First 5 Things To Do As International Students In USA

You have got the coveted entry into the US and now are looking forward to starting up your day in college. Yes, you are here to study, learn and have fun, but there are few important things that one must get over with as soon as you land in USA.

1) Get you SSN (Social Security Number): You would soon realise that nothing works in US, without your social in place. So first things first get hold of your senior/local guardian/college buddy and get your social from the SSN office.

2) Bank Account: You would have plenty of choices to open a student’s bank account. The best suggestion is to open the account at the nearest bank available. For most of the students it would be bank on campus. Yes, you would have two accounts opened one saving and a checking account. Checking account is meant for paying out your daily and monthly expenses, while saving as the name suggests, is the place where you keep your excess money. (Trust us, being a student you would never be in the surplus cash situation).

3) Buy a Mobile SIM: Well your International number is working but it would start costing in a while. Now before you get over with your limited period call time, get hold of a local mobile number and choose your plan with care. Your new SSN and your bank account would be handy now.

4) Acquaint yourself with the city: You would be taken around your college and in some time you would be familiar with it. It is important to know the city where you live. Move around and know various places to hang around. Now is the time you would realise, looking at the distances in US and not so good public transport system, that you need a car!!

5) Get a Credit Card: Well it is very important in US to have a credit history and for that you need to have a credit card. You have to get it period. For all your expenses use the credit card and pay off the dues regularly. To start off you might get a low credit card spending limit, doesn’t matter, and just grab it.

We would recommend, students to get a good health cover, after going through various options available. Health insurance is must but with good research you may end up saving lot of money. Oh yes! You would realise that dental and vision insurance are separate, even though they are part of your body. That’s US insurance for you.

You would have many such awakenings, but all would be worth it.

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