Summer Institute Participant Resources

Attendance Policy

Attendance will be taken at the start of each class. Participants who fail to attend at least 80% of program classes will not receive a program certificate. The attendance sheet will be removed once the session begins, and students who arrive late for class will not be counted as in attendance. Accordingly, please arrive at least ten minutes before the start of each session. Please note that program sessions marked as "optional" are not included in this attendance policy.

Students who leave a class before it ends will be marked absent for that class.

Academic Credit

Fordham Law does not award academic credit for this program. However, we are happy to coordinate with participants in order to help them receive academic credit from their home institutions. These participants will be given a graded evaluation based on a take-home exam that will be given at the end of the program.

Participants who require this evaluation must complete the brief online Exam Survey prior to the start of the program. In the survey you must indicate the name and email address of the person to whom an official report of your participation in this program and grade should be submitted. Grades will be provided on the standard A-F scale. Please note that we are not able to provide an official University transcript.

All of the below information for the 2025 program is tentative. Participants will be provided with a final version of the schedule on the first day of the program.

Unless otherwise noted:

• Morning: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Lunch: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Fordham Community Dining Hall, First Floor, 1-05
• Afternoon: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Course Materials

Course materials will be available on Blackboard, and accessible with your Fordham username and password, closer to the start of the program. These materials are for 2024 Summer Institute participants only, and should not be shared outside of the program or used for any other purpose.

Presentations

Course presentations will be posted in Blackboard if and when they become available throughout the program. These presentations are for 2024 Summer Institute participants only, and should not be shared outside of the program or used for any other purpose. Note that not all professors may have presentations or elect to have their presentations made available online.

Participants may not record program lectures without the express permission of the professor or presenter. Recordings of program lectures should never be uploaded to the internet or shared with anyone outside of the Summer Institute.

Fordham will provide linens, pillows, and towels for your use. Although there is a kitchen in these apartments, they do not come equipped with dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment.

McMahon Hall has three laundry rooms available for use by program participants. There is no charge for use of the washers and dryers, but participants must provide their own detergent. Rooms will be cleaned professionally before and after the participant’s stay, but not during.

Fordham housing facilities have 24-hour security. You are required to show your Fordham identification card each time you enter a housing facility or any other Fordham campus building, including the Law School.

Participants will check in at McMahon Hall the day before the program begins. Other summer groups will be checking in simultaneously; participants should expect to encounter delays at check-in. A Fordham staff member will greet participants between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with keys and ID cards. The security guard on staff will greet those who arrive outside of these hours. Students must depart from the housing on or by 10:00 a.m. the morning after the program concludes. Students may leave keys with the security guard on staff. Please note that there will be a charge for lost or stolen keys, so please keep your key in a safe place.

Fordham University hosts a variety of groups throughout the summer that are very tightly scheduled. It will not be possible for any Summer Institute participant to check in or check out other than the designated days under any circumstances. If you would like to extend your stay in New York before or after the program, you should secure alternate accommodations before your arrival in New York.

Any rules or processes governing receiving mail at Fordham accommodations will be published closer to the start of the program.

As a participant in the Summer Institute, you are subject to all University housing and other rules and regulations. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in your ejection from University housing and the Summer Institute program. We will review these rules and regulations on the first day of the program, and the Office of Residential Life will provide information at move in.

All participants will receive an ID for access to Fordham’s campus. It is important to keep this ID card with you at all times. Lost ID cards must be replaced for a fee of $25.00 at the student's expense.

Participants should be advised that New York City has very strict anti-smoking laws. It is illegal to smoke in public buildings, public parks, the student dormitory, on beaches and boardwalks, and where marked. Smoking is also illegal throughout the subway and bus system, even on outdoor train platforms.

The University's Office for International Services (OIS) will process all visa paperwork for Summer Institute participants. You can contact OIS via email at [email protected], which is their preferred method of communication. Please do not contact OIS with paperwork or questions until you have submitted the $500 deposit to hold your place in the Summer Institute program.

Fordham does not require any specific visa type to attend the Summer Institute, but we do offer guidance to enable you to make a prudent choice customized for your personal case.

Most program participants enter the U.S. as a B-1, B-2, or WT visitor. This is appropriate for those who are "coming to the United States primarily for tourism," and "also incidentally will engage in a short course of study during their visit." It cannot be used by participants who will be staying in the U.S. to pursue a degree-granting program after the Summer Institute. Therefore, if you choose the B-2/WT visa, you are entering the U.S. with "tourist" intentions, which is your primary purpose. Your "study" at Fordham in the Summer Institute is your secondary purpose. It is "incidental and avocational" to your primary tourist purpose.

Fordham University issues I-20s to support F-1 visa applications for our Summer Institute. If you wish to pursue the F-1 option, you should follow all instructions on this webpage.

Obtaining an F-1 Visa

The Summer Institute satisfies the F-1 visa/status requirements. Upon submission of the required documentation (see below), Fordham University will issue an I-20 which will enable participants to obtain an F-1 visa to enter the United States for the purpose of participating in our Summer Institute. If a participant wishes to obtain an F-1 visa, please review the below required documents that must be submitted directly to the Office for International Services by email only after you have submitted your program deposit:

• AFCOE form according to housing type
  • AFCOE for participants staying in University housing
  • AFCOE for participants staying off campus

And the below supplemental documents, as needed, listed on the AFCOE form:

• Financial supporting statement, such as an official bank statement, bank or employer letter showing sufficient funds, or copies of award letters, loans, etc.;
• A statement indicating whether the participant intends to pursue an academic program in the U.S. before or after the Summer Institute; and
• A copy of the name and picture pages of the passport clearly showing the participant's full name and photograph.

Special Instructions for Incoming Fordham Law LLM Students

If you will attend the Summer Institute program prior to the LLM program, you will need to submit AFCOE forms for BOTH programs. LLM program AFCOE forms are available via the OIS website.

In order to expedite your I-20 processing, please submit the AFCOE forms for both programs together, if possible.

First-Day Check In

Federal regulations require all non-immigrants attending the Summer Institute on visas sponsored by Fordham to check-in with the Office for International Services (OIS). Most of the check-in process is handled via the online portal accessible at www.fordham.edu/ois with instructions provided via email by OIS. Further information regarding visa regulations will be provided on the first day of the program. Summer Institute students holding a Fordham-sponsored visa should bring their I-20 form, passport and I-94 card with them on the first day.

Fordham Law strongly recommends that all Summer Institute participants arrange for health insurance coverage for their time in the United States. Participants are encouraged to check with their current provider to see if coverage extends to their stay in New York.

Participants who are not covered are strongly urged to purchase insurance. Participants are not automatically covered by Fordham University's health insurance, and may be held liable for any emergency medical expenses they incur during their time in the United States.

International participants are invited to purchase basic health insurance coverage offered via Fordham University. The plan available to Summer Institute participants covers the duration of the program. The 2025 cost is $248.82 per student, with additional charges for a spouse and/or children. Students should enroll at aetnastudenthelath.com. Any issues, questions, or inquiries regarding insurance should be sent via email to [email protected]. 

Coverage is only available to international, or "non-immigrant" students. This coverage is not available to U.S. citizens, resident aliens, or permanent residents.

Clothing

There is no dress code for classes held at Fordham Law. Students should bring at least one or two business outfits for visits that are part of the program. For those visits, dress conservatively (no sneakers, jeans, or t-shirts; women should not wear low-cut blouses or short skirts). Many people like to dress festively for the Closing Luncheon.

New York City may be hot and humid in July, but most places are air-conditioned, and some heavily so, particularly within the Law School. It is advisable to dress in layers, and to always have a sweater, jacket, or long-sleeved shirt on hand.

It can rain heavily in July in New York so you may want to bring an umbrella, or purchase one while you are here. It is absolutely essential that you also have a pair of comfortable walking shoes!

Computers

Students may want to bring laptop computers with them but this is not required. Wireless access will be available in the Law School and in program housing for students who do bring a laptop with them.

All program materials will be provided in digital form; printed copies will not be made available. Fordham Law students will be using the library to study for the New York Bar Exam at this time and Summer Institute students should not use the Library unless absolutely necessary.

NYC GO - Official NYC guide by the New York City Tourism + Conventions.

Time Out NY - Offers articles on restaurants, bars, entertainment, fashion, and shopping.

Menupages - Listings of restaurants by neighborhood and cuisine, where you can look at menus, prices, websites, read reviews, and leave comments

Google Maps - Easy to follow directions by subway, car, or on foot.

MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) - Official website for NYC Metro. The MTA Trip Planner will help you find subway directions.

New York City Information - Dial 311

Traveling the New York City Subway System

The most common way to enter the subway is by using contactless payment (e.g., Apple Pay or a tap-enabled credit card) or the OMNY app at the turnstile. The charge for each ride, regardless of the length, is $2.90. Non-express buses also cost $2.90 per ride, and there is no cost for a transfer from a bus to a subway, or subway to bus. If you pay for 12 rides using the same device or card in a week, additional rides within that week are free.

MTA services that extend outside of the city, such as the Metro North Railroad, have different fare structures. View MTA fares online.

You may also purchase a MetroCard to enter and travel the subway. The charge for a new card is $1.00. There is a flat fare for every subway ride, no matter how short or long your trip may be. The fare for a single ride is $2.90, but purchasing a SingleRide ticket is $3.25 (the $1.00 MetroCard fee does not apply to SingleRide tickets). You can save money by purchasing several rides in advance. For $34, the 7-day Unlimited Ride MetroCard will allow you to make unlimited trips for 7 days from your first use. There is no charge when you use your MetroCard to transfer from a bus to a subway, or subway to bus. Check MetroCard fares.