Housing
One of the most important things you will need to take care of before you start your studies at Trident Technical College is finding a place to live. This is an important decision since it will be one of your biggest expenses and will affect your personal and academic adjustment.
Trident Technical College is a two-year commuter college. Dormitory facilities or on-campus housing are not available since TTC primarily serves local students who commute from their residences, so you will need to arrange for housing.
You will be happy and more productive in surroundings that are comfortable to you. In general, the amount you spend for housing should be limited to one-fourth or one-third of the total amount you have planned to spend on living expenses. If the cost is one-half of your budget or more, you may be spending too much.
It is especially important to consider location in selecting your housing. If you live farther than walking distance from the campus, it may prove to be inconvenient unless you are close to public transportation or you have a car.
We recommend that you choose a home, apartment or rental property that meets your needs in cost, proximity to campus and safety. Before making housing arrangements please consider which campus you will be attending (Thornley, Palmer, Berkeley or Mount Pleasant Campus). You will be required to sign a lease agreement. A lease is a binding contract between the student and the property owner or landlord. When you sign the lease, you are obligated to pay the landlord monthly rent for the duration of the lease, which is quite difficult to break prior to the ending date. Students should never sign a lease unless they are completely satisfied with the apartment and surrounding property, and when they understand all the terms of the lease. The college assumes no responsibility for any housing arrangements made by students; we provide the following links only to help you get started with your search:
Transportation
Public transportation in the Charleston area is very limited and mainly consists of CARTA buses and taxi cabs. It is therefore recommended that the student give serious consideration to renting or purchasing a vehicle. If you decide to purchase a car, please consider the expense of car insurance (required by law), property taxes and other fees on the vehicle. Each student is responsible for providing their own transportation and arriving to class on time.
Insurance
While Trident Technical College does not require international students to have health insurance, we strongly recommend that you purchase adequate health insurance while a student in the United States.
Travel Tips
- Don't carry everything in one place in case your luggage is lost or stolen.
- Never pack essential documents, medicine or anything you could not do without in checked luggage. Put them in a carry-on bag.
- Keep all important documents together (i.e. passport, I-20, enrollment letter from school, insurance information/card, travel itinerary, ticket).
- Carry a copy of your passport separate from the original, in case it is lost or stolen.
- Mark all luggage inside and out with names and addresses.
- Mark all bags in some distinctive way so that they are easily found.
- Take a picture of your luggage prior to departure, in case it is lost or stolen.
- For international travel you should arrive at the airport two hours prior to your scheduled flight.
- Plan your travel itinerary so that you make allowances for unexpected flight delays or other problems that may arise.