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Traveling to Murray
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Arrival Shuttle
Shuttle Schedule
Spring 2010: January 4-9, 18:00, Nashville, Tennessee
Fall 2010: August 9-13, 18:00, Nashville, Tennessee
Shuttle service will be provided for new students and scholars as indicated below:
- The shuttle (a university van) will depart from the airport each day at 6:00 p.m.
- MSU "greeters" will try to meet each new student outside the security area IF the student has notified our office of their exact and complete arrival information (airline, flight number, arrival time, arriving from what city, your name and gender).
- Passengers should meet the MSU greeter at Baggage Areas 7, 8, 9 on the second level of the airport. If you arrive after 6:00 p.m., you should plan to stay overnight in Nashville. You will return to the airport the following day in time to meet the next MSU shuttle. The MSU greeter at the airport will help you with these arrangements. Overnight accommodation expenses must be provided by the student. Average cost is $50 per night.
Shuttle fee: $50
Departure Shuttle
Shuttle Schedule
Spring 2010: May 7-9, 8:00 a.m. from Curris Center
Fall 2010: December 10-12, 8:00 a.m. from Curris Center
Shuttle service will be provided as follows:
- Students must pre-pay and reserve their seat at the Institute for International Studies.
- Students must arrive at the Curris Center circle drive before 8:00 a.m. to load the van.
- Students can bring up to 2 suitcases and 2 carry-on pieces of luggage.
- Students should schedule their reservation based on the fact that it takes 2 1/2 hours to drive from Murray to the Nashville, Tennessee Airport. Also, airlines request that passengers arrive 2 hours prior to flight departure. Therefore, if your flight is before 12:30 p.m., you should take the shuttle on the previous day in order to make your flight on time.
- In order to reserve a seat on the departure shuttle, you must see Bill McKibben in 174 Woods Hall or by phone at: 270-809-3089. You will need to have the following: $50 fee, date requested, name and gender of passenger.
Orientation
Orientation is mandatory for all new international students. The International Student Advisors will assist you with registering for classes, adjusting to campus life and more.
Spring 2010 Orientation: January 6-8
Fall 2010 Orientation: August 11-13
Orientation is mandatory for all new international students. The International Student Advisors will assist you with the following:
- registering for courses
- adjusting to campus life
- getting a student ID card
- arranging housing
- arranging meal plans
- discussing immigration regulations that govern your visa
- working on campus
- ... and much, much more
Orientation fee: $55
What to bring
The following is a list of things to help you decide what to bring with you to Murray State University.
Don't bring
- Bed and bath linens. These items are not expensive and students often discover that bed linens from home do not fit the bedding (mattresses) here!
Bring
- A driver’s license from your home country or an international driver’s license. It is easier and quicker to obtain a Kentucky driver’s license if you have one from abroad already.
- Some cash in U.S. dollars. Plan to arrive in Murray with at least $ 800 in USD. This is a small community and having your currency changed into dollars is not speedy! You can do this at the Nashville airport if you do not have the opportunity before your arrival.
- VISA, Mastercard or American Express credit cards. The university will accept these three major credit cards for university tuition and fee payment. The university will not accept Diner’s Club cards!
- Cirrus system or PLUS system ATM cards are useful in this area.
- Bank drafts, traveler’s checks in USD are useful when setting up bank accounts. Money can be wired from home, but most banks here will not accept wired funds until you have established an account! Since you will need funds for fee payment right after your arrival, waiting for wired funds may be frustrating. Bring some of your funds (if possible) in the form of bank drafts or traveler’s checks. During orientation, you will be introduced to banking in the U.S. and will be provided the opportunity to pick from several local banking agencies.
- Clothing. The temperatures can be as high as 95 degrees F (35C) in the summer, and as low as 15 degrees F (-10C) in the winter. In the summer it is very humid. In the winter it is very cold, but there is usually little snowfall. Rainfall in the spring can be heavy. Former students have indicated that clothing is fairly inexpensive here. You will need heavy jackets, gloves and a hat for winter, which can all be purchased after your arrival.
- Personal items from home. Don’t forget to include those things that will remind you of home. Bring photographs of friends and family. Bring items that are important to you or that represent your culture. Bring your home country’s flag. Bring an example of your native dress. Each year international students participate in cultural events on campus. One of these events is a buffet where students cook for and entertain 300 guests. You might want to bring recipes from home for this event, or even to help you cook favorite dishes for yourself. Each year, international students volunteer to talk with local school children about their homelands. What would you like to show other people about where you live? What do you want to bring to help you deal with homesickness? Everyone misses home. Having something personal of your own in your room may be more important than packing all of your clothing!
- Prescriptions from your doctor for any medications you must take, or for your eyeglasses or contacts. This may be very useful after you arrive. If you have not packed sufficient medications for your time here, or if you need new glasses or contacts, you will have to visit a local doctor. A prescription, written in English and using generic labels for medications, will help the local doctor better meet your needs.
- Your passport, I-20 or DS-2019, the International Student Handbook and the instructions for arrival!
- If you need to bring your personal computer, remember the voltage difference here! Talk with those who can help you with converters and adapters for our electrical system. Students do bring their own computers from abroad, but most often they have been adapted for universal use. Check on this before you pack it!