While at VT
You've gone through all the steps and now you've arrived in Blacksburg. Now what?
Make the most out of your time here!
The Global Education Office offers social and cultural programming throughout the academic year designed specifically for exchange students. The events range from practical application to fun social activities. During Orientation Week, we have practical information sessions, immigration check in, on-campus move in, meetings with your academic advisor, shopping trips and social activities.
Squires Student Center, the main building for student activity, contains two ballrooms, performance spaces, a food court and dining areas, activity rooms, an art gallery, the BreakZone and Venture Out Centers, and more. BreakZone offers billiards, bowling, table tennis and arcade games. For those interested in fun, safe, and educational outdoor options, Venture Out is a useful resource in planning adventures or renting equipment.
The Graduate Life Center (GLC) and Johnston Student Center (GBJ) on campus are also available to students. Students are encouraged to become as involved as possible at Virginia Tech. There are over 700 student organizations of varying interests from water polo to rugby. Search organizations here: http://gobblerconnect.vt.edu/organizations.
The Cranwell International Center hosts many events for international students throughout the year. Find the events on their website or email cranwellconnect@vt.edu with your vt.edu email to sign up for their newsletter.
The commitment to service is strong at Virginia Tech and examples of living out the university motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), are seen throughout the year. Virginia Tech is home to the largest collegiate Relay for Life (a national fundraising event for cancer research). At The Big Event students volunteer to complete projects for residents in the community. See www.engage.vt.edu/.
Intramural: Virginia Tech has one of the most active intramural programs in the country, serving more than 13,000 participants per year. Both recreational and competitive leagues are offered. Activities include:
- Dodgeball Tournament
- Innertube Water Polo
- Kickball Tournament
- Putt-Putt Tournament
- Softball
- Swim Meet
- Table Tennis
- Volleyball
- 9-on-9 Soccer
Club: Sport clubs play other colleges and universities, but are not part of the NCAA. They are supported by the Recreational Sports department. Club sports include:
- Baseball
- Basketball (Women)
- Bowling
- Clay Target
- Crew
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Fencing
- Field Hockey
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse (Men)
- Rugby (Women)
- Soccer (Women)
- Softball (Women)
- Tennis (Women)
- Volleyball (Men, Women)
- Water Polo (Men, Women)
Varsity: Virginia Tech is part of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Most sporting events are free and open to all students. Football and basketball games require tickets. Students may obtain a ticket through a lottery system. The Hokies have 16 national level athletic teams:
- Baseball
- Basketball (Men, Women)
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer (Men, Women)
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis (Men, Women)
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Wrestliing
Students can attend performances, such as off Broadway plays, at The Moss Arts Center; events presented by the Virginia Tech Union; the BreakZone and student-run comedy shows in Squires Student Center; and more. Just a short walk from campus, Downtown Blacksburg offers restaurants and shops, as well as the historic Lyric Theatre which offers affordable movie showings and performances.
The Schiffert Health Center on campus is available to students. The LewisGale Hospital Montgomery, a regional hospital providing a full scope of healthcare services, is located just over a mile from campus. Virginia Tech has two gyms, as well as a golf course. Both War Memorial and McComas Gyms have 25-yard pools, weight machines, and aerobic equipment. Exercise classes are offered for a fee.
The Virginia Tech Police Department is a full-service, nationally accredited police agency. A nighttime safety escort service known as Safe Ride is available. For an safety escort, call 540-231- SAFE (7233). Emergency telephones are located throughout the campus grounds and connect you with the police department directly.
Note: off-campus employment is not permitted.
It is possible to get a job on campus as an incoming exchange student at Virginia Tech. While having a job on campus is a way to fund your exchange, previous students also say it is a great way to meet other students and make new friends!
See the available student positions on this website.
There are a few steps you will need to accomplish before starting at a job:
- After getting accepted to a job, send the J-1 employment request form to the Global Education Office to inform them of the job location and hours.
- Get a social security number (SSN). The closest office is in Roanoke (about a 45 min bus ride). Bring your passport, DS-2019, and the job acceptance form from the Global Education Office.
If you are interested in getting experience working with an employer in your field of interest, you can do so after your academic semester as an exchange student. This type of experience is called Academic Training (also known as internships for American students.) It must be related to your field of study.
The duration of your academic training may not exceed your period of study. For example, if you studied from January to May (4 months), your academic training cannot exceed four months. See more eligibility information and the process for applying to academic training here.
Town of Blacksburg information
Blacksburg, some 12,000 acres nestled on a plateau between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains, is special. Home to about 41,700 local residents, the town is considered small by most standards—but don’t let its size or location fool you. Because of the town’s award-winning services, reasonable cost of living, safety, moderate climate, and abundant leisure activities, Blacksburg is consistently ranked among the country’s best places to live and has earned a reputation nationwide as a well-managed, stable, and forward-looking community. More information about the town of Blacksburg can be found at: www.vt.edu/where_we_are/blacksburg/index.html.
If you're looking to venture outside of Blacksburg, here's some useful information:
Options include:
- The Smartway Bus, a city-to-city commercial bus company, offers daily departures to Washington, D.C.
- Renting a car is possible
- The Amtrack Train in Roanoke offers service to Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Washington D.C.
- Less than 15 minutes to Pandapas Pond, with fishing and hiking trails.
- Mountain Lake Resort, where parts of “Dirty Dancing” were filmed.
- About 45 minutes to Cascades Falls, among the East Coast’s most beautiful waterfalls.
- Around two hours to Charlottesville, home to Virginia Tech ACC-rival, the University of Virginia.
- The national capital, Washington, D.C., is 4-5 hours away.
- Less than two hours to Lynchburg, the “City of the Seven Hills” on the James River.
- Some three hours to Richmond, Virginia’s capital city.
- Nearly five hours to Virginia Beach’s shoreline.
- Around 15 minutes to The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech.
- Some 30 minutes to Claytor Lake State Park for swimming, camping, hiking, and picnicking.
- An hour or so to Fancy Gap, which offers spectacular scenery and views of the southern Appalachian Mountains.
- Less than two hours to Abingdon, home of the historic Barter Theatre, the State Theatre of Virginia.
- Around two hours to Winston-Salem, N.C., home of ACC-rival Wake Forest University.
- A little more than two hours to Bristol, home to the Birthplace of Country Music and near the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
- Less than three hours to Charlotte, N.C., North Carolina’s largest metropolitan area.
- Two and a half hours to Charleston, the capital of West Virginia.
- Around three hours to Breaks Interstate Park, often called the “Grand Canyon of the South.”
- Around three hours to Big Stone Gap, home of the Southwest Virginia Museum.
- Less than four hours to Knoxville, home to the University of Tennessee.
The Town of Christiansburg and its New River Valley Mall is less than 10 miles on Route 460 from campus. The City of Radford, home to Radford University, is about 30 minutes from campus. About 45 minutes away from campus is Roanoke, the largest city in Southwest Virginia.