Preparing for your arrival to WKU

Bedding essentials like blankets and pillows are not provided by WKU. Plan on purchasing these after your arrival to Bowling Green. There are several different shopping stores available to you with these supplies and more. We do not reccomend that you pack these items to save space in your suit case. 

In fact, to help make the packing process a little easier, we have compiled a packing list below:

WHAT TO PACK:

• Clothing, shoes, accessories, etc ... 
• First aid/necessary medications
• Basic stationary 
• Some emergecy food/snacks
• Cash (USD) We reccomend $100 in the case of an emergency
  
  

WHAT TO PURCHASE UPON ARRIVAL:

• Bedding
• Furniture (if needed)
• Mobile network/plan
• Books and other stationery needed for classwork
• Kitchen essentials
• Phone chargers/adapters

Please make sure that your I-20 is safely secured along with your other essential admissions documents and forms of indentifications in a folder and on you personally at all times. If you are flying into the U.S. from another country, you will need these to go through immigration so please be sure not to pack these items in your checked luggage. 

 WKU does not offer a shuttle or transportation from surrionding airports, however, you can schedule private transportation HERE.

*Note, Nashville Tennessee (BNA) is the cloesest internaitonal airport to WKU. It is located roughly an hour driving distance south of campus.

Notify Housing and Residence (you can find their contact information HERE) of your arrival before hand to make any arrangements necessary. It is possible that you may not arrive during normal business hours in which case you will need to arrange hotel stay. Also, keep in mind that the front desk of all dorms requires a WKU ID to get access. 

There are a couple of hotels near WKU where you can stay on arrival. Learn more HERE

Healthcare in the United States is very expensive. A simple visit to a doctor can cost hundreds of dollars and staying in the hospital for a couple of days may cost thousands. Therefore, health insurance is required at WKU for ALL international students. A MANDATORY health insurance plan offered by WKU is available to ALL international students.

All of Western Kentucky University's international students are automatically enrolled in Academic Health Plans insurance and it will appear on your university bill. The cost of your health insurance is included in the amount shown on your I-20/DS-2019. 

Please do not purchase health insurance in your home country. Detailed information regarding the plan can be found at WKU Student Health Insurance Plan.

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE AT WKU

January: 6°C (43°F),-5°C (24°F)

August: 32°C (89°F), -3°C (27°F) 

The Registry Apartments, the Campus Evolution Villages (CEV), the Columns apartments, the Midtown are a few options. Contact our international student diplomats HERE to learn more. 

OVERVIEW OF ON-CAMPUS HOUSING: 

 

WKU HAS A REQUIRED ON-CAMPUS HOUSING POLICY. 
PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

  

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOUSING OPTIONS

 

WKU’s Topper Transit provides shuttle service within the campus and to the other popular areas. The GoBG Transit is another popular local public transit provider.

 

These are great questions that we can help you with once you arrive during orientation. Our office also has international student academic advisors who can help you determine the best plan towards earning your WKU degree. 

Yes, you can be a part of the student organizations on campus and we HIGHLY reccomend it! It is a great way to get to know campus and make friends. There are several organizations which maybe departmental, recreational, religious and others that you can be a part of. You can view a list of some of the 300+ organizations available HERE.

There is a campus map HERE which will help you access the location of any building you need to go on the campus.

You should plan to arrive for new international student orientation at the Honors College and International Center, HCIC HERE. 

WKU is located in the heart of Bowling Green, Kentucky, a thriving university town and the third largest city in Kentucky. From the Hill, you can walk to great restaurants and shopping locations or you can use the Topper Transit system to go shopping and visit other local sites. Life in Bowling Green is pretty diverse culturally. The city has beautiful scenery, good quality of life and the cost of living is low.  

Non US citizens are required to written, vision and road test. The documentation required differs based on your visa status. 

You can also get your international driver’s license notarized to get a temporary driving permit.

Note: You will need to request a special form to get your U.S. drivers license through our office. We will cover how to do that during new student orienataion. If you ever have questions about the process, feel free to email us at isss@wku.edu 

 

WKU has a wide range of dining options available. HERE is a campus map with the options.

Bowling Green has several popular restaurants appealing to many different cultures including several international options. There are also international grocery stores in the area.

 

You’ll have access to a number of grocery and dining options on and near campus. On-campus restaurants open close to the start of the semester, and some may even have limited hours during university breaks. Information about locations and hours of operation can be found at http://www.wku.edu/wkurg/.

 

For your convenience, we have compiled a list of a few grocery and restaurant delivery services and stores near campus below. This is not a complete list but is just intended to help you know a few of your food options during your first several days in Bowling Green.

 

Please note that as of July 2020, the state of Kentucky has a mask mandate due to Covid-19, meaning that you are required to wear a face covering in public places, so do forget your mask when you go shopping and when entering any campus building.

 

Grocery Stores with Delivery and/or Curbside Pick-up Options:

• Kroger https://www.kroger.com/i/ways-to-shop/delivery
• Meijer https://www.meijer.com/services/more-ways-to-meijer/home-delivery.html
• Walmart https://www.walmart.com/grocery/locations/delivery/Walmart-Bowling-Green-KY-Supercenter-5236
• Aldi and Target offer delivery through Instacart https://www.instacart.com/

 

A Few Restaurant Delivery Options:

 

Jimmy Johns

Type of food: sandwiches

Address: 1916 Russellville Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42101

Hours: 11:00am-10:00pm

Phone Number:  (270) 393-8884

Website: jimmyjohns.com

 

Pizza Hut

Type of food: pizza, pasta, wings, bread sticks

Address: 1200 Smallhouse Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42104

Hours: 10:30am-12:00am (midnight)

Phone Number: (270) 781-9898

Website: order.pizzahut.com

 

Papa Johns

Type of food: pizza, bread sticks

Address: 1922 Russellville Rd

Hours: 10:30am-12:00am (midnight)

Phone Number: (270) 782-0888

Website: www.papajohns.com

 

Domino’s

Type of food: pizza, pasta, chicken, sandwiches, salad

Address: 1021 Broadway Ave

Hours: 10:00am-3:00am

Phone Number: (270) 781-9494

Website: https://pizza.dominos.com/kentucky/bowling-green

 

Que Buenos Fresh Mexican Grill

Type of food: Mexican/Texmex

Address: 1633 US-31W

Delivery Hours: 10:30am-9:30pm

Phone Number: (270) 904-1218

Website: https://www.quebuenosbg.com/#/

 

Additional Options: You can also order food delivery from many other local restaurants through third party delivery services such as DoorDash, GrubHub, UberEats.

 

**Remember to tip the delivery driver! (About $3-5 is a good tip for a small quantity of food.)**

 

CVS Pharmacy is located on the edge of campus across from the Kentucky Museum in between Adams St. and Kentucky St (see map on the right).  You can purchase many basic supplies and food items at CVS.

 

Priceless IGA is a small grocery store located a couple blocks from the south end of campus.  See the map to the right for directions.  

 

There are also a few fast food restaurants in the same shopping area and across the street from IGA.

**Be careful when walking on Russellville Road, as there is no sidewalk for a portion of the road. A safer alternative route is Creason St. and Robinson Ave.**

 

Additionally, downtown Bowling Green is a short walking distance from the north side of campus and offers a number of restaurant options.

International students can work on campus only. In order to do so, you will need authorization to work. We will go over these details during new student orientation upon your arrival.

Most carriers are contract based and usually require a Social Security Number and/or a deposit. There are others that might not need a Social Security Number or deposit.

Learn more HERE

We have a dedicated group of International Student Diplomats, who have been in your shoes and can guide you not only while you’re in WKU, but also prior to your arrival in WKU. Feel free to reach out to them HERE.

The International Office of Student and Scholar Services is very active on social media. Our social media handles on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube give an insight into the life of an international student at WKU. Follow us to learn more: