Life at Drexel

International Students

Since moving away from home is a major adjustment, feeling comfortable in your new location is very important. Below are some resources that help make the transition a little easier.

Campus Resources

International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS)

The International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) offers a vast array of programs and services to more than 1,500 international students, scholars, and faculty. ISSS works to promote meaningful interaction between United States citizens and the nationals of other countries by organizing cultural enrichment opportunities for all members of Drexel and the community at large. A student's affiliation with the ISSS begins immediately after the admission process and continues well beyond graduation. The ISSS staff can advise international students and scholars on paralegal, academic, financial, cultural, and personal concerns, and make appropriate referrals when necessary. Among its services, the office:

  • Conducts quarterly orientation programs
  • Issues visa-eligibility documents to students, visiting international faculty, and researchers
  • Authorizes employment for Drexel Co-op and Career Integrated Education (CIE)
  • Assists non-immigrant international students and scholars in complying with immigration and federal requirements
  • Offers a wide range of workshops on a variety of issues
  • Assists students with finding housing

In addition, the ISSS has created avenues for exploring and enhancing the social, cultural, and educational facets of a diverse community, including orientation programs and social support groups for spouses of students and scholars.

Visit the ISSS website for more information.

English Language Center

The English Language Center (ELC) at Drexel University offers a variety of programs, enabling students to achieve their goals:

  • Intensive English: 6-week and 11-week courses offered year-round for beginning to advanced students. Pre-academic coursework and opportunities for University study.
  • Global Business English (GLOBE): 5- and 10-week programs for executives and professionals. Master business English, learn about U.S. business practices, and prepare for your future in the 21st century.
  • American Life and Language (ALL): A 4-week summer program featuring language and culture classes, field trips, and structured activities.
  • TOEFL Writing Preparation on the Internet: A 10-week online course that helps you prepare for the essay section of the TOEFL test.
  • English for Professional Medical Communication: Individualized and small-group instruction that focuses on the improvement of spoken English language skills for international medical professionals.

The ELC is a member of the American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP) and University and College Intensive English Programs (UCIEP), and is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA).

Visit the ELC website for more information.

Health Care

Drexel operates a walk-in health center for its students. For details of the services provided, please see the Student Health Center.

Depending on your visa type, you may be required to purchase health insurance coverage through the university. Please see the University Health Insurance Policy for more information.

Libraries

Drexel offers four libraries on its three campuses, with holdings of nearly 750,000 books, periodicals, tapes, and microforms. For more detailed information on the libraries' collections and policies, please visit the library website.

Recreation

Drexel maintains various facilities for individual exercise and recreational team sports. For more details, please see the Office of Campus Activities website.

Campus Groups and Activities

A graduate student's life sometimes seems like an endless round of studying, teaching, and research. But everyone needs a break now and then, and University- and community-wide events at Drexel fit just about any interest.

Graduate students often socialize with colleagues in their department and college, and the University publishes a daily events calendar listing public lectures, seminars, and social and networking get-togethers for the whole campus.

Students who are looking to maintain a connection to their home country while studying in America can choose to take part in a wide range of student-run cultural groups:

  • Asian Student Association (ASA)
  • Black Student Union (BSU)
  • Club Castellano
  • Cultural Diversity Student Association (CDSA)
  • Drexel African Student Association (DASA)
  • Drexel Indian Students Association (DISHA)
  • Filipino Intercultural Society of Drexel University (FISDU)
  • Hellenic Society of Drexel University
  • Japanese Undergraduate Student Association (JUSA)
  • Jhalak (Mission/Description: To express the diversity of Indian culture through the art of dancing)
  • Pakistan Student Association (PAKSA)
  • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
  • Taiwanese Undergraduate Student Association (TUSA)
  • Variety of Indian Cultural Expressions (V.O.I.C.E.)
  • West Indian Student Establishment (W.I.S.E.)

For more information on these groups and other student organizations, please see the Graduate Student Association.

Housing

Though some on-campus housing may be available for graduate students through a lottery system, Drexel graduate students typically live off campus and commute by foot, bike, car, or public transit. Visit the Residential Living Office website for more information about living on campus.

The University's Office of Off-Campus Housing maintains lists of area landlords and can help you with the basics of finding a place to live.

Average Rent

Apartment prices in Philadelphia vary widely based on size, amenities, and location. The following numbers are meant as a guideline only. Note: These numbers come from the University of Pennsylvania's off-campus housing office.

University City and West Philadelphia

  • Efficiency/studio (one room): $375–$900 per month; average $621
  • House share: $400–$775 per month; average $570
  • One bedroom: $475–$1,100 per month; average $772
  • Two bedroom: $700–$1,850 per month; average $1,070

Center City and Art Museum Area

  • Efficiency/studio (one room): $550–$1,469 per month; average $931
  • One bedroom: $685–$1,895 per month; average $1,313
  • Two bedroom: $975–$2,995 per month; average $1,774

Searching for Apartments

International House, located just a few blocks from Drexel on the University of Pennsylvania campus, offers relatively inexpensive housing for students from all over the world.

The University of Pennsylvania, Drexel's neighbor in University City, provides detailed search forms for apartments and roommates (house/apartment shares) on their Off-Campus Living website.

The city's major daily newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, has searchable classified ads for apartments.

The apartment listings from Philadelphia's two weekly alternative newspapers are also a popular choice with students:

Philadelphia

Drexel is just a short walk from the center of Philadelphia, America's fifth imlargest metropolitan area (population: 1.5 million). Since its founding in the late 1600s by William Penn as an oasis of religious tolerance in the New World, Philadelphia has played an important role in America's growth and prosperity.

Today Philadelphia remains an open, welcoming place for newcomers. As a hub of the pharmaceutical, electronics, and finance industries, Philadelphia has an active business culture. A downtown renaissance over the last 15 years has seen many new shops, restaurants, and clubs open. The city is also home to Fairmount Park, the country's largest urban park system, with paved and mountain bike trails, hiking and horse trails, ponds and streams, athletic fields, and more.

Drexel's Main Campus is located in a neighborhood known as University City, right next to the University of Pennsylvania and less than two miles from the center of the city. Other major cities such as New York and Washington, D.C. are just a few hours away by bus, train, or car.

For more event, cultural, transportation, and nightlife information, visit www.gophila.com.

Weather

Philadelphia's weather is a mix of hot, humid summers, cool and sunny springs and autumns, and cold winters with a moderate amount of snow in most years.

Average Seasonal Temperatures
Spring 62ºF
Summer 84ºF
Fall 66ºF
Winter 42ºF

International Cultural Associations

As you might expect from one of America's oldest centers of immigration, Philadelphia is home to many groups of cultural and ethnic interest. Here's just a sampling:

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