Life at Drexel
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)
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 immigration; 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
- Assists non-immigrant international students and scholars in complying
with immigration and federal requirements
- Offers a wide range of workshops on a variety of cultural and immigration
issues
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- 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.
Healthcare
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 libraries
website.
Recreation
Drexel maintains various facilities for individual exercise and recreational
team sports. For more details, please see the Recreation
Center 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.
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
On-campus housing is available for graduate students through
a lottery system. However, many 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 Services Office.
University City and West Philadelphia
- Efficiency/studio (one room): $425–$1,124 per month; average $690
- House share: $484–$807 per month; average $676
- One bedroom: $525–$1,470 per month; average $850
- Two bedroom: $715–$2,300 per month; average $1,248
Center City and Art Museum Area
- Efficiency/studio (one room): $700–$1,874 per month; average $1,030
- One bedroom: $910–$2,529 per month; average $1,528
- Two bedroom: $1,230–$3,195 per month; average $1,968
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
Services 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
largest 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 across the river from Center
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.