from Chicago's airport to Houghton/Hancock, MI (even if a taxi company offers you that option). It is 8 hours away, and it will be very costly.

Other options:

• Rent a car: To rent a car you will need either an international driver's license or a license from a reciprocal country. You can find more information here.
  www.nationalcar.com 1-877-222-9058
  www.alamo.com 1-877-222-9075
• Join the Stuck Huskies Facebook group to find a ride. This is a resource for the Michigan Tech community and others to "unstuck" themselves if/when their flight between Hancock and Chicago is canceled. This group was created by a faculty member and has faculty, staff, and student members, as well as parents of students. Be courteous and respectful.
  Important disclosure: This group is not managed or monitored by International Programs and Services or any other department at Michigan Tech.

There is no public transportation from the airport to campus. We suggest making your airport pick up arrangements in advance.

• IPS and Chi Alpha Community Support Program will provide limited pick-up service from the Hancock airport, and also from the Indian Trails bus stops in Hancock and Houghton, July 19th-August 27th. This service costs $10 per person and tickets are non-refundable. If you have an approved visa and have not been sent a welcome email from IPS with the ticket purchase link, please email ips@mtu.edu. To purchase a ticket for this service, please start by filling out this Google Form.

 

Other options for transportation from Hancock’s airport to Houghton

• Lyft

Some student organizations also arrange airport pickups. If you see a student organization that represents your country or culture, please get in touch with them and ask if they can organize a pick-up for you.

 

Michigan Tech Transportation Services provides a shuttle service around campus and throughout Houghton. You can take the shuttle to go grocery shopping to stores like Walmart and Econo Foods. Please check the shuttle schedule in the shuttle webpage for the latest updates and other transportation options in town (such as buses provided by the cities of Houghton and Hancock).

Taxi Services

• Lyft

• It can be very difficult to find housing in the Houghton community. It is your responsibility to find and arrange a housing option BEFORE coming here.
• On-Campus Housing: You must secure housing arrangements before arriving at Michigan Tech. Please contact Michigan Tech Housing Services for on-campus housing options. There are different choices for undergraduate students and graduate students. For on-campus housing, you will need to apply in advance. All the information is on the webpage, including availability and rates. Please contact the Housing department for specific on-campus housing questions. International Programs and Services (IPS) CANNOT arrange housing for you before or after your arrival.

• Off-Campus Housing: There are a few options for off-campus housing in Houghton and surrounding towns. Visit this website for more information on local housing options. If you decide to live off-campus, make sure you understand the distance and how far is the place you are planning to live from the Michigan Tech campus. 

If you do not secure housing before arriving, you will need to stay in a hotel and cover your own expenses. Here are some options.

Click HERE for hotels and motels in the local area

There is a Facebook group called Daniell Heights Residents where students living on campus post rooms or halls for rent, ask questions, and facilitate resources.

This group is a student initiative and it is not managed or monitored by Housing, International Programs and Services, or any other department at Michigan Tech. Michigan Tech is not responsible for posts or services advertised in the group.

 

It is also strongly recommended that you purchase renter's insurance for your residence. Renter's insurance will help protect your personal property and liability in the event of a loss. This PDF contains more information renter's insurance, as well as local agencies that you can purchase insurance from.

After arriving to campus, you must register your documents with IPS. Unless you do this, the government cannot verify your status as a registered student.

You can visit the IPS office (Administration Building, Room 200) within 8 am to 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday.

Documents to bring:

• I-20 or DS-2019
• Passport with valid Visa stamp

If you have dependents, you must bring their documents as well (they do not have to come in person).

Alternately, you can fill this Google form and check-in virtually. Please do not fill out the form unless you have physically arrived in Houghton. If you check-in virtually, you will have to upload an additional document (apart from the ones mentioned above), your I-94 arrival record.

If you have dependents, DO NOT do the virtual check-in. You must come to the IPS office with all necessary documents to ensure that your dependents are properly registered.

You can do this by visiting the I-94 website, and then clicking the "Get most recent I-94" option. The I-94 serves as a proof of your legal presence in the USA. For more information, watch our youtube video.

Note: Sometimes, students cannot view or access their I-94 record and/or travel history on the above website. If this happens, do not panic. This is due to some glitch in the records, and not your fault. Unfortunately, IPS cannot help you if this happens. You must contact Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and file a complaint.

To get your Huskycard:

1. Upload your picture on your MyMichiganTech portal
2. Visit the Technical Assistance Center (TAC), located on the first floor of the Van Pelt and Opie Library near the main entrance, and tell them that you are a new student and you want your Huskycard (Monday-Friday, 8 am to 5 pm)
3. You must tell them your student ID or M-number
4. You will also have to show them your passport

Visit the HuskyCard information page to find out how to use your card on campus, and general usage rules.

Visit Housing & Residential Life, 153 Wadsworth Hall, within Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. For details, contact housing@mtu.edu or 906-487-2682. IPS cannot help you with housing-related issues.

All international students must update their address within 10 days of moving in. Failure to do so creates a red flag on your SEVIS record.

Login to Experience using the My Account card and Update Addresses link.

If, for some reason, the system shows an error and you cannot update the mailing address, select "Future mailing" from the drop-down list. Put the date of the next day, and then enter your address.

In order to make sure that you write your address in the correct format, please review this instruction sheet.

You can either purchase health insurance online through Ellucian Experience, or request a waiver of coverage if you have pre-existing health insurance or purchased externally. For details, check out Student Insurance or contact studentinsurance@mtu.edu. 

You must do this BEFORE you can pay your bill and confirm your enrollment. Unless you do this, a hold will be placed on your account and your enrollment will be CANCELLED.

See Student Billing for details on how to pay your bill. Bills for Fall 2025 are due by Wednesday, August 20, 2025. For details, contact student-billing@mtu.edu or 906-487-2622.

All graduate students must submit their official transcripts and proof of degree enclosed in a sealed envelope to the Graduate School (Administration Building, Room 414). Grad School will review all original documents and return them back to you after a few days. Please register for a time of drop off through this link here .

• The International Students Orientation by IPS is MANDATORY for ALL new international students, including transfer students. The Fall 2025 IPS orientation session will be held Thursday, August 21st, 2025 from 2:00PM-4:00PM EST. This event will be held over Zoom. 
• Graduate students are invited to attend the "Welcome to Graduate School" event on Monday, August 18th, 2025 from 2 p.m. EST to 4 p.m. EST in the Rozsa Center. Visit this link for more information and to register for this event.
• Information about undergraduate student orientation, if any, will be made available on this page.
• Some departments or programs may have their own separate orientation or welcome sessions. Refer to communication from your department from details about those.

The UN 0100: International Student Success Seminar is a series of academic seminars that is mandatory for ALL new graduate international students, including transfer students. These seminars will contain important information that will help you adjust as an international student at Michigan Tech. 

Please register for this class as soon as possible. If you need assistance with this, please contact the Registar's Office.