Frequently Asked Questions

• If applicable to your academic program, take your TSI test, complete your Immigration Check in,and attend International Student Orientation. If needed, schedule a follow-up appointment with your Academic Advisor.
• Personally: open a bank account, get a local phone or SIM (Free Sim cars are available at the Office of International Affairs), orientate yourself to the campus, purchase items needed for your home and academics!
• Go Shopping! There are many place close to campus where you can go and get things like school supplies and things for your dorms. 

YES! We have an Airport pickup team that can pick you up if you arrive in Lubbock. TTUHSC has partnered with TTU and Lubbock community members who have volunteered their time to offer to  pick you up upon arriving in Lubbock.

We only offer 7 days of pickup and we can only accommodate pickups for yourself (the student) and one family member/friend! We want you to engage with a friendly face as soon as you arrive, so sign up below. 

PLEASE be sure to keep your arrival information updated. We don't want our volunteers showing up and being unable to find you because you changed your flight plans and didn't notify us! Learn more here.

What can I expect? There is a chance that you will arrive in Lubbock before it is time to move into your dorm or apartment. We are very excited to tell you that we have partnered with Lubbock's Tourist Department, Visit Lubbock to get you special rates on hotels close to campus!

Our Hotel Partnership Program.We have a block of rooms in 7 wonderful hotels who have kindly worked with us to accommodate incoming international students. To get these rates please visit the link. 

What if I am arriving before hotel block dates? Unfortunately we only offer discounted rates right before orientation, however there are still many affordable options in Lubbock and close to campus that you can utilize outside of our International Orientation block dates. We can not change the dates we have set.

• TTU on-campus housing: There are many great on-campus housing options available to you! To learn more visit TTU University Student Housing.
  
  We encourage you to speak directly to housing regarding any questions you might have about move in.  
• Off campus: We recommend you pay attention to whether you are within walking distance to campus, and/or on the bus routes that easily transport you to campus. Also, make a note of how close you are to a grocery store if you will not have access to a car.
  
  Signing a lease? Need Help? We recommend that you use Student Legal Services FREE service, as they will review your lease prior to signing Apartment leasing is a new experience for college students, so utilize this service to make sure you understand what you are signing and are being treated fairly.
• Temporary Housing: Please visit our incoming students page to learn more.

People in Lubbock do not utilize public transportation as much as larger cities like New York or Austin. People rely on their cars to get around the city. It is important that you study the bus system and other alternative ways to get around before arriving so you are prepared. Traveling around Tech Campus is very easy due to the TTU bus system, but if you would like to venture out into the city be sure you familiarize yourself with Uber, Lyft, or the Citibus System. 

• Citibus: This is the bus system that serves campus, as well as the wider Lubbock community. As a student, you can ride on ANY Citibus, whether you are on or off-campus, for FREE. Though there are several bus lines that run between off-campus student apartments and campus, as well as loop around campus itself, the Citibus lines that exist away from campus are somewhat limited. For the most up-to-date data on Citibus services, download the Doublemap App for live bus tracking. Download the app through the App Store or Google Play store. Search for "Citibus (Lubbock)" in the location selection after downloading.  to the Citibus lines that serve the wider Lubbock community. NOTE: You will need to show your student ID on Citibus lines that do not serve campus.
• Lime Scooters: Scooters are available around campus, and are a highly effective, short-term option for getting around campus. Students can find and rent Limes through their app.
• Bikes: Many students choose to buy bikes when they arrive on campus. “At the start of each fall semester, Texas Tech students and employees may purchase a used bicycle from Transportation and Parking Services. The department saves bicycles from abandoned bicycle collections (OP 76.09) that best combine quality and condition” (Transportation & Parking Services). Visit Bicycle Sales to learn about dates of the sale and how to purchase. LIME also has bikes on campus for short-term rental through their app.
• Walk: The core of Tech's campus is very walkable, but we have the second largest campus (in terms of area) in the nation, so if you are needing to reach the edges of campus, there should be a bus that can get you very close to your ultimate destination. Fun fact: The only campus that is larger is the US Air Force Academy, and that's only because of their runways!
• Late night options:742-NITE: Call and get a ride on-campus from 6:50 PM-1:15 AM with a valid Tech ID. They offer curb-to-curb pick-up and delivery so that you don't have to walk alone on campus after dark.
• TTU S-Bus Safe Ride: This bus serves Broadway Ave., The Depot District, & Student Apartments near campus to ensure you have a SAFE experience. Service times: Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights 9 PM to 2 AM.
• 742-RIDE: With your Tech ID, you can call and get a free ride home between 10 PM-4 AM.
  For more information about ALL these services, read SAFETY FIRST ON AND OFF CAMPUS!
• Car: Car is the best way to access all that Lubbock has to offer, as the city is very spread out. That being said, most international students do not own cars and the Citibus does service 800 stops around Lubbock that you will have free access to with your Tech ID!Other options: Taxi-type services Uber and Lyft serve the Lubbock community as well.

Cultural adaptation is a process, and you are going to experience highs- and lows- as you adjust, and this is completely normal. The best way to prepare for the lows is to build community so that you have a network to reach out to on those tough days as well as the great ones! As a result, we encourage you to identify clubs, programs and activities early in your first weeks that will help you connect with others, build friendships, and stay healthy physically, as these things will help you to walk through the times when you find yourself missing home and family, or struggling emotionally, physically or academically.

• Mentor Tech: Through faculty and staff mentoring and peer group networking, Mentor Tech's mission is to improve the retention and eventual graduation rates of all students in the Texas Tech University System, with a special focus on those from under-represented groups, by fostering a campus climate that is conducive to their academic, social, and cultural needs and interests.
• Student Counseling Center: As the primary student mental health clinic on campus, the Student Counseling Center provides a safe environment for students to explore issues of concern, resolve psychological distress, and maximize their potential at Texas Tech University!
• Therapy Assistance Online (TAO): Therapy Assistance Online an interactive, self-guided, web-based program that provides well-researched and highly effective strategies to help overcome anxiety, depression and other common concerns.
• Visit the TTUHSC Live Well webpage to learn about campus resources, tips, and more on how to stay mentally healthy. 

• Attend International Student Services (ISS) events: These events will help you get to know other internationals who are walking the same road. Watch your emails for International Student Newsletters, with information on any events ISS will be hosting. 
• Check out HSC Net: Currently, there are over 100 organizations on campus that you can join! HSC Net has a complete list of these organizations.
• Make new friends! Talk to your classmates or get involved in student orgs. The best way to embrace a new culture is to meet new people!

Read your email udpates from your International Student Counselro, that will go directly to your TTUHSC email. Not receiving the emails? Please let us know! Send an email to ruby.oku@ttu.edu.

International Student Services (ISS) events can offer an opportunity to engage with your fellow countrymen or others within the international student body.

Everybody has their favorite places, and you will have to find yours. Popular study areas are student synergistic centers in Lubbock and Amarillo, campus libraries, your dorm's study lounges, and off campus coffee shops are always popular.

The Writing Center: The Writing Center is a free service that serves all faculty, researchers, students, staff, and medical residents on all TTUHSC campuses, as well as our online learners. 

We also encourage you to reach out to the student affairs office within your School if you need academic assistance. 
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Julia Jones Matthews School of Public and Population Health
Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy
School of Health Professions
School of Nursing

Helping Hands Food Pantry: The TTUHSC Helping Hands Food Pantry is an ongoing endeavor of the TTUHSC community working together and with members of the Lubbock Community to fight and end food insecurity for the members of the TTUHSC family (students, staff and faculty). We are dedicated to ensuring that no member of the TTUHSC family goes hungry and that every member of our family has access to nutritious food. Any member of the TTUHSC family may submit a request for a Kindness Kit for themselves or another TTUHSC family member. All requests are confidential

Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) is for very special situations where there is a critical and compelling need to assist a student who has had a sudden and major financial problem. It is not for chronic financial mismanagement, neglect, and abuse. TPEG funding is limited and awards are usually very modest at best. Examples of important issues might be, but are not limited to, currency fluctuations in one's home country, or a natural disaster in one's home country which affects the economy and the financial services sector and, thus, a student's ability to receive enough funds from his native country to pay his financial obligations here in the United States. A TPEG is not meant to be used to pay required student fees. It is not a scholarship and does not waive out of state tuition. Any application for a TPEG must be correctly, rigorously, and timely documented. Without satisfactory documentation, an application will not be considered.

Contact financial.aid@ttuhsc.edu for more information about the TPEG. 

Our Legacy Now:  — Sometimes it takes a student to help a student. Our Legacy Now Student Foundation (OLN) is a student-led organization that provides emergency financial assistance to students who are experiencing unanticipated hardship. OLN gives Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) students a place to turn to when the unexpected happens.

Knowledge Empowering Your (KEY):The KEY (Knowledge Empowering You) Outreach Program utilizes Texas Tech University Personal Financial Planning students to provide educational outreach to the Lubbock community. KEY Outreach Program students have the training necessary in order to deliver non-biased financial education. The KEY Outreach Program partners with other organizations and groups in the community to provide presentations on the topic areas of cash, credit, coverage, college, and career.

Life in Lubbock - There are a lot of experiences both on and off campus to enjoy while living in Lubbock. Visit our Life in Lubbock page to learn more about what to expect while living in West Texas.

Visit Lone Star Pack N' Ship: http://www.lonestarpacknship.com

How to add the Athletics Fee:

Each TTUHSC student on the Lubbock campus, including all undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical students enrolled in at least one (1) or more hours (with the exception of grad students who have had their athletic fee waived) have the athletics fee automatically applied to their tuition and fees. 

If you have had the fee waived and want to elect to pay in order to receive athletic event access, visit the following link: https://www.fiscal.ttuhsc.edu/studentbusserv/electtopayfees.aspx

Visit the following website to visit student ticket information: https://texastech.com/sports/2016/6/8/student-ticket-information.aspx