University of Minnesota Resources

Chinese Visiting Scholars Registration

Chinese scholars are required to register at the China Center upon their arrival at the University of Minnesota. They will need to fill out a registration form for University records. The China Center will provide important information about the University, registration, and document procedures and offer some help with finding housing and general orientation to the University and Minnesota community.

Scholars are welcome to drop by our office for any personal concerns they have.

Health Insurance

University of Minnesota policy requires that all international students, scholars, and their dependents have health insurance while in the United States. Healthcare in the United States is complicated and very expensive. One illness can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and financially devastate you and your family.

Effective September 2003, the University of Minnesota mandated that all international students and their dependents be enrolled in the University sponsored Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) unless they are covered by:

  • a United States-based employer-sponsored health plan or
  • the Graduate Assistant Insurance Plan (GA Plan) provided by the University of Minnesota

Please see http://www.bhs.umn.edu/insurance/international.htm for more information.

Language Partner Program

The goals of this program are:

  1. To help Chinese students and scholars at the University of Minnesota improve their English by providing them opportunities to talk with native speakers
  2. To help Americans improve their Chinese. Most Americans enrolled in this program are students whose major is Chinese or who are learning Chinese as a second language.

To enroll in this program you can either call the China Center at 612-624-1002 or e-mail us. Please make sure you indicate the following information in your call or email:

  • Your name
  • Your e-mail address
  • Your gender
  • Your native language
  • Your major or interest
  • Which country you come from
  • Your preferred phone number

How this program works:

After we've received your information, we'll search our database and try to find the right match for you. Once we've found a match, we'll notify you and give you a phone number so that you may call your partner directly. Both of you can decide how to arrange your language exchange. If there isn't a language partner match at the time of your request, we'll notify you and place your name on our waiting list. Please call us at 612-624-1002 and let us know whether your exchange partnership is working. If not, we can find another partner for you.

Departments Hiring Chinese Scholars

The China Center and International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) are responsible for processing requests for visiting scholars from mainland China. Departments should begin by downloading and completing a UMN Department Request for DS-2019. Questions should be directed to ISSS at 612-626-7100.

Useful Numbers and Links

University of Minnesota

  • International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS)
    Phone: 612-626-7100
    Fax: 612-626-7361
    Email: isss@umn.edu
    www.isss.umn.edu
  • Graduate School
    Admission Office
    Phone: 612-625-3014
    Graduate Student Services and Progress Office
    Phone: 612-625-3490
  • Graduate Student Employment
    University Job Center
    Phone: 612-625-2000
  • Payroll Services
    Payroll Office
    Phone: 612-624-4585
  • Boynton Health Services
    St. Paul Clinic : 612- 624-7700
    All other appointments: 612-625-3222
    www.bhs.umn.edu
  • Identification Card (U Card)
    720 Washington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55455
    612-626-9900
  • College of Continuing Education
    (ESL) English as a Second Language Home Page
    Phone: 612-624-4000
    http://www.cce.umn.edu/esl/index.html
  • Center for Teaching and Learning
    Resources for Non-Native English Speakers
    Phone: 612-625-3041
    http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/nonnative/index.html

Other

  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
    2901 Metro Drive, Suite 100, Bloomington, MN 55425
    1-800-375-5283
    http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm
  • Social Security Offices
    316 N. Robert Street, St. Paul, 1-800-772-1213
    1811 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, 1-800-772-1213
  • Income Tax Forms/Questions
    1040 NR Form: 651-644-7515
    State of Minnesota Form: 651-296-3781

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