When to Arrive
You must be at UWM and ready to start attending classes on the first day of classes, which is the start date on your I-20. F-1 students can enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days prior to the start date on the I-20; this date is listed on your I-20 as your “Earliest Admission Date”.
Graduate students with assistantships must arrive to campus prior to the start date on your employment contract.
When booking your flight to the U.S., consider the following:
- Date of flight: Think about where you will stay when you arrive in the U.S. Depending on your move-in date for your on-campus or off-campus living arrangements, you may need to find temporary housing for the days leading up to your move-in. UWM offers very limited temporary housing; therefore, you may need to stay in a hotel or Airbnb (which could become expensive) or with friends/relatives.
- Arrival time: Pay attention to the local time when your flight arrives (likely Chicago, possibly Milwaukee). If you arrive late in the evening in Chicago, you might need to stay there overnight (buses from Chicago to Milwaukee do not run overnight). If you stay in Chicago overnight, we recommend you choose a hotel close to the airport.
Panther Pickup
Transportation from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Milwaukee via the CoachUSA bus may be available for new international students. To qualify, you must have a confirmed valid visa and confirmed flight ticket into Chicago O’Hare Airport with arrival between August 11, 2024 and August 25, 2024.
Sign up.
- Panther Pickup sign-up will open in early July 2024. Sign-up is required and must be submitted at least 5 business days prior to the departure date listed on your flight ticket.
- To sign up for Panther Pickup for the fall 2024 semester, log in to your ISSS Connect Portal and navigate to the Documents & Requests section.
- NOTE: Panther Pickup tickets are not available for dependents/family members. However, if you are traveling with dependents, you are welcome to purchase tickets for the dependents directly with CoachUSA.
Receive your bus ticket.
Your CoachUSA bus ticket will be sent to your UWM email address. Additional information will be provided upon issuance of the ticket.
Use your bus ticket to travel from Chicago to Milwaukee.
You’ll use your bus ticket to travel from the Chicago O’Hare Airport to the Milwaukee Intermodal Station.
The Coach USA bus station at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport is located at the Multi-Modal Facility (MMF) at 10255 W. Zemke Boulevard. The MMF is accessible from each terminal via the Airport Transit System.
The bus runs every day from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from O’Hare to Milwaukee; here is the full schedule. You can get off at any of the stops leading up to and including the Milwaukee Intermodal Station. You can then take a taxi or use a rideshare service to reach your final destination.
Note: Arrival procedures are subject to change, and affected students will be notified through their UWM email.