Your first few days
Since luggage sometimes gets delayed, bring on the plane with you a small bag that includes a change of clothes and your personal items. And always carry with you your identification documents and money, and any valuable items, such as a laptop computer.
We also recommend that you bring some convenience foods that are familiar to you, such as soup mixes, dried fruits, nuts, bread or crackers. These familiar items will come in handy during the times that you are hungry and getting over jetlag.
When you first arrive on campus you will be expected to register and pay for classes so have traveler's checks or a credit card. You can also prearrange to have funds wire transferred from your bank; please contact us for more information about this at: iss-arrivals@ashland.edu.
The ISS office will help you during your first few days with registering for classes, opening a bank account and doing some simple shopping at the store.
Clothing
There is no dress code at Ashland University. Students dress very casually and can wear whatever they would like to. Informal clothes such as college sweatshirts, t-shirts, jeans, blouses, skirts and shorts are acceptable. Seasonal clothing can be bought in Ohio at a reasonable price. It is also a good idea to bring some dress/business clothes with you for school events and job interviews. We would also like you to bring your country's native or traditional dress to wear (or have someone else wear) in our annual Fashion Show.
There is a saying in Ohio that "if you don't like the weather, just wait a couple of hours and it will change." So, while we experience the four seasons, you never know what might happen! Listed below are some items that are good for each season (some items can be worn in all seasons).
Fall (September to December) Fall temperatures range from 0 to 15 degrees Celsius (32-60 degrees Fahrenheit) with rain, wind, and the occasional snowfall. Most commonly worn are long-sleeve shirts, blouses (dress shirts), slacks, jeans and jackets Winter (December to March)
Winter temperatures range from -12 to 0 degrees Celsius (10-40 degrees Fahrenheit) with some rain or snow. If you are from an area of the world that experiences snow, then the clothing you have will probably be sufficient. However, if you are from a warmer climate, it is probably best to purchase your winter clothing in Ashland, as the variety offered will be better. Most commonly worn are sweaters, sweatshirts, heavy coats, scarves, hats, gloves or mittens. Snow boots will be needed for some days, or if you do a lot of walking
Spring (March to May)
Spring temperatures range from 4 to 15 degrees Celsius (40-60 degrees Fahrenheit) with lots of warm days with sporadic rain showers. It is helpful to have a raincoat or umbrella, and a light-weight jacket.
Summer (June to August)
Summer temperatures range from 21 to 35 degrees Celsius (70-90 degrees Fahrenheit) with a lot of humidity. (Humidity can make the temperature feel much hotter then it really is.) Most commonly worn are T-shirts, shorts, sandals and skirts