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F-1 Emergencies

It is a fact that emergencies happen. So what do you do if you are here in the US and you have an emergency?

Great Question!

Picture of a red and white Ambulance.
  • The first thing we will tell you is to try and remain calm. We would suggest that, in human history, the solution to solving a crisis has never been to panic. It will be your benefit to try and remain calm.
  • If an emergency happens, depending on the type of emergency will determine your course of action.
Graphic of a Red Fire Truck
  • If you are experiencing a safety concern or health emergency, we would encourage you to call 911 (or 9-911 if dialing from an on-campus phone.) When you call this number in the US, either a police officer, an ambulance or a fire truck will be immediately dispatched depending on your current need.  
  • If it is a not medical or safety concern, you can call our office to request help. Generally, if an emergency happens during regular business hours, you can contact our front desk at 605-688-4122. We should be able to get you connected with someone in our office to help you during your time of need.  If an emergency happens after hours, you can attempt to email one of our international advisors and when we see the message, we will respond immediately. As mentioned above, if it is something that needs immediate attention, you can call the University Police Department.
Graphic with the word Police, featuring 3 police cars and 2 police motorcycles.

Important Note:

In the past, we have had students go to the emergency room when their health situation was not an emergency. We would advise you to avoid going to the emergency room unless it is truly an emergency… Due to the costly nature of going to the emergency room, typically, people living in the US only go to the emergency room if it is a life or death situation or a broken appendage (or another health concern that needs immediate attention.)