Tips for life and work at the University of Idaho
Below is a list of tasks and activities that will help keep your time in grad school on track, and operating smoothly.
Getting settled in Moscow
Moscow is an awesome place to live. Below are a few tips for getting your life sorted out in preparation for and after your arrival.
- Securing housing is relatively easy in Moscow. There are on campus and off campus options. If commercial housing companies give you trouble when applying for not having a credit score or a social security number, make sure to mention your affiliation with the University and your employment as an RA/TA. You can also get in touch with current students at the lab, who will be happy to give advice or try and connect you with potential roommates.
- Once you know your arrival date (in the US if coming from another country or when your contract begins, send an email to health@uidaho.edu to request that your Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) insurance is activated on the day that you arrive in the United States to ensure that you have coverage right away.
- If flying to Moscow, the Moscow/Pullman airport is very easy and close, but has a relatively limited set of flights. Other good options are flying to Spokane, WA, or Lewiston, ID. Spokane has a broad arrange of arrivals and departures from around the US. Get in touch if you need a pick-up.
- Mobile phone plans and home internet plans can be set up online fairly easily, with companies mailing sim cards and modems to your address. Ask current students at the lab what the best/cheapest options are.
- Setting up a bank account can be done at one of the bank brranches in town. Make sure to bring ID (your passport and immigration documents if international) and proof of address (e.g. a lease agreement).
- Officially you have to obtain an Idaho driver’s licence within three months of arrival (if you want to drive that is). You can do this at the office next to the DMV in Moscow. Depending on your country of origin, you might have to take a short theory test and a driving skills test.
- It is easy to get around Moscow by bike or on foot. There is a bike shop downtown selling second-hand bikes. If you do want to get a car while you are here, the Idaho transportation department website gives a good overview of things to think about. Get in touch with current students and they will be happy to give advice.
- As a general rule, get in touch with Tim and/or other students at the lab, everyone will be more than happy to help!
On arriving at UI
- Request your VandalCard/student ID card here.
- Get your VandalCard set up for entry after-hours to McClure (talk to Renee).
- Get your lab key from Renee.
- Complete mandatory trainings on BbLearn (Defensive Driving, Lab Safety, Safety Matters, etc.).
- Speak to Renee about which courses are required.
- Register for a minimum of 9 credits. This is required every term and is necessary to maintain full-time grad student status.
- Work with Tim to build a class schedule/outline.
- A good place to start is with dissertation credits as well as Geosystems (GEOL 510), which is a broad course aimed at writing grant proposals. Registration for classes is through VandalWeb.
In April of your first year
- Form a committee to help guide you through your graduate career.
- Create a graduate study plan and file it with the graduate school.
Prepare a dissertation/thesis proposal
- By the end of the first year for M.S. students, and by the end of the second year for Ph.D. students.
- The dissertation proposal lays out the complete scope of your Ph.D. or M.S., including each paper/chapter that you will write, describes the methods and analyses you’ll use to address these topics, and demonstrates that you have the skills to do the work or have a plan to develop those skills.
- We expect that M.S. students will write and publish one paper by the time they graduate.
- We expect that Ph.D. student will write and publish at least three papers.
- The goal of the dissertation proposal is to demonstrate that you have the scholarly sophistication to do Ph.D. level work.
- One of the best ways to do this is to have already made significant progress towards your Ph.D. (ideally with a manuscript already complete and submitted to a journal).
- One of the challenges of preparing a dissertation or thesis proposal is identifying and defining an appropriate scope. Students commonly will attempt to do too much. Prove that you have a sophisticated understanding of the scientific process by proposing work that advances your field and addresses a need for scholarship, but has well-defined boundaries.
- Approximately 1-2 weeks after turning the final version of your proposal to your committee, present this proposal orally to the committee and to the public.
- The purpose of the oral presentation is to demonstrate your growth and development as an independent scientist, convince your committee and the attending public that you have the capacity to do the work you’ve proposed, and that you’re engaging in the advancement of your discipline.
- After the oral presentation, you will have a meeting just with your committee to defend your proposal, and discuss the scope and your preparation for the work.
For Ph.D. students, by the end of the second year
- Prepare to take your comprehensive exam.
- Prepare for your dissertation proposal.
Before the end of each year in graduate school
- Hold a committee meeting, to update your committee on your progress, seek feedback on your work to date, and engage your committee in your entire professional development/trajectory.
Graduating
- Apply to graduate.
- Format your thesis carefully.
Joining the lab as an international student
While living/studying/working in Moscow is likely to be great experience, moving to the US can be pretty daunting. Below is a list with tips for international students to navigate the visa process, and to getting set up in Idaho. Do be aware that this list is non-comprehensive. The steps may change, and there might be extra (or less) steps depending on your country of origin.
- Make sure you save your letters of acceptance, these are also available later in your status portal.
- If you are going to be working as a graduate and/or teaching assistant, you will get an official offer letter from the Department of Geology. This too is important so make sure you save it as well.
- Graduate admissions will get in touch with you about issuing an I-20. Follow their instructions as quickly as possible.
- As soon as you get the I-20 back, pay the 901-sevis fee and fill in the DS-160 form online. Make sure you select your country of permanent residence, and not simply the consulate closest to you or wherever you might be studying at the moment.
- At the end of the DS-160 process, you can go straight to scheduling an appointment for a visa interview at your country’s US consulate. Once again, do this as soon as possible (depending on the consulate, there can be long waiting times.
- Before your appointment, print out all your documents in color. Your consulate will most likely send you a checklist; your passport, I-20, DS-160 confirmation page and 901-sevis fee receipt will definitely be needed. You will probably also need to bring printed ID-photos in a specific US format. Make sure to visit a photographer well in advance and tell them to use the US template.
- Make sure you get to your appointment well before the scheduled time, and be prepared to spend the rest of the day there. Most consulates won’t let you bring in electronics: they usually have a safe there for your phone but they don’t accept laptops, so leave it at home.
- Once issued, your visa allows you to enter the US one month before the date listed on your I-20 and offer letter. Make sure you arrive in the US before that date. However, you are only allowed to start working for the department after the listed date. This includes fieldwork unfortunately.
- A requirement for maintaining your visa status as a grad student is enrollment in 9 credits.
- As you arrive and officially become an international student, the International Programs Office (IPO) becomes your go to for visa related things. Upload your immigration documents to their web portal.
- As soon as you get to campus (on your first day), go check in with Renee in McClure 201, and with the International programs office at Living Learning Community Building #3. Bring all your visa documents. They will send you on to HR to further help with getting you set up to work (including getting a social security number).
- As you later travel in and out of the US, you I-20 becomes an essential travel document. Make sure you always have an up to date physical copy with you.
- If you have questions, concerns, or at just generally stressed out during the process, contact Tim, the graduate admissions office or the International Programs Office. All will be more than happy to provide support.