May 2015
Dear Oxbridge UCLA Student,
Congratulations on having chosen to spend part of your summer in Los Angeles, one of the world’s great cultural
centers. Soon you will be joining young people from around the globe who, like yourself, have signed up for a
summer of challenges, discoveries, and intellectual growth. I look forward to meeting you, and have every confidence
that the memories and friendships you acquire will enrich your life enormously in the years to come.
You will be studying with talented teachers who are experts in their fields, and a friendly and informative
administrative staff will be on-site around the clock to ensure that your experience is not only exciting and
intellectually rewarding, but also safe and well-organized. All of our faculty and staff members are dedicated to
making sure that you get the most out of your time in Los Angeles, and our program will include numerous activities
that will enable you to take advantage of the many opportunities the city has to offer. Please find the following vital
information enclosed in this mailing:
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Program Office contact information and mailing address (2 copies)
Arrival and departure day details
Suggested packing list
A checklist to print and carry with you when you travel
A Letter of Consent to Travel to print and carry with you
A map of the neighborhood in Los Angeles
You will also receive a set of Oxbridge luggage tags and a passport control letter in a forthcoming mailing. Please
attach the luggage tags to your luggage – they help us identify you at the airport – and carry the passport control letter
and letter of consent to travel on your person when you travel. US customs may ask to see them.
Your first day in Los Angeles should be dedicated to practical things: unpacking, getting settled into your room,
meeting the program staff, and becoming acquainted with your roommate and other new friends. Our program begins
immediately with an orientation and introduction to the city on June 22nd, followed by a welcome assembly and
classes on June 23rd. As tired as you may be, it is a very good idea not to go to sleep until after dinner. Holding off
sleep for a few hours will ensure that you get a good night’s rest, easing your transition into a new time zone.
You are coming to a city famous throughout the world for its demographic diversity, social vibrancy, and cultural
vitality. Los Angeles is home to dozens of renowned museums, concert halls, galleries, theaters, architectural
wonders, and institutions of higher learning, as well as dining and shopping establishments to suit every taste. It is a
city truly unlike any other, and I have no doubt that your admiration and affection for Los Angeles will grow deeper
over the course of the program.
Every year, multitudes of students and visitors come from all corners of the world to explore and savor “The City of
Angels” and its many charms. Now it is your turn. You have not only chosen us. We also have chosen you: for your
academic promise, your emotional maturity, and your positive energy.
On behalf of our outstanding faculty and administrative staff, I wish you a successful end to the school year and a
stimulating and rewarding summer in New York City – one that we are all sure you will never forget.
All the best,
Mark Fisher
Program Director
Oxbridge UCLA
Program Office Contact Information
(Student Copy)
Phone
+1-434-906-7721
Email
[email protected]
(This phone number and email address may be used starting the week before Arrival Day. For any concerns
between now and the end of June, please contact the main New York office.)
The program phone can be used to reach students as well as program staff. The phone is manned daily
from 8:00 AM until between midnight and 1:00 AM Los Angeles time. At night and at times when the
whole program is at an event (field trip, assembly, etc.), voicemail messages can be left and calls will
be returned as quickly as possible.
Messages: UCLA rooms do not have private phones in them. If a student receiving a call is in class, on a
field trip, or simply out of the building on an extracurricular activity when a call comes in, our staff will
take a message and post it on the student message board immediately.
Calling Home
Because of the high cost of roaming charges, we strongly urge that international students do not use
mobile or cell phones they bring from home in order to communicate with their families, unless you have
arranged an international calling plan with your phone company. Instead we recommend they buy an
inexpensive local “pay-as-you-go” phone on which their families can reach them.
The phones in the program office are strictly for office use. For practical reasons, we do not allow
students to call home from the office unless it is an emergency; however, as mentioned, we are more than
happy to take messages from parents trying to contact students.
Oxbridge UCLA
Mailing Address
(Student’s Name)
c/o Oxbridge Academic Programs
Sproul Hall
350 De Neve Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Sending Packages
In the past couple of years we have encountered numerous problems arising from parents sending
overvalued packages to students via Fed Ex, UPS, DHL, etc. The main cause of these difficulties is the
import taxes levied by the US government on incoming packages that exceed a certain stated value. If the
declared value of a package exceeds this sum (usually $40.00 US), the courier company must charge a
supplementary fee of approximately 30% of the declared value of the contents. What this means is that the
student must pay this sum out of his or her own pocket before taking receipt of the package.
We do not want to suggest that your parents should not send items to Los Angeles with courier firms,
however please be conscious of this situation. We therefore recommend that packages be marked as
having “no commercial value.” Clothing should be specified as “used.” Do not send electronic items or
DVDs unless you are prepared to pay customs fees on them.
(student copy)
Oxbridge UCLA
Mailing Address
(Student’s Name)
c/o Oxbridge Academic Programs
Sproul Hall
350 De Neve Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Sending Packages
In the past couple of years we have encountered numerous problems arising from parents sending
overvalued packages to students via Fed Ex, UPS, DHL, etc. The main cause of these difficulties is the
import taxes levied by the US government on incoming packages that exceed a certain stated value. If
the declared value of a package exceeds this sum (usually $40.00 US), the courier company must charge
a supplementary fee of approximately 30% of the declared value of the contents. What this means is that
the student must pay this sum out of his or her own pocket before taking receipt of the package.
We do not want to suggest that your parents should not send items to Los Angeles with courier firms,
however please be conscious of this situation. We therefore recommend that packages be marked as
having “no commercial value.” Clothing should be specified as “used.” Do not send electronic items or
DVDs unless you are prepared to pay customs fees on them.
(Parent Copy)
Oxbridge UCLA
Program Office Contact Information
Phone
+1-434-906-7721
Email
[email protected]
(This phone number and email address may be used starting the week before Arrival Day. For any concerns
between now and the end of June, please contact the main New York office.)
The program phone can be used to reach students as well as program staff. The phone is manned
daily from 8:00 AM until between midnight and 1:00 AM Los Angeles time. At night and at times
when the whole program is at an event (field trip, assembly, etc.), voicemail messages can be left
and calls will be returned as quickly as possible.
Messages: UCLA rooms do not have private phones in them. If a student receiving a call is in class, on a
field trip, or simply out of the building on an extracurricular activity when a call comes in, our staff will
take a message and post it on the student message board immediately.
Calling Home
The easiest way to call home using a pay phone is with an international phone card issued in the U.S.
which can be purchased at any newsagent for under $10. This type of card can also be used to call
any country, but the number of minutes may vary. Students can also choose to purchase an
inexpensive, disposable cell phone with a rechargeable chip. Our staff will be happy to assist you in
purchasing phone cards or cell phones and figuring out what works best for you.
Should you choose to bring your phone from home, we strongly recommend that you contact your
phone company to find out what they offer in terms of international calling plans.
(Parent Copy)
Arrival Day Details
Monday, June 22nd, 2015
Arriving from Overseas
We meet every student arriving from overseas at Los Angeles International airport (LAX) on June 22nd; however,
we cannot come to the plane to meet you.
When you disembark you will go through:
1) The Immigration section where you will have your passport checked (and visa paperwork where
applicable).
2) Then follow the signs for the Baggage Reclaim area to retrieve your luggage
3) Once you have collected your belongings, go through Customs.
4) Once you pass through Customs, you go to the Arrivals area of the terminal. This is where you will be
met by our staff.
Our faculty members will be carrying large “Oxbridge UCLA” signs, waiting for arrivals from your specific
flight. We are hard to miss, but if you fail to notice anyone matching this description, remain calm. Take a few
minutes and look along the barriers by the side of the hallway; if for any reason you cannot see a sign-holding
adult, go to the main Information Desk in the terminal, ask them to page someone from Oxbridge UCLA, and
then sit tight. Rest assured, we have never failed to collect a student in over 25 years. In addition, ensure that you
have on your person the telephone numbers of our office at UCLA. The staff there is in constant touch via cell
phone with the coordinators at the airport and can send someone immediately to where you are.
Meeting the Group Independently
If you will already be in Los Angeles and plan on meeting our staff at the Los Angeles International airport on
June 22nd, we ask that you let us know in advance and we will advise you of the appropriate meeting point. The
tell-tale ways to distinguish our group from others will be the “Oxbridge UCLA” signs described above and a
congregation of teenagers chatting excitedly, surrounded by lots of luggage bearing the “OXBRIDGE” tags.
Making Your Own Way
For those of you going directly to UCLA, you need to follow these directions carefully.
We ask that you arrive at Sproul Landing between 12p.m. and 4p.m. Visitor parking is available on campus in the
Sunset Village parking lot. For visitor parking, enter the campus at Bellagio (off of Sunset Blvd) and go to the
second stop sign where you will have to turn left. Turn left, and go through at least one more stop sign. You will
pass the pool on your right. Just before the road ends at a T is the Sunset Village (SV) parking structure on your
right. Park in the SV lot and go upstairs to Sunset Village. There will be a welcome committee in the Covel
Commons building to register your arrival, direct you to your room in Sproul Landing, answer immediate
questions, and tell you about the rest of the day’s schedule. Staff members will also be available to give walking
tours of the campus and surrounding neighborhood. (Please refer to the attached map to help locate the Sunset
Village parking lot, Covel Commons, and Sproul Landing.)
Luggage
Airlines have become considerably stricter about luggage allowances and generally make you pay extra for
second pieces of luggage. We therefore recommend that you think very carefully about how much you are
planning to bring with you. We also recommend bringing a suitcase with wheels to limit the weight that you will
have to carry on your back for extended periods of time. Be sure to attach name and address labels (with your
home or Los Angeles address) to all of your bags when you check in for departure. Finally, please do not forget to
affix the “OXBRIDGE” tags (which are being sent to you by mail) to your suitcase to assist us in spotting you
when you arrive in Los Angeles. Note: Pack only what you can carry alone for at least 100 yards and at least a
flight of stairs, since YOU are going to be carrying it. The best maxim is: if in doubt, leave it out – almost
anything you might need will be available in the US.
Missing Bags
If one or more of your bags is missing, do not panic! Once it becomes evident that a piece of your luggage has
gone astray, find a nearby airport official, say that your suitcase has not arrived, and ask where you go to report
this. Only leave the Baggage Reclaim area when you have spoken to an airport or airline representative and
clarified exactly what to do.
Unless your bags can be retrieved right away, you will be asked to complete forms providing the address and
phone number of where you are staying in Los Angeles. As such, it is essential that you have those details with
you in your carry-on luggage when you travel. Also, when you check in at your home airport, you will receive
bar-coded luggage receipts from the airline for your bags – keep these in a safe place until you have retrieved all
of your possessions. Once the report has been completed, make your way back to the gate through which you
would have originally exited and find the Oxbridge UCLA staff member waiting for you there. The airline
personnel will endeavor to locate your luggage as soon as possible and arrange for it to be delivered to UCLA in
Los Angeles.
Housing
Once you arrive at UCLA, you will be issued your room key and directed to your room. Housing assignments are
finalized well before the program begins and, once you arrive in Los Angeles, you will not be able to change
rooms.
Departure Day Details
Friday, July 17th, 2015
Departure
On July 17th we escort all departing students to the Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in a reverse operation
to that of Arrival Day. Our accompanying adults guide you into the terminal and ensure that you check in at the
appropriate airline desk without any difficulties. These faculty and staff members then walk with you and other
students as far as the security checkpoint, which is as far as they can legally go.
If you are leaving from Los Angeles by bus or rail for another destination, we will assist you to the greatest of our
ability in directing you to your departure point.
Students who are making their own way should be picked up by their parents or an approved adult between 9am
and noon.
Suggested Packing List
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Laptop (if you own one) and charger. The UCLA campus has Wi-Fi in the residence and classrooms.
Travel alarm clock and batteries (a must for getting to class on time!)
3 pairs of pants / jeans
2 pairs of shorts
shirts / blouses
2 sweaters
T-shirts / sweatshirt / sweatpants / athletic shorts (for sports)
Pajamas
One semi-formal outfit for our various formal evening events: Jacket/tie or dress/skirt/dress pants
Lots of underwear & socks (to avoid doing laundry too often)
A LARGE laundry bag for when it becomes unavoidable!
A pair of sturdy walking shoes or sneakers
A foldable umbrella
Waterproof jacket, slicker or raincoat
Bathrobe / flip-flops / shower shoes
Toiletries, including contact lens solutions and antihistamines. You can find everything you need in Los
Angeles drugstores but prices may well be higher than at home.
A camera and charger
All bedding and towels are provided & exchanged weekly!
Any personal medication you are taking
Note: These are just our suggestions. Ultimately, you should pack clothes in which you feel comfortable. Keep in
mind that it can get quite hot in Los Angeles during the summer, so it is a good idea to bring light clothing.
Unless you purchase an iron on site, you will probably not have access to one. Thus, bring easy wash and wear
items, and don't worry about looking rumpled, since everybody else will be in the same situation!
Computers: Several computers are available for student use in the student lounge, and students will not require a
laptop for their classwork. If you do wish to bring a laptop, however, Wi-Fi is available throughout the residence
and campus.
Finally, please remember that YOU will be responsible for carrying your own luggage at all times, so try to be as
realistic as possible about what you will need.
Electricity in the U.S.
Electricity in the U.S. is different from in both Europe and Asia. It is unwise to bring electrical equipment from
home, such as irons or hair dryers, as they might go up in smoke! If you choose to, be sure to buy an adapter
specifically made to work in the US. A better idea is to buy an inexpensive appliance in Los Angeles and use it
just for the month.
Checklist
1. TO DO IMMEDIATELY
(_____)
Check that your passport is valid and will not expire while you are in the United States.
Immigration generally insists that it should have at least six months left to run.
(_____)
If you are not a citizen of a country enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) please
contact your local U.S. Embassy to determine whether or not you will require a visa to
enter the country. If you do require a visa, please call or email our New York Office prior
to applying so that we can assist you with the application process.
2. ADVANCE PLANNING
(_____)
Order your debit/credit card. Make a copy of it in case it gets lost.
(_____)
Make 3 photocopies of your passport & birth certificate: one to leave with your family
and two to carry with you while you travel.
(_____)
Confirm your plane reservation with the airline, as well as the time, flight number and
departure terminal. NOTE: DO THIS 72 HOURS BEFORE YOU LEAVE!
3. PACKING TIME
(_____)
(_____)
Make sure that any breakables in your suitcase are well-wrapped or protected, or placed
in your hand luggage.
Think through how much clothing you will need this summer. (Each year most students
bring far too much, so try to adhere to the packing list.)
4. BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE
(You MUST include all these items in your carry-on bag)
(_____)
(_____)
(_____)
(_____)
(_____)
(_____)
(_____)
(_____)
Your passport (and visa paperwork, if applicable)
A copy of your passport in another place from the original, with a second copy
left at home with your parents.
Passport control letter (sent by mail). This is to present to customs officials if you are
asked why you are entering the United States. Officials may need paper clarification –
this document is what you need.
Letter of consent to travel completed by your parents or guardian
Your plane tickets
Your spending money (packed securely).
Oxbridge UCLA program office telephone numbers and addresses.
Name & address labels, plus Oxbridge luggage tags, on your luggage (sent by mail)
5. AT THE AIRPORT
(_____)
Keep the bar-coded luggage stubs, given to you by the airline at check-in, in a safe place
in your carry-on luggage.
Happy travels from wherever you may be in the world,
and we look forward to seeing you in Los Angeles!
May 2015
LETTER OF CONSENT TO TRAVEL:
PLEASE COMPLETE AND CARRY WHEN ENTERING THE UNITED STATES
Full name of one parent / guardian
Full address of parent / guardian:
_____________________________________________
____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Parent / guardian telephone number: _____________________________________________
(including country code)
Passport number of parent / guardian:
_____________________________________________
I authorize my child, __________________________, to travel to the United States in order to attend
Oxbridge UCLA which takes place at an approved licensed center. An Oxbridge Academic Programs
representative, carrying a letter on Oxbridge Academic Programs stationary, is meeting my child at the
airport and transporting him/her to the school.
Name of parent / guardian (in block capitals)
Signature of parent / guardian and Date
In case of queries on the day of travel please contact Mr. Mark Fisher, the Director of Oxbridge UCLA,
on the following number: 434-906-7721.