|
|
|||||||||||||
|
BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE TO THE U.S. Before you leave your home country, you need to take the following into consideration when making your preparations to travel to the United States.
When should you arrive in the U.S. How much money should you bring
When should you arrive in the U.S. You should plan to arrive at LSU by no later than the program start date indicated on your I-20/DS-2019 (Item #5 on your I-20 or Item #3 on your DS-2019). U.S. Immigration does allow you to enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the program start date listed on your I-20/DS-2019. International Services (IS) recommends that you arrive only a few days before the program start date on your I-20/DS-2019 due to limited temporary housing. You must arrive before the last date to enroll (noted in the Remarks section of your I-20). If you arrive later than the last date to enroll, you will not be able to register for classes, and you will be out of lawful immigration status. U.S. Immigration will expect you to return home immediately if you are unable to register for classes. IS does not need a copy of your travel itinerary. (If you make arrangements with the International Cultural Center for airport pickup, they will need your itinerary.) However, if you anticipate delays and expect to arrive later than the program start date, please notify IS by e-mail isodoc@lsu.edu. If you find out that you cannot arrive before the date noted on your I-20 as the last date to enroll please contact the LSU Admissions Office to update your admission to the next available semester. If your plans change and you will not be coming to LSU at all, please notify us and return your I-20/DS-2019 to our office by mail.
Once you have received your visa, you can make your airline reservations. There are no direct flights from your country to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so you will need to fly into a large airport in the United States (your port of entry) and then take another flight from there to Baton Rouge. You will want to make sure that you have plenty of time between your arrival and your connecting flight to Baton Rouge. Many intercontinental flights arrive with considerable delays, and immigration and security procedures may take a long time for people arriving from other countries. You should have at least 3-4 hours of time between flights.
What to pack in your suitcases There are many things to think about and include on your packing list. You will have to think very carefully about the things you want to bring. For more information, go to http://www.educationusa.info/pages/students/travel.php and click on “What to Bring.” Baton Rouge is in a subtropical climate, which means it is hot and humid most of the year. Temperatures can reach as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius) or higher in summer. Winters are short and mild, but it does get cool in the winter and may even freeze on occasion. It is a good idea to have a lightweight jacket or sweater handy even during the summer because often you will find that offices, the library and restaurants at the university are kept very cold by air conditioning. Linens, lightweight cottons and lightweight sweaters are some of the best items to pack. It rains a lot in Baton Rouge, so bringing an umbrella and a pair of waterproof shoes is a very good idea.
How much money should you bring There are very few banks that exchange foreign money in Baton Rouge, so it probably is best to exchange money in your home country to U.S. dollars. You will need some money in cash on your journey (about $300), but it is not a good idea to bring all your money in cash. You can bring a credit card or a pre-paid debit card. (Pre-paid debit cards are a type of prepaid card issued by financial institutions for use at retailers that accept debit or credit cards. Some may be used to obtain cash at ATMs and can be useful as substitutes for traveler’s checks.) We recommend that you research your “other than cash” options online and see what will suit your needs best. Remember that you will have many things to pay for during the first few weeks, such as deposits for your apartment, utilities (electricity and gas), and telephone. You will need some furniture, and you will have to eat. Books and school supplies, which you will be required to buy, are expensive. Be advised that even if you have a sponsor, it will take time until you receive your first check. If you were offered an assistantship, you will receive your first check from LSU a month or more after classes start. You may be able to send money to the University before you arrive. For information regarding this, you should e-mail the Office of Bursar Operations’ at bursar@lsu.edu. The Bursar’s Office has different payment options listed on there website at http://www.fas.lsu.edu/AcctServices/bur/ (click on “Important Registration Information”). You should e-mail them if you have any further questions.
The United States has a private health-care system, which means that health care is a business and you are expected to pay for a doctor’s visit or a stay in the hospital immediately. The health-care organizations in your own country usually do not pay for illnesses that you may have abroad. This is why Louisiana State University requires all international students to acquire health insurance while they are enrolled. There may be insurance companies in your country from whom you can buy health insurance while you are in the United States. Please be advised that health care in the U.S. is very expensive, so the more coverage for illnesses you have, the better it will be. LSU requires you to buy insurance that will cover at least $50,000 per accident per year for J-1 students or at least $100,000 (aggregate) per year for F-1 students. The insurance policy also must pay for the expenses to repatriate a body, which means that the insurance has to pay for the transport of a deceased person to his or her home country. In case of a serious illness, the insurance must also pay for your transport home if it becomes necessary. Sometimes your sponsor will cover your insurance needs. Please refer to the ISO Web site for complete details on insurance requirements at LSU. Please note: You will be required to show that you have your own insurance or you will be charged for the LSU insurance when you arrive here. If you have any questions regarding health insurance, please contact International Services. If you cannot find a company in your home country that will provide health insurance for you while you are in the U.S., you will have to buy health insurance here. In fact, most international students do this. LSU offers a health insurance plan. The university is required by immigration authorities to make sure that you comply with these insurance regulations. There are no exceptions to this requirement! Regardless of whether you have your own insurance or buy an insurance plan in the United States, it is a good idea to bring a credit card (or pre-paid debit card) to take care of emergency expenses. American doctors and hospitals do not deal with foreign insurance companies directly and will hold you responsible for paying the bills, which the insurance company in your country often reimburses directly to you. American insurance companies do not cover the entire cost of a doctor’s visit or medications. You will be responsible for making a co-payment directly at the doctor’s office or pharmacy.
You should have received (with your LSU admission letter) an Immunization Compliance Form in which you have to show that you are vaccinated against certain diseases. Without a completed Immunization Form that verifies immunization compliance, you will not be allowed to register for classes. This will affect your lawful immigration status. Please make sure that you fill out the form and have all the required immunizations. You may need to talk to your doctor at home about what you need to do. The Immunization Compliance Form should be returned to the LSU Student Health Center. Please direct your questions about the immunization form or requirements to the Student Health Center.
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
