Living in Oshkosh and beyond
About Oshkosh
National rankings place Oshkosh as one of America’s best college towns. We just call it home. Titans benefit from small class sizes, incredible student life experiences and faculty that is dedicated to teaching.
AREA AVERAGES:
- Annual Temp 46 F
- January Temperature 18 F
- July Temperature 72 F
- Annual Precipitation 31.5″
- Annual Snowfall 36″
CLIMATE:
- Summer (June – August)
It may be very warm, with temperatures as high as 85° Fahrenheit (29° Celsius). Pack light, cool clothing. - Winter (November – March)
Wisconsin winters begin in November. Weather can be relatively mild or very cold and can bring a lot of snow or very little snow – every winter is a surprise Temperatures can get as low as –10°Fahrenheit (-23°Celsius). You will need a very warm (heavy) coat, hat, gloves, and boots, but don’t buy these at home if your climate is different from Wisconsin’s climate! Wait until you arrive so that you can buy clothing that is most appropriate to the climate. - Spring and Fall (April – May; September – October)
Spring and fall in Wisconsin are beautiful and relatively cool. Get ready for outdoor activities!
In Wisconsin
Green Bay – 55 miles
Milwaukee – 80 miles
Madison – 82 miles
Wisconsin Dells – 82 miles
Door County – 93 miles
Out of State
Chicago – 174 miles
Minneapolis/St. Paul – 270 miles
Toronto, Ontario – 684 miles
Detroit – 453 miles
OSHKOSH POPULATION – nearly 67,000
Urban population of more than 95,000 within a 1.3 million northeastern population
Males 52%
Females 48%
Median resident age 34 years
FOX CITIES POPULATION – nearly 248,000 including cities: Appleton, Combined Locks, Fox Crossing, Grand Chute, Greenville, Harrison, Hortonville, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, Menasha, Neenah and Sherwood.
FOND DU LAC POPULATION – nearly 43,000
Dining Options
UW Oshkosh offers nine on-campus locations to eat plus an on-campus convenience store.
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On Campus
Grocery Stores
For students with financial need: Please check out the Food Pantry.
Send any additional recommendations to iss@uwosh.edu
Restaurants
EXPLORE RESTAURANTS
We also encourage you to send your recommendations to iss@uwosh.edu.
Family Services
Office of International Education (OIE) connects students to support services for their family.
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Child Care
The UW Oshkosh Children’s Center offers childcare services while classes are in session. The Center also offers Three-Year-Old Preschool, Four-Year-Old Ready-for-Learning and Five-Year-Old Ready-for-Learning. See the UW Oshkosh Children’s Center website for rates, hours, registration and contact information.
K-12 Schools
Calculating your Child’s Grade
Use the date of birth to determine which grade a student will be in. Children who are 5 on or before September 1 of the school year must enter kindergarden. Children enter 1st grade after kindergarden and complete mandatory schooling either at the end of the 12th grade or on their 18th birthday. Parents who are concerned that a child’s grade may be too high can speak to the school principal to discuss proper grade placement.
Who is required to attend school?
Wisconsin state law requires that children who are eligible for kindergarden be enrolled and attend. Children who are younger than 5 on September 1 are not required to attend school.
Oshkosh Area School District
All public schools in Oshkosh are in the Oshkosh Area School District (OASD) and have the same superintendent and school board. See the full list of public schools on the Oshkosh School District web site.
Which school should my child attend?
If attending a public school, students must generally attend the school that is assigned to the student’s neighborhood. See one of the Oshkosh Public Schools Boundary Maps for details. Schools are not ranked and do not have a reputation for having different levels of academic rigor. Office of International Education staff are not able to make school recommendations.
Public Elementary School (the nearest elementary school to UW Oshkosh)
If you live very near the UW Oshkosh campus, you will apply to Read Elementary School.
Read Elementary School Registration
- You must first know where you will live in Oshkosh. You must choose housing within the Read Elementary School boundary in order to register at Read Elementary. When your housing is confirmed, you must ask for your housing address.
- Email your housing address to Mrs. Hamilton at Read Elementary School using this email address: Marybeth.hamilton@oshkosh.k12.wi.us. In your email, also request an “enrollment packet” and tell the school your child’s level of English proficiency.
- To register, you must submit forms requested by the school in the enrollment packet, plus:
- a birth certificate for the school-age child
- the school fee ($20 per child as of February 2013)
- If you cannot live within this school’s boundary, you can still try to register at this school. In this case, complete an “Out of Area Attendance” form. If there is still open space at Read Elementary School just before the school year begins, you may be able to register there.
Public Middle Schools and Public High Schools
For Public Middle Schools and Public High Schools, see the Oshkosh School District website (linked above).
Private Schools
Oshkosh also has a number of private schools which can accept international students, including Oshkosh Christian School International Admissions (ages 4-18) and Lourdes Academy (High School).
School Transportation
The city of Oshkosh does not normally provide transportation to/from school. Children can, however, choose to use city buses. For more information, see the Oshkosh Public School District “transportation” web page.
HealthCare
All students may take advantage of services available from experienced physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical technologists and health educators at the Student Health Center.
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Health Insurance
Students studying in Oshkosh enjoy one of the safest communities in the U.S!
We proactively plan to keep our community and our students safe well into the future and understand that both being safe and feeling safe help create the right environment for students and studying.
Explore the resources available to students including the student health center, insurance policies and campus safety resources.
Student Health Center
The Student Health Center at UW Oshkosh offers healthcare services to currently enrolled students. Services include medical care, such as birth control, GYN exam and PAP test, illnesses and injuries, immunizations, physical exams and procedures. The UWO Student Health Center also offers laboratory, psychiatry, nutrition, travel health, prescriptions, and medical records services. Learn more about the services.
Oshkosh Resources
Oshkosh residents are fortunate to have access to award-winning health care systems.
Both Affinity Health System and Aurora Health Care have hospitals and several clinics located in Oshkosh. ThedaCare, based in Neenah, WI, also has several clinics in Oshkosh, and specialty care for children is just a few minutes away in Neenah at Children’s Hospital WI – Fox Valley.
Recreation
Find things to do and places to go in Oshkosh!
UW Oshkosh Student Recreation and Wellness
Oshkosh Visitor’s Center
Downtown Oshkosh
Oshkosh Parks & Recreation
Fox Cities Recreation
Fond du Lac Recreation
Travel Wisconsin
Transportation Options
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On Campus Transportation
Alternative transportation options are offered UW Oshkosh in the forms of buses, shuttles, Enterprise car-sharing and Zimride.
Public Transportation
OSHKOSH
- GO Transit’s provides bus service within the City of Oshkosh, paratransit services to elderly and disabled individuals, paratransit service to low-income workers, and intercity bus service to Neenah.
- Lamers Bus Company offers regular service through “Lamers Connect” between Wisconsin cities, with pickup and drop off in front of Gruenhagen Conference Center on campus.
FOX CITIES
- Valley Transit – Valley Transit provides safe and reliable public transportation to the many communities that comprise the Fox Cities. Our service area covers 117 square miles and serves Appleton, Buchanan, Grand Chute, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, City of Menasha, Fox Crossing, or Neenah, you can use Valley Transit to get where you need to go.
- The Connector– regional transportation initiative, was developed in partnership with Valley Transit to address the needs of individuals with lower incomes relying on public transportation for employment purposes.
FOND DU LAC
OTHER
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation guide to Traveling by Public Transit.
Rental Cars
- Avis (tel: 800-331-1212)
- Enterprise (tel: 800-325-8007)
- Hertz (tel: 800-654-3131)
- National (tel: 877-222-9058)
Driving in Wisconsin
Most foreign nationals may drive in Wisconsin for up to one year with their home country’s valid license. You are also recommended to carry an International Driving Permit or an English translation of your license; either can be used by emergency response personnel or by local police. See the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website for more information and for a list of countries with driver’s licenses that can be used in Wisconsin.
Driving in other U.S. States
Foreign nationals who plan to drive in other U.S. States must check the regulations FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL STATE.
Visitors from foreign countries must obtain their International Driving Permit in their native country prior to arrival in the U.S.
After one year, you must meet the licensing requirements as a Wisconsin resident.
Wisconsin Drivers License
You can apply for a Wisconsin driver’s license in person in Oshkosh IF you have immigration paperwork that shows that you will be in the U.S. for 366 days or longer. If you will be in the U.S. for 365 days or fewer, you must use a valid license from your home country.
Before visiting the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to apply for your license, assemble all necessary documents. Bring these with you to the DMV.
- View the list of requirements for your driver’s license.
- Follow these instructions to print your I-94 card.
- Take your I-20 form with you. This shows that you’ll be in the U.S. for a minimum of one year.
You do not need a social security number to apply for a driver’s license. Instead, you will sign form MV3741 (SSN non-eligibility certification statement) when you apply for your license.
To learn more about safe driving in Wisconsin and to prepare for the driver knowledge test.
Buying a Car
Review the State of Wisconsin “buying and selling guide” before you purchase a new or used vehicle.
INSURANCE
Wisconsin law requires insurance for your new or used vehicle. Review the Wisconsin car insurance requirements before you purchase a vehicle.
PARKING ON CAMPUS
If you want to park a car on campus during the day or overnight, you must buy a UW Oshkosh parking permit.
Contact the parking office at +1-920-424-4455 or parking@uwosh.edu.
Parking On Campus
To park a car on campus you must buy a UW Oshkosh parking permit in order to park on campus. UW Oshkosh Parking Map.
If interested, please contact either your host at UW Oshkosh or the parking office at +1-920-424-4455 or parking@uwosh.edu.
Employment Opportunities
Students may work on campus with prior permission from the International Student Adviser for a maximum of 20 hours per week while classes are in session or full time during breaks.
While employment is not guaranteed, there are a number of resources available to students who are looking for a job or professional internship.
Per federal regulations, students may work off campus under limited circumstances, such as through the federal government’s “Curricular Practical Training” program. This requires that the student complete one full academic year before working off campus, work in a field directly associated with the major field of study, and work only after advance permission is granted by the University.
Volunteer Opportunities
If you plan on interning or working in the U.S. you will want to include volunteer work on your resume.
Volunteering can help connect you with the local community, improve your English skills and connect you with new friends with common interests and passions.