You are one step closer to studying here in the U.S! We are excited to welcome you to our country and our campus. In order to best prepare for your arrival to MSSU, we have compiled a checklist and helpful information that will ensure your transition goes as smoothly as possible.
If you have any questions as you prepare to come to MSSU for the Fall 2025 semester, please feel free to contact Dr. Stephanie Goad, Sr. Coordinator of International Admissions, at goad-s@mssu.edu, 417-625-9372.
It is almost time to embark on your adventure to MSSU! We are so excited to welcome you to campus! Before you head to the United States, there are a few additional items we would like to share with you about traveling to campus. Please remember that you are expected to arrive to campus at least the weekend before orientation. You can find the dates for orientation in your admission letter. Be sure to finalize your communication plans with family and friends, emergency plans, and other travel-related items.
You should plan on entering the United States no more than 30 days before classes start. Reference your admission letter to find important semester information.
Please complete the following tasks:
You are welcome to use another airport, but you will be responsible for finding transportation to Joplin via bus, taxi, Uber, Lyft, etc. We do not have trains running to Joplin.
Airport Pick-Up Information
Please schedule your flight into the Joplin Regional Airport (JLN). This is the closest airport to campus. MSSU provides FREE airport pick-up from the Joplin Regional Airport only. If you choose to fly into the Joplin Regional Airport, please fill out the Airport Pick-Up Request Form to arrange your free shuttle transportation.
While there are other airports in the area, which we have listed below, MSSU only provides transportation from the Joplin Regional Airport (JLN). You would be responsible for arranging your transportation to campus at your own expense should you choose to fly into a different airport. There is no shuttle service to Joplin, Missouri, from any other airport.
Other Airport Options
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) – 1.5-hour drive to campus, no shuttle service
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) – 1.5-hour drive to campus, no shuttle service
Tulsa International Airport (TUL) 2-hour drive to campus, no shuttle service
Kansas City International Airport (MCI), no shuttle service
Hotel Information
Students who arrive on campus after 11 p.m. or earlier than the designated arrival weekend (three days before orientation starts) must stay in a hotel at their own expense. MSSU will provide transportation from the Joplin Regional Airport to the hotel and from the hotel to campus.
Hotel Options
It is important that you submit your housing application if you plan to live on-campus. Information about housing can be located here. If you would like to cook your own meals, we recommend looking at our Quads and Lion Village. In these facilities, you will have your own kitchen.
To reserve housing, you will need to log in to your Lionet account and fill out the housing application and pay the $150 refundable housing deposit. For assistance on housing issues, contact Residence Life at residencelife@mssu.edu.
Bedding and toiletries are not provided by MSSU. We encourage you to order items for your residence hall room via Amazon or Walmart and have them delivered to 1007 International Ave., Joplin, MO 64801. We will have them ready for you upon your arrival.
Upon arriving, we will contact Residence Life at 417-659-4261 to check you into your assigned residence hall. Lunches and dinners will be provided beginning Monday, August 8, 2025.
Though you may have already made travel plans and are ready to start your journey to MSSU, you will need to find temporary housing as on-campus housing if you arrive more than three days before the start of orientation. Joplin offers multiple hotel and Airbnb options. You will still be able to request pickup from the airport if you arrive early.
International Student Orientation will be here very soon! Orientation will provide you the opportunity to connect with other international students, become familiar with campus and community resources and services, enroll for the semester, get your textbooks and student ID card, meet with the Willcoxon Health Center staff, among many other ways to help you adjust to campus and the community.
All new international students are required to attend orientation starting on August 11, 2025. Be sure to bring all of your immigration documents, including your passport with your visa stamp, and I-20 or DS-2019. You will be guided through printing your I-94 Arrival and Departure record during orientation. Soon you will receive an email with the detailed orientation schedule.
Here are a few items to consider before you travel to Joplin. When traveling, make sure all of your necessary travel documents are kept in your carry-on bag. You will always want to have your immigration documents easily accessible when traveling. If you take any medications, you might also want to put those in your carry-on bag so you can access those at any time.
Students usually dress casually and relaxed around campus, however, you are welcome to wear whatever makes you comfortable. It can be very hot in August, but very cold December through March. You may want to bring coat and warm clothes for our winter season. We also recommend bringing some formal clothes (suits, dresses, skirts, etc.) with you. We would love for you to bring any traditional clothing from your home country for when we have cultural events!
If you plan to study in the United States, you will need to apply for an F-1 student Visa (or J-1 student visa if you are an ISEPstudent). In order to apply for the F-1 student visa, you will need to have an official I-20 from Missouri Southern State University. Please see the checklist below for the required documents needed for issuance of the I-20 form. If you are an ISEP student, they will issue you the DS-2019 needed for the J-1 student visa.
Please review the international student requirements for the Willcoxon Health Center.
Please contact the Willcoxon Health Center at willcoxonhealthcenter@mssu.edu or 417.625.9323 if you have any questions.
All international students at MSSU are enrolled to have health insurance via LewerMark Student Insurance.
Students who obtain a visa and notify the international admissions office at international@mssu.edu will have 10 days to pay the $3,000 USD enrollment fee to avoid cancelation of their I-20. The non-refundable fee will be applied toward tuition for the first and second semesters.
*MSSU has the right to ask for further certification of documents or advance payment of fees for students whose funds originate in countries where severe economic restrictions exist or countries known to have a high number of fraudulent documents submitted.
There will be time designated during international orientation for you to enroll in your classes for the semester. To meet immigration regulations, you must enroll in at least 12 credit hours.
You have many wonderful opportunities ahead of you at MSSU! One of the biggest opportunities you will experience in America is through our Friendship Family community and our Conversation Partner Program. In the Friendship Family Program, you will be matched with a local family and do a variety of activities in and around the Joplin area. This program allows you to experience life in an American home and traditional American holidays.
There are also opportunities for you to get involved with Conversation Partners. These are current MSSU students who spend 1-2 hours a week with international students who need help practicing their English. Conversation Partners also share experiences with international students, like American holidays, traditions, campus and community events, and many other opportunities.
You will be able to apply for a friendship family at International Orientation.
The International Club, one of more than 60 different student clubs on campus, organizes many events during the semester such as a prom, bonfire, hayride, World Music and Cuisine Festival, hiking, and other campus events.
Campus Community
We are happy to invite you to an exciting platform for you to connect with one another before orientation begins. Be on the lookout as we have some fun photo opportunities! This will be a nice introduction to beginning conversations with your peers and potentially your Friendship Family and even your Conversation Partner.Cultivating meaningful first connections based on shared interests, hobbies, and passions. Empowering students to discover, engage and belong from the start.
Campus Community is a private community engagement and peer-to-peer support platform allowing students (like you!) to discover classmates, create unique communities, and engage with communities from your college with ease. Whether you’re looking to connect with classmates, find the perfect study group, or stay in the know, we’ve got you covered.Instantly access meaningful first connections based on shared interests, hobbies, and passions while exploring daily suggested friendships and unique communities in just one click.With advanced search filters and keyword searches, you can easily connect with diverse peers, find roommates, study groups, exercise partners, and language / cultural exchange partners.Participate in student-led discussion boards for peer-to-peer support, join themed groups and conversations, stay up-to-date with campus events, and more.We aim to connect classmates, campus communities, alumni, and more like never before. Join today to engage with your unique community.
1. Set up your account and profile – use your mssu.edu email or personal email address
2. Download the app and enable notifications. Google Play and the App Store (When you open the app – if you don’t see MSSU, please close the app, and reopen and your institution should appear in the drop-down menu.)
3. Participate in the Photo Scavenger Hunt Challenge
4. Join the discussions in our Forums to find roommates, ask questions, and get advice
5. Connect with your future classmates and friends based on shared interests and hobbies
