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 mentor at this time can be very helpful. Mentors 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.

1. Admissions acceptance letter;
2. Student temporary residence documents;
3. Tuition, dorm fees and seat deposit;
4. Student health insurance;

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 due date on the invoice until loans are approved.

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

Financial Department
Caribbean Medical University
5600 N River Road Suite 800
Rosemont, IL 60018

Toll Free: (888) 877 4268 ext 2.
Fax: (224) 499-7454 Email: finance@cmumed.org

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Students holding US, Canadian or European passport or Green Card DO NOT require visas to enter Curacao and may remain on the island for a period of up to 90 days (6 Months for US Passport holders). During this period, students are required to submit an application for a Temporary Student Residence Permit.

Students coming from OTHER COUNTRIES not listed as exempt from visa requirements are require to present a visa to enter Curacao. Those students should apply for the Temporary Student Residence Permit first. Once this is granted they should apply for a Caribbean Travel Visa at least one month in advance at any Embassy or Consulate of the Netherlands (in the student’s country of residence). Please make sure to verify if you need an additional Transit Visa.

Students should be in possession of:

• Valid passport;
• A return or outward ticket on arrival within the amount of days that they are allowed to stay without the Temporary Student Residence Permit;

STUDENT TEMPORARY RESIDENCE ON CURACAO

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

You can find detailed information in CMU Immigration Booklet.

Set of Immigration Documents for Curacao (1st Permit): All original documents are required except for the copy of the passport – DO NOT email or fax them

• Copy of your valid passport data page (picture and signature page)
• Original Birth certificate (not older than one (1) year) or in case of Naturalization, your original Naturalization Certificate / Certificate of Citizenship: Birth or Naturalization/Citizenship certificates must be either apostilled (if your country of origin is a member of the Hague Convention) or legalized by the ministry of foreign affairs to be used in a foreign country such as in Curacao.
  • U.S. citizens: They can contact the State Department of the state that issued their birth certificate, or the U.S. State Department to apostille their naturalization certificate, or contract a third party apostille service that handles that. The birth certificate cannot be older than one (1) year—request a certified copy to the proper issuing department and then request an apostille.
  • To have apostilles for U.S. citizens (Birth and Naturalization Certificates only) processed by a third party please contact: authentication@multiclectic.com to request information. Special rates for CMU Students apply.

• Other Countries: Citizens from other countries must contact the Department of State or Foreign Affairs of their own countries to have their birth certificates legalized if their country is not part of the Apostille Hague Convention.
• If you are submitting an apostilled or legalized Naturalization Certificate/ Certificate of Citizenship, you will still need to provide a copy of your birth certificate.
• Original Federal Police report/clearance (not older than 3 months)
• Proof of sufficient funds – bank letter or bank statement or sponsor proving available funds of at least $6,600.00 to cover living expenses. You may also submit loan/scholarship letter proving financial aid coverage of tuition and living expenses. If the bank statement is not in your name, the sponsor/guarantor needs to provide a letter of guarantee and a copy of his/her passport.
• Model I form
• Student Statement Form
• Authorization Form
• Health Declaration Form (not older than 3 months – Physician needs to state that you are physically and mentally fit to attend the University.)

Send the complete set of original documents to the address specified below (It is highly suggested to use a courier service such as UPS, DHL or FedEx): *** DO NOT SEND YOUR ACTUAL PASSPORT! ***

Caribbean Medical University
Attn: Main Office – Immigration Docs
25 Pater Euwensweg
Willemstad, Curacao

Students from Countries or Nationalities NOT REQUIRING a Visa such as US, Canada, Europe: It is highly recommended that they send their documents to the CMU Campus in Curacao about 2 months prior to arrival for the term they will attend, so that CMU can begin the temporary student resident permit process with the Curacao immigration on their behalf.
U.S. citizens can bring their documents and give them to the school upon arrival in Curacao; however it is recommended to submit the documents prior to arrival. 

Please note that it takes about 3 months for the Curacao Immigration Department to process documents and issue a landing permit. This information is an estimation only as the length of time may vary for each case.

Students from Countries or Nationalities REQUIRING a Visa: the process may be longer—they need to submit a set of documents to the CMU Campus in Curacao, wait for the landing permit (about 3 months) to be issued in Curacao and then apply for an entry visa at the nearest Dutch Embassy; an appointment with the Embassy may take 30 days or more.

Contact the Embassy ahead of time to find out which documents they require students to take to apply for a visa. This information is an estimation only as the length of time may vary for each case.

Please see: Applying for Curacao Visa

Labor Permits

Foreigners who intend to work in Curacao must have a valid labor permit. Students are strictly forbidden to work in Curacao while engaged in their medical studies. The same applies for family members of students.

STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE

CMU recently partnered up with MCIS and offers students an insurance coverage while on Curacao. 
This coverage includes:

• Hospital Services;
• Non-clinical expenses;
• Maternity care and childbirth;
• Physiotherapy;
• Treatment abroad and medical transportation;

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

STUDENT HOUSING

All entering students of Caribbean Medical University are eligible to live in the CMU dormitories, which are based on availability. Living in the dorms provides more opportunities to interact with other new students, giving you more time to meet people and make new friends.

Before leaving for Curacao, make sure you have a room at CMU dormitories reserved or contact our Housing Coordinator for a list of off-campus housing. 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 arriving on Curacao. Generally, housing arrangements are completed within a few weeks prior to your arrival. Please make sure to email the housing department at dorms@cmumed.org in order to make a housing reservation.

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.

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:

1. Study backpack;
2. Notebooks, colored pens, high lighters and pencils;
3. Ear plugs – recommended for home studying and sleeping;
4. Student Planner;
5. Personal Calculator;
6. Scrubs (also available on campus);
7. Laptop; (refer to Orientation Guide for laptop requirements)
8. Anatomy Dissection Kit (For MD1 students)

CLOTHING:

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

1. Sandals, flip-flops, sneakers;
2. Light raincoat;
3. Sweater/sweatshirt (air-conditioned classrooms can be cold);
4. A jacket and tie (for the males) and formal clothing (for the females) for official ceremonies and conferences;
5. 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:

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

For those coming from outside of the Caribbean:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Contraceptives are available through local pharmacies. However, particular brands and dosages of oral contraceptives may be limited. It is advisable to bring sufficient supply with you.
4. If there are over-the-counter products that you prefer, bring them with you. These particular brands of items may not be available on the island.

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.

1. One set of bed sheets (queen size or twin depending on the room).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Batteries – consider bringing rechargeable batteries and a charger for both your flashlight or other electronic equipment. They can save you money;
5. Power strip, surge protector;
6. 1-2 pairs sunglasses;
7. First-aid kit and nail clippers;
8. Sewing kit (scissors, needle, thread, button, pins, etc.);
9. Prescription medicine (enough to last an entire term), vitamins, pain reliever, Pepto Bismol, cold and sinus medication, iron pills, Tylenol, etc.;
10. Contact lens supplies or extra pair of eye glasses/prescription sunglasses;
11. Water filter and replacements (3 or 4);
12. Specific or preferred brands of toiletries/health and beauty aids such as razors, shampoo etc.

OTHER CONVENIENCES:

1. Cookbooks, novels and other reading material;
2. Radio/ MP3 Player;
3. Pots and pans – if you plan to cook;
4. Food storage containers and zip-lock bags for cereals and other items;

SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL ITEMS:

1. Camera, underwater camera and film – For those new to Curacao, film is available on the island;
2. Games, playing cards, etc;
3. 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.
4. Athletic shoes, cleats etc.;
5. Snorkeling or diving equipment (or rent them at local dive shops).

SHIPPING TO CURACAO

Caribbean Medical University has designed a Student Shipping Program for its students and their families, which offers 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 make you 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:

Caribbean Medical University – SSP (Your name here)
10100 NW 25 ST
Miami, Florida 33172
Tel:305-599-8866
Fax:305-599-2808

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.

1. Caribbean Medical University should be written on the package
2. Send an invoice detailing the contents of your package to info@cmumed.org
3. Ship your items in a corrugated cardboard box.
4. Secure your valuable items in bubble wrap and make sure they cannot move freely in the box.
5. Tape a shipping label to the outside of each box(es) you want to ship.
6. 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
– 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.