Exchange Visitor Pre-Arrival Guide
We are glad that you chose The University of North Florida (UNF) for your Exchange Visitor Program and look forward to welcoming you to Jacksonville. At the UNF International Center (IC), we are here to help you with immigration planning and related matters during your stay.
This Exchange Visitor Pre-Arrival Guide contains essential information about immigration regulations and advice for new international professors and researchers on how to successfully move to and live in the United States. Whether you are coming to UNF from your home country or from another United States university, please read this guide carefully.
The city of Jacksonville is located in Duval County in the northeastern part of Florida on the St. John's River and the Atlantic Ocean. Jacksonville's motto is "Where Florida Begins" because of its geographic location. Jacksonville is the largest city in the state of Florida and the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States. It is located in the First Coast region and is centered on the banks of the St. John's River, almost 25 miles (40 km) south of the Georgia border and about 340 miles (547km) north of Miami. The city is named after one of the Presidents of the United States. In 1822, a year after the United States acquired the colony of Florida from Spain; the city was renamed for Andrew Jackson, the first military governor of the Florida Territory and the-future President of the United States.
Jacksonville has a humid subtropical climate, with mild weather during winters and hot weather during summers. It is common for daily thunderstorms to occur during a standard summer afternoon. Jacksonville is situated in a warm temperature zone, with average yearly rainfall of 51 inches and heavy afternoon showers during the summer months. During the winter months of December to mid-March temperatures can drop below the freezing mark and during the summer temperatures can reach 100 degrees. However the spring and fall seasons in Jacksonville are very pleasant.
To capitalize on this experience it is imperative that you take the time to properly plan your trip. Please refer to this guide to find answers to some of your questions.