CMU | Caribbean Medical University - Life @ CMU - Upon Acceptance

Essential Documents
Residence Permit
Health Insurance
Student Housing
What to Bring
Shipping

Prior to Departure

Starting a new academic career can be an exciting and stressful experience. To help you prepare we have developed a list of items to bring, and instructions and contacts to simplify your travel plans. Contacting your footsteps buddy at this time can be very helpful. Footsteps buddies are upperclassmen who have volunteered to answer questions about life on Curacao, life on campus, life in your chosen field, and any questions you may have about.

Essential Documents

Prior to leaving for Curacao you will need to have all of the essential documents completed and/or submitted.

Dean's Acceptance Letter;
Student Temporary Residence Documents;
Tuition, Dorm fees and seat deposit;
Student Health Insurance /if applicable/;

PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO REGISTER IF ANY OF THE ABOVE DOCUMENTS ARE MISSING ON YOUR FILE.

Financial Aid:

All required paper work for loans and/or scholarships must be completed and returned as soon as possible to assure proper allocation of funds. If you have outstanding financial aid issues, they must be cleared prior to arrival on campus.

Follow the payment schedule according to monies due until loans are approved.

Students with questions about their bills, payments or refunds, cost of attendance, loans or scholarships should direct inquiries to:

Caribbean Medical University
29 L Atlantic Avenue, Suite 104
Ocean View, DE 19970

Toll Free: (888) 877 4CMU /4268/
Fax: (302) 397 2092

Email: finance@cmumed.org

Missing admission documents must be submitted prior to registration.

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Entry Requirements

Students holding US, Canadian or European passport or Green Card DO NOT require visa to enter Curacao and may remain on the island for a period of up to 90 days. During this period, students are required to submit an application for Residence Permit.

Students coming from other countries /full list/ may require to present a visa to enter the Netherlands Antilles. Those students should apply for a visa at least one month in advance at any representation of the Netherlands (in the concerning country).

Students should be in possession of:

Valid passport
A return or outward ticket on arrival

Student Temporary Residence on Curacao

Once accepted to the University, students are required to gather all the following documents and bring them to the campus in order to satisfy the requirements of the Curacao Immigration Authority and to obtain a Student Residence Permit.

Passport - Copy of your valid passport /the page showing your photograph/
Photographs - 4 passport size /2" X 2"/
Birth Certificate - authenticated by the country of origin in the appropriate manner (requires an apostille or legalization not older than 6 months)
Health Certificate - A written statement from your physician certifying that you are in good health and free from any communicable or infectious diseases. This original document should be written on your physician’s letterhead, signed by the physician, and dated not more than 3 months prior to your arrival in Curacao.
Marriage Certificate /if married/ - copy authenticated by the country of origin in the appropriate manner (requires an apostille or legalization not older than 6 months)
Police Clearance Certificate - This original document should be obtained from your local police department, written on their official stationary, and signed not more than 3 months prior to your arrival in Curacao.
Proof of Sufficient Funds:
- a scholarship letters proving scholarship(s) covering the tuition and living expenses or
- a bank letter confirming schedule of monthly wire transfer to student's local bank account in the amount of at least $700 to cover living expenses;
Model 1 Form /downloadable from the Official Forms section/

New students are required to present a valid round-trip airline ticket to immigration authorities upon request.
Students not enrolled in CMU Health Insurance Plan will need to present proof of local or international medical/health insurance coverage at the time the temporary resident permit is issued.

All above documents are also needed for student family members, friends and other visitors who are planning to stay on Curacao for more than 90 days. Once these documents have been processed by the immigration authorities, a temporary resident permit will be issued. It is essential to have all aforementioned documents submitted to the Department of Student Affairs within 4 weeks of arrival to the island. This allows us sufficient time for processing the request.

PLEASE NOTE: YOU MAY NOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY ON THE ISLAND IF THESE DOCUMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED BY THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT OF CURACAO WITHIN 90 DAYS OF YOUR ARRIVAL.

Work Permits

Foreigners who intend to work in Curacao must have a valid work permit. Students are strictly forbidden to work in Curacao while engaged in their medical studies. Family members of students, faculty and staff are not allowed to work on Curacao either.

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Student Health Insurance

All students must provide evidence of health insurance on Orientation Day. The CMU's Student Health Insurance plan covers our students worldwide, including Curacao and the U.S., including emergency evacuation, due to serious illness or injury.

All students are required to enroll in this plan or to provide proof of comparable insurance coverage from their home country.

The company that provides health insurance for our students is International Insurance N.V. located on the campus.

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Student Housing

All entering students of Caribbean Medical University are eligible to live in the on-site dormitories, which are based on availability and the preference is given to students with better academic record. Living in the dorms provides more opportunities to interact with other new students, giving you more time to meet people, faculty members and make new friends.

Before leaving for Curacao make sure you have a room at CMU dormitories available or contact our Housing Coordinator for assistance in finding off-campus apartments.

CMU students live on and off campus. There is a wide range of off-campus housing opportunities to meet any budget, including many housing locations within walking distance from the campus.

Housing should be arranged prior to or after arriving on Curacao. Generally, housing arrangements are completed within a few days of your arrival.

Obtaining housing prior to arrival

If you want to obtain off-campus housing prior to arrival on Curacao, you can work with the CMU's Housing Coordinator to arrange accommodations. You can receive a list of available apartments and then speak with the Housing staff who are able to answer your questions and act as your contact with the landlords. The Housing staff will work with you on specific requests and match you up with potential roommates if you desire.

If you prefer to pre-arrange housing, landlords typically require a security deposit to secure the apartment. The security deposit must be in either a cashier’s check or an international money order, and should be made payable to the responsible landlord.

Obtaining housing after arrival on Curacao

If you prefer, you may also select your housing after arriving on campus. The Housing Department conducts housing tours on a daily basis, weeks before and throughout orientation and registration week. Upon your arrival, you will be given a housing list to review. Again, the Housing staff is available to assist you, answer your questions and introduce you to the properties and landlords. They will work with you on specific requests and match you up with potential roommates if you desire and roommates are available.

Bring your family

Students with families are welcome at Caribbean Medical University. The university has arrangements with an independent day school for children of faculty and enrolled students.

CMU's Preparatory School is a traditional, independent day school for students in pre-k through 8th grades. Currently, the school can assist high school-aged children in their home school studies. The Preparatory School has incorporated an independent school curriculum, comparable to the best set of courses found in rigorous, quality private schools in the U.S. The school prides itself on that curriculum, its small classes, and on the quality of its faculty.

Students who are coming with family should keep in mind that Curacao ’s laws will probably limit your spouse’s employment to a few specialized, on-campus jobs at our preparatory school, health clinic, bookstore, or learning center.

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What to Bring

With the help of current and former students, we have prepared a list of recommended items for you to bring to the island.

School Supplies:

Study backpack;
Notebooks, colored pens, high lighters and pencils;
Ear plugs – recommended for home studying and sleeping;
Student Planner;
Personal Calculator;
White lab coat and scrubs /available at the CMU Bookstore and on campus/;
Laptop;

Clothing:

Light clothing for four months of campus life (summer weight shirts, shorts, jeans, bathing suits). Cleaning services are available in dorms and apartments.

Sandals, flip-flops, sneakers;
Light raincoat;
Sweater/sweatshirt (air-conditioned classrooms can be cold);
A jacket and tie for official ceremonies and conferences;
Do not bring overly formal clothing – you will live in casual summer clothing;

Daily Health Care Items:

Students should be well equipped to handle minor medical problems. Common student problems are:

Digestive irregularities;
Infections;
Sunburn;
Earaches;
Cuts, sprains, bruises;
Insect bites (mosquito);

Consider having the following:

A well-supplied first-aid kit /also available on campus/;
Band-aids, antiseptics and ace bandages;
Sunscreens and insect repellents;
Digestion and irregularity remedies;

For those coming from outside of Netherlands Antilles:

Be sure to have a recent, thorough physical examination before your arrival, including your blood type and up-to-date immunizations, such as tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid, Hepatitis B and yellow fever.
Available prescription medications can vary from country to country. If you are on any medication, be sure to bring enough to last longer than your anticipated stay. The particular medication you require may not be available on Curacao.
Contraceptives are available through local pharmacies. However, particular brands and dosages of oral contraceptives are often limited. It is advisable to bring sufficient supply with you.
If there are over-the-counter products that you prefer, bring them with you. These particular items may not be available on the island, and may be less expensive if purchased at home.

Important Miscellaneous Items:

These items have been recommended by former students. Many of the items listed are very expensive on the island, therefore if you are traveling to Curacao and you have the space it is recommended that you bring these items with you.

Hangers and a laundry bag (many students use a duffel bag as both luggage and a laundry bag) – the dorm has its own laundry services.
Flashlight – Small “Mini-Mag” type flashlights are popular. Small battery run book lights are also a smart item to bring for the occasional power outages.
Batteries – consider bringing rechargeable batteries and a charger for both your flashlight and Walkman or other electronic equipment. They can save you money.
Power strip, surge protector;
1-2 pairs sunglasses;
First-aid kit and nail clippers;
Sewing kit (scissors, needle, thread, button, pins, etc.);
Prescription medicine (enough to last an entire term), vitamins, pain reliever, Pepto Bismol, cold and sinus medication, iron pills, Tylenol, etc.
Contact lens supplies or extra pair of eye glasses/prescription sunglasses;
Water filter and replacements (3 or 4);
Specific or preferred brands of toiletries/health and beauty aids such as razors*, shampoo etc.

*If traveling by air do not carry any sharp items, including nail clippers, or aerosol sprays in carry-on bags. They will be confiscated at the airport.

Other Conveniences:

Cookbooks, Novels and other reading material;
Radio/Walkman/MP3 Player;
Pots and pans – if you plan to cook /available in each dorm apartment/;
Food storage containers and zip-lock bags for cereals and other items;

Sports and Recreational Items:

Camera, underwater camera and film – For those new to Curacao, film is available on the island, though it may be less expensive if you bring film from home.
Games, hobbies, playing cards and handiwork;
Tennis racket, softball, glove, football, Frisbee, volleyball, basketball, etc. If you have children, bring equipment for them as smaller sizes may not be conveniently available.
Athletic shoes, cleats etc.
Snorkeling or diving equipment (or rent them at local hotels);

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Shipping to Curacao

Caribbean Medical University has designed a Student Shipping Program to its students and their families for convenient and affordable shipping to the island of Curacao. The program allows you to send items like books, school supplies, personal belongings and equipment and to feel confident that your package will be handled with the utmost care.

Box up your items, follow the shipping instructions below, and send them to:

AmCar Freight Inc.
7860 NW 80th St.
Medley, FL 33166
Attn: Caribbean Medical University - SSP

Your package(s) will be delivered directly to the CMU campus on Curacao and placed in the secure storage area for you to pick up.

Shipping Instructions:

Please follow these instructions carefully so that your packages are shipped correctly.

Ship your items in a corrugated cardboard box.
Secure your valuable items in bubble wrap and make sure they cannot move freely in the box.
Tape a shipping label to the outside of each box(es) you want to ship.
Attach an envelope to the box and include a paper sheet providing the following information:
- Name and contact information of the student;
- Complete list of contents being shipped and its value, new items require receipt or invoice;
- Any special instruction for AmCar Freight or CMU Administration.

You may contact CMU Department of Student Services at (888) 877 4268 when you ship the package to make payment arrangements or if you have any questions about the shipping process please contact AmCar directly:

- by phone: (305) 599 8866 /ask for Louise Rodriguez/;
- by email: traffic@amcarfreight.com or
- visit the website at http://www.amcarfreight.com.

Note: Within 1 week of receiving your shipment, required documents /if applicable/ and the payment, AmCar Freight Inc. will prepare your box(es) for shipment directly to the CMU campus. You will be charged a flat rate of $4.50 per pound /minimum $35/, plus an optional $1.25* per $100 insurance.

*Only new items can be insured.

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