What is Edinburg, Texas like?
Edinburg is one of the fastest growing
smaller cities in the United States. It has a population of over 52,000.
It is Hidalgo county's administrative seat. During its early years, Edinburg quickly became a center for
buying and processing cotton, grain, and citrus produce. Other economic developments include vegetable,
corn, sugarcane, poultry, peach and melon production, food-processing plants, oilfield equipment, concrete
products, and agricultural chemicals. In the 1970s tourism began to steadily increase.
In terms of fun, Edinburg and McAllen have a variety of restaurants featuring food from around the world,
hiking and biking trails, lakes, vibrant music, and a 40-acre wetland oasis at the World Birding Center of Edinburg.
Major public sector
employers include county government and the University of Texas-Pan American
(UTPA). Currently UTPA employs over 2100 faculty and staff with one
of the highest student/faculty ration among state universities.
UTPA also offers 56 undergraduate degree programs and 46
Master's degrees ranging from Arts and Humanities to Business and Engineering.
It is the 10th largest public university in the state, with about 16,000
students.
To find out more about UTPA, please visit: www.utpa.edu.
To learn more about Edinburg, Texas, visit:
The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce: www.edinburg.com
,
or the McAllen Chamber of Commerce: www.mcallen.org
,
The World Birding Center of Edinburg: www.worldbirdingcenter.org
, or
The Handbook of Texas Online: www.tsha.utexas.edu.
What's the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas
like?
Our Region: The University of Texas-Pan American and the
English Language Institute are a general academic component of The
University of Texas System, serving the South Texas region referred to
as the Rio Grande Valley. Located on the United States-Mexico
international border, the Valley offers a growing economy, successful
businesses, and travel opportunities. The Valley's unique
geographical location is also ideal for the over 400 bird species
hosted by this area. We are home to the Whitewings and Roadrunners pro
baseball teams, Mexico shopping and dining areas are less than an hour
away, South Padre Island is one of our premier resorts on the Gulf,
Valley Race Park provides betting entertainment on tracks around the
country, Valley downtowns and several Malls are excellent for
shopping.
Weather and Transportation: The average Valley temperature
is a pleasant 78 degrees. Days are sunny and outdoor activities are
plentiful. Temperatures during the summer months are in the
90's, and winters typically go by without any temperature below 32
degrees. The average temperature for the coldest month of the year,
usually, January, is a chilly 62 degrees. Valley highways are safe,
scenic, plentiful and convenient. U.S Highway 83, connecting the
Valley to West Texas, is an obvious choice for those who wish to see a
large chunk of the Texas border. One of the interesting features of
Expressway 83 is that during your trek through the Valley on this well
marked, four-lane highway, you are never much more than 10 miles from
the Mexican border.
Valley Business: The Rio Grande Valley is the ideal location
from which to conduct international business. With low utility costs
and no state income tax, companies can set up shop in any part of the
Valley with confidence that they will have access to one of the
largest and youngest workforces in the world. Customs brokers,
construction companies, legal and accounting services, government
agencies, realtors and other support companies well-versed in
international business are available to help companies set up and
begin production without delay.
For more information about the region,
please visit the RGV Chamber of Commerce website at: www.valleychamber.com.
What about housing?
You may want to consider making arrangements
to stay at a local hotel or motel for the first few days to rest and
begin your search for permanent housing. Some hotels can offer
inexpensive lodging or discounts to International
Students. A variety of housing options are available in Edinburg
and are a convenient distance to the university. If you would
like to find out more about our housing options on campus, please
visit the UTPA Residence Life home page at: www.utpa.edu/reslife/.
Each of these options has varying space and costs. The ELI staff will
be able to answer your questions regarding UTPA housing, but you will
ultimately have to make your own arrangements. If you decide to live
in an apartment, the list below may be helpful in your search.
Websites to find local apartments:
www.edinburg.com/attractions/relocation.html
www.myrgv.com
Local Hotels:
www.edinburg.com/attractions/accomodations.html
How do I get to UTPA? and How do I get around
Edinburg?
If you will be arriving at McAllen
International Airport, taxi services are available to take you to your
first destination, whether it be to the university or a local hotel.
Taxi services:
Yellow Cab Co. (McAllen, TX) --- (956)631-3235
Checker Cab (McAllen, TX) ------ (956)686-9393
City Cab (Edinburg, TX) ---------- (956)383-1111
AAA Taxi (Edinburg, TX) -------- (956)383-6666
Check for further information on the
airport's website, at www.mcallenairport.com.
For more information about the layout of UTPA
please see
our Campus MAP.
(The English
Language Institute is building Number 41 on this map.)
The university's physical location is at:
The University of Texas-Pan American
1201 W. University Dr.
Edinburg, Texas 78541
How much money will I need to pay for my
tuition and living expenses?
It depends on the length of time in the
program. Plan for not only living expenses and tuition cost, but also
books and school supplies and an extra allowance for recreation or
entertainment. Below are the Estimated Expenses for Intensive English:
Estimated Expenses for each 8 week session (USD)
Tuition ........................................ $1150.00
Books and materials .................... $150.00
Personal expenses ....................... $400.00
Sub Total ................................... $1700.00
Dormitories (board and meals) .... $1570.00
Medical Insurance ....................... $177.00
Total .......................................... $3447.00
How much money should I bring?
It is wise to bring the
amount of your tuition plus about $1,000 to $2,000 in traveler's
checks, a money order, or cashier's check for settling in expenses.
Clearing foreign checks through U.S. banks can take up to 21 days. Bringing
some U.S. currency is also a good idea.
What about health insurance?
Students enrolled in the Intensive ELI program
must provide proof of medical insurance or purchase UTPA medical insurance
through Student
Resources. You can choose from a
variety of plans in the U.S. This insurance requirement is
optional for part-time
students and students arriving from Mexico.
Where can I send mail and packages before I
arrive in Edinburg?
Please wait until after you arrive to get
packages sent from your home country. There is no space available to
hold items for students. If you have a contact in Edinburg or the
surrounding area, you may consider asking about sending items to them before you arrive.
What services are available to UTPA students?
For a brief description of what services are
offered to Intensive ELI students, you may visit the ELI
website. You may also find information about the different
events that are taking place around campus or in our community that
may help you adjust to your new life in the Edinburg throughout the UTPA
website. Contact the
organization's representatives by phone or email, or view their
website.
The International
Students Office (ISO) is designed to serve the international and American students
for the purpose of cultural exchange, comply with the current
immigration regulations and outreach to the local community through
international programs. Periodic activities are organized to provide
opportunities for international students to meet other people in the program and to
enjoy a social setting. For further information, visit the ISO at http://www.utpa.edu/dept/isa/
or send
an email to intladvise@utpa.edu.
Comments to: eli@utpa.edu
Updated:
11/21/2008
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