Travel

Arrival Time

The official arrival and registration day for ISP is August 27, 2023. All students participating in ISP are expected to arrive on campus at Wright Hall (5 Chapin Way, Northampton, MA 01063) between the hours of noon and 8 p.m. to check in, pick up room keys and receive other important information about the ISP program. 

Airport Shuttle Schedule

Smith College provides free airport shuttle services from Bradley International Airport on August 27 between noon and 8 p.m. Students will receive first priority for shuttles. While we will work to accommodate all guests requesting shuttle transport on a space-available basis, Smith cannot guarantee shuttle space for accompanying family members or other guests. Students arriving at other airports, or outside of the designated arrival window will be responsible for making their own arrangements. 

Early Arrivals

Smith College cannot accommodate students who choose to arrive in the U.S. prior to August 27. Under no circumstances will any student be allowed to move into their room early. Any students arriving outside of the designated arrival window (noon–8 p.m. on August 27) will be responsible for making their own accommodation arrangements. In the case that the college arranges for a phased arrival, due to COVID-19 precautions, the ISSO will accommodate that into our arrival procedures and will communicate with students.

*Please note that the above policies apply to fall semester arrivals only. Students beginning their course of study in the spring semester will receive this information from the Office of Student Affairs.

To travel to Smith, you will always need your:

• Passport: must be valid for at least 6 months at all times
• Visa*: valid F-1 or J-1 entry visa which will be glued inside your passport. If you renew your passport, your valid visa may be in your old passport.
• I-20 or DS-2019: original SEVIS I-20 (for F visas) or DS-2019 (for J visas) to enter the United States as a student

*Canadian citizens do not need an entry visa in their passport to be admitted as a student.

Travel Signatures

Each year, the ISSO must sign your I-20 or DS-2019 on page two to validate it for international travel. A travel signature will be valid for 12 months. If you plan to apply for a new visa while at home, your I-20 or DS-2019 should be signed within the last six months.

For helpful travel tips in F-1 status, see the Department of Homeland Security's page on "Traveling as an International Student."

Each family is allowed to bring up to $10,000USD into the United States without declaring it.

Please be aware that if you and your family plan to bring more than that, you will need to declare it with a Customs form at the airport. Failure to do so can result in fines or even confiscation of your funds. Make sure to confer with your family members on your way into the United States to determine whether or not to declare U.S. currency.