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VISA Procedures
US Consulate
websites:
New
Delhi: http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov
Chennai: http://chennai.usconsulate.gov
(or) www.madras.sphynx.com
Kolkata: http://calcutta.usconsulate.gov
Mumbai: http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov
F1 Visa:
The "F-1" visa
is for USA academic studies for foreign
students. It is a non-immigrant visa for a student that will permit the
applicant to stay for a particular period of time in the United States to accomplish the purpose of
studying. (While a non-immigrant visa limits a visitor to a particular length
of time, an immigrant visa allows an alien to stay in the United States indefinitely.)
How to apply:
All first time applicants
of F-1 visa would need to make an appointment on the website
www.ttsvisas.com. Whatever may be the previous US visa status of an applicant, when
applying, first time for F1 visa, a student has to appear for personal
interview by taking an appointment with ttsvisas website. You have to take a
hard copy (print-out) of the appointment made by you after the confirmation
of the appointment. You can directly take the appointment page printout or if
any mail that was sent to your mail-id by the TTS. Without this printout of
your appointment you will not be allowed to the interview.
Postponing the appointment
with TTS: If you are unable to keep your appointment, you must cancel the
appointment 24 hours in advance through the ''Modify/Cancel Reservation''
link at www.ttsvisas.com
If you fail to cancel
your appointment, you will not be able to schedule another appointment until
90 calendar days from the date of your initial appointment.
SEVIS & BCIS:
SEVIS - STUDENT AND
EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM. Beginning January
30, 2003,
all I-20 forms issued by academic educational institutions, must be created
within the SEVIS system. As of January 30, 2003 all new I-20s issued on or after
that date must be SEVIS compatible documents. First time students will be
able to enter the U.S. with non-SEVIS documents issued
prior to January 30, 2003. All continuing students must
present a SEVIS-generated form
I-20, if they are
applying for a visa after January 30, 2003. These new forms are printed on a
single sheet of paper and will have a large black bar code on the top right
hand side of the form.
SEVIS is basically a
system to enable U.S. academic institutions to maintain
accurate and timely data about foreign students, their dependents, and
communicate this information to the now BCIS formerly known as U.S.
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and Department of State in real
time.
BCIS: The U.S.
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) became the Bureau of Citizenship
and Immigration Services (BCIS) on March 1, moving from itsorganizational
home in the Department of Justice to the newly-created Department of Homeland
Security.
Required
Documents for F1 Visa :
They can be classified as follows.
A. Consulate Documents.
B. US University Documents.
C. Qualifying Test Documents.
D. Educational Documents.
E. Proof of Funds Documents.
A. Consulate
Documents:
1. Copy of Web appointment (TTS).
2. Form DS-156. (can be downloaded and printed back-to-back on a single
sheet) - Download it from: http://travel.state.gov/DS-0156.pdf
3. Form DS-157 (only for all male applicants in the age group of 16 to 45
years) - Download it from: http://travel.state.gov/DS-0157.pdf
4. Form DS-158 (for applicants seeking visas in F category) - Download it from:
http://travel.state.gov/DS-0158.pdf
Refer http://evisaforms.state.gov/ for the latest DS-156. Check for latest versions of the above forms.
5. Two Demand Drafts as mentioned below :
Non-immigrant visa application fee (non-refundable) RS. 4600
Courier fee Rs. 400
6. One Photo on form
DS-156. (Photo guidelines are given below within this section. Kindly follow
them as described.)
7. Passport - Each
applicant must possess an individual passport valid for travel to the U.S. with a validity date at least six
months beyond the intended period of stay.
Demand Draft
Details:
Two separate Demand
Drafts/Bank Drafts/Pay Order/Bank Managers Check taken forthe following
amounts from any Nationalized Banks and Local Branches of Foreign Banks. DD's
drawn on Co-operative Banks are not accepted.
Important: Please
write your complete name and passport number on the back of each draft.
DD specifications for
different centers are as follows.
Chennai :
Non-immigrant visa application fee (non-refundable) * RS. 4600
Courier fee Rs. 400
Visa fees are payable
only via Demand Draft drawn on a nationalized or international bank. The
draft should favor the "American Consulate General, Chennai".
Please see the list of
banks in Chennai from which the American Consulate General,
Chennai will
accept demand drafts.
Courier fees may be paid
in cash or via a demand draft favoring "T.T. Services"
Mumbai : Each application
must have the following :
1. Demand Draft for Visa Application Fee: Rs 4600/- Favouring " American
Consulate General , Mumbai" payable in Mumbai.(non-refundable)
2. Logistics fee: Rs 400/- (non-refundable) in cash or demand draft favouring
"VFS a/c - US Visa" payable in Mumbai
New Delhi : Demand drafts for each
applicant, as outlined below :
Non-immigrant visa application fee (non-refundable) RS. 4600
Courier fee RS. 400
Visa fees are payable
only via demand draft drawn on a national or international bank. The draft
should favor the U.S. Embassy where you will be applying. For instance,
"U.S. Embassy, New Delhi". Please write your name and
passport number on the back of each draft.
Courier fees may be paid
in cash, or via a demand draft favoring "T.T. Services"
The Embassy does not accept documents by fax. Applicants must bring the
original documents with them to the interview.
Kolkata : Refer http://calcutta.usconsulate.gov/wwwhacni.html
for extensive details.
Non-immigrant visa application fee (non-refundable) RS. 4600
Courier fee Rs. 400
Visa fees are payable
only via Demand Draft drawn on a nationalized or international bank. The
draft should favor the "American Consulate General, Kolkata".
Courier fees may be paid
in cash or via a demand draft favoring "T.T. Services"
Photo Guidelines: (Effective Mar 17, 2003 under this rule)
One photograph with
following rules.
The photograph must be an
un-mounted full-face photo taken within the last six months. The photograph
must be full front view, taken facing the camera - no side or angled views
are acceptable. The most important goal of the photograph is that it
identifies the person.
The photograph should
measure 2 inches x 2 inches
(roughly 50 mm x 50 mm) with the head centered in the frame. The head
(measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure
between 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from the bottom of the
photo.
The photograph must have
a white or off-white background. Photos with colored, dark or patterned
backgrounds will not be accepted.
For persons wearing
glasses, there must be no reflection around the eyes. Photos with reflections
will not be accepted. A photograph wearing a traditional facemask or veil
that does not permit adequate identification is not acceptable. Head
coverings or hats are acceptable only due to religious beliefs and then only
when the applicant's face is completely exposed.
Since a separate visa is
issued to each qualified applicant, an individual photo is required in all
cases. Group photos are not acceptable.
Please follow these
instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these
requirements, the visa may be refused. For more information photo
requirements: http://travel.state.gov/photorequirements.html
B. US University Documents:
An I-20 Form, Certificate
of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, obtained from a U.S. college, school or university.
Please be sure to submit both pages of the I-20 form, signed by you and by a
school official.
Degree certificates or
provisional degree certificates, mark sheets, and transcripts from all
previous institutions attended. ( See below under Educational Documents)
Scores from U.S. standardized tests such as the
TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, wherever applicable. ( See below under Qualifying Test
Documents)
Financial evidence
showing you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses
during the period of your intended study.
You must demonstrate that
funds are immediately available to cover the first year's costs, and show
evidence that funds will be available for all subsequent years.
Regarding I-20's:
(As of January 30, 2003 all new forms I-20 issued on or after that date must be
SEVIS compatible documents. First time students will be able to enter the U.S. with non-SEVIS documents issued
prior to January 30, 2003. All continuing students must
present a SEVIS-generated form I-20, if they are applying for a visa after January 30, 2003. These new forms are printed on a single sheet of paper
and will have a large black bar code down the top right hand side of the
form.)
Note: If a student receives More than
one I-20, he/she should take all the received I-20's to visa interview. If
the visa officer asks for the proof of more I-20's then you can show them to
VO. But unless the VO asks for them don't show. Just keep them with you.
C. Qualifying Test Documents:
Original Score Reports of
1. TOEFL 2. GRE/GMAT
D. Educational Documents:
1. Original Degree of
Graduation or any other available highest degree as per the specifications
applicable to individual cases. What if Degree certificate is not available?
Kindly follow the following FAQ available with Chennai consulate website.
Q. What if I have not
yet received my degree certificate?
A. Yes - you may
still apply, but please be sure to include your mark sheets and provisional
certificate if available.)
2. Intermediate or (10+2
exam) original certificates or as applicable to your case.
3. SSC / CBSE - (+10th standard) original certificates or as applicable to
your case.
4. Original Degree Consolidated marks list (if available and applicable to
your case.)
E. Proof of Funds Documents:
Proof of ability to
finance the education
A. Scholarship letters,
B. Bank letters,
C. Salary slips of parents and other sponsors if any,
D. IT returns for last 2-3 years etc of parents and other sponsors if any.
E. Rental receipts of own shops or buildings if any with revenue stamps.
F. Sponsors Business P/L Account duly certified by a CA if sponsor is a
businessman.
G. Pension Papers - if sponsor is retired.
H. 6 months of Bank records - i.e. Bank statements or Bank Passbooks of
sponsors.
I. Chartered Accountant Statement of Monetary worthiness of the sponsors.
J. Affidavit of supports by sponsors and student separately.
K. Loan approval letters (if you want to show loans.)
Regarding loans kindly look into FAQ's given below.
Note : As a matter of
fact you need to show the funds available with you as liquid cash, liquid
assets and properties and other immovable assets and annual income.
Liquid Cash : This can be certified by the
Bank in which the sponsor is having an account on bank's letterhead and duly
stamped along with a seal. It can be supported by 6 months Bank statements or
Pass books whatever available with Bank.
Your sponsors bank
account should contain cash for first year funds of university fee + Living
expenses + insurance + misc expenses + airfares to USA and + reserve cash
funds for second year. Generally it will be 15-20 lakhs and sometimes up to
30-35 lakhs depending upon the university expenses.
Liquid funds also covers
any Fixed deposits + Bonds + Shares + NSC + Mutual funds + Gold + Jewellery
etc. In fact it's better to show Fixed deposits in our opinion. They carry
much weight. For everything you intend to show get a latest valuation
certificates based on which CA will be giving his certificate.
From bank you need to
produce -
A. Bank Letter stating
the funds available with sponsors account and how much it will be equivalent
in US$.
B. Fixed Deposits Original certificates.
C. 6 months Bank statements and Pass Books and any other related documents.
2. Properties:
There's no uniformity in
these issues. Generally it should be around 70-80 lakhs. These may be
Buildings, plots, flats, shops, agricultural fields, farm houses etc any
immovable property. All these should be evaluated and certified by a CE -
Chartered Engineer or Tehsil or concerned metro officials etc to give their
certificate of opinion on the value of these immovable assets.
3. CA statement:
A Chartered Accountant
will give his certificate of Monetary worthiness of sponsors basing on the
documents he is having related to sponsor. His certificate mentions all the
Cash, liquid assets and immovable assets available with the sponsor, which
can be available for immediate use for the applicants study in USA.
FAQ'S ON F-1 VISA
Q. Should we carry
original documents or photocopies?
A. The applicant should carry the original and one photocopy of all
documents.
Q. Do students need any
special documents?
A. You must present current documentary evidence that sufficient liquid funds
are available from a specifically designated and reliable financial resource
to pay all travel, living and school expenses. If the support is from the
educational institution in the form of a scholarship or assistantship, it
should be noted on the Form I-20. If the support is from a sponsor (normally
a very close relative), you must present a notarized Form I-134 Affidavit of
Support (available free of charge at any office of the US Immigration and
Naturalization Service in the USA) stating willingness to finance your
education expenses, along with copies of the sponsor's most recent income tax
return and bank statements for the past six months. An F-1 applicant must
have evidence of sufficient and readily available funds to meet all expenses
for the first year of study, and that barring nforeseen circumstances
adequate funds will be available for each subsequent year of study. The
number of years required to complete the course of study will be determined
by the school and noted on the I-20.
Q. Do I have to pay the
first year tuition in advance?
A. No -- paying the tuition expenses in advance is one of several ways to
show proof of funds, but it is NOT a requirement to pay in advance.
Q. What if the university
will not accept the tuition fees in advance?
A. It is the university's decision to accept or not accept the fees in
advance. The Consulate has no influence over universities' policies regarding
this. Students should consult with prospective universities regarding their
policies well in advance of applying for a student visa.
Q. What documents should
I show to prove that I can pay for my education?
A. There are no specific documents that prove a student is able to pay for
his/her education. Bank account statements, chartered accountant statements,
employment letters, and property documents are the most common documents used
to show proof of funds.
Q. What if my university
does not require that the TOEFL or GRE?
A. Students whose prospective university does not require that they take the
TOEFL or GRE should provide a letter from the university stating the same.
However, the Consulate recommends that all student visa applicants provide
standardized test scores.
Q. Is it required that I
apply by Drop Box?
A. Only returning Student applicants may use the drop-box. First time Student
visa applicants applying for four-year undergraduate programs or graduate
programs leading a master or doctoral degree must make an appointment and be
interviewed. Please be aware that after reviewing your case a Consular
Officer may require a personal interview before a final decision is made.
Q. How do I prove that I
can afford to attend school in the United States?
A. I-20 shows the amount of funding you must have available to cover the
first year's expenses. The total amount includes tuition and fees, living
expenses, expenses of dependents (if applicable), and other expenses (as
applicable). You must prove that you have immediate funds available to cover
this amount. If you are going to a two-years Master's program, then you must
also show that funds are or will likely be available to cover the same amount
for the second year.
Q. What if I have not yet
received my degree certificate?
A. Yes - you may still apply, but please be sure to include your mark sheets
and provisional certificate if available.
Q. What if I have taken a
loan from a bank to cover my tuition?
A. You must prove that funds are immediately available to cover the first
year costs, and show evidence that funds will be available for all subsequent
years. Any financial documentation you provide should be in support of this.
This applies to ALL student visa applicants.
Q. How soon after getting
my I-20 may I apply for the visa?
A. You may apply for the visa no earlier than 90 days before the first day of
school as indicated on the I-20 form.
Q. What if I have
received a full tuition waiver from my prospective university?
A. You must prove that funds are immediately available to cover the first
year's costs, and show evidence that funds will be available for all
subsequent years. Any financial documentation you provide should be in
support of this. This applies to ALL student visa applicants.
Q. Does having a relative
in the US affect visa application
A. No.
Q. What about a foreign
sponsor?
A. The motive has to be established clearly. Sixty per cent of the students,
who go to the US for education, do so on some sort
of aid. Education in the US is a costly proposition. So, if
someone is funding you, then the US Consul would want to know why,
and under what terms.
Q. For a student visa
with sponsorship, is it for or against one's case if the sponsor is (a) a US citizen, (b) an Indian citizen?
A. There is no regulation for or against the nature of citizenship of the
sponsor for US visa.
Q. Is there a specific
number or quota annually for student visas?
A. There is no ceiling on student visas according to US immigration law.
Q. I am a student going
to US for PhD. My I-20 says that my funding is for one year, after which it
will be reviewed. Will I have to show funds for the rest of the three-four
years of study?
A. At the visa office, the students must show funds (academic plus living)
for one year, and access to funds for subsequent years. If your aid covers
your overall expenses for the first year, then it is OK.
Q. I get my visa on one
I-20; then I get another I-20 from another school, which I now want to join.
What will I have to do?
A. You will have to apply for another visa.
Q. How many attempts are
allowed if visa is denied?
A. Two attempts in a duration of two years, with a gap of three working days
between each attempt. There is also a mail in facility after two attempts
where you can mail the US Consulate your documents for review. What has to be
kept in mind is that, with each new attempt some fresh documents have to be
produced. Visa consuls go by the rules, and if same papers are submitted,
then the application hardly stands a chance.
Q. Does the reputation of
the college have any bearing on my visa application?
A. No. However, the reputation of the college establishes the motive. If you
are going to a reputed college, intentions are clear. But if you are going to
an institution no one has heard of, and which has not asked you to take any
standard tests, then that makes the US consul suspicious. Though, in
some cases, when students are going for some specialist courses, which are
not offered anywhere else, a marginal school would do.
Q. If I have been chosen
by ten schools, does that help?
A. Yes, it establishes that you are a superstar. There is no direct relation,
though it completes the picture for the consul, and helps them evaluate the
case better.
Q. What should a student
wishing a Graduate (Master's) study in the US do if he is financing his studies
himself?
A. He will have to show how he would transfer his funds from India to the US. Does he have a foreign exchange
release permit from an authorized bank or a sponsor in the US to take care of his living and
education in US dollars? Moreover, he should convince the US Consul that he has strong ties in
India, which prove that he is not an
intending immigrant.
Q. For students going for
further studies, what is considered as conclusive proof that they are coming
back? How much assets or liquid cash on hand should be shown for a student
visa?
A. There is no fixed amount of assets or liquid cash specified in the US immigration law. The law that
operates is that the interviewing US Consul should be convinced that
the applicant is a bona fide student, wanting genuinely to pursue higher
studies in America and return after his education to
India and apply his knowledge in India. The ties that could be shown by
students ,would involve his economic attraction in India after graduation and social roots
to which he would return rather than stay in the US. Statistics in the past have
shown that 7 to 8 out of 10 students do not return and therefore the
Consulates in India are very careful in granting
student visas.
Q. Is a student visa
guaranteed when an I-20 form is issued by a University?
A. A student visa is not guaranteed on the issuance of the I-20 alone as the
applicant has to convince the US Consul that he is not an
intending immigrant by showing proof of his permanent ties in India.
Q. If sufficient funds
are not available, can a loan from banks or other institutions help in
getting a student visa?
A. The US Consul will have to be convinced about the mode of repayment of the
loan by the applicant. Practically, if loans are shown, then getting a visa
becomes difficult.
Q. For a student visa,
can a student be partially sponsored by a US-based sponsor and partly by an
India-based sponsor?
A. The US Consul has to be convinced about the genuineness of the case. Prima
facie, the case cannot be rejected because two sponsors are involved.
Q. Do visas for students
get rejected if the applicants have brothers and sisters in America?
A. This is an individual situation. The decision depends on a case-by-case
basis. If the US Consul feels that the applicant
is trying to get to the US in the guise of a student with
possible support of siblings in America, he may be rejected. Likewise, if
the applicant's brother or sister had gone to the US on an NonImmigrant Visa and
adjusted status to permanent visa, the applicant does become a "risk
candidate" and it will be then left to the judgment of the interviewing
officer to decide.
Q.WHAT CONSULS (Visa Officers) LOOK FOR while issuing
a F1-visa (as per www.state.gov)
A. Evidence of Residence Abroad: The
consular officer may not issue a student visa unless satisfied that the
applicant:
(1) has a residence abroad (India),
(2) has no intention of abandoning that residence, and
(3) intends to depart from the United States upon completion of the course of
study.
Applicants generally
establish their ties abroad by presenting evidence of economic, social,
and/or family ties in their homeland sufficient to induce them to leave the United States upon the completion of studies.
Evidence of English
Proficiency
If the alien's Form I-20
indicates that proficiency in English is required for pursuing the selected
course of study and that no arrangements have been made to overcome any
English-language deficiency, the consular officer must determine whether the
alien has the necessary proficiency. To this end, the officer must conduct
the visa interview in English and may require the applicant to read aloud
from an English-language book, periodical, or newspaper, and to restate in
English in the applicant's own words what was read. The applicant may also be
asked to read aloud and explain several of the conditions set forth in the
Form I-20.
In the event that the applicant's
language proficiency appears marginal, the officer may refer the applicant
for language testing. Tests for this purpose will ordinarily be carried out
by appropriate local groups, such as qualified host-country facilities. If
the latter are used, the consular officer should be satisfied that the
testing standards are sufficiently strict. However, if the local situation
requires the consular officer to determine the language proficiency of
applicants, materials such as the Test of English Language Proficiency (TEPL)
may be available at the post. If not, they may be requested from the
Department, through the post's Public Affairs Officer.
Determining Financial Status of F-1 Students
The phrase
"sufficient funds to cover expenses" referred to in 41.61(b)(2)
REGS/STATS means the applicant must establish the unlikelihood of either
becoming a public charge as defined in INA 212(a)(4) or of resorting to
unauthorized U.S. employment for financial support. An applicant must provide
documentary evidence that sufficient funds are, or will be, available to
defray all expenses during the entire period of anticipated study. This does
not mean that the applicant must have cash immediately available to cover the
entire period of intended study, which may last several years. The consular
officer must, however, require credible documentary evidence that the
applicant has enough readily available funds to meet all expenses for the
first year of study. The officer also must be satisfied that, barring
unforeseen circumstances, adequate funds will be available for each
subsequent year of study from the same source or from one or more other
specifically identified and reliable financial sources.
Funds From Source(s)
Outside the United States
Whenever an applicant
indicates financial support from a source outside the United States (for example, from parents living
in the country of origin), the consular officer must determine whether there
are restrictions on the transfer of funds from the country concerned. If so,
the consular officer must require acceptable evidence that these restrictions
will not prevent the funds from being made available during the period of the
applicant's projected stay in the United States.
Affidavits of Support or
Other Assurances by an Interested Party
Various factors are
important in evaluating assurances of financial support by interested
parties:
Financial support to a student is not a mere formality to facilitate the
applicant's entry into the United States, nor does it pertain only when
the alien cannot otherwise provide adequate personal support. Rather, the
sponsor must ensure that the applicant will not become a public charge or be
compelled to take unauthorized employment while studying in the United States. This obligation commences when
the alien enters the United States and continues until the alien's
departure.
The consular officer must
require documentary evidence to resolve any doubt that the financial status
of the person giving the assurance is sufficient to substantiate the assertion
that financial support is available to the applicant.
If the person giving the
assurance is in the United States in nonimmigrant status, the
consular officer must examine the evidence presented with exceptional care.
Is the sponsor's financial situation sufficient to provide the funds without
need to resort to unauthorized employment? Is it likely to worsen during the
period of thecommitment, possibly compelling the applicant or the sponsor to
resort to unauthorized employment? Will the nonimmigrant sponsor remain in
the United States at least as long as the student?
The consular officer must
also carefully evaluate the factors, which would motivate a sponsor to honor
a commitment of financial support. If the sponsor is a close relative of the
applicant, there may be a greater probability that the commitment will be
honored than if the sponsor is not a relative. Regardless of the
relationship, the consular officer must be satisfied that the reasons
prompting the offer of financial support make it likely the commitment will
be fulfilled.
Funds From Fellowships
and Scholarships for F-1 Student
A college or university
may arrange for a nonimmigrant student to engage in research projects, give
lectures, or perform other academic functions as part of a fellowship,
scholarship or assistantship grant, provided the institution certifies that
the student will also pursue a full course of study.
Educational
Qualifications for F-1 Students
Consular officers are not
expected to assume the role of guidance counselor to determine whether an
applicant for an F-1 visa is qualified to pursue the desired course of study.
The institution will satisfy itself on the student's abilities before
accepting the applicant for enrollment. Consular officers should, however, be
alert to three specific factors in this regard:
(1) the applicant has
successfully completed a course of study equivalent to that normally required
of an American student seeking enrollment at the same level.
(2) cases in which an
applicant has submitted forged or altered transcripts of previous or related
study or training which the institution has accepted as valid
Few Visa
interview tips:
For students with full
financial aid visa is not a problem usually. Follow these tips to make your
visa experience more peaceful.
· Try and gather
information on the current trend, what the visa officer is expecting, why
visa is being rejected, etc. Join a yahoogroup formed for discussing visa
issues. Look for decisions and experiences particularly in the consulate
where you woll be appearing for the interview. Knowing what to expect helps!
· When you go for the
visa dress well. 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
- 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 :
a) only child,
b) immovable property in India (can take a proof document),
c) orthodox family,
d) brought up in rural atmosphere,
e) lots of relatives in India; none abroad,
f) mom, dad won't come to USA,
g) interest in teaching - get PhD fast
TEXTBOOKS
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Computer Science & Engineering
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Thanks
to Mohit Vora, Manas & Kartik P
CSE505 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES:
No prescribed text, you have to buy the
lecture notes here.
CSE521
OPERATING SYSTEM: The last prof used a book by "Silberschatz". The prof is
different this time... So you'll know once you come here..
CSE530 COMPUTER
COMMUNICATIONS: Introduction to TCP/IP - Richard Stevens
(Part 1 required)... some of us have these books and may be ready to give
these books to you
CSE531 ANALYSIS OF ALGORITHMS AND
DESIGN: Introduction to Algorithms
Cormen Leiserson Rivest (Reqiured, Third Edition)
CSE535 Information Retrieval:
Modern Information Retrieval - Baeza-Yates,
Ribeiro-Neto, Addison Wesley publishers...
CSE541
Introduction to VLSI Systems: Rabaey
CSE552 VLSI
Testing :
CSE562 Database
System:
Databases by Raghuramakrishnan OR Database Systems, Elmasri & Navathe,
4th edition. ( Depends on the Professor's preference )
CSE563
Knowledge Representation:
CSE565 Computer
Security:
Cryptography and Network Security - Stallings, 3rd edition, Pearson
Education.
CSE567
Computational Linguistics:
CSE573 COMPUTER
VISION AND IMAGE PROCESSING: Image Processing, Analysis & Machine vision by
Sonka, Hlavak, Boyle, Second Edition, Brroks/Cole
Thompson Learning series..You can print the lecture notes online. Also used
for CSE668 - Animate Vision Principles.
CSE574 INTRODUCTION TO MACHINE
LEARNING: Machine Learning - Tom M Mitchel. A brand new
Indian edition is available with GISA WebMaster.
CSE575
Introduction to Cognitive Science:
CSE581
Computational Geometry: Computational Geometry, Second Edition - M. de Berg,
M. van Kreveld, M. Overmars, O. Schwarzkorpf
CSE587
Information Structures: No text used
CSE588 Pattern Recognition:
CSE589 MODERN
NETWORK CONCEPTS: Modern Network Concepts by Tanenbaum. Fourth edition. We got this
same book. But then the prof(s) changed the book to: James F. F. Kurose and
Keith W. Ross, "Computer Networking: A Top-Down
Approach Featuring the Internet", 2nd edition, Pearson Education, July
2002,
ISBN: 0201976994. I think you can get this book if Dr. Qiao was happy with
this book while teaching. People who took Dr. Qiao's CSE 589 please confirm
this. If by any chance, the prof wants to get back to Tannenbaum, then
again, a lot of us have that book. So, no need to purchase that.
CSE590 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE: Computer Organization and
Design -Hennessey and Patterson.
Computer Architecture: A hardware/software approach-Hennessey and Patterson
An unused copy of this textbook is available with Mohit Vora
CSE596 THEORY OF COMPUTATION:
Introduction to Automata Theory Languages
and Computation - Hopcroft and Ullman,
CSE597 Introduction to VLSI
Electronics:
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Electrical Engineering
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VLSI
Principles of CMOS VLSI Design:
A Systems Perspective, by Weste and Eshraghian, Second edition, Addison
Wesley, 1993 (or latest editions)
Digital System
Testing and Testable Design, by M.Abramovici, M.A.Breuer,A.D. Friedman
Design of
Analog CMOS Integrated Circuits, by Bezad Razavi (very important if choosing
digital/analog VLSI)
Fundamentals of
modern VLSI devices, by Yuan Taur, Tak H. Ning
Analog Design
for CMOS VLSI Systems by Franco Maloberti (required)
Digital
Integrated Circuits, Jan M. Rabaey, Anantha Chandrakasan, and Borivoje
Nikolic´.Second Edition, A Prentice-Hall, 2002
Modern VLSI
Design,
Systems-on-Chip Design, Prentice Hall, Third Edition, 2002. Morris Mano
will be useful.
MICROELECTRONIC
FABRICATION LAB
Semiconductor
Optoelectronic devices by Pallab Bhattacharya
COMMUNICATION
AND SIGNAL PROCESSING
Digital Signal
Processing:
Oppenheim and Schafer (recommended). Proakis and Manolakis may also be
helpful initially.
Digital
Communications: John G Proakis(recommended)
Probability and
Stochastic Processes - Papoulis and Pillai (recommended)
Fiber Optic
Communications Technology: Mynbaev and Scheiner Pearson Education
Communication
Electronics:
Wayne Tomasi,Pearson Education Publishers
Engineering
Mathematics
- Erwin Kreyszig or B.S.Grewal
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Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
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Systems
approach to Computer Integrated Design & Manufacturing : Nanua Singh
Computer Graphics :
Principles & Practice - Foley, VanDam, Feiner, Hughes (optional)
Computer
Graphics :
Veera Anand
Design
Modelling with Pro/Engineer ,Release 20 - James E. Bolluyt
Begining Visual
C++ 5-
Ivor Horton
Optimization in
Engineering Design - Vanderplatts
The Fifth
Discipline
- Peter M .Senge
The finite
element method - Thomas J R Hughes
Race car
vehicle dynamics - Miliken
PRO/Engineering
Tutorial(Release 2001) – Roger
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Industrial Engineering
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PRODUCTION
SYSTEMS
Offered during Fall
1. Production and Operations
Analysis, Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin (2001 Nahmias,
Steven)
2. Systems Approach to Computer-Integrated Design
and Manufacturing Nanua Singh
3. Design and Analysis of Experiments,
5th Edition Douglas C. Montgomery
Offered during Spring
1. Simulation with ARENA,
McGraw Hill, 1998 or latest Kelton, W. D., Sadowski, R. P. and Sadowski, D.
A
2. Simulation Modeling and Analysis,
3rd ed., McGraw Hill, 2000 Law, A. M. and Kelton, W.D
3. Facility Layout and Location: An
Analytical Approach (Second Edition) R.L.Francis, L.F.McGinnis, and
J.A.White
OPERATIONS
RESEARCH
Linear
Programming
Discrete
Optimization
(Computer Science and Scientific Computing) R. Gary Parker (Editor), Ronald
L. Rardin
A First Course
in Probability, 6th Edition Sheldon Ross
An Introduction to Stochastic
Processes, 1st edition, 1996 . Kao
Optimization in
Operations Research (Optional But good book for OR) Ronald L. Rardin
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Architecture
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There is no standard
book that can be listed for Architecture. It depends on the particular
course that you take and the professor who handles the course.We suggest
you to bring architectural instruments like pencils, cutters and cutter
blades, set square, parallel for drafting and other instruments you feel
you might require for model making and drawing. These things are very
costly here.
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Biological Sciences
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Genes VI Benjamin Lewin
Molecular
Biology of the Cell: Bruce Alberts
Molecular Biology--
Baltimore & Darnell
Biochemistry: Stryer
Biochemistry :Voet
and Voet
Immunology: Roitt
Fundamentals of Immunology
: Kuby
Developmental
Biology:
Scott Gilbert
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CIVIL ENGINEERING
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CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
CIE597 Construction
Safety & Health Management
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
Coble, Hinze, and Haupt Prentice Hall, 2000 Required (spring)
Professional Construction Management CIE 593
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Donald S. Barrie & Boyd C. Paulson
McGraw-Hill International Editions
Required (spring)
Construction Estimating
CIE591 CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATING
1. Philip Oswald
Required (fall)
Construction Planning & Scheduling
CIE592
CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULING
Jimmie Hinze Prentice Hall, c1998
Required (fall)
Maybe would want to bring an AutoCAD Basics book. CIE 594
COMPUTER APPLICATION
No textbook required. Class notes are provided.
Legal Aspects of Architectural Engineering & Construction Process CIE
596
LEGAL ASPECTS
Justin Sweet
Brooks/Cole Publishing Company
Elective (fall)
Construction Planning, Equipment and Methods CIE 595
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Peurifoy & Schexnayder
McGraw Hill Elective (spring)
Note:- Course Numbers
CIE 591, 592, 593, 597 are the required core courses so try to get text
books for these subjects. The remaining subjects are electives, so you may
want to decide upon taking those courses or not after coming here. If the
textbooks for the electives are available in India and if you would want to take
those courses then you can buy those too. Also limited copies of each of
these above mentioned textbooks are available in the University library for
reference. It will be a good idea to get textbooks from India, as they are reasonable there
compared to the prices out here.
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School of Management
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SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
MGB 601 - Managing the
Future (Package Module 1 & 3) - ANCONA
ISBN # : 03242664308
Module 3 Making Teams Work - ANCONA
ISBN # : 0538876905
Organizational Behavior
- A Diagnostic Approach - 7th Edition -GORDON
ISBN # : 0130328472
MGE 601 - Managerial
Economics -IVAN PNG - 2nd Edition 2002
ISBN # : 0631225161
MGQ 606 - Statistics
for Business & Economics - ANDERSON
ISBN # : 0324277598
MGA 604 - no text -
course notes
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MICROBIOLOGY
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The Microbiology
department does not recommend any specific texts for their core courses.
Any texts that the students have been using in India for their MS/BS should be
brought along for reference. Any cell and molecular biology texts are also
useful.
Cell and Molecular Immunology by Abul Abbas, Lichtman and Pober.
Immunology by Roitt
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BIOMEDICAL
PROGRAM
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Usually, students
admitted to Biomedical program are sent the list of books recommended for
the first year.
Biochemistry by
Mathews, Van Holde and Ahern is one of the books.
Other recommended book
has been changing every year.
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BioTechnology
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CORE COURSES
The following textbooks
are available in the US, however, if desired you may
purchase them in India based on their availability in India:
BCH 503 BIOCHEMICAL
PRINCIPLES Biochemistry, 3rd Edition, by Mathews and van Holde.
MT 522 BIOMOLECULAR
TECHNOLOGY AND DIAGNOSIS Molecular Diagnostics for the Clinical
Laboratorian by W.Coleman and G.Tsongalis.
Lecture notes provided
are adequate for the following courses (ie no textbook is required for an A
grade in the exam, unless individual holds special interests in the
following courses):
MT 515 LABORATORY
MANAGEMENT
MT 517 LABORATORY
EDUCATION
STA 527 STATISTICS FOR
THE BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
Lecture notes must be
purchased (critical from the exam point of view) for the following courses:
BCH 503 BIOCHEMICAL
PRINCIPLES
MT 501 METHODS OF ANALYSIS
MT 505 METHOD EVALUATION AND COMPARISON
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For more info / clarifications,
contact your Department Representatives.
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A
GUIDE TO USA
OVERCOMING THE
CULTURE SHOCK
Introduction
Carry Luggage
Transit
Using Telephones
Time Zones and Currency
Public Transport
Mind your language
The Anti-Universe phenomenon
Food Food Food
Office and Work Environment
Americans and their Behavior
Social Security and Driving License
Bank Accounts
Cards (Credit/Debit, ATM, phone, medical)
Shopping
Renting an Apartment
Buying a Car
Renting a Car
Doctors in U.S.
Income Tax in US
AAA Membership
Last Word
Introduction
Usually, before anyone comes to the U.S.A for the first time from India he/she will start talking to
people who have been here before and get information from them about what to
expect, what to do etc. Though this gives some idea, it doesn't make one
confident or better prepared.
So we felt the need for a
small, informal document which anyone could carry along with or read on the
plane before he/she gets to the U.S.A. The objective of this document is
to make you aware of things, situations to expect and enlighten you with
facts so that you can be comfortable once you get here.
You will be better
prepared for the trip if you read this document before going or just after
reaching. It tries to give information on preparing for the trip, food,
travel, stay and culture in the U.S.
This is just out of our
experience and rather than authoritative statements, which may be arguable.
We want you to enjoy your trip to the U.S. and your stay as much as
possible.
All the best !! :)
Carry Luggage
The carry baggage is one big problem while coming to U.S. What to carry? How much to carry?
Do I carry more woolen clothes because its cold out there?
Don't carry too many
heavy utensils, cooker etc. You can buy most of the utensils there. They are
not costly and you don't have to carry much. You can carry some spices with
you if you want to, because after coming here you may start missing the
Indian food taste.
Don't carry too many warm
clothes (unless you are coming in winter), or sports shoes etc. It would be
better if you buy them after here. You should carry leather shoes from India, since leather items are costly
in the U.S. Rest, it all depends on you and your needs !!
Transit
Enjoy your flight. Try to learn more about other nations from the co-passengers.
There can be international stops on your way to the U.S.
International
Stops
Generally
passengers are required to get down at an International stop, which might be
for Security checkup or fueling / cleaning of the airplane. You will be given
a 'transit card` or say 'transit visa`. Normally the halt is for a couple of
hours. Listen to the announcement which is always made before the
international halt. You will hear information about departure time, gate
number etc. After getting down at International Airport, you can move around in the
airport. Be at the gate within 45 minutes of your flight's departure for the
onward journey, because they may require to check your tickets or even the
gate might be changed at the last moment. Once you get in, you are all set to
take off for the final destination.
Immigration
The first thing
you need to go through at the port-of-entry U.S. airport (international airport
where you first land in the U.S.), after landing is the
immigration and customs clearance. After that you may board a domestic flight
to reach your final destination. Before getting down at your port-of-entry
final international halt, inside the plane, you will be given a form to fill
up called I-94. You will have to fill that up carefully. Feel free to get
help from the flight crew. They will also ask you to fill you a 'declaration
form' asking you about what objectionable items you have in your baggage
(there will be a checklist).
On alighting from the
plane you may ask people or signs will guide you to the immigration. Keep
your passport, I-20 and the form you filled inside the plane, handy. At the
counter you might be asked some questions. TALK ABSOLUTELY TO THE POINT.
DON'T TRY TO LIE. MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER YOU SAY IS WRITTEN ON THE PAPER.
You will be given the counter foil of I-94 form. Keep that very carefully. It
may / may not be stapled to your passport.
WELCOME TO USA
Baggage Claim
Try to acquire
some 25 cent coins (called "quarters"), which you may need for
getting a trolley cart for your baggage (a dollar bill may also do) and also
for making telephone calls etc. Thereafter move toward the baggage claim
carousel assigned to your flight, simply follow the signs directing you to
the place. Collect your luggage and look for signs directing you to customs
clearance. At the customs clearance they may ask you to open your bags for a
security check/verification.
Domestic Flight
Since the
Port-of-entry may not be your final destination in the U.S. and you may have to proceed
onwards, locate the counter for the domestic airline you will be taking to
your final destination. Above all don't hesitate or feel shy to ask for help
from airport support staff (at information desks) or police officers, if you
need anything.
Follow signs directing
you to your domestic flight because you will need a boarding pass. If it is
far away, take the Airport shuttle (bus) service which is free. If you don't
know where to get down, tell the driver in advance and he will drop you off
at the proper place. At the counter (podium) check-in your baggage and get
your boarding pass issued and ready. On arrival at the final destination,
collect your baggage once again and look around for that someone who may be
there to receive you. Finally, if no one comes to pick you up, try to locate
the information counter from where you will get all the information regarding
how to call. Also the Public Transport section of this guide will help you in
understanding the travel facilities available in the U.S.
Using Telephones
The first thing you might do when you come to U.S.A. is call someone. So this is a
good time to tell you about telephone usage. Telephone calls within U.S. are considered "local"
(within the area of the caller) or "long distance" (outside the
area of the caller). Local calls within a short region are free unless made
from a public pay phone which is a coin operated machine. Long distance calls
are charged at varying rates, depending on how you make the call (which long
distance carrier/company you use), for how long you speak and the time of the
day. Note that the telephone companies in the U.S. are private. Each local region is
assigned an "area code". So the phone numbers are denoted as (area
code)-123 4567. where 123-4567 is your actual phone number. If you are
calling a number within your "area" then you should dial only the
phone number. If the call is outside your area you need to dial 1-(area
code)-123-4567, which is the long distance call.
To make an international
call i.e. to India you need to dial 011-91-<STD
CODE -<TEL. NO. e.g. 011-91-22-1234567. Here 011 indicates an
international call. 91 is the country code for India. 22 is the "area code"
for Bombay and 1234567 may be the actual phone number you want to
dial.
Other important
facilities provided are -
1. Yellow pages
(Telephone directory)
2. Emergency Telephone Number
There is one emergency number that you can dial for any type of emergency
which is 911 (Fire/Ambulance/Police).
3. Directory assistance
Local telephone numbers - 411
Long distance - 1-(Area Code)-555-1212
Toll Free number enquiry - 1-800-555-1212
4. Toll free numbers
Most of the 1-800 numbers are toll free. You will not be charged for the
calls you make to such numbers. e.g. The toll free number for Mr. Sriram
Raghavan (DCI California) is 1-800-969-1117. This is a toll free number and
you can dial it from anywhere in the U.S. without having to pay for it,
even from a public phone. Some telephone numbers have alphabets in them such
as 1-800-COLLECT. To dial this number, just press the digit on the telephone
pad which has the corresponding alphabet you want to dial on it, simple!.
Most people use answering
machines which are connected to their telephones, or some kind of voice mail
system. It has a standard pre-recorded greeting which is played when you call
up and then after some beeps, it records your message. Initially you will
feel like you were talking to a dead person, but soon you realize
theimportance of owning an answering machine.
Using the PUBLIC
"pay" phones
The important difference is, you need to insert the money first then dial the
number. To operate a pay phone you need 25 cents. This pays for one local
call. If your call is not connected your money is returned in the "coin
return" slot.Collect call - If you want the called party (person whom
you are calling) to pay for the call then you make a collect call. To make a
collect call pick up the receiver and press 0. Let the operator know that you
want to make a COLLECT call, the operator will connect you to the phone
number you need. But before that the operator will check with the other party
if they want to collect (pay for) the call. An easier way is to dial
1800-COLLECT from any phone and just follow the recorded instructions.
Time Zones and
Currency
Time zone
There are four time zones
in the U.S.
1) Eastern TZ
Example : Massachusetts, New York, Florida etc.
2) Central TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by one hour )
Example : Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana etc.
3) Mountain TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by two hours )
Example : Colorado, Utah, Wyoming etc.4) Pacific TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by three hours )
Example : California, Oregon, Washington etc.
Day light saving
As the name suggests, the
time is set in such a way that maximum day light could be used. e.g. During
summer, the sun rises at around 4-5 o'clock. So the clock is set forward by
one hour. This forces all activities to start one hour earlier so that
maximum day light is used till late in the evening.
Therefore:
The Clock is set back by one hour on the first Sunday of November (Fall Season)
at 2:00 am. Clock is once again set forward by one hour on the first
Sunday of April at 2:00 am. (Spring Season). The easiest way
to remember this is FALL BACK, SPRING AHEAD. By the way, Arizona is the only state which is not
affected by day-light-saving. People there do not ever change the time in
their clocks.
Currency
Dollar : 100 cents
Quarter: 25 cents
Dime : 10 cents
Nickel : 5 cents
Penny : 1 cent
Public Transport
All major cities have some sort of public transportation not necessarily very
good or frequent or well connected. Therefore most people prefer to travel by
their own cars. It is better that you own a car in the U.S. so that you are independent. But
until you get to buy a car you can use the public transportation system or
depend on your friends/colleagues for a ride.
Trains and Buses
In most cities, you may
purchase Daily Tickets from the conductor or the driver on the train and
buses each day. For more information on routes, schedules and fares, see the
publications and maps published by the city's local authority. You can locate
them in your telephone book. For Buffalo, you can look up
http://www.nfta.com. The website provides bus / train timings and also gives
a listing of places you might want to go for various recreations.
Taxi Companies
In some areas you must
telephone for a taxi and make an appointment. You will not find them waiting
in the street corners but you do find them waiting in a queue at the airport.
Taxis are listed in the yellow pages under the name "Taxi" or "Taxicabs".
When you call, tell the
"dispatch" operator where you are and where you want to go. The
dispatch operator will tell you how long it will take for the taxi to arrive
at your starting point. He or she may ask for the telephone number, so they
can call you if the taxi driver cannot locate you. You should ask for the
estimated cost of the ride.
When you enter the taxi,
the meter will read flat rate. This is the minimum charge. Then you will be
charged on a per mile basis.
Mind your
language
For successful conversation, in the US, it is advisable that you speak
slowly and pronounce properly. Well, the first part you really need to
practice otherwise what you will hear from the person opposite is
"pardon me", "come again", "I am sorry",
"I didn't get you". The changes in pronunciation are like
'schedule' pronounced as 'skedule', 'route' pronounced 'raut' etc. Also some
words are totally substituted like 'petrol' by 'gas'. Here is a table from
Gary Nobel of HP San Diego, which he created when he traveled in India. Thanks to him. The dictionary is
very remarkable.
Food related (
Indian term & Equivalent American term )
Coriander Cilantro
Cold drink Soda pop
Curd Yogurt
Cafe ("kayf") Cafe ("kaf-ay'")
Nes-coffee Instant coffee
Filter coffee Brewed coffee
Milk powder Cream
French beans Snow peas
Hotel Restaurant
Jelly Gelatin
Garam masala Curry
Lady fingers Okra
Small pastries Lady fingers
Toffee Hard candy
Brinjal Eggplant
Biscuit Cookies/Wafers
Bun Biscuit
(Potato) wafers (Potato) chips
Finger chips French fries
Groundnuts Peanuts
Educational
Public school Private
school (tuition charged)
Private school Public school (free)
School High school
College School
University School
High school School/Junior High
Take a class Teach a class
Be a student Take a class
2nd standard 2nd grade
High marks Good grades
Invigilator Proctor
Canteen Cafeteria
Clothes
Windcheater Windbreaker
Vest Undershirt
Waistcoat Vest
Half-pant Shorts
Purse Wallet
Swim trunks Swim suit
Swim costume Swim suit
Transportation
Related
Traffic signal Traffic light
Boot, dikky Trunk of a car
Bonnet Hood of a car
Petrol pump Gas station
Petrol Gas
Diesel Fuel
Pavement Sidewalk
Footpath Sidewalk
Zebra Crossing Crosswalk
Take a lift Get a ride
Motorcycle Motorbike
Cycle Bike
Other
Football Soccer
American football(rugby?) Football
Solid Substantial
Ltd. Inc.
Transistor Radio
Two-in-One Boom box
Goggles Sunglasses
Cooling glass Sunglasses
Toilet Restroom
Guest house Motel
Current Electricity
$20 Note $20 Bill
Cell Battery
Torch Flashlight
Rubber Eraser
Condom Rubber
Snap Picture
Photograph Picture
Mixee Mixer
Dustbin Trash can
Beggar Panhandler
IBM-Compatible IBM-Clone
Inflammable Flammable
Mess Dorm Cafeteria
Hotel Restaurant
Restaurant bill Restaurant check
Picture Movie
Talkies Movies
Lift Elevator
To fix To install
To repair To fix
Pram Stroller
Idioms
To post (a letter) To
mail (a letter)
To submit To turn in
To be out of station To be out of town
A place to park Driveway
A place to drive Parkway
Straight-away Right away
Anticlockwise Counterclockwise
Bunk school Skip class
Passed out Graduated
Fainted Passed out
Ring up (someone) Call up (someone)
The line is engaged It's busy / I got a busy tone
Push the accelerator Step on the gas
Give the car some race Speed up the car
Get down (from a bus) Get off (of a bus)
Let's push off Let's go
Let's make a move Let's go
Convince someone Talk someone into
Black money Tax free, undeclared income
Standing from a Constituency Running for an election
Issue a book Checkout a book
(from the library) (from the library)
How are you? How are you
doing?
How is everything? How is it going?
Intimate Inform
(Very Close Relations) (Intimate Relations)
Too good Cool
The Anti Universe
phenomenon
When you come to the U.S. you will notice the opposite
everywhere. You will get the feeling "These guys are crazy"
.....almost everything you try to do will fail even if it is a small thing
like switching ON the lamp !!!!"
This is just to make you
get a hang of it. The cars are driven on the right hand side instead of left
hand side of the road. So you should look left first while crossing roads :)
You may have to insert the key upside down and rotate it in the opposite direction
to unlock. You will also notice that switches work in opposite direction i.e.
UP is ON and DOWN is OFF :). The date is written with the month first, then
day, followed by the year.
As one of our American
colleague pointed out as a joke, "its logical, if you see that India is exactly opposite in location
on the globe, to U.S.!!!"
FOOD FOOD FOOD
Of course you must be hungry, when you arrive. God knows what you ate on the
plane. You don't remember the item's name or its contents. It may be one of
the weirdest things you ever had for dinner or lunch. So you must be
apprehensive about what you will get for lunch or dinner. The best thing you
can try is PIZZA, which is pronounced as "PiTza".
You get both Veg. and
Non-Veg Pizzas. Order a small pizza if you are alone or a medium size is
enough for two or three (well it depends on your appetite actually). You can
order pizza by phone and it will be delivered at your doorstep in a few
minutes. Refer to the yellow pages or consult the motel receptionist you are
staying in, for information.
For breakfast, have
'Continental breakfast' which is cheap and the best. To be sure about Veg.
items, always ask for items with "NO MEAT" rather than
"WITHOUT MEAT". Be sure to say "NO ICE" if you prefer to
have your drink without ice. And remember that a CHEESEBURGER is a misnomer.
It contains meat besides cheese, so be careful!
Here is a guide for
Vegetarian Dishes:
Mexican
Bean Burrito, Enchiladas, Bean Taco, Cheese Taco, Bean Tostados, Mexican
Pizza
Italian or Greek
Eggplant (brinjal) sandwich, Sphagetti with tomato sauce, Lasagna (pronounced
Laza-nya), Italian Pitza, Italian Pasta with tomato sauce, Falafal, Veg. Gyro
(pronounced Yero).
Denny's
Vegetable omelet (with eggs)Vegetable lunch/dinner (salad, potato smash,
garlic sauce) Broccoli soup
American Restaurants (Sizzler, Olive Garden)
Best bet is salad bar & French fries
McDonald's
Mac cheese sandwich, Milk shakes, ice-cream sundaes
Pizza Hut \Veggie Lover's delight, Veggie pizza with a choice of toppings such
as Jalapenos (pronounced Hala-pin-yose and are green chilies), pineapple,
tomato, onions etc.
Burger King
Vege cheese whooper, Garden burger
Office and Work Environment
Before you start your first day, get a hang of how the work environment is at
the client's place from anyone there or read on for some typical environments
you may find.
- Project Leaders are
very understanding and friendly. And do not unduly pressurize you to perform.
They will definitely give you some time to come up to speed on their work
environment.
- There is a lot of individualistic approach. Every person's inputs are given
a lot of importance. Independent views are respected. Before discarding any
of your ideas, they will give you a good enough reason for doing so.
- For the smallest of
decisions they will sometimes hold a meeting and get the entire team's
inputs/comments/suggestions before proceeding. One feels important when this
is done. But sometimes it can get boring.
- Nobody double checks what you are saying, they take you for your word.
- There are no suspicious
feelings and managers don't fear subordinates.
- Managers will openly discuss about their meetings with "their"
bosses, with theteam. There is no hide and seek as far as
information/feedback is concerned.
- People admit if they
don't know or have information about certain things. They don't pretend to be
all knowing.
- People are dedicated to their area of work and develop expertise in it. But
they do not talk about work related topics which are not in their area of
expertise; they immediately refer you to the right person.
- People enjoy their work
and leisure. They plan their weekends well in advance. Very few people stay
back late in the office or come and work during weekends. Such things are not
related to performance. As long as you do your work well and within time,
nobody cares what else you do and when.- Most companies allow you to
compensate by working during the weekend if you take an 'off' from work on a
regular weekday.
- The work hours in most companies are flexible. Come anytime and go anytime
but you do need to put in a minimum of 8 hrs/day or 40 hrs/week as
contractors.
- Regular time sheets
"may" have to be filled, in some companies.
Americans and their Behavior
Its helpful to know how Americans typically will be. Otherwise you might
start feeling "These people are great dramatists... ".
Here are some tips:-
- Americans are very
friendly and helpful.
- They don't make you
feel like a foreigner. (Though you feel !!!)
- It is very easy to adjust
with them. But they don't like people getting very inquisitive or trying to
get too personal in the initial phase of the acquaintance.
- They dress casually and
nobody bothers which dress you wear etc.
- They are fun loving
creatures and enjoy their free time. Most of them like to keep themselves
physically fit by regular outings, hiking, exercise, biking, jogging etc.
They love the outdoors and natural surroundings. They look forward to
weekends and plan their weekend activities in advance. This usually consists
of some outdoor activity.
- They are frank about
their opinions.
- They respect individual
views and allow everyone to voice their own ideas on a subject.
- They have a lot of
patience. Especially when standing in queues or while driving, nobody will
try to jump before you in the queue. Most of them are very disciplined
drivers. However this differs from State to State.
- If they happen to come
in your way or you happen to come in their way, you will promptly hear an
"Excuse me" or "Excuse us".
- They need a lot of
feedback while talking. You have to acknowledge/nod continuously. Otherwise
they feel you are not interested in listening or are confused.
- They gesture a lot and
shoot some funny (at least so it seems initially) phrases at you. It is a
matter of "getting used to it". - They are "very" proud
of their country. To them, the Universe is the United States. So never ever make fun of or
speak lightly about them or tell them that they do not have any
social/cultural background. You will make more American friends that way.
- Most Americans think of
India as a poor country of beggars,
snake charmers and swamis etc. This is due to the insufficient and improper
media coverage given to India. Their T.V. only shows only the
poor Indian villages and cows on the streets.
Hope you will be able to
prove that India is a country of INTELLIGENT
people like you and not just ELEPHANTS and SNAKE CHARMERS.
Social Security and Driving License
You must go and get your social security number and driving license done
immediately after you come.
Social Security
Number
Each individual in Unites
States, is required to be registered with US government by law. This is
similar to the registration in India through Ration Card.
Government can keep track
of the individual from this particular number. You will need the SS number
for any official paper work or dealings e.g. while filling Tax forms or while
opening a bank account or while getting a membership in the public library. A
person's entire credit history can be traced from this number. As soon as one
arrives in US he/she is required to get Social Security number immediately.
It is a very simple procedure. Most universities will have this as apart of
the International student orientation program.
Every town or a city has
a Social Security office. You have to go there with your Passport. First
thing you need to do is collect the application form for new social security
number. These forms are available in various languages. Find one in English
and fill it completely. It will ask you for your local postal address details
besides other information. The officer will check your application form and
passport. After checking everything you will be informed when you will be
receiving your Social Security number, which will be by postal mail.
Generally within three to
four weeks time you will receive your social security number which appears
printed on a small card, which you should preserve safely.
Getting Driver's License
Driver's license is one
of the most important documents required in United States. Apart from driving needs it is
required at almost all the places where you need to show your ID. Mainly
because this is the only valid Identity card which is required and approved
at all the places.
Here in US most of the
money transactions are done via checks or Credit-cards. Initially when you
don't have credit card, check is the only practical and recommended way of
payment. Nobody keeps cash. People generally issue checks even for a small
amount of less than $5.00. Checks are as good as Cash and can be deposited at
any ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) center. These checks are accepted only
with a valid PHOTO-ID at most places. Actually a Photo-id could also be a
simple identity card issued by the DMV (Dept. of motor vehicles), which is
not a driver's license. At most places Driver's license is the only valid
PHOTO-ID. So after getting Social Security number, Driver's license is
another very important thing one should acquire as soon as possible.
Getting driver's license is not very difficult here. Before appearing for a
driving test behind the wheels one has to clear a written test conducted by
DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles - similar to RTO in India). Each state has its own laws for
driving a vehicle. DMV issues a book on the rules which are required to be
followed very strictly. This book gives detailed information about all the
laws and is written in a very nice manner. It is very easy to follow all the
rules as they are nicely explained and if necessary, supported by good
photographs.
After understanding the
contents of this book you can appear for the written exam. You can appear for
the test on any working day. You can call up DMV and take an appointment with
them or you can even go directly.
They will check your
Passport and will give you a question paper. Questions are objective type and
you have to choose the best answer for each question. Time is no limit for
the exam. After you are done with it, the person on the counter will
immediately check your paper and will tell you your score. Upon passing this
test you will get temporary driving license which is valid for two months.
DMV also issues an ID card. This is issued by the state government. You can
use this Id card as a Photo-Id till you get your driver's license. At some
places you are required to produce two Photo-Ids, that time it is very useful
to have this photo-id you can even go for some driving lessons. For driving
lessons you can go to driving school or to a private teacher. Private teachers
are little cheaper as compared to driving school. Once you are ready for the
test, again you will have to take an appointment with DMV for the driving
test. If you have driven a lot in India, you just have to have a hang of
the things here. Particularly, as Indian licence is valid within NT state, it
becomes easy to start driving, even without a temporary licence.
On the day of appointment
you have to go there with your learning license. The car in which you will
give your driving test should have proper Insurance papers. Also check all
the controls, including signal lights and brake lights. If any of these is
not in shape, you will not be allowed to appear for the test. This test will
be of 100 marks. After your test, driving inspector will immediately tell you
your result. Generally they explain to you your mistakes so that you can work
on them and rectify. If you have passed you will get your license immediately
in most places.
If you fail there is no
minimum period required to appear again. So you can practice again and appear
as soon as you can.
Bank Accounts
- They are basically of two types - Savings a/c (with interest)
- Checking a/c (with NO interest)
- Generally most people
open a Checking a/c at first. It’s a good idea to have a savings account, as
a bulk of the money can lie idle and you can keep track of your money without
spending it.
- To open an account you
need a social security number, however since it takes a week or more to get
the social security number one can request the bank to verify the passport
and open the a/c. Later do remember to inform the bank once you receive your
SS number.
- Then there are concepts
like
- minimum balance - which is either NO or YES
(It is better to open an a/c with NO MINIMUM BALANCE otherwise you have to
maintain the specified minimum amount always in the account).
- overdraft facility - Again NO or YES
(This allows you some amount of overdraft. This might be beneficial in some
cases, such as when the monthly salary is not received on time and the house
rent, phone bills etc. have to be paid.)
- There are various kinds
of check/cheque books available that one can choose from, such as the kind of
colored paper and printed background design on paper etc. Usually a set of
200 checks bound together in books of 20 each is sufficient for 6 months. But
it depends on how many checks are issued by you and at what frequency. The
first check book is given by the bank immediately on opening an account, the
other 200 checks are mailed to you at the given address.
- The next thing is to
ask for an ATM card. This allows you to withdraw money 24 hrs. from any ATM
machine of the bank or related ones.
- Some banks charge money
to issue an ATM card and the first set of check/cheque books. Something like
$10.00 for the ATM card and another $10.00 for the first 200 checks (10 books
of 20 pages each). But most banks do not charge anything.
- The whole procedure of
opening an account takes about 10-15 mins.
- A few shops/gas
stations etc. ask for a valid photo-id when payment is made by check. This is
just for verification. (A photo-id could be a U.S. driver's license or an actual
ID-card which is issued by the local Dept. of Motor Vehicles office.
- Small payments such as
$1.25 etc. too can be made by check and it is not absurd to do so. People
carry very little or no cash on person. Most of them make their payment by
Credit card or check. But it is advisable to carry about $10.00 in cash at
all times to cover emergency needs. You can carry your check book around with
you.
- The following style is
used to write the amount in words on the check. Say for e.g. the amount to be
paid is $35.47 then you would write:
Amount in words $ :
THIRTY FIVE & 47/100
Cards
- It is a fashion to collect cards of all types and store them in one's
wallet. The cards here refer to the plastic type e.g. credit cards.
- So there are cards such
as:
Credit card,
Debit card,
Bank ATM card,
Shopping Store cards (e.g. Sears card; "SEARS" is the name of a
chain of stores in the U.S.)
Medical benefit card, Telephone calling card, Public library membership card.
- Most wallets have
transparent packets to keep these cards in order.
- Credit/Debit Cards:
A credit card allows you to pay for your expenses without bothering about
availability of money at the time of payment. The credit card company pays
for you and later sends you a statement every month elaborating the payments
made. You can then, pay the credit card company by check. There are certain
limits imposed on Credit cards with regard to the amount of credit available
to you, which vary.
VISA and MasterCard are
the most widely accepted credit cards. The other being American Express card.
(Called Am-Ex for short).
A Debit card is almost
like a check, since it allows you to spend from your available resources only
(no credit business). This is generally issued by the banks where you have an
account, after you apply for it.
It is not so easy to get
a credit card for the first timer in U.S. The application is scrutinized by
the Credit Organization/Bank and the credit history checked up (They call up
the banks where you have an account, to find out your balance and credit
status etc). Actually it the credit history is traced from your Social
Security No. Usually the period of stay is also an important criteria e.g. at
least 6 month stay is essential to be considered eligible for a Credit card.
To build up a good credit
history, many people take loans from the bank. e.g. to buy a car and repay it
in time. This increases the chances of getting a Credit Card sooner.
The most easiest to get
is the American Express Card. They ask for a letter from the employer
regarding salary status etc. once the initial application is verified.
- The Gold Card is the next thing to aim for, once you have at least a card.
The Credit limit is higher on the Gold Card apart from other benefits.
- The most difficult to
get is the DISCOVER credit card.
- Most Credit cards offer
other benefits too, such as mileage accumulation for some airline enabling
you to travel free on that airline anywhere in the U.S. once about 20,000 miles have been
accumulated, at the rate of 1 mile per dollar. Some others offer Rental Car
Insurance coverage and so on.
- Most organizations
(health clubs etc.) issue membership cards with neat plastic lamination too.
Shopping
The American system of sizes and measurement is different from that in India. Most of the shops in the U.S. are the equivalents of super
markets in India. You can go around the shop, buy
what you want and pay at the counter. The important difference you will
notice is, the shops are driven by customer service. So if you don't like
anything that you bought or it doesn't fit you properly you may return it
within a certain period allowed. You should inquire about the return policy
when you buy returnable goods. Of course you need to preserve the receipt of
the purchase. Most of the time they won't even ask you why you want to return
the goods.
When you buy shoes, the
size should be ½ more than your size in India. For example, if you buy size 9
in India, you should buy size 9 ½ in the
US.(Or approximate it to the nearest round figure). Following measurement
chart will help you in converting between American system and metric system.
Metric Conversion
Chart
millimeters x 0.04 =
inches(in)
centimeters x 0.4 = inches(in)
meters x 3.3 = feet
kilometers x 1.1 = yards
inches x 2.5 =
centimeters
feet x 30 = centimeters
yards x 0.9 = meters
miles x 1.6 = kilometers
grams x 0.035 = ounces
kilograms x 2.2 = pounds
ounces x 28 = grams
pounds x 0.45 = kilograms
milliliters x 0.3 = fluid
ounces
liters x 1.06 = quarts
liters x 0.26 = gallons
fluid ounces x 30 =
millileters
quarts x 0.95 = liters
gallons x 3.8 = liters
Renting an
Apartment
You can get information on how to rent an apartment from the
"Apartments" section of the Yellow Pages, newspaper or 'Rental
Guides' which are available at the stores. To lease (rent) an apartment you
should consider following points:
1. Lease period and
deposits
Usually there are two types of lease depending on the period of lease: 6
months lease & 12 months lease. (In some places the allow 3 month lease
too, but the rent increases in that case). Most of the cases you get 1 month
rent free in case you select 12 months lease and you get half months rent
free if you select 6 months lease. You have to pay 1 months rent as security
deposit and some amount around 10$ to 15$ as key deposit. Rent for the
apartment in basements is less than other apartments. Very few people prefer
to stay in basements because of security reasons. So when you ask about
availability of apartments it is possible that the Manager will say only
basement apartment is available. Hence insist for apartment on first or
second floor if you don't want a basement apartment. After renting a basement
apartment you may realize that apartments other than in basements were also
available.
2. Utilities
Check whether your rent includes utilities such as hot water, Cable etc.
Otherwise you end up spending around 100$ to 150$ for electricity bill if you
have to pay for hot water.
3. Lease Terms
Understand the lease terms properly because most of the times you need to
break the lease in case your project terminates suddenly. if you want to
break the lease
a. You have to give 30 days notice.
b. You lose your security deposit
c. In some cases they (the apartment management) try to find somebody who
wants to rent your apartment. If they don't get anybody within 30 days period
You have to pay 1 month's rent extra. In this situation you lose your
security deposit plus one months rent. Get these terms clarified before
signing the lease papers.
4. Lease Breaking
If you are sharing an apartment with somebody, Suppose 3 people are sharing
an apartment and all three have their names on lease papers. In case one of
the three wants to leave before the lease period is over, you need to take a
letter from him saying that all further paper work can be done by the other
two people. This letter is required when your lease period is over or even if
you want to break the lease before that period is over. If you don't have
such a letter you won't be able to break the lease unless all three have
signed the lease break paper. In such cases you also end up losing your
deposit. This is true even for normal termination of lease period. Be careful
and understand these terms and conditions fully.
5. Damages
After renting an apartment carefully observe if there are any types of
damages in the apartment. If you see any, ask your Property Manager to make a
note of it. Otherwise they will deduct some amount from your security deposit
when your lease period is over.
6. Downgrading and Upgrading
If you want to move to 2 bedroom apartment from 1 bedroom apartment you have
to pay some 100$ to 200$. Many cases downgrading i.e. moving to 1 bedroom
apartment from 2 bedroom apartment is not allowed. Get clarification on all
such points while signing lease papers.
7. Electricity and
Telephone connection
After you rent the apartment you need to inform your local Electric Supply
company that you will be staying in that apartment from so and so date and
that they may bill you from that date. Ask your local telephone company for a
telephone connection by calling them up. Most of the business takes place on
the phone. Surprisingly all work gets done and promptly too.
8. Maintaining an
apartment
In most of the apartments you have cooking range, oven, dish washer,
refrigerator etc. Use aluminum foil to cover part of the cooking range (other
than coils) so that it remains clean and in the end you don't need to spend
time in cleaning it. Dish washer soap is available in liquid or in powder
form. Dish washer inner surface starts becoming blackish after some days. The
cleaning liquid can be used to clean it. This can be done once in a month.
Clean your oven once in a month using oven cleaning liquid. Use plastic
garbage bags in trash cans so that you can just take the bag and dispose it
in the central trash, usually provided in the apartment complex.
9. Laundry
If the apartment itself does not have a washer/dryer, there will usually be a
common laundry room in the complex where you can do your weekly
washing/drying. Such common machines usually are coin operated machines so
you'll need a few quarters and also your own favorite detergent powder.
Decorating, Furnishing YOUR house
Of course this is not an advice for interior designing but to make your
APARTMENT look like a HOME. Home is not a place with four walls, but where
you have furniture also :). The greatest place to get the things you need for
your house is Garage Sales. You can get things like Sofa sets to Wall
paintings very cheep from this source.
Garage sale is a
second-hand, used things sale which includes household items such as
furniture like couch etc, appliances such as T.V., stereo, clothes/jackets,
other used items.
This is held in peoples
garages or backyards generally on weekends. They are a nice place to buy
furniture from, which is usually in good shape. Anybody who wants to sell old
used things, can hold a garage sale and put up a sign near the house
announcing such a sale. The prices are negotiable. Generally people advertise
through local newspaper ad columns.
The early morning time on
Sat. and Sun. between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. is the best to hunt around for
used things in garage sales.
Buying a Car
If you are going to stay at a particular place for quite some time say more
than three months, then its better to buy a car rather than rent one. Buying
a car involves quite some work. It is better to be cautious while buying a
car, 'cause owning a car brings you freedom and you own a vehicle but you
need to maintain the car and take care of any problems. The main concern
while buying a car is its maintenance cost should not be high, otherwise you
will lose a lot. So here is what experience tells us.
Buying a car in America is very easy, there are lots of
used cars for sale and there is never a shortage. It is just the question of
deciding the budget and type of car to be bought.
Most people prefer
Japanese cars over American makes simply because of the easy reusability. The
most popular Japanese car makes are Honda and Toyota.
Types of models? There
are two categories of cars, 2-door, 4-door.The 2-d are cheaper. Then comes
the type of transmission (gear), automatic or stick-shift. Most people buy
automatic transmission. Such cars are very easy to drive. (Almost all Indian
cars are of the stick-shift variety).
Where to look? The local
newspapers carry a lot of car sale advertisements everyday. You should see
the paper and decide on the ones you are interested in. Next call up the
owner at the tel. no. given, as early in the day as possible and fix up an
appointment to visit and see the car. Test drive it, if you like it and the
price is ok, tell the owner that you'd like to get it checked up by a
mechanic. This is the normal practice. There is nothing to feel shy about
asking the car to be checked up. This will save you a lot of money later
after purchasing the car from unforeseen problems that some used cars land up
into.
Look up the yellow pages
in the local tel. directory to get the list of car mechanics or just ask
colleagues to recommend one. If that doesn't work out, ask the local AAA
(American Automobile Association) office to recommend someone to you. For a
fee of about $25-30 the mechanic will check up the car and tell you the
problems or possible problems if any. Some people do it for free. It is good
to tell the auto mechanic to check up the following things with additional
care in addition to their regular :-
1) Brake cylinder, drum and worn out pads
2) Transmission. (this is the costliest part in an automatic car )
3) If it is a 4 speed never buy it. 5 speed is ok.
4) Check for rust in bottom, radiators, muffler and tailpipe.
5) Check for vibrations when you brake from 40mph, without down-shifting. if
there are vibrations, either break pads or steering pinion is in bad shape.
Get 4 people to sit in the car and you can make out if the suspensions are
ok, when you make a sharp turn.
6) Most important, check for oil leaks, and whether the car gives you power
speed/pick-up when you try to accelerate. You can feel if it's OK.
7) Last, check for emission whether the smoke is black (thick), which means
oil is also burned with fuel = the car is beyond its life. The piston rings
might be leaving a gap in the cylinders because of wear. In that case, don't
buy the car, because you will have to change the cylinder, piston and rings
which will come to double the cost.
8) Ask the owner to give the records of the maintenance he has done, like new
tires etc. Also, make sure you don't go beyond 3rd hand purchase. There must
be something seriously wrong with the car if people have changed owners
drastically.
9) Air filter, valve etc. OK?
Ask the owner to discount
the price of the car by the amount required for the repairs suggested by the
mechanic. Or else ask him to get it repaired for you. The rates of the used
cars have some standard values which are generally not exceeded. These values
can be checked up in something called "Blue Book" which is a text
available in the public library or with car dealers. So car models classified
as per Year of make have their value listed in the Blue Book. There is a cost
deduction to be applied for the mileage that the car has been driven for,
which is mentioned in most Blue Books. That gives a fair idea about the
standard cost of any used car. Moreover there is ample scope for price
negotiation. Generally private owners who sell through ads can give better
discounts than used car dealers. Generally car dealers stick to the Blue Book
Price but usually ask more.
Mileage is also a
consideration while purchasing a used car. Lesser the better. The ideal
average is 10000 miles per year. So a car manufactured in 1987 may have a driven
mileage of about 70000 miles in 1994 and not more than 80000. These are
approx. figures.
After buying a car you
need to get it insured. You cannot drive a car in the U.S. without proper Insurance. The car
has to be insured against collisions etc. There are various vehicle Insurance
companies having various deals. Look up the yellow pages and call up some of
them and ask for their rates. Then decide on one. The Insurance coverage
period and the type of Insurance chosen and your age (more for less than 25
yrs.) decide the amount to be paid. The "comprehensive",
"collision" are terms used by the Insurance companies to describe
the type of insurance coverage. Get everything explained properly. There is
sometimes windscreen coverage too, for a nominal additional amount per month;
this insures your windshield against damage (a windscreen replacement may
cost about $200.00 approx. otherwise).
You have to get the
emission testing done on your car before it can be registered. In case the
previous owner has got it done and the test is valid still, then there is no
need to do it again for the specified period. The valid test papers are
required for Registration.
The local vehicle
registration office will issue a temporary registration for 45 days and
meanwhile process and prepare the proper number plates. The documents
required to get a registration are - Car ownership (title) papers, Emission
Test papers, Car Insurance papers. After proper registration is done you can
drive your car. However you should have a Driver's License. Actually each
state in the U.S. has different laws. Most states
allow you to drive with an I.D.P. (International Driving Permit) for a ye ar
or so. But others require that you get a local Driver's License. The driver's
license can be obtained from the local DMV office after a written and driving
test. Refer to the section on obtaining a driver's license for details.
Renting a Car
Car is a necessity in most of the places here in U.S. Either you buy a car or you can
rent a car. You can pay either a monthly rate or daily rent. Though its
expensive to rent a car for a month or so, it might be required if you are
going to stay at that place for a small period of time. Here is some
information you will need OR should know when you want to rent a car.
- The driver/co-drivers may need to be at least 25 years old.
- Credit Card is required to rent a car. Else a deposit of about $300
etc...Most companies do not allow you to rent a car if you do not have a
credit card.
- You need a valid driver's license to drive a rental car.
- Well known car renting companies are - Hertz, Avis, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise etc.
- Car Insurance has to be bought for the Rental car. It is a separate charge
or is included in the total per day renting cost. Some credit card companies
pay for the insurance if you use their card to book a car e.g. American
Express Credit Card, in such a case you need not buy insurance from the car
rental company.
- You have to register the other drivers too as co-drivers of the rental car
while booking the car. They should have valid driver's licenses too. Nobody
else should be allowed to drive the car other than those registered!
- Unlimited mileage or fixed mileage is also a criteria which decides the
hiring charges of a rental car.
- You can make the booking over the phone. But you have to go personally to
pick-up the car from the renting agency.
- Generally the gas (fuel) tank is full and you are supposed to return it
with a full tank.
- Some rental agencies do not allow you to rent their car for travel outside
the state.
- There are various types of cars that can be booked. Generally depending on
the seating capacity, such as small, medium, compact, large, full-size,
premium, mini-van, van etc. One may even choose the make of the car if
available. The rental agencies maintain the cars in good shape and generally
have new cars.
- The renting charges
vary depending on the season, weekend/weekday, for how many days you want the
car, how much in advance you are booking, availability, type of car etc.
Doctors in U.S.
God forbid, but if something happens to you, here is what you should know:
- The Medical Benefit
Card which is sent by the Medical Insurance Company is an important card and
should be acquired at the earliest. Fill up the Medical forms to ensure that
you are registered with the Insurance Company after you land in the U.S.
- This card entitles you
to coverage under certain medical categories only.
- There is a $100 deductible. Which means if you land into medical problems,
you have to pay the first
100 dollars from your
pocket. Thereafter the Insurance company takes over the payment depending on
the coverage plan etc.
- There are two acceptable ways of payment for the Doctor's services which
depends on the Doctor. The Doctor's receptionist is the best person to ask
payment related questions. Some Doctors ask you to pay them (by cash, check,
credit card etc.) immediately after the service. The receptionist will then
give you a formal bill, which you must send (by postal mail) to the Medical
Insurance Company along with the claim form supplied by DCI (which comes in
with the initial package soon after you land in the U.S.) The Medical Ins. Co. will then
send you a check after verifying your claim. Other Doctors will note down the
details of your Medical Insurance Company from your card. They will then send
the bill to the Insurance Company and receive the payment directly. You need
not pay the Doctor.
But in both the above
modes, remember that there are certain charges which the Insurance Company
will not pay and which they don't cover, such as the first $100. So find out
the details from the Insurance Co. about your respective coverage/medical
problem etc.
- For certain kinds of
medical problems where you have to visit the Doctor repeatedly, only a fixed
number of visits per year are paid by the Insurance Company and not all.
- How to decide on the Doctor to visit?
Ask your colleagues or other Indian friends. Otherwise check up the yellow
pages (phone directory). Look under the "Physicians" heading.
Telephone the Doctor and fix up an appointment. Only in cases of emergency,
do the Doctors see you immediately, otherwise it is always by appointment.
- You can claim the expenses for any Dr. prescribed medicine that you have to
buy from the Drug (medical) Store.
NOTE:
- Pain in the lower back and strain between the shoulder blades and a stiff
neck are very common due to the kind of spring mattresses and soft foam
pillows available in the U.S. and one just needs to get used to
it.
- Beware of Dental problems since they are usually not fully covered under
the Insurance Scheme.
Income Tax in US:
Income Tax return filing is very simple in US as compared to India. Here Tax forms are very simple
and easy to fill up. One need not know all about Taxation laws, but still can
very easily file tax return. Here in US there are two types of taxes. One is
the FEDERAL Tax which is something like our Income tax and the other is the
STATE Tax. Last day of filing the income tax return is 15th of April.
Accounting year is considered from 1st of January till 31st of December. US
has a Tax treaty with India. Under this Tax treaty one can
file his tax return either in India or in US as per the convenience.
But you need to show your income earned in either of the country.
Suppose you come to US in
the middle of the year. You must be definitely having some income in India before you came to US in that
particular financial year. Also some part of salary is paid to you even when
you are in US. This income is taxable and hence you pay tax on that income.
Generally you pay tax on this income in India as in most of the cases income
tax is deducted at source. So one pays tax on the income in India. So now you are liable only for
the tax on the income that you earn in US.
Here there are different
types of forms for different category of people. For those who are US
residents and who have status of Resident Aliens, they have to file what is
called 1040EZ form (form 1040 easy). Any person who is in the US for more than 183 days
continuously, gains status of Resident Alien. Any person who is in US for
less than 183 days in that financial year is considered as Non Resident
Alien.
Non Resident Alien will
not have some Tax benefits which any US citizen or Resident Alien will
have. Here in particular, Non resident Alien will not get Standard deduction
on their income. Also they have to pay Tax as per the Flat rate. So basically
when you file your Tax return as NR you land up paying more taxes. But you
have to file 1040NR when you are having status as Non resident Alien.
For filing Tax return
form one can get help from the government body which is know as IRS (Internal
Revenue Services). This is same as Income Tax department in India. Also one has to pay tax to the
state government. Each state has a different tax law for the State Tax.
Booklet of information on this is available on request. Tax forms are
available freely at the public places like Post office, Public library where
one can get the form that he/she requires. Also, government gives special
services for the people who need guidance. One can get this information even
on phone by calling them. One can even go in person to understand the form.
Apart from these
facilities provided by the government one can even go to private Tax
consultants. They charge somewhere between $30 to $60. They take care of
every detail and one need not bother about anything. Along with the Tax you
are supposed to send one form called "W2" form. This form is
provided by the employer to all the employees. The form contains all the
information based on the salary of the person. Also all the taxes paid by the
employer to the State government as well as Federal government. Details about
the social security taxes and the medical taxes paid by the employer is also
included in this form.
There are three copies of
this form. One copy is to be sent with the State Tax form, one with the
Federal Tax form and one is for the employee's personal record. Before
sending the W2 form one should check the validity of the information in it.
Most important is the correct social security number. If there is any change
in any of the information one should inform the employer ASAP. Employer is
supposed to send the corrected information to IRS and also a corrected copy
to the employee which is called W2C f form.
AAA Membership
We wanted to mention this specially because its very helpful for a person who
is new to U.S. AAA read as 'triple A' stands for "American Automobile
Association" is an auto club which provides you with all kinds of tour
and travel information. It provides you with all the maps and travel guides
which you will need. It also has services like towing, opening your car door
lock in case you get locked out, emergency help and so on. Being a member of
this club also gets you concession for motel booking and rental cars.
There is a yearly fee for
all these services which they provide, and if you believe us, "It's more
than worth it".
So we think its a good
idea to be a member of this club. It will help you in traveling, which of
course you will do once you get here.
Last Word
Stress is a part of
professional or student life and more so when you are living in an alien
country. The sooner you understand and accept it the more easily you will
adapt to your new environment. Depression and home sickness are symptoms that
you should look out for. With this we all feel you will be confident and may
be able to come out with your own User Manual. But before we leave, talk to
other people coming to the USA. Get to know people going to
study at the same University as you are. Exchange thoughts, info and also
your problems/worries. It just makes you feel good, if you know that others
are in the same boat !!!
TO
DO'S BACK HOME
1) Apply for "complete" transcripts. You may need transcripts for
applying for other universities, internship, jobs, etc. You may take 10-15
copies.
2) Inform all official institutions (hostel office, department, post office,
banks) of your permanent address.
3) Leave an authorization letter addressed to the post master, authorizing
your parents/guardians to receive letters for you.
4) Leave several blank sheets with your signature with your parents.
5) Get your International Driver's Permit. Helps to rent cars in US.
6) Get permit for taking cash
This can be got from any bank authorized to do so. 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.
Other things to be done
in advance
Learn typing
Learn driving
Learn to cook- Don't learn the desi way of one day before leaving. Put some
effort & practice for maybe a week. It might be well worth the effort.
You just need to have a feel for it... effort and practice help only to an
extent...once you get the feel, it is all quite easy... even easier if you
have lots of instant stuff on hand.
Make outstation purchases (sweater, thermal underwear, cassettes, etc. -
available/cheap in Delhi, Bombay)
Get medical checkup done
Dental - A must...Health insurance in this country does not cover dental
problems and is really costly...go early to the dentist...it takes time to
recuperate, in case u need some surgery or something
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
University
- Do a PPD Mantoux test. If negative no need for chest X-ray. Take
vaccination for MMR. Its a 2 dose vaccine to be taken at an interval of one
month from the 1st to 2nd. If u don't take it in desh its going to cost a lot
in US. Also take tetanus. Paranoid characters can take Rabies, yellow fever,
malaria, hepatits A,B,C..Z vaccines :-)
- Some universities just need a doctor's signature on a sheet of paper the
university provides...the doctor might insist that u take the injection...it
is a good idea to take MMR and tetanus in any case... And don’t forget to get
the medical form. It applies to UB and it should be in your application
packet.
Get cassettes recorded which you may like to take with you - Lots of them. No
point taking western music casettes. CD's are cheap in the US. So stick to Carnatic & light
music.
Fill in the GISA Travel Log,
giving your final flight Number( The flight that takes you from your Port of
Entry to Buffalo ), time & date of arrival. We
will pick you up & give temporary accommodation, if necessary.
- Keep in touch with somebody at the university, till u reach
Note your/parent's bank A/c Number - Might be useful when you want to
transfer money.
EMIGRATION CLEARANCE
Get this done after the
visa. It’s a day’s work.
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). ECNR form is available at passport office or
travel agent.
Take the following things
with you -
Passport
Cash for the ECNR fees. May vary, check it out.
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 proof
Xerox copy of the PC
Xerox copy of the passport
Procedure in brief
At one counter show the
filled form & get a slip; go inside and show your documents at the
checking counter; pay applicable fees at the cash counter; collect passport next
day with ECNR stamp. Collect passport the same day....
TRAVEL
ARRANGEMENTS
The next 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 (examples of dependable
travel agents are -Travel Corporation of India (TCI), Thomas cook, etc).
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 themselves and confirm
your ticket.
Indicate whether you want Asian Vegetarian Meal (AVM), non-smoking section,
etc
Cross-check everything
the travel agent says.
Some airlines offer Frequent Flier programs (e.g. Air France, TWA) [i.e.
after a certain number of miles of flying with that airline you get a free
ticket]. Enroll in such programs as you might again travel to and from India.
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). Ensure if the baggage will be
taken care of at every stop over.
TO
DOs AFTER VISA & LANDING
PACKING CHECKLIST
Start your packing well
in advance
- Usually doesn’t work :) We guys did not. We can gladly advise you to.
Buy two good 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).
Box
specifications
As an example the Air
India economy class baggage specifications to the USA are given below. Note the
specifications 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 very particular about this
when it comes to students, but you can exceed by too much]
Carry on baggage: In
addition you can carry a bag with linear dimension not exceeding 115cm
(45") onboard (fits beneath the seat).
If you are taking a break outside USA/Canada contact your travel agent or
airlines for details.
- The baggage sizes are almost standardized. Be careful about the weight of
your baggage. You might save frustration at the airport when you are leaving.
Do tie the suitcases with
nylon ropes, as the boxes are thrown when changing flights and can very well
be damaged / broken. The airline authorities will repair / replace
accordingly
Things to be kept in the
boxes - checklist
- Copy of all
certificates/documents (originals in hand baggage)
- Important application
materials (SOP, reco letters, admit letter, etc)
- Necessary books/notebooks
(some suggested books are - Clark's Tables, a good
dictionary/thesaurus, a booklet for units conversion) [note: there
should be no legal hassles taking Xerox copies of books - but don't
flaunt them to Americans/Profs]
- Copy of address
book/telephone book/diary
- Leave important phone numbers of people both in the US and in India with your parents.....
- Some stationery and related
items suggested (not absolutely necessary - just for the first few
weeks) screw driver - a tool kit might help.
- Medical history files
- Gifts (suggested: rollable
pictures, handicrafts, etc)
- a gift for your advisor would be appreciated by him greatly..
Especially if he is an American...make it ethnic...
- 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) etc Do not
bother to bring washing soaps / products. You will be using washing
machines here and you can get the detergent here.
- get just one soap cake and one toothbrush... If you are choosy about
some Indian brand soap or something due to medical reasons or
preference, carry lot of them. You can actually get good razors and
shaving foams here...but if you already have a real good razor, bring it
along...
- Cassettes
- Clothes
Usually clothes are machine washed once a week (Laundromat) - hence one
week supply of clothes (+ one week backup) is needed. Get all clothes
little loose - clothes may shrink in machine wash & you will
probably grow fatter.
- clothes will shrink and you will grow fatter...the frequency of
washing will actually depend on you...
- 14-15 sets of undergarments,
socks, handkerchiefs
- Get some 2-3 pairs of socks. Socks are quite cheap here and available
at $5 for a 6 pack.
- 5 sets of good shirts, pants
- - Maybe more if u are lazy
& do laundry once in 2 weeks.
- you get good jeans here from $10 onwards unless u are too brand name
conscious...
- a good swimming trunk + few
shorts
- a tie + 1-2 belts
- get the belts in india
- 3-6 ordinary towels
- a bed sheet
- Should say bedcover. Also get a couple of pillow covers.
- the pillows here are of a different size than those in India...
- lungies/dhotis/pajamas/night
wear
- thermal underwear (1-4)
Though Buffalo is very cold, not all people
use thermal wears. Depends on your ability to bear cold. Costs around 10
bucks a set here. one set should do, at most 2. U can buy it here, since
u won't need it till November end.
- extra woolen sweaters. Winter
wear is also relatively cheap here, so don’t bother carrying jackets
from India.
Below are some food
stuffs that may be taken :
GET AS MUCH INSTANT STUFF
POSSIBLE.
- 1 - 2.5 kg packets of
"Sambar Powder"
- 1 packet of "Rasam
Powder"
0.5 box of "Masala Powder"
1 box of "Upma powder", "tamarind rice Powder"
Pickles
Get some instant powders...for tamarind rice, rava idly, idly, dosa,
rava dosa etc..
mustard packet
tamarind paste
different daals in small quantity for initial phase
asafoetida 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 Buffalo. 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] - students are almost never checked.
- take all dry food stuff in
sealed plastic packets
- some of the instant stuff is not so good, the sambar esp...but rava
idly ad tamarind rice mix are good...
- You will be required to
declare the things that you are carrying, on landing at the port of
entry. You can say dried Indian spices and that all that you are
carrying are sealed.
- Vessels
Big pressure pan and cooker (with spare handle, 3 safety valves, 2
weights, 1 base plate, 3 gaskets)
- You can get good electric
rice cookers here.
- Idli plates
Make sure the idly plates fit into the cooker...the pressure cooker is
usually used only to cook dhal or idlys...
Dosa turner, charani (server with holes), rice server & other
servers
Tongs
Small bowls
Knife
Kadaie (optional)
- Costs some 20 bucks for a nonstick huge kadai. Bring stainless steel
vessels of varying sizes, for rasam, sambar,... & lids for each of
them + karandis. SS karandis r not availble here. Also SS spoons. U
might get some micro containers for ghee/o il, sugar, spices....
- People usually buy a full
non-stick kitchenware set after they come here...a tumbler would
help...once you get the non-stick stuff you wont be using the stainless
steel ones...you can also get the micro/macro containers here...
- Cook books----RECIPES BY YOUR
MOM ARE THE BEST
Non-stick kitchenware is cheap in the US. You can buy a full set,
sharing with your roomies.
List
of medicines recommended by a Doctor
- Crocin tablets - 3 strips
For fever, body ache, headache
One tablet three times a day as necessary
- Erythrocin 500 mg tablets - 2
strips
One tablet twice a day when necessary, as advised
- Sporadix 500mg capsules - 2
strips
One capsule twice a day when necessary, as advised
- Actified 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.
- Electral powder - 2 packets
One teaspoonful mixed with drinks to make up loss of
electrolytes after vomiting or diarrhoea.
- Novalgin tablets - 2 strips
For headache & bodyaches.
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.
- Avil 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
Things to be kept
in Hand Baggage
Some medicines (including for air-sickness)
Novels/mags/books for in flight reading
sweater
Original important documents (I-20, visa, tickets ...)
Enough money (little cash, travellers' 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 / You miss a
connecting flight (two sets of clothes/towel), addresses etc)
Things to be kept
on person
- Shorter extract of contact
addresses - especially of people coming to pick you up.
- GISA contact phones and
addresses.
- Receipt got along with
travellers' checks - in case you lose the TC's
- A pen
- Have your passport and visa
number in your wallet too...
Things to be left
at home
- List of addresses/phone
numbers at which info about you can be obtained (GISA Contacts /
Emergency contacts)
- 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
ALL SET TO BUFFALO
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)
It will get cold inside the flight have a sweater or sweatshirt handy
Be at the airport 3-4 hours before flight departure
Collect $20 at the airport (part of it in $1)
If you get Forex from banks you will get only 100$ & 50 $ bills. You better
get smaller denominations from some agency at Spencer plaza.
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. No
one is gonna help for free. Especially in the US, if someone (even with airport
id) offers to help you with your luggage, say No thanks. They will work only
for tips – At least 10 dollars.
Don't hire a taxi (unless
emergency) till you reach your destination. If absolutely required don't
hesitate to spend money.
PORT
OF ENTRY PROCEDURES
Sometime before landing
the flight attendant 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.
Form I-94 - fill in the
plane. After seeing your documents immigration officer will indicate length
of stay, University, 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. Usually they write it on the
visa. If not, write down and keep it in a sfae place.
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-64 card to your visa.
Remember to give both the
official copy & student copy of I-20. Don't forget to collect the sealed
student copy.
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 in
form 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 "powders"
tell them that they are "dried Indian spices" to make traditional
Indian food like curry. Rarely they might ask you to go to the agricultural
department customs, probably if you carry cumin - jeera - 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.
You might take another
short flight to Buffalo in most cases.
After Landing - ONCE YOU ARE HERE
Now go to the baggage
claim and 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 the GISA emergency cell phone number or International Students'
Office any Indian phone number you have. 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.
Once you reach your
friend's house (or other destination) call home & inform them of reaching
safely. - call home immediately... Or you should be able to email. Ask for
emailing where you are temporarily put up.
Reaching the
University from where you are staying:
You can walk down to
South Campus from where you are staying if you stay near South Campus. From
South Campus you will get Blue Bird / Coach USA (Free bus service run by
University every 15 minutes during day or every 1/2 hour after 5 o'Clock
during school) to go to North campus. Other way is to catch someone who is
going to north campus and get a ride. You can get more info about the Blue
Bird service on the Bus Stop.
http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/parking/bbsched.shtml
: Campus bus schedule
Finding a House
and arranging for utilities:
You may stay near South
or North Campus. Most of the Indian students stay near South Campus.
You can start looking for
a house as soon as you are here.
0. Start looking for the
partner's from the student's who came new with you. Make a group of 3-4, as
most of the houses are 3-4 bedrooms near south campus.
1. Once you decide on
your house partners start searching together. Start searching for houses near
South Campus (if you want). Just walk on the streets and you will see the
signs saying "House for Rent". Note down the landlord's phone
number.
2. Call the Landlord to
schedule for an appointment to see the house. Before making appointment ask
him few questions like number of bedrooms, rent he is expecting. Clarify
things such as, heating, utilities, electric bills, whether it is additional
or it is included in the rent.
3. If you feel that rent
is reasonable, schedule for an appointment to see the house.
4. When you see the house
make sure all the things are working fine or if you feel that some of them
may need repair/improvement please clarify this with him/her. Inquire about
the heating bill that is expected during winter. It could be anywhere between
$100 - $200 /month for the house.
5. If you like the house
and the deal, ask your seniors with whom you are staying and make sure that
anyone of them is there while signing the lease. Lease is usually, signed for
nine months or a year. Check all the conditions in lease like security
deposit, refund of the deposit etc.
6. Once you decide on the house you will be staying in, start calling Niagara
Mohawk -1-800-932-0301 (for electricity), National Fuel - 716-686-6123 (for
Gas) and AT & T or MCI or Verizon (whichever gives better deal) for the
basic utilities.
7. Getting these
connections may take 2-3 days.
More about phone connections... Verizon provides you service for the local
calls. It is always advantageous to take flat rate options service rather
than taking limited number of calls service. AT&T or MCI will provide
service for your long distance (within USA) and international calls
(including India). Call both MCI and AT&T and
discuss the deals they are offering and choose best of them. Check for the
service charges apart from the basic rate/minute. Take call organizer service
as it becomes easier to divide bills between your housemates.
Opening a bank
account:
You can open a bank
account at HSBC (at the junction of Kenmore & Englewood) or at M&T
Bank (near Tops) which is very close to South Campus. It takes 15-20 minutes
to open an account. Take your passport and I-20 with you. Open a checking
account. Deposit all the traveler's checks and cash you have brought with
you. You will get a debit card from bank, which can be used to withdraw or
deposit money from ATM (Automatic Teller Machine).
IMPORTANT
Things to be done
at university on the first day:
0. Get your SUNY UB card.
Go to the UB Card office at the UB Mart in The Commons building in North
Campus. The fee for the card is $20. This can also be done in South Campus
(Harriman Hall) on particular days. Check it out. You can get your photo
taken and get the card will be issued immediately.
1. Swipe into any of the
CIT centers (Capen, Lockwood in North, Diefendorf in South) and get your
email ID and password. This is important for finding a job and getting email
access.
2. Those who are in Engineering School will get separate eng account
after basic acsu account. This account can be activated at Bell Hall room
number 101.
3. Make your resume as
soon as possible. Resume format that is required here, is quiet different
than that in India. You can print number of copies
it in any CIT computing center. Do not waste money copying at the copy
machines.
4. During Orientation do
not forget to apply for your social security number.
5. Try to register the
courses you want to take as soon as possible, as many times courses get full
and you may lose good courses. You can visit the website and see the
available courses in your department. You can register for courses online.
Initially you can register maximum of 18 credit hrs. So register for as many
as you can. Later on you can attend classes and choose between the courses.
You usually have some 3 weeks time for this.
Food :
Those who are non-veg
should not have much problem finding the food on campus or off campus. You
can get good food at Burger King and other cafeterias on campus. Keep 5-10$
with you on the first day.
Those who are Veggie's can get Veggie Whopper at Burger King or plain fried
rice at Young Chow (Chinese Restaurant)
Finding Job or
Assistantship:
To earn $$$ while you
study there are two ways.
a. You can do part time
job which pays between 5-8$ per hr. This job can be in library, computer lab
etc.
b. You can get
assistantship from your department which will be either TA or RA .You can
also get assistantship from other departments or administrative offices which
are called GA (Graduate Assistantship) which covers your tuition and you will
stipend depending on your position (it varies from 600-1000$ per
month).Initially your goal should be to get funding from the department
itself. If that seems not possible then you may try to find graduate
assistantship and job.
0. As mentioned above
first thing you should do is to get your resume attractive. As most of the
jobs (for engineering students) are in computers try to show good computer
skills (as a lab assistant skills means knowing windows and MS Office).
1. You can get GA in
administrative offices and technical centers
2. You can do job as a
computer lab assistant or in libraries. Try to visit as many offices as
possible and submit your resume to them. Do not forget to apply on South
Campus. There are many jobs on South Campus also.
3. You cannot work off
campus during the first year of your study.
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