Guide for
Graduate Contacts
Checklist for New Students
Every department will have slightly different requirements and priorities, but this checklist should assist in developing a checklist designed specifically for your department.
ISSS Check In
International students must check in with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS; formerly OISA, Office of International Student Affairs), 400 Student Services Building, 610 East John Street, Champaign. Office hours are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday; phone is 217-333-1303. Important issues include application for a Social Security Number, attendance at orientation, registration for English Placement Test (EPT) if necessary, and SEVIS program validation. International students must also complete an I-9 Employment Eligibility form through their departments if they are to become employees.
Department Check In
All students should check in with their department's graduate office upon arrival on campus. Departments may have forms for students to fill out, and may distribute keys or assign mailboxes at this time. Some departments also have their own mandatory orientation programs, in addition to campus-wide orientation. Departments will vary in how and when students receive their teaching assignments. Students on assistantships might need to check in with human resources in the unit that is paying their stipend, and complete the I-9 form.
NetID and Password
The NetID and password gives access to sites and services specific to the Champaign-Urbana campus that use the Bluestem login service, such as computer labs and e-mail. Separate passwords are required for different services (e.g. one for access to a campus computer lab and another to log in to e-mail), each of which is different from the NetID password, yet these passwords can only be created by logging in to the system with the NetID and password. Student e-mail accounts are provided by Campus Information Technologies and Educational Services (CITES). Extensive information about CITES services is available at www.cites.uiuc.edu/, and students can set their passwords at https://www-apps.cites.uiuc.edu/password/.
i-card
The i-card is the University's official photo ID. The i-card is used to access certain services and facilities, such as library borrowing, computer labs, printing and copying, campus recreation facilities, health care, residence halls and dining facilities, and student elections. It also serves as a library user card and a bus pass. The i-card includes the student's University Identification Number (UIN). To log on to secure University Web sites, students need to use the UIN, a PIN number, and a password. More information, including, how to set a PIN number and password, is available at www.icard.uillinois.edu/.
EnterpriseID
The EnterpriseID may look the same as the NetID. The NetID and password are needed to set up the EnterpriseID. The EnterpriseID allows access to the statewide University of Illinois administrative system for official records in Student Services, Financial Aid, and Billing, also known as UI Integrate Self-Service. The EnterpriseID and password are needed to register for classes. To set up the EnterpriseID go to https://apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice/ and follow the steps for first-time users.
UI Integrate Self-Service
Once students have established the EnterpriseID, it is used to log onto an online system called UI Integrate Self-Service at https://apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice/. Here personal information should be verified and kept up to date. This is the way in which students input and view information from BANNER, for example, class schedules, address information, grades, and e-bills.
Advising
Many departments require that new students meet with their adviser to plan their program before registering for classes.
Register for Classes
Register online through UI Integrate Self-Service. It is important that all students be registered by the tenth day of classes. Not being registered by the tenth day may jeopardize student loans, insurance coverage, assistantship appointments, and visa status for international students. The Class Schedule, a list of courses currently offered, is available online at http://courses.uiuc.edu/.
NESSIE
Many students, particularly those with assistantships and fellowships, will need to complete payroll information in an online system called NESSIE at https://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu/cf/. Departments will provide students with a special login and password to do this. Students will not be paid until information in NESSIE is complete.
Information
For more information on everything from calendars to fellowships, see the Guide to Graduate Life at Illinois at www.grad.uiuc.edu/survivalguide/, which is updated annually.
Final Official Copies of Transcripts
Transcripts sent during the admission process are often sent before an undergraduate student officially completes the degree and therefore do not show degree conferral. Students must make arrangements for copies of their final official transcripts to be sent to the GPA in order to enroll for their second semester of study.
