International Student & Scholar Services

International Programs

International Student & Scholar Handbook

Resources for Families

Support Groups
Employment Options for Dependents
Day Care
Schools
International Families and Public Assistance
Health & Insurance Information

There are more than 2,000 students and scholars with families at Penn. Over 20% of the students in the graduate and professional schools live with their spouses or partners.

Support Groups

The University has a wide variety of resources on campus. They are free for all Penn students and can be invaluable if utilized.

For various University resources:
http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/resguide/

Fathering resources:
http://fatherfamilylink.gse.upenn.edu/other/dadright.htm

Penn's Women's Center:
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/pwc/

Penn Children's Center:
http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/childcare/

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Employment Options for Dependents

F-2 visa holders are not permitted to work in the US under any circumstances.

J-2 visa holders, including spouses and children, may apply to USCIS upon or after arrival for permission to work in the US. For more information, see Employment for J-2 Visa Holders.

J-2 visa holders are subject to social security taxes, federal income taxes, and where applicable, state and local income taxes.

H-4 visa holders are not permitted to work in the US under any circumstances.

All dependent visa holders are eligible to do volunteer work. The Civic House coordinates a variety of volunteer activities for the Penn community.

Civic House
3914 Locust Walk
Tel: 215-898-4831
Fax: 215-573-3665
Web: http://www.upenn.edu/civichouse/

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Day Care

In the US, it is common for both parents to work outside the home and enroll their preschool children in day-care centers or arrange for a baby sitter to look after them at home. There are several day-care centers in the University area that look after preschool aged children during the day.

If you are looking for a good child care center, make sure that it is licensed by the state, has a low staff/child ratio, and provides an environment that encourages learning and personal development. The cost for full-time day care (usually 8:00 A.M. until 5:30 or 6:00 P.M.) varies widely, but is likely to cost $200 or more per week for full-time care. Call each day care provider for current rates. Information about day-care programs in the University area is available through:

Penn Children's Center
215-898-5268
http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/childcare/

Philadelphia Child Care Resources
1-888-461-5437
http://www.philadelphiachildcare.org/

Baby Sitters

A baby sitter is someone who comes to your home to take care of your children for a limited time. The typical pay for this work varies but is likely to be approximately $10 per hour or more. If you employ a baby sitter on a regular basis, it may be suitable to pay by check but otherwise it is customary to pay in cash. In choosing a baby sitter, you should be sure that the person you hire is mature and responsible enough to respond to an emergency like sickness or fire. Be sure to ask for references before hiring a sitter.

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Schools

There are basically two types of schools in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas: public schools, which are free, and private schools, which charge a tuition fee. Some private schools have a religious affiliation. Within the school system there are three levels of education:

Elementary School (ages 6-10)
Middle or Junior High School (ages 11-13)
High School (ages 14-18)

All schools in Philadelphia, except colleges and universities, are listed in the blue section of the White Pages phone book.

Public Schools

Philadelphia's public schools are available to any child living in the city, but the quality and accessibility vary. Students are generally required to attend the public school in their neighborhood, unless they pay tuition to attend another school. For more information, contact:

School District of Philadelphia
Tel: 215-299-7000
Web: http://www.philsch.k12.pa.us/

For information on schools outside the Philadelphia area, call the respective school districts. These are listed in your local phone books.

To enroll your child in the public schools, you need to bring the following items to school:

Proof of the child's age (i.e., passport)
Proof of your current address (i.e., utility bill)
Immunization records showing that your child has been inoculated for tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, German measles, diphtheria and hepatitis B
Any other useful information from your child's former school

In addition to neighborhood schools, there are also special schools called "magnet schools." Magnet schools attract students from all areas of the city, based on superior academic performance, or a special talent, such as the performing arts. Students living anywhere in the city may be admitted to these schools if they pass special entrance examinations or otherwise meet the special admission requirements. Magnet schools in the public system include:

Central High School
Ogontz and Olney Aves.

Girls High School
Broad and Olney Aves.

Masterman Middle School
17th and Spring Garden Sts.

McCall School
6th and Delancey Sts.
Offers an English as a second language program.

Private Schools

For information about private schools in the Philadelphia area, consult with:

Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools
Tel: 610-527-0130
Fax: 610- 527-4332
info@advis.org
http://www.advis.org/

There are two main religiously-affiliated private school systems in Philadelphia. The Catholic school system (also called Diocesan) is run by an order of Roman Catholic, nuns, priests or brothers whose mission is education. The standard of education in these schools is generally good to excellent, and the tuition is moderate. Students are not required to belong to the Catholic faith, but religious education may be required.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia
215-965-1740
schoolmaster@adphila.org
http://www.catholicschools-phl.org/

The Society of Friends (popularly known as Quakers) also has several good schools in Philadelphia. These are known as Friends' schools, and, in addition to a high standard of education, they have some religious teaching according to Quaker traditions. The tuition at these schools is regarded as high.

Friends Council on Education
1507 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tel: 215-241-7245
Fax: 215-241-7299
Email: QuakerEd@aol.com
Web: http://friendscouncil.org/

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International Families and Public Assistance

Occasionally international students and scholars with families, like American students and scholars with families, find themselves in difficult financial situations. While US citizens and permanent residents may have access to US government benefit programs, these benefits are not available to non-immigrant visa holders.

Administrators of public assistance programs often do not have expertise to assess eligibility based on immigration status, and may encourage you to apply for benefits. Please remember that acceptance of public assistance is a serious violation of your status.

Examples of public assistance programs not available to non-immigrants include:

Aid to Families with Dependent Children
Medicaid
Food Stamps
Federally-funded housing programs
Free School Breakfast or Lunch programs

Accepting any public benefits could jeopardize your non-immigrant status and could result in your having great difficulty in remaining or reentering the US.

Return to Handbook for International Students and Scholars

	International Programs Penn Abroad \| ISSS \| International Travel and Research
International Student & Scholar Services New Arrivals Orientation International Student & Scholar Handbook Visas & Immigration Information for Penn Departments Instructions & Forms International Student Advisory Board International Partners Outreach Group Intercultural Leadership Program ISSS Staff Events & Announcements Online Appointment Scheduler Emergency Contact Information International Programs Penn Abroad International Student & Scholar Services Staff Directory International Travel and Research	International Student & Scholar Handbook Resources for Families Support Groups Employment Options for Dependents Day Care Schools International Families and Public Assistance Health & Insurance Information There are more than 2,000 students and scholars with families at Penn. Over 20% of the students in the graduate and professional schools live with their spouses or partners. Support Groups The University has a wide variety of resources on campus. They are free for all Penn students and can be invaluable if utilized. For various University resources: http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/resguide/ Fathering resources: http://fatherfamilylink.gse.upenn.edu/other/dadright.htm Penn's Women's Center: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/pwc/ Penn Children's Center: http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/childcare/ Top Employment Options for Dependents F-2 visa holders are not permitted to work in the US under any circumstances. J-2 visa holders, including spouses and children, may apply to USCIS upon or after arrival for permission to work in the US. For more information, see Employment for J-2 Visa Holders. J-2 visa holders are subject to social security taxes, federal income taxes, and where applicable, state and local income taxes. H-4 visa holders are not permitted to work in the US under any circumstances. All dependent visa holders are eligible to do volunteer work. The Civic House coordinates a variety of volunteer activities for the Penn community. Civic House 3914 Locust Walk Tel: 215-898-4831 Fax: 215-573-3665 Web: http://www.upenn.edu/civichouse/ Top Day Care In the US, it is common for both parents to work outside the home and enroll their preschool children in day-care centers or arrange for a baby sitter to look after them at home. There are several day-care centers in the University area that look after preschool aged children during the day. If you are looking for a good child care center, make sure that it is licensed by the state, has a low staff/child ratio, and provides an environment that encourages learning and personal development. The cost for full-time day care (usually 8:00 A.M. until 5:30 or 6:00 P.M.) varies widely, but is likely to cost $200 or more per week for full-time care. Call each day care provider for current rates. Information about day-care programs in the University area is available through: Penn Children's Center 215-898-5268 http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/childcare/ Philadelphia Child Care Resources 1-888-461-5437 http://www.philadelphiachildcare.org/ Baby Sitters A baby sitter is someone who comes to your home to take care of your children for a limited time. The typical pay for this work varies but is likely to be approximately $10 per hour or more. If you employ a baby sitter on a regular basis, it may be suitable to pay by check but otherwise it is customary to pay in cash. In choosing a baby sitter, you should be sure that the person you hire is mature and responsible enough to respond to an emergency like sickness or fire. Be sure to ask for references before hiring a sitter. Top Schools There are basically two types of schools in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas: public schools, which are free, and private schools, which charge a tuition fee. Some private schools have a religious affiliation. Within the school system there are three levels of education: Elementary School (ages 6-10) Middle or Junior High School (ages 11-13) High School (ages 14-18) All schools in Philadelphia, except colleges and universities, are listed in the blue section of the White Pages phone book. Public Schools Philadelphia's public schools are available to any child living in the city, but the quality and accessibility vary. Students are generally required to attend the public school in their neighborhood, unless they pay tuition to attend another school. For more information, contact: School District of Philadelphia Tel: 215-299-7000 Web: http://www.philsch.k12.pa.us/ For information on schools outside the Philadelphia area, call the respective school districts. These are listed in your local phone books. To enroll your child in the public schools, you need to bring the following items to school: Proof of the child's age (i.e., passport) Proof of your current address (i.e., utility bill) Immunization records showing that your child has been inoculated for tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, German measles, diphtheria and hepatitis B Any other useful information from your child's former school In addition to neighborhood schools, there are also special schools called "magnet schools." Magnet schools attract students from all areas of the city, based on superior academic performance, or a special talent, such as the performing arts. Students living anywhere in the city may be admitted to these schools if they pass special entrance examinations or otherwise meet the special admission requirements. Magnet schools in the public system include: Central High School Ogontz and Olney Aves. Girls High School Broad and Olney Aves. Masterman Middle School 17th and Spring Garden Sts. McCall School 6th and Delancey Sts. Offers an English as a second language program. Private Schools For information about private schools in the Philadelphia area, consult with: Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools Tel: 610-527-0130 Fax: 610- 527-4332 info@advis.org http://www.advis.org/ There are two main religiously-affiliated private school systems in Philadelphia. The Catholic school system (also called Diocesan) is run by an order of Roman Catholic, nuns, priests or brothers whose mission is education. The standard of education in these schools is generally good to excellent, and the tuition is moderate. Students are not required to belong to the Catholic faith, but religious education may be required. Archdiocese of Philadelphia 215-965-1740 schoolmaster@adphila.org http://www.catholicschools-phl.org/ The Society of Friends (popularly known as Quakers) also has several good schools in Philadelphia. These are known as Friends' schools, and, in addition to a high standard of education, they have some religious teaching according to Quaker traditions. The tuition at these schools is regarded as high. Friends Council on Education 1507 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 Tel: 215-241-7245 Fax: 215-241-7299 Email: QuakerEd@aol.com Web: http://friendscouncil.org/ Top International Families and Public Assistance Occasionally international students and scholars with families, like American students and scholars with families, find themselves in difficult financial situations. While US citizens and permanent residents may have access to US government benefit programs, these benefits are not available to non-immigrant visa holders. Administrators of public assistance programs often do not have expertise to assess eligibility based on immigration status, and may encourage you to apply for benefits. Please remember that acceptance of public assistance is a serious violation of your status. Examples of public assistance programs not available to non-immigrants include: Aid to Families with Dependent Children Medicaid Food Stamps Federally-funded housing programs Free School Breakfast or Lunch programs Accepting any public benefits could jeopardize your non-immigrant status and could result in your having great difficulty in remaining or reentering the US. Return to Handbook for International Students and Scholars
	International Programs Penn Abroad \| ISSS \| International Travel and Research