Arrival to the UMD Campus |
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This tip is applicable to newly admitted students who are planning to arrive in the U.S. for Fall 2020. For students who are starting your program from overseas, you may find it helpful to review this tip as you continue to make plans to come to campus in the future. |
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Today’s Tip: Arrival to the UMD Campus |
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- Fall 2020 Campus Expectations
- On-Campus Housing Updates
- Campus Transportation
- Local Transportation Resources
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1. Fall 2020 Campus Expectations
Please review the Fall 2020 Campus Opening Plans. You will be expected to abide by the 4MARYLAND expectations that promote critical healthy behaviors:
- Wear a face covering at all times indoors and outdoors when other people are nearby. (We will provide all students with two masks each.)
- Stay at least 6 feet from others at all times.
- Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable.
- If you are sick, do not go to class, campus events, or work…in fact, you should not leave your room/home. If you live on campus, we encourage you to please bring a thermometer and a wellness kit with you.
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2. On-Campus Housing Updates
If you are living on campus make sure you have received the latest communication regarding room assignments shared with students on July 24. You should receive your reassignment by Aug. 3. |
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Owning a car is not necessary to get around in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. There is a good public transportation system covering the area, including buses, subway, and trains. Below are descriptions of some of the public transportation systems commonly used by University of Maryland students. Students are encouraged to review the websites of these public transportation options, as tickets could be limited and riders will need to follow COVID safety precautions.
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3. Campus Transportation
Shuttle-UM
The University of Maryland, College Park operates a free commuter shuttle service for students, faculty, and staff of the campus. Fall operations begin on August 24. You must show a valid UMCP ID. Wearing a face covering, rear-door entering/exiting and physical distancing accommodations are among the many precautions we've implemented for all those aboard Shuttle-UM. Please visit the Shuttle-UM website for more information.
On-Campus Parking Permit Required
During the semester, you will need a permit to park on campus or you will need to pay parking meters. Learn more about parking on campus. This year there are commuter options such as daily permits for students who won’t be coming to campus on a daily basis. Review the Fall 2020 Update information carefully, parking citations are common for newcomers to campus, so please plan accordingly!
Download maps and transportation apps here. See how you can pay for parking digitally here. |
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4. Local Transportation Resources
Metro Bus/Rail
The Washington, D.C. metro area has an extensive bus and subway system run by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The Metrobus and the Metrorail (the subway) extend well into Montgomery and Prince George's counties as well as the greater D.C. area. You are not allowed to eat or drink on the bus or metro or in the stations, and the law is strictly enforced. Visit www.wmata.com for information about Metrobus and Metrorail services, maps, Next Arrival estimates for bus and train, and general information.
Apps
It may be helpful to download apps like NextBus from Google Play or the Apple App Store to plan your travel, because buses in the U.S. may be less frequent than in your home country.
Prince George's County: TheBus
Montgomery County: Ride On
Montgomery County operates a bus system called Ride On.
Taxis
Taxis are not the cheapest mode of transportation in the United States, but are convenient and fast. Taxis are metered, which means you will pay for each mile driven. Tipping taxi drivers (10-20%) is expected.
Taxi companies in the College Park area:
Greenbelt Taxi Service: (301) 441-8400
Ontime Transportation Incorporated: (301) 474-6111
Langley Park Taxi: (301) 559-0000
Silver Cab: (301) 341-5140
Rideshare
Ride sharing programs have gained popularity over the last few years, especially in cities. App services such as Uber and Lyft allow you to call a car from your smartphone and pay directly with your registered credit card.
Amtrak
Amtrak operates limited service throughout the U.S. and Canada. Locally, it runs between BWI Airport andUnion Station in D.C. but it is more expensive than options like the MARC train. The Amtrak website has lots of information about schedules, routes, and fares throughout the country. It is likely more expensive than trains you may have in your home country, and most students find that train travel is, in general, a less popular and less convenient mode of travel in the U.S.
Marc Trains
These trains are operated by the Maryland Transit Authority, and are mostly used by commuters in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. MARC is a cheap option to get to downtown Baltimore, but it doesn't run on weekends. MARC trains also run to BWI Airport, but it might be cheaper to take the Metrobus from the Greenbelt metro station. Check out the MARC website for fares and schedules.
Intercity Buses
New York, Philadelphia, and even Boston, can often be reached from Maryland or D.C. by affordable buses such as Greyhound and Mega. |
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Academics at UMD with IOLs
Join International Orientations Leaders for a live panel about academics at UMD. Learn about paying for your classes, accessing your online courses, talking to your professors, and more!
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U.S Health Care Overview
The U.S. does not have socialized health care as is available in many countries. Learn about the U.S. health care system, general terminology, and understand the importance of carrying insurance while in the United States.
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Health Insurance Information and Q&A
Health insurance can be intimidating. Join representatives from the University Health Center and Academic Health Plans (SHIP) for a webinar to demystify the process of signing up, and using your SHIP insurance!
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English Conversation Partners brings together our UMD community from all over the world to engage in interesting discussions with each other. For ten weeks during the fall semester, participants (students, spouses, faculty, staff) meet in groups with a fluent English speaking facilitator. These groups provide an opportunity to learn from one another, make friends, and become more comfortable and confident speaking English. Topics include: U.S. culture, food, travel, politics, and whatever else you like to talk about! Talk to you soon!
These are designed as virtual group opportunities. In-person activities may be available depending on health guidance.
To learn more about the ECP program, please attend one of our information sessions.
Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET - Register
Thursday, Aug. 14 at 9 a.m. ET- Register
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Missed a Tip of the Week?
You can find previous Tips of the Week on our website by clicking here!
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We hope that you find these emails informative and helpful. You are receiving
them because you have been accepted to the University of Maryland for the Fall
2020 semester. If you do not intend to enroll at UMD and would like to stop receiving ISSS emails, please inform ISSS via your iTerp checklist, your department, and either the Graduate School (graduate students) or the undergraduate admissions office (undergraduate students) that you decline your admission.
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