Admitted Students - Documents & Resources

For a legal extended stay in Barbados, you must have your passport stamped with the appropriate student visa from the Barbados government. The government of Barbados, with RUSM’s support to facilitate the internal coordination process, will process the student visa prior to the tourist visa stamp expiration date in your passport (from when you first arrived in Barbados).  When you arrive in Barbados, you will need to present your passport.  You must show proof of a return date ticket. 

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE REQUIRED ON YOUR PART TO OBTAIN A STUDENT VISA:

• Barbados Student Visa Forms (Form H-2) (Form J)
• Original or notarized copy of your birth certificate (must be in English) 
• One (1) original passport sized colored photograph. 
• Original or notarized copy of the applicant's marriage certificate (all married students must provide, must be in English)
• Clear color copy of the biodata page of the applicant's valid passport
• Clear color copy of the applicant's permanent residency card (front and back) if applicable
• If not receiving US Federal Funding, you must provide evidence of financial support adequate for payment of school expense, living and medical expenses, if applicable.2
• A level II Background Check (must be ordered through COMPLIO - instructions in the Welcome Packet)

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE REQUIRED ON YOUR PART TO OBTAIN A DEPENDENT VISA:

• Barbados Student Visa Forms (Form B) (Form J)
• Original or notarized copy of your birth certificate (must be in English) 
• One (1) original passport sized colored photograph. 
• Original or notarized copy of the applicant's marriage certificate (all married students must provide, must be in English)
• Clear color copy of the biodata page of the applicant's valid passport
• Letter of support from the student assuming responsibility for their dependent
• A level II Background Check (only for dependents over 18 years old)

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE:

• Do not send any form of payment with the student visa packet.
• For information on obtaining a US birth certificate, please visit the National Center for Health Statistics and select the state where you were born: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/
• If your birth certificate or marriage certificate is not in English, it will need to be translated by a USCIS certified translation service, and notarized.  Both the untranslated and the translated copies must be submitted. 
• Laminated documents that are scanned or otherwise copied are inadmissible.
• Nationality is determined by the passport presented at border. Please provide a copy of permanent residency, if applicable.
• In the event that you, as a student, discontinue (voluntarily or through dismissal) your studies at RUSM while in Barbados, RUSM is required to inform the Immigration Department in writing within two (2) weeks of your last day of attendance and to request that the Immigration Department cancels your student visa issued.

SUBMITTING YOUR VISA PACKET:

• All items must be uploaded to COMPLIO 
• Be sure to keep a copy of everything that you upload 
• In addition to uploading to COMPLIO, please carry the original or notarized photocopies of your birth and marriage certificates to turn in on campus in Barbados.

ENTRY VISAS:

If your citizenship is outside of the United States or Canada, you may need to apply for an entry visa.  Please check with your NSC to determine if an entry visa is required.  

STUDENT VISA DEADLINE:

To ensure timely processing, the following deadline is in place: 3 weeks from admission, but no later than 4 weeks from the start of the term.

Book Store

Your NSC will send you the supply list for your specific term approximately 2 months before the term begins.  You have the option to purchase your supplies from the RUSM online bookstore (Ambassador Education) and ship to your home.  

Eligible students can request assistance for purchasing supplies when ordering through Ambassador Education.  Students wishing to use their financial aid funds to order supplies from the online bookstore, can contact FinAid@rossu.edu for a voucher.

RUSM requires all students to have health insurance coverage while enrolled at RUSM. To that end, RUSM makes a health insurance plan available to its students, their legal spouses and dependents. Students must either be enrolled in the RUSM sponsored medical plan or prove coverage under another plan.

Students are automatically enrolled in the coverage once they are billed for their first semester of tuition and are responsible for those insurance charges unless they provide a valid insurance waiver during the open waiver period

Important: Newly enrolled students into the Aetna health plan will be able to waive insurance during the first thirty (30) days after becoming enrolled. After the thirty (30) day deadline, students who do not waive insurance will be enrolled for the remainder of the academic year. Your next opportunity to waive will be the following August.
 

SPOUSE AND DEPENDENT ENROLLMENT

At the beginning of each coverage period, students, at their own cost, may elect additional coverage for their legal spouse and/or dependent(s). For this additional coverage, students must fill out the online Enrollment Form available from Aetna Student Health. All premiums for spouse or dependent coverage must be made directly to Aetna Student Health. 
 

USING YOUR STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE IN BARBADOS

The RUSM Aetna Student Health insurance Plan implemented a 'Designated Provider Benefit' with the Sandy Crest and Coverley Medical Centers. This means Aetna will pay the claims for students at 100% reimbursement, it also means that students will not have co-payments or deductibles when seeking treatment at those facilities.

Professional Attire:  In addition to the clean white coat at hip length during patient encounters, students are asked to adhere to the following guidelines. Part of each activity grade will be based upon professional dress. Students failing to dress appropriately may be subject to grade reductions and professionalism remediation. Be sure that you clearly understand the professional dress code and prepare by bringing appropriate clothes and footwear to the island. Typically a minimum of two outfits are needed each semester. Professional Attire is also required for your White Coat Ceremony.

• Skirts and dresses: Length should be modest, not falling above the knees and should fall at least four inches below the lab coat. Too tight against the body is inappropriate. In addition, low cut or low rise skirts exposing the midriff area are inappropriate and unprofessional. 
• Pants/Trousers: Should be mid-calf, full or ankle length. Not too tight or form-fitting against the body. There should be no midriff area exposed. Leggings or tights are unacceptable unless they are worn under a dress or skirt. 
• Tops and shirts: Should be buttoned up to at least the second button. Avoid low cut tops. There should be no excessive cleavage or midriff area exposed. Neutral colors are preferred without excessive decorations. 
• Footwear: No sandals, flip-flops, or sneakers. Clean at all times. Closed toe for all patient encounters, including simulation. Heel size or height should be less than 1.5 inches and should not restrict speed or safety.
• Tie: Must be conservative. A tie clip is recommended while in the clinical setting and during physical exam performance. 

HANDS-ON AND HIGH TECH

Throughout the Medical Sciences curriculum, students are exposed to a wide variety of active learning experiences that are closely tied to their traditional lecture and case-based learning in both timing and context. These experiences include clinical skills training, standardized patient cases, small-group learning, and other clinically relevant activities. This approach helps students begin to think like doctors early in their medical school experience, and better prepares them for their medical licensing exams. 

Technology:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCcK_7xuDM&ab_channel=RossUniversitySchoolofMedicine

Anatomy Lab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y17Jf1F6FOM

Simulation Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX5MaBtZY8E&feature=youtu.be

Medical Sciences Curriculum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujwopwWtT98&ab_channel=RossUniversitySchoolofMedicine

I-Pad Initiative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBtos_Kj0co&t=4s

The U.S. and Canadian Embassies are conveniently located in Barbados at the following locations: 

• U.S. Embassy: https://step.state.gov/  
• Canadian Embassy: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration

Please check out helpful tips for international travel from the U.S. Department of State website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html

You should consider opening a local bank account in Barbados for the duration of your studies on Island.  A local ATM card will help you avoid ATM fees.  We also recommend that you look into credit cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee.

Currency: Barbadian dollar (Exchange rate: $1.98 BDS to $1.00 U.S.) 

All prices will be displayed in Barbados Dollars (BDS).

• First Citizen’s Bank
• Royal Bank of Canada
• Scotia Bank

If you bring your cell phone to Barbados, remember to make sure that the roaming feature is activated before you leave. Check with your local cell service provider.

Please note that calling and texting from Barbados on your cell using roaming can become expensive. Of course if you have Skype™, WhatsApp or similar apps on your phone, and you have Wi-Fi access (which is readily available in Barbados), you can certainly use those to keep in touch.

You can also choose to buy a prepaid SIM card in Barbados. Just replace your SIM card with the Barbados one to avoid excessive roaming costs. Check with Barbados cell service providers Digicel and FLOW for compatibility with your phone. You will need to bring your phone unlocked to use a local SIM card.

Student Groups:

RUSM students have the opportunity to participate in more than 40 clubs and organizations. No matter where your interest lies, you’re sure to find a group or activity to join—and if not, we encourage you to step up and start a new one. With a student body as diverse and spirited as ours, there’s always something new and interesting going on! 

Places of Worship:

There are a variety of places to worship in Barbados.  Students can find churches, synagogues and mosques around the Island.  (Interesting fact: Bridgetown is home to one of the oldest Jewish Synagogues in the western Hemisphere.)  Many students go through the student organizations for their worship needs.   RUSM is proud to offer the following religious organizations, many of whom partner with local religious groups on the Island:

• Ross Christian Fellowship
• Ross Catholic Student Association
• Jewish Student Association
• Ross Adventist Fellowship
• Muslim Student Association
• Sikh Student Association 

Barbados Guide:

From white sand beaches to colonial style buildings in Bridgetown, Barbados is full of natural and man-made attractions.

Safety/Security:

There is 24 hour security at RUSM Housing in the Villages of Coverley, as well as security on campus.  Students must wear their student ID at all times while on campus.

Transportation:

RUSM Housing at the Villages of Coverley is conveniently located approximately 2 miles from the airport and about 15-20 minutes on average from campus.  

TAXIS: Taxis are ready available in Barbados.  

BUSES: There is very affordable public transportation in Barbados.         

RUSM SHUTTLES: Shuttles run daily from housing to campus, on average about every 10-15 minutes from 5:00 am to 1:00 am, more often during peak traffic times.

Campus Resources:

The following are some resources that can be found on campus:

• Cafeteria
• Café (The Coffee Bean)
• Academy for Teaching and Learning
• Student Affairs
• Financial Aid
• IT
• Printers – each student will receive a card pre-loaded for printing
• Library and individual study space
• Group study space/small group learning space
• 24 hour security
• Lockers (pack a combination lock)
• Counseling (located in the Coverley Town Square)
• Wellness Room

Please visit the Student Life page for more information on campus life: https://medical.rossu.edu/student-life