New students coming to United states of America ( USA)

 

What should I do in advance?

Certain things have to be done in advance, i.e., as soon as you get your VISA - much before the flight. Learn typing, driving, cooking and apply for bank loan (if necessary). Make your passport valid for 6 months more than your stay indicated in your I-20 . All other changes are best made in the U.S. Make outstation purchases (sweater, thermal underwear, cassettes, etc. - available/cheap in Delhi, Bombay ...).

Get medical checkup done

• Dental
• Fresh checkup, especially if you have a major ailment get prescriptions & medicines for all common ailments (the technical name of the medicine along with Indian/US brand name).
• Get your eye-sight checked - get a new prescription. Buy at least one extra pair of glasses.
• Get tested for TB if possible (chest X-ray) - else they will do it at the Univ
• Get requisite immunization done (especially MMR).

Get CDs/Cassettes recorded which you may like to take with you. Note your/parent's bank A/C #.

What should I do after arriving in US?

Your first work is to meet the Foreign Students' Advisor in the International Student Office (ISO). They keep a record of you (passport, visa details etc). When you leave the US (temporarily or permanently) you have to go there again. Then do the things which you did when you entered IITM - get your Univ ID card get your Driver's License tax forms, etc some paperwork in the dept. meet the HOD/grad. student advisor/advisor register for classes. Be happy now that your dream has come true !

Accomodation
Price varies depending on the location, size and condition of the apartment;
1 - bedroom - $ 350-500
2 - bedroom - $ 540 - 600

Usually 2 people share an apartment. However, depending on financial constraints of the occupants, three may decide to live together. It's entirely personal. Also, four is about the maximum number found in any apartment. More than that and it causes compatibility problems. Remember, being a friend and living with a friend are two entirely different propositions altogether.

 

Port of entry?

Port of entry procedures :

Sometime before landing the flight attendants will distribute customs declaration forms & immigration forms as mentioned below. Fill these out on the plane (you will submit them to the appropriate authorities when you land). Do not hesitate to take the flight attendant's help. You can indicate that you have nothing to declare & total value of all your things is less than $100 on the customs form Form I-94 - fill in the plane. After seeing your documents immigration officer will indicate length of stay, Univ, etc. This will be attached to your passport. Important: note the expiry date and D/S (duration of status). Form I-20 ID copy - all transactions regarding your non-immigrant status will be recorded in this form. This should be retained at all times (not surrendered when you temporarily leave the US). Your admission number will be given - memorize it & note it elsewhere. Just before you land the correct local time will be announced set your watch dual time watch will come in handy here]. Once you are out of the plane go straight to the immigration counter - rush for them to beat the queue. It might take 0.5-1 hour here. Keep your I-20, passport, admission & aid letters ready. They might ask a few questions like - is this your first time in the US ? Student ? F-1 visa ? Which Univ ? They will attach an I-94 card to your visa. You are now in the USA ! Then go to the baggage are to fetch your luggage. Pick up a cart (you get this at a machine for $1) to carry the bags.  Then pick up your bags as they come out on the conveyor (suitable eye-catching labels help here). If you don't get your baggage inform the enquiry section - you may have to wait 0.5-1 hour here. Cart your baggage to nearby Customs. If asked tell them that you are a student, F-1 visa, school, dept., coming to US for the first time If asked to open the baggage do so slowly - do not mess up the place. If asked about the "podi"s tell them that they are "dried Indian spices" to make traditional Indian food like curry.  Rarely they might ask you to go to the agris. dept. nearby - that is a pain. If asked about "vibuthi" tell them that it is holy Hindu powder used for prayer. Note : In most cases you will NOT be asked to open your boxes at all & will be simply waved through. Now go & wait at the nearest exit for the guys who are supposed to pick you up. If nobody turns up after some time (say 0.5 hour) make a collect call (at the public phone dial a '0', get the operator & ask for a collect call). Else call i) your Prof ii) dept. iii)International Students' Office iv) admissions office v) any Indian guy in the directory. Go & ask for an announcement to be made over the PA system.  Get a card, write your name & hold it up. Never leave your baggage unattended. Don't go out of the airport until somebody comes & picks you up. If you have doubts about the guy who comes to pick you up, don't hesitate to ask for his ID. [All this is of course being a little extra cautious]. Once you reach your friend's house (or other destination) call home & inform them of reaching safely. Keep a readymade card - add a few lines - go to the nearest post office, get stamps & mail the card immediately.

 

Frequently Asked Question

Campus jobs? - As far as UofL is concerned campus jobs are not that difficult to get. If you arrive on campus a week before your orientation it is easy to get a job.

Funding? - Funding scenario in UofL is improving . More and more international students are able to get funding due to their hard work and intelligence.

Flights? - Depends on which place you need to board from. The airlines normally taken are.

• Lufthansa
• Delta
• KLM
• British Airways
• Air France
• Air India

Residence life? - Most of the Indian students prefer staying off campus. On campus housing is also available. For on campus residence you have to do your prior booking

Avg. expenses/semester ?      

      Residence. - $180 max if sharing with 2 other people.

      Groceries. - $50 - $80 depending on personal spending.

      Gas/Electric - off campus approx. $50

      Telephone - off campus approx. $40 local calls

      TOTAL expenses approx. $350 max/month

      Min wages = $5.15 => 20 * 5.15 = $103 * 4 = $412 per month.

      International students are allowed to work for 20 hrs/week max.

Note: The expenses mentioned above are subjected to change depending on the type of housing you prefer and also your personal expenditure.

 

 
Immigration clearance?

Get this after the visa. You can get this from a venue other than the place of issue of the passport by showing that your place of residence falls in the jurisdiction of that passport office (It might take some time, and pain). Anything to do with the Passport Office can & usually will involve a LOT of time & pain. In Madras, the passport office is located on the II Floor, Shastri Bhavan, Haddows Rd.

Take the following things with you

• Passport
• ECNR (Emigration Clearance Not Required) form - get it from your travel agent, avoid queue at passport office
• Original of the Provisional Certificate (PC) - to show
• Xerox copy of the PC.

Procedure in brief : At one counter show the filled form & get a slip; go inside and show your documents at the checking counter; pay the fee at the cash counter; collect passport next day with ECNR stamp.

Suggested timings : I day 11:00 to 11:15 A.M. (submit) II day 4:50 to  5:00 P.M. (collect) Getting permit for $750. This can be acquired from any bank authorized to do so (need not go to RBI for this). You can get this within a month of the date of the flight.

The following documents have to be taken along to get the permit :
Passport + copy, air ticket, I-20 student copy + copy, grade cards + copies, PC + copy, XII std pass/mark sheet + copy, aid & admission letters + copies, bank advance/ any other form of payment. You may take part of the $750 in currency notes - up to $50 is okay (legally up to $100 allowed).

 

 

What are the List of medicines?

List of medicines recommended by a Doctor :

Crocin tablets - 3 strips for fever, body aches, headache One tablet three times a day as necessary. Erythrosine 500mg tablets - 2 strips One tablet twice a day when necessary, as advised. Sporadic 500mg capsules - 2 strips One capsule twice a day when necessary, as advised. Actifed tablets - 3 strips. Cosovil tablets - 2 strips For common cold & cough. One tablet three times a day. Avomin tablets - 1 strip For air sickness. One tablet as necessary. Lomotil tablets - 20, Digene tablets - 30 For diarrhoea & stomach discomfort. One tablet of each three times a day. Baralgam tablets - 2 strips for abdominal colic pain, backache, etc One tablet every six hours as necessary. Dorstal tablets - 10 For nausea & vomiting. One tablet three times a day. Electoral powder - 2 packets One teaspoonful mixed with drinks to make up loss of electrolytes after vomiting or diarrhea. Novalgin tablets - 2 strips For headache & body aches. One tablet as necessary. Stomatil tablets - 1 strip For vertigo (giddiness) One tablet three times a day as necessary till relieved. Isogel (Glaxo) - 1 box For constipation. One teaspoonful in a little of water at bedtime. Brufen 600mg tablets - 2 strips For arthritic joint pains. One tablet three times a day after food. Advil tablets - 1 strip For allergy. One tablet as necessary. Sepmax tablets - 1 strip For sore-throat. One tablet twice a day after food, till relieved. NOT TO BE TAKEN WHEN ONE IS ALLERGIC TO SULFA DRUGS. Relaxyl ointment - 1 tube To be applied as a pain balm. Band Aids assorted - 12 Soframycin skin ointment - 1 tube.

The above list seems to have been made out for a guy who is a proper hypochondriac ! True that medicines are relatively very expensive in the US, but you will also tend to fall ill less frequently (clean drinking water, etc). Get all the medicines prescribed above if you must, but at least get them in much smaller quantities.

 

 
Packing?

Start your packing well in advance.

Buy two good Luggages(boxes). They should be able to withstand a lot of mishandling. They should be as large as possible within the size limitations (however most airlines are not very strict about baggage size). Put identification marks and labels both inside & outside the boxes (apart from this the airlines will also provide you with adhesive labels). Boxes with independent top & bottom are preferable.

Box specifications ss an example the Air India economy class baggage specifications to the USA are given below. Note the specs may be different for other countries/airlines.

2 pieces of baggage with total linear dimension (l+b+h) not exceeding 270cm (106"). Moreover the total linear dimension of each piece should not be over 158cm (62"). The weight of each bag should not exceed 32kg (70lb) [note: they are not particular about this].

Carry on baggage : In addition you can carry a bag with linear dimension not exceeding 115cm (45") onboard (fits beneath the seat). For most other airlines the baggage specs are similar (confirm). If you are taking a break outside USA/Canada contact your travel agent or airlines for details.

 

 What should I bring?

Things to be kept in the boxes

Copy of all Certificates/Documents (originals in hand baggage), Important applying materials (SOP, reco etc), address book/telephone book/diary.

Some stationery and related items suggested (not absolutely necessary - just for the first few weeks) are : Common items, rubber stamp with house address, airmail covers, Indian postal stamps - for sending letters through someone coming to India, Medical history files, Gifts (suggested: rollable pictures, handicrafts, etc), necessary books/notebooks, Non-technical books (fiction/religious) [Note: second-hand story books are cheap in the US], 1 pair leather chappals, 2 hawai chappals (+ extra straps), soap (bath), toothbrushes (slightly costly in the US - 1 or 2 bucks), CDs/Cassettes.

Clothes :
Summer is pretty hot, shorts and T-shirts are the norm, with a good pair of sneakers (sports shoes). Jeans are standard. A couple or more of decent trousers and dress shirts and a pair of formal shoes. Also, one or two traditional Indian dresses for guys and saris for the ladies. Chappals/sandals and slippers. Bring lots of underwear as people do laundry once every 1 or 2 weeks. Clothes do not get dirty or soiled easily over here. It's upto the individual how much he or she wants to bring, the above is just a minimum.

Winter is very cold, normally people dress in 2-3 layers. A t-shirt, with a sweat-shirt on top, and then a thick coat or a jacket. This suffices even on the coldest days. Bring atleast one sweater and one thick jacket/coat. Do not buy heavy leather jackets. If you want to bring one then buy a light weight jacket. Bring a suit if you want to. It can be very helpful in some cases.

Food stuff :
Below are some South Indian food stuffs that may be taken : 1 - 2.5 kg packets of "Sambar Podi" 1 packet of "Rasam podi" 0.5 box of "Masala podi" 1 box of "Paruppu podi", "Upma podi", "Vatha-kozhambu podi", "tamarind rice podi" Appalam/Vadam/pickles, mustard packe, tamarind paste, different dhals in small quantity for initial phase, asafetida powder, Indian instant coffee, Indian tea (takes some time to get used to American stuff), elaichi, clove, cinnamon Note: most of these items are available in the Indian stores in the major cities. However you need to carry them for use in the first few days. Actually pickles are not allowed - but you can take them in solder-sealed tins. [students are usually not checked for these],take all dry food stuff in sealed plastic packets. Most Indian foodstuffs are available even in small cities. Don't come loaded with foodstuffs as you may have (small) problems with the customs. Try to get "instant" stuff as people generally don't have much time for cooking in the US.

 

Vessels :
Big pressure pan (with spare handle, 3 safety valves, 2 weights, 1 base plate, 3 gaskets) [note: big pressure cooker may not be needed as rice cooker can be bought in the US], Idli plates, dosai turner, charani (server with holes), rice server & other servers, tongs, small bowls ("kinnum"), rolling pin, kadaie (optional), cook book - e.g. "Cook & See" by Meenakshi Ammal
Note: no other vessels needed. No tumblers needed. Try to share & bring the vessels with others coming to your Univ. Non-stick kitchenware is cheap in the US. and you can buy a full set.

Things to be kept in Hand Baggage :
Some medicines (including air-sickness), novels/magazines/books for in-flight reading, sweater, original important documents (I-20, visa, tickets ...), enough money (little cash, travelers' checks), address book/phone book (Indian & US), copies of your photo (passport size), enlisted steps to be followed in case of emergency (accident, theft, etc), things to survive for a week in case luggage gets misplaced (two sets of clothes, valuables like calci, addresses etc).

Things to be kept on person :
Shorter extract of contact addresses - especially of people coming to pick you up, receipt got along with travelers' checks - in case you lose the TC's

Things to be left at home :
List of addresses/phone numbers at which info about you can be obtained, one copy of all your important documents, a copy of all relevant parts of Medical History files, arrange to collect/redirect mail from your room/hostel, Arrange to apply/collect/mail your transcripts (about 20 in number preferable), your tailoring measurements, a few blank signed papers - so that your parents can be authorized to look after anything on your behalf.

Things to be done in the last week before the flight :
Call up & find if there is any delay or change of schedule of the plane (inform the people coming to pick you up of any such change) Rest well - ready to face the long journey/jet lag  bid bye to all concerned.

On the day of the flight - in-flight + later :
Since it is going to be a long flight wear something comfortable (cotton dress + full hand shirt). Wear your shoes - in-flight you can remove them (some airlines give in-flight shoes - else relax in socks), be at the airport 3-4 hours before flight departure, collect $20 at the airport (part of it in $1), relax during flight, sleep as much as possible, for vegetarians - watch out before you eat - you may get non-veg even if you had asked for veg. Veg. food is generally bland - fruits/juice are good choices. (Before ordering anything on board check if you have to pay for it separately for it). Don't hesitate to ask questions. Once out of India be very careful (from sheer experience of seniors). Don't trust anyone. Don't hire a taxi (unless emergency) till you reach your destination. If required don't hesitate to spend money. Don't hesitate to talk to people to ask questions - usually they will answer all your queries properly - very different from India.

 

 How do I block my tickets?

The first thing to do is blocking tickets ( this implies no financial commitment).

This can be done via travel agents. Make sure the Travel Agent is good. Block flights with many airlines/agencies. Put pressure on the agencies and get as much info as possible. Much before the flight call the airlines and confirm your ticket. Indicate whether you want Asian Vegetarian Meal (AVM). Cross-check everything the travel agent says. Some airlines offer Frequent Flier programs (e.g. Air France, TWA) [i.e. after a certain # of miles of flying with that airline you get a free ticket]. Enroll in such programs. Avoid change of airline. A direct flight is the best. If change of airline can't be avoided, leave at least 4-6 hrs gap between the scheduled arrival of one flight and the scheduled departure of the connecting flight. Baggage is usually safe with a single airline - change of airline sometimes leads to misplaced luggage. Some airlines don't take care of baggage transfer - you may have to personally carry it (check this while booking) Do not trust an Indian Airlines connecting flight (in case you use IA allow atleast a day).

 

 Some important tips for visa?

Getting the Visa :

For students with full financial aid this is no problem at all. Even then these tips will make it all the more peaceful. When you go for the visa dress decently. Avoid any Americanism. Speak slowly and clearly. Don't appear tense and don't look desperate. Showing self-confidence helps. Go along with a friend having a vehicle (just in case you have to go & get something). They should never feel that you will have any sort of difficulty in language, finance, racial, religious, etc. You should be able to convince them that you will come back to India.

If they ask you, points in favor are :

• only child
• immovable property in India (can take a proof document)
• orthodox family
• brought up in rural atmosphere
• lots of relatives in India; none abroad
• mom, dad won't come to USA
• field of interest not available in India
• change of field not possible in India
• interest in teaching - get PhD fast.
  
  Actually all this won't be required - just in case they decide to have an interview with you these tips will come in handy. Avoid Mondays and Fridays, Wednesdays are preferable. Go sometime before and get the form for this (you can take the filled form).

Things to be taken with you when you go for the visa

• signed I-20 form
• filled visa application form
• two passport size photos (take some glue)
• passport
• admission & aid letters
• TOEFL & GRE scores (original + photocopy)
• Xerox copy of grade cards.