Arriving on Campus

Welcome new international students to Concordia College and Moorhead, Minnesota!! We are very pleased you are here. We hope you had pleasant and safe travels. This page provides information to help you settle after your trip and during your first few days on campus (campus map).

Overview of Fargo-Moorhead
Moorhead is adjacent to Fargo, North Dakota and really the two can be seen as one city with a river running through it. On the west side of the river is Fargo, North Dakota and on the east side of the river is Moorhead, Minnesota. The population of Fargo/Moorhead is about 200,000 with about 25,000 college students.


Overview of International Student Support http://www.cord.edu/Offices/Studentaffairs/intercultural/services1.php

Phones
Most international students purchase a mobile phone upon arrival, and you can choose from a variety of prepaid or service plans.

Students commonly use a VOIP service such as SKYPE for calling outside USA.  Also, pre-paid phone cards may be purchased at various retail stores in Fargo-Moorhead. As with any purchase, it is wise to compare costs and find the option that is best for you. You may wish to ask current international students what phone cards or plans they have found that work well for them. The A&A food store at 1015 Main Avenue in Fargo seems to have a good selection of phone cards (and also has some Asian and African foods!).  Most residence halls have one or two phones available, but there is no longer service in each room.


Eating
The cafeterias on campus are not open when you first arrive. The two closest grocery stores are Hornbachers and Sunmart . Both have ready-to-eat deli food as well as groceries, and both are located on bus transportation routes. Restaurants in the area include McDonald's, Taco Bell, Blimpie, Burger King, Dairy Queen, China Garden, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco John's, Speakeasy, Tastee Freeze, Subway, Renelli's Pizza, Godfather's Pizza, Papa John's Pizza, Pizza Patrol, and Erbert & Gerberts. The map in the telephone book will locate many of these restaurants.

Orientation
Orientation is not only the most helpful way to learn about Concordia and transitioning to college life, but it is also fun.

Work on campus
International students are eligible to work on campus up to a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session.  International students are prohibited by federal regulations from working off campus without authorization.  Many kinds of campus jobs are available.

Shopping
There are a lot of different types of stores within the Fargo-Moorhead area, and bus transportation is available to most of the shopping districts.  Target, Walmart and Kmart are three large discount stores in east Moorhead that should have most of what you need to get settled. Herbergers in Moorhead Center Mall (within walking distance) is a department store. West Acres in Fargo is a large shopping center with many stores.

Bus Service
Online bus information. Concordia students ride the bus FREE using their Concordia ID.  There are three convenient bus stops on campus.  You can pick up a bus map and an evening schedule at the Campus Information Center in Knutson.   Normal bus service as indicated on the map operates all year.

Health Center
The Health Center is located in the north wing of Hoyum Hall and is open from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on school days.  During the academic year, a physician or nurse practitioner is available from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. with a registered nurse available during all office hours.  Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome.  Concordia needs copies of certain health records to document immunizations.  Please give your health forms to nurse Kathy Benson in the Health Center.  Kathy will discuss the form with you and make sure all your immunizations are correct and current.  If these health forms are not completed and given to the Health Center and/or if immunizations are not current, students may be prohibited from registering for classes.

Safety
Concordia's campus has a security department that is able to help you with any security concerns.  The Concordia campus is normally a very safe and friendly place to be. However, common sense is always necessary:

  1. Lock your bicycle if you have one.
  2. Lock your residence hall room if no one will be in.
  3. Do not block open outside building doors that are normally closed and locked.
  4. Do not leave laptop computers, purses, backpacks, or things of value unattended.


Emergencies
Across the United States, dialing 911 is a way of calling police, ambulance, and/or fire fighters.  If you have an emergency that is life threatening, dial 9-911 (from a campus phone) or simply 911 on any other phone.


Important documents
Your visa, passport, I-20 form, I-94 card and social security card are valuable documents. Please photocopy these, and keep the originals in one safe location and keep the copies in another. We encourage you to carry a copy of your passport and I-20 with you, and if you will be far from campus you likely should take these documents with you in case they may be needed.  While these can be replaced if lost, the processes to do so are time consuming and expensive, so please carry them carefully. 

Resources
The Concordia Student Handbook is very helpful.

Concordia's Assistant Director of Intercultural Affairs will be your primary contact with international issues, including questions regarding immigration status issues, assisting with OPT and CPT applications, maintaining SEVIS records, assisting with academic and cultural concerns, and general advising.  The ICA Assistant Dorector also serves as the International Student Organization adviser. The ICA office is part of Global Education located on the first floor of Lorentzsen Hall and the phone number is 3927.

Arriving to Fargo-Moorhead
Please plan to arrive to Fargo-Moorhead a day or so before international student orientation.  Remember that Fargo, North Dakota is the nearest airport to Concordia.  Please contact us to arrange someone to pick you up at the airport when you arrive.  Please provide itinerary including your flight number, arrival date, and time.

Residence Halls
When you arrive at your residence hall, please check in with residence life staff to obtain a key and residence hall information.  Please take time to meet and get to know the RA (Resident Assistant) on your floor and the Hall Director of the building. They are valuable resources and can help you get settled and answer questions about campus life and hall policies. Most residence halls have amenities such as an information desk, laundry room, kitchen, recreation area, and study areas.

We hope this information is helpful to you as you settle and get started at Concordia!

Information For:

current students
faculty and staff		 parents
alumni		 high school students
admitted students