Complete List of Things to Carry to USA For Students

I have a created list of things to carry to the USA for students (F1, J1 and M Visa) who are traveling for the first time.

I have been here in the United States for over 13 years, and had traveled several times from the U.S. to India and from India back here. Not to mentions my visit to 41 U.S. states and 6 countries in Europe.

In our recent trip to India (and back to USA), we took 8 suitcases, one stroller, and 3 carry-on bags. I used my experience over the years to create this list of things for students flying to USA.

I did researched on the list of items to carry from different Indian Students Associations’ websites, but it’s not updated to clearly say what things to buy in the U.S. and while still preparing in India.

If you have specific questions about items not listed here, write a comment in this article and I will update the list.

List of Items to Pack to USA

Dress/Clothes
Jeans	4	India
T-Shirts	10+	India
Shirt – Casual	4	India	I like T-shirts more than shirts. So, less number of shirts.
Shirt – Formal	2	India
Coat and Suit – Formal	1	India	Coat and Suit are expensive in the U.S. compared to India
Shorts/ 3/4ths	5	India
Pants	4	India	I don’t like to wear pants. I will go with Jeans
Belts	2	India	Leather is expensive in the U.S.
Formal Shoes	1 Pair	India
Winter Wear		U.S.	Don’t buy winter wear in India. Sweater, Jackets, etc. are cheap when on sale.
Leather Jacket			Prefer winter jacket over leather. Jackets – $20 to $75
Sports Shoes +  Socks	1 Pair + few more	U.S.	Nike, Adidas, Rebook…are cheap. I got Adidas for $18; Socks are very cheap.
Sandals	1 Pair	India	It’s cheap here, but you will need it when you reach here.
Wallet	1	India	Get a new one before you travel
Personal Care
Hangers	No	U.S.	Don’t water your suitcase weight carrying hangers. You can get 13 Hangers for $1 from Walmart
Tooth Brush	2	India
Shaving Kit	1	India	Bring what you are using now
After Shave	1	India	Bring what you are using now, if not buy when you arrive
Soap	1	U.S.	One soap to use in the first few days.
Wash Detergent		U.S.	Please don’t carry detergents from India. You are wasting your space/weight.
Combs	1 or 2	India
Hair Oil	50 to 200ml	India	Pack it well, so it doesn’t leak.
Nail cutter	1	India	Pack in Check-In Bag
Small scissors	1	India	Pack in Check-In Bag
Safety pins, Sewing kit	No		I had never used it nor did my friends.
Shampoo	No	USA	Get it in the U.S. Avoid any cosmetics product. They’re cheap there and saves weight.
Towels	2-3	India	1 – Thick cotton towels. 2 towels light in weight.
Napkin/Hand Kerchiefs	6-10	India	Depending on your need.
Perfume – Deodorant	1	India	You can get it here for cheap after you run out.
Tooth Paste	1	India	Get small one. Same brands (Colgate, Close-up, etc.) are available, but have different taste.
Mirror	Yes	India	You can carry a small mirror.
Razor Blades	Few	USA	Shaving kit is cheap.
Blanket	2	India	1 – Bed Spread. Get Comforter or Plush blankets in the U.S. ($20)
Pillow		U.S.	Pillow costs $4 each at Walmart
Songs CD	No		You can download songs here, don’t add unnecessary additional weight.
Back Pack	Yes	India	To carry books and on trips.
Alarm Clock	Yes/No		If you are bringing your cell phone, you will not need one.
Cell Phone	Yes		Cell Phone Buying Guide.
Pen, Pencil, Glue, Cello Tape	Few		Get some pen, pencil, highlighter, but you can find them in plenty here.
Calculator	No		Scientific calculators look different in the U.S.
Kitchen/Cooking
Pressure Cooker	1 (3 to 7 liters)	India	Don’t forget to bring pressure cooker, also get extra weight, valve.
Indian Masala/Spices		India	Try to get as much as possible. Masala items are available, but doesn’t give same taste as your mom’s cooking.
Rice, Dhal, etc.		U.S.	Don’t carry any rice or other dhal items. They’re available here in Indian stores.
Frying Pans			You can get one or 2 pans that are light in weight. A set of pan costs $30.
Serrated Knife	1	US/India	Knife isn’t cheap in the U.S. Get a small one.
Spoon, Fork		U.S.	Spoons, forks are cheap
Vegetable Cutting Board		U.S.	It’s additional weight.
Cups and Bowls		U.S.	Get one or 2 small bowls, but not many.
Plates		U.S.	Plates will be used in a microwave. You can bring 1 plate, but don’t bring more than one.
Peeler		U.S.
Instant Food Packets (Noodles)	Few	India	Carry a few packets of instant food items, that will come in handy for your first few days until you get settled in your own apartment.
Elachi, Clove, Cinnamon,	Few	India	Available in Indian grocery stores in the U.S.
Garam Masala	Small pack	India	Available in Indian grocery store in the U.S.
Chilli Powder	1-2 kgs	India	Available in Indian grocery stores in the U.S.
Medical Files/Medicines
Fever/Cold Tablets	20 to 30 tablets	India	Tylenol for fever costs about $4. You can buy in any pharmacy or Walmart.
Eyeglasses/Contact Lens	2 Pairs	India	Eyeglasses are very expensive here. With an Eye Insurance, I paid $225 for one pair of eyeglasses. The same would have cost Rs4,000 in India. So if you do wear glasses, make sure you get at least 2 additional pairs.

Please don’t not pack the following items while flying to America. You will just be wasting your precious luggage space because you can readily get those things here.

• Tamarind Paste
• Glass (Big mirror)
• Dal and Flours
• Pencil Box
• Ink Pen
• Heavy Winter Jackets
• Plain Rice
• Lots of Books

USA Flight Baggage Allowance

The following will be the usual baggage allowance in flights to the U.S.A.

• Two Suitcases for check-in. Each 50 lbs (or 23 kgs)
• 1 Carry On Cabin Bag (8 kgs)
• 1 Personal Item (Laptop Bag or Purse)

In certain airlines, students with I-20 visas are allowed to check-in 3 suitcases each weighing 23 kgs. It might be worth paying a bit extra in ticket cost if certain airlines allow 3 suitcases. So, check the baggage allowance and shop items as per allowed weight.

FOREX Travel Cards offered by Banks in India

This document is for people who do not want to carry a large amount of cash with them or want to avoid the hassles of carrying with them loads of travelers cheques.

Most Indian banks do offer some kind of prepaid foreign exchange/ foreign currency/ travel card. These cards are very different from the traditional International ATM-cum-Debit Cards. Firstly, you cannot use the FOREX Cards here in India (or in Nepal or Bhutan). Secondly, these cards transact in Foreign Currency, US Dollars, in our case. So, inherently, you are insulated from fluctuations in conversion rates. You will spend Dollars at the rate you buy the dollars, not at the rate of the day!

Also, in the case of Traditional Debit-cum-ATM cards, the overseas ATM transactions and swiping at merchant locations will incur an exorbitant fee, in addition to the conversion rate of the day. Not the case, if you are using a FOREX Card.

These cards are also a good method to get money from home during your stay in the US. They are better, in most cases, than a wire transfer, because :
Wire transfers generally take upto 1 week (more in some cases) to complete. Card loading can be completed in a matter of minutes (Can take a max of a couple of hours).
Wire Transfers typically attract a charge from both participating banks , which together can be as high as $8-$25, depending on the 2 banks.
Note: POS = Point-of-Sale in the following discussions. It refers to any merchant location/outlet that accepts your card (swiping) for payments for products and services.

Note: As per RBI regulations, an Indian citizen going abroad for a general visit cannot take more than $10,000 in a year with him abroad in paper/plastic money (cards). But, the rule is different for educational trips. As per FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) regulation, a student going abroad for education may be sent a maximum of $1,00,000 or equivalent during the financial year. Make sure that the card you choose from below is compliant with FEMA regulations and will allow you to carry more than $10,000 in a year.

Note: In the following discussion, Cross-currency charge means the additional charge that will be levied in case you make transactions in a currency different from USD (for example, EUR, CAD, AUD, INR….). This charge is in addition to the conversion rate of the day.

Note: Most of the cards below will attract a charge for ATM withdrawals abroad. Also, there is a daily withdrawal limit for the ATM Cash withdrawals for most cards. In that case, you might want to reconsider if you want to take out humongous amounts of money.

Suppose I wanted to withdraw an entire semster's tuition fee from an ATM- NOT a good idea!
For Example, BofA can dispense a max of 40 bills in one transaction. And the highest denomination is a $20 bill. So, in one go, you can withdraw upto $800. You might have to repeat it ~15-16 times if you want to take out money for 1 sem! I would prefer using this card for a regular usage, where I will not need to take out more than 500$, for example taking money out for rent and so on...

Note: Most of these cards are issued on the spot. Typical documentation includes (a) Passport/Visa Copy (b) PAN Card © Travel Ticket (d) Form A2 (If you need to load more than $5000)

Note: In order to load cash onto the card, either you or your authorized representative will have to visit the branch personally and make the request. Make sure you get appropriate forms from the banks and authorize your parents/sponsor. Also, confirm with your bank if they allow you to load the card through your existing account with the bank through internet Banking. It will be convenient for your parents/sponsor to load your card.

Note: All these cards come with the facility of checking the balance online, so do not waste your money by checking your account balance at an ATM- Even checking the balance is chargeable. Also note, the cards are not associated with an operative account, so you cannot do funds transfer from this card! (No NEFT, RTGS, SWIFT transfers). You can buy stuff online through payment gateways though.

This document lists some of the more popular choices in no particular order.

IDBI BANK
------------
(World Currency Card- VISA, Debit)
Initial Card Fee: $3.00
Reload Fee: $2.00
Replacement Fee: $2.00 (to be collected from branch, shipping and handling additional if it is to be sent home)
ATM Cash Withdrawal: $1.50 per withdrawal
Charges for swiping at POS: NIL
Cross Currency-charges : 3.00 %
URL: IDBI FOREX
Availability: Nearest IDBI Branch
Daily ATM Withdrawal limit: $20,000 (Check before you buy)

AXIS BANK
-------------
(Travel Currency Card - VISA, Debit)
Initial Card Fee: INR 150+ 16 (Tax) = Rs. 166
Reload Fee: INR 100+Taxes
Replacement Fee: INR 100+Taxes (to be collected from branch, shipping and handling additional if it is to be sent home)
ATM Cash Withdrawal: $2.00 per transaction
Charges for swiping at POS: NIL
Cross Currency-charges : 3%
URL: AXIS FOREX
Availability: Nearest Axis Bank Branch
Daily ATM Withdrawal limit: $10,000 (Check before you buy)
Minimum Balance : $0.00
(You or ur sponsor need to have an account in AXIS Bank for reloading the card)


ICICI BANK
--------------
(Travel Card - VISA/MasterCard, Debit)
Initial Card Fee: INR 150+ 15 (tax) = Rs. 165
Reload Fee: INR 100+Taxes
Replacement Fee: $2 (if replacement to be collected in India, $20, if in the US)
ATM Cash Withdrawal: $1.50
Charges for swiping at POS: NIL
Cross Currency-charges : 3.50%
URL: ICICI FOREX
Availability: Select ICICI Branches. Check Website.
Daily ATM Withdrawal limit: $2,000 (Check before you buy)
Minimum Initial Amount = $200
(You or ur sponsor may not have an account in ICICI Bank for reloading the cards)

STATE BANK OF INDIA
-------------------------
(Prepaid Vishwa Yatra Foreign Currency Card - VISA, Debit)
Initial Card Fee: INR 110
Reload Fee: INR 55
Replacement Fee: $5 (if replacement to be collected in India, $25, if in the US)
ATM Cash Withdrawal: $1.75
Charges for swiping at POS: NIL
Cross Currency-charges : 3.00%
URL: SBI FOREX
Availability: Select SBI Branches
Daily ATM Withdrawal limit: $1,000 (Check before you buy)
(You or ur sponsor need to have an account in SBI Bank for reloading the card)


STANDARD CHARTERED
---------------------------
(Prepaid Smart Travel Card - VISA/MasterCard/AMEX, Debit)
Initial Card Fee: INR 250
Reload Fee: INR 100
Replacement Fee: INR 400 (if replacement to be collected in India, $25, if in the US)
ATM Cash Withdrawal: FREE*
Charges for swiping at POS: NIL
Cross Currency-charges : 3.50%
URL: STANDARD FOREX
Availability: Nearest Standard Chartered Branch
Daily ATM Withdrawal limit: Unlimited

*Note: For Standard Chartered Smart Travel Card holders, there is a facility of free ATM Withdrawals depending on the amount you have loaded on the card. Refer the table below for details:
Loaded amount No. of Free ATM Withdrawals
---------------- --------------------------------
<$500 0 (No Free withdrawals. Withdrawals will be charges at $1.75)
$1000 2
$5000 8
$7500 Unlimited (You can treat it as locally issued card in the US!)



HDFC BANK
------------
(HDFC Forex Plus Card - VISA/MasterCard, Debit)
Initial Card Fee: INR 125
Reload Fee: INR 75
Replacement Fee: Initial Card Fee is inclusive of a secondary "Add-on" card, which will be activated if your primary card gets lost or stolen..
ATM Cash Withdrawal: $2.00
Charges for swiping at POS: NIL
Cross Currency-charges : 3.00%
URL: HDFC FOREX
Availability: Nearest HDFC Branch
Daily ATM Withdrawal limit: Unlimited
(You or ur sponsor may not have an account in HDFC Bank for reloading the card. However, the other bank account transfers can take upto 2 days to reload the card.)


CITIBANK
------------
(Citibank World Money Card - VISA/MasterCard, Credit)
Initial Card Fee: Waived until December 2011 (Normally $7)
Reload Fee: Waived until December 2011 (Normally $4)
Replacement Fee: Contact branch once card is lost/stolen
ATM Cash Withdrawal: $1.75
Charges for swiping at POS: NIL
Cross Currency-charges : 3.00%
URL: CITI FOREX
Availability: Very few Citibank Branches, You will have to go to Money Changers for this. 
Daily ATM Withdrawal limit: Unlimited

Download this Spreadsheet for more info.

Which Card to Choose and How? 
You may want to consider the following:
1. Which bank offers the cheapest deal?
2. Which bank is located closest to your parents/sponsor's residence?
3. What is your usage pattern? Are you planning to take out large/smnall amounts?
4. Visa or Mastercard? -Visa is more popular/widely accepted in the US, generally. Varies with area.

Card Safety:
Some simple tips:
1. When in an ATM, hide the keypad. However generous you are, others don't need to know your password/ the amount of money you have. If you haven't already, learn the art of being discreet :p
2. Don't share your card/PIN.
3. Don't share the Card's web access.
4. Check balances online frequently to locate frauds and take action.
5. If you are using Visa, see if the card has "Verified by Visa". VbV is a protection scheme where you will be asked a password in addition to the standard details in case of online transactions. Similar scheme called "SecureCode" for MasterCard.
6. Take good care of your card- It is after all, plastic money!
7. Report the loss.theft of call IMMEDIATELY to the number provided by the bank and request for hotlisting/ blocking the card. If you don't then the bank will not be responsible for protecting you against fraud/misuse of the card!

Scholarships for Indian students applying abroad for graduate studies

If you happen to be an Indian student seeking opportunities to study abroad, then you’ll be pleased to know that international scholarships for Indian students are offered by an ever-growing number of governments, organizations and specific universities. Below is a diverse selection of international scholarships on offer to Indian students, divided by funding type and desired place of study. 

(Click on the name of the scholarship to apply and know more)

To study anywhere:

British Council IELTS Scholarship Award for Indian Students – international scholarships funded by the British Council exclusively for Indian students who have taken a recent IELTS test with the BritishCouncil. Open to students of all levels studying outside of India.

Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation scholarships–scholarships for Indian students to study abroadin North America or Europe. Applicants must be under 30 and reside in India at the time of application. For undergraduate and postgraduate study. Other restrictions apply.

To study in the US:

Asian Women in Business Scholarship Fund– offering female Asian students the chance to receive funding for an undergraduate business degree taken at an accredited US university.

Fulbright-Nehru Research Fellowships– offering funding to outstanding Indian students wishing to pursue study at any level within an accredited US institution. See individual scholarships for specific criteria.

S.N. Bose Scholars Student Exchange Program for Indian Students– opportunities for Indian researchers at master’s level or higher to study a selected program in the field of science and technology at a university in the US.

Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowships for Indian students– scholarships for Indian students to study at Stanford Graduate Schoolof Business on the MBA program. To be eligible students must return to India within two years of completing their studies.

To study in Asia:

Aichi Scholarship Program for Asian Students in Japan– various scholarships for Indian students studying at graduate level in Aichi Prefectural government-approved manufacturing programs inJapan.

DST A*STAR Call for Singapore-India Joint Research Grants– grants for Indian researchers within the fields of science and technology to study in Singapore. Sponsored by the Indian government and A*Star Singapore.

Hinrich Full MA Scholarship in International Journalism at HKBU– open to citizens from India, Myanmar and Vietnam, offering scholarships to study the Masters of Arts in International Journalism program at Hong Kong Baptist University in Hong Kong.

HM King’s and HM Queen’s Scholarships for Asian Students in Thailand– Thai government scholarships for Indian citizens to study in Thailand at master’s level within engineering and technology, management or environment and development at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).

Silk-Road Scholarship Program at Seoul National University– scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in South Korea at Seoul National University, on graduate-level humanities or social science programs.

Zhejiang University Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program– international scholarships for Indian students undertaking a two-year English-taught master’s degree in public administration at Zhejiang University.

To study in Australia:

University of Adelaide Ashok Khurana Scholarship for Indian Students– scholarships for Indians undertaking postgraduate study in selectedfields at the University of Adelaide.

University of Queensland India-Australia BEL Excellence Scholarship–full-tuition international scholarships for Indian students studying at master’s level within the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Queensland in Australia.

University of Queensland Postgraduate Coursework Scholarships– another set of scholarships from the University of Queensland, this fund is open to students from India or Latin America to undertake coursework-based postgraduate study in biology-related subjects.

To study in New Zealand:

India New Zealand Sports Cooperation Scholarships (INZSS)– New Zealand government scholarships for Indian students to study abroadin New Zealand on any degree-level sport- related program at participating universities and institutes.

To study in Europe:

France

Alcatel-Lucent: HEC Paris Scholarshipfor Global Leadership Potential– opportunity for Indian, Brazilian, Chinese and Russian students to gain funding to study a master’s degree atHEC Paris.
GDF Suez/MEEA Scholarships– on offer to citizens of India, Lebanon, Chile and Brazil pursuing master’s level study at the École Polytechnique in Paris.

Spain

INSEAD Louis Vuitton MBA Scholarship for Indian and Chinese Students– a scholarship for nationals of China and India, who have been accepted into the INSEAD Business School MBA program.
Netherlands

Dr. Ursula Glunk Scholarship for Master Students at Maastricht University– international scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in the Netherlands at Maastricht University. Open to students admitted to the master’s program in media culture.

UK

Birkbeck University International Office Merit Scholarships– open to students from India, Vietnam and Thailand to undertake a one-year master’s degree at Birkbeck University in London.

British Council GREAT scholarships for Indian Students– a number ofscholarships for Indian students to study abroad in the UK.

Cardiff Business School India Scholarships– scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in the UK at Cardiff Business School. Eligible candidates are those studying any taught postgraduate program.

Heriot Watt SML International Merit Scholarships for Indian Students– open to Indian students at postgraduate level studying at Heriot Watt University in the UK on a taught program within the School of Management and Language.

Imperial College India Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships– scholarships for Indian students studying at Imperial College London, providing funding for master’s or PhD studies in selected programs.

King’s College London Emerald MSc Studentship– full studentship offered to master’s students from India, Nepal, Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa to pursue further study in the field of global mental health at King’s College London (KCL).

King’s College London PhD Studentships for Indian Students– King’s College London (KCL) offers two fully funded studentships to Indian students studying for PhDs in the field of modern Indian intellectual history or history of ideas at KCL.

London Metropolitan University Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship for Indians– a single, merit-based scholarship open to Indian students undertaking study at master’s level at London Metropolitan University.

LSE India Scholarships for Master Students– offering up to 40 scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in the UK at the London School of Economics. Open to master’s degree students, awarded based on financial need.

Ms. Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship at St. Antony’s College– Indian government fellowship offered to Indian students pursuing study at the University of Oxford’s St. Antony’s College in the field of history, economics and political science. Only available to high-achieving postgraduate research students.

Newcastle University Undergraduate India Scholarships– two undergraduate scholarships for Indian students studying at Newcastle University in the UK within selected faculties.

Oxford and Cambridge Society of India (OCSI) Scholarships– open to Indian students at any degree level to study at Oxford University or theUniversity of Cambridge in the UK.

Saltire Scholarships – scholarships for students from Canada,  the US, India and China to study in Scotland at any degree level.

Sir Ratan Tata Fellowships for South Asian Students at LSE– scholarships for social science students from South Asia to study at the London School of Economics (LSE) in the UK within the LSE Asia Research Centre (ARC).

Sussex India Scholarships for Master’s Students– offering opportunities to gain funding at the University of Sussex in the UK for Indian students at master’s degree level.

UCD Global Graduate Scholarships for Indian Students in Ireland– funding opportunities for Indian students at graduate level studying atUniversity College Dublin in Ireland.

University of Aberdeen Indian Master Scholarships– offering 20 scholarships for Indian students to study a master’s degree at the University of Aberdeen Graduate Business School in Scotland. Not open to MBA candidates.

University of Bournemouth Business School Dean’s Scholarships for Masters Students– scholarships for international students to study a taught master’s program at Bournemouth University in the UK. Indian,Chinese and South Korean students are eligible for a 25% award.

University of Dundee Rio Tinto Fully Funded Postgraduate Scholarships– offering various postgraduate scholarships to international students studying at Scotland’s University of Dundee.

University of Edinburgh Principal’s Indian Masters Scholarships– 12 scholarships available to Indian students studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland at master’s level.

University of Oxford Felix Scholarships for Indian Students– graduate-level funding opportunities for Indian students studying at the UK’s University of Oxford.

University of Sheffield Vice Chancellor’s Indian Scholarships– offering10 scholarships for Indian students undertaking PhD research at the University of Sheffield in the UK.

University of Southampton LLM International Scholarships– international scholarships to study law at postgraduate level at the UK’s University of Southampton. Open to citizens of India, Turkey, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Canada.University of Warwick Law School Postgraduate Taught Scholarships– scholarships for Indian students studying any taught law program at the University of Warwick.

UWE Undergraduate Excellence Scholarships– UWE Bristol University in the UK is offering undergraduate scholarships for Indian, Nepalese and Pakistani students.

Westminster International Partnership Scholarships– scholarships for Indian students and other international students at all degree levels studying at the University of Westminster.

Ireland

DCU International Student Scholarships for Indian Students in Ireland– offering scholarships to study abroad in the UK at Dublin City University in Ireland. Open to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate Indian students.

WIT Indian ‘Wicket Scholarship’– offering a scholarship to one Indian student annually to undertake study at Ireland’s Waterford Institute of Technology. Open to undergraduate and master’s degree students.

Credits - topuniversities