Incoming Students
Please send an email to sangam-webmaster[at]mit[dot]edu so that we can add you to our mail list and keep you informed about the event we organize for freshers every year.
The best way to reach MIT is by taking a flight to the Logan International Airport, Boston. MIT, Cambridge is about 25 minutes from the Logan Airport. Graduate Student Council in association with Sangam and CSSA provides for Free Logan Airport Shuttle from August 19, 2007 to August 26, 2007. Please sign up before August 5, 2007 if you would like to use this service. If you are arriving earlier than August 19 and would like someone to receive you at the airport, then send us an email at sangam[at]mit[dot]edu.
In case you take a cab, it would cost you about $30.
Please ensure that your passport will be valid for the period of your stay here. Always carry your passport, VISA and I-20 on your person or in your cabin luggage. When entering the US , you will be given the I-94 form (which keeps your arrival and departure record). You should always keep this form with your passport (it is a good idea to staple it to your passport). If you are coming from India and plan to call home from a public place, you should consider buying an international calling card (e.g. www.9278.com). International calling rates from public places (e.g. airports/hotels/etc.) are extremely high. You can, of course, purchase good calling cards upon reaching MIT.
Applying for a visa
Disclaimer: Visa regulations are subject to change. These notes are only meant to serve as guidelines, and are current as of July 2004. Use them at your own risk! For more up-to-date information or further details, speak to a counselor at a US consulate, or consult US government websites.
US Consulates General by default require interviews.
Get the following things ready:
- I-20 original (signed)- The start date on your I-20, usually in August or September. The earliest you can apply for a visa is 90 days before that date, not before. Count 90 days, not three months.
- Letter from univ offering admission and financial aid (original)
- Passport
- Two standard Indian passport-sized photographs - Two US visa-sized photographs (37x37 mm, color, light background, no head coverings etc; most photo studios know what to do when you say US visa. They might charge you more though!)
- Two demand drafts for the amounts shown on the visa webpage. Nationalized or foreign banks only. SBI is fine.
- GRE & TOEFL originals.
- Latest original grade card (usually 7th sem)
- For financial support:
- If your sponsor is in India you will need the following documents:
- Sponsor’s bank account statement showing funds for the 1st year of study covering expenses shown on the I-20.
- Affidavit of support on stamped paper and notarized from your sponsor for the entire duration of stay in the US
- Verification of financial resources by Certified Chartered Accountant
- Salary statement
- If the sponsor is in the US the following documents must be provided:
- I-134 (available at INS offices in the US )
- Bank account statement of your sponsor
- Salary statement
- If the sponsor is outside India & US the following documents have to be submitted:
- Affidavit of support of your sponsor
- Bank account statement of your sponsor showing funds for the entire period of study
- Salary statement
Be relaxed about the interview. Mostly, they look at your financial aid letter from the university and the amounts listed on your I20. Usually they won’t look beyond that. For more information and latest info about the application process and forms visit VISA page.
Housing at MIT
Before reaching MIT, you will have to make arrangements for permanent accomodation. For tips and information on how to apply for on-campus housing lottery - http://web.mit.edu/housing/grad/. In case you are interested in living off-campus visit webpage http://web.mit.edu/housing/och/
Academics
Most of the information about course requirements and courses is readily available on individual department websites. You should browse through the website of your program and find out information about courses that interest you. Text books are very expensive out here. Graduate students should bring along important text books or reference books they used during their undergraduate studies. For engineering graduate students, knowledge of a programming language and MATLAB is useful (though you can easily pick it up once you get here).
Things to bring along
Presented below is a comprehensive list of things you should bring to MIT from India . Please note that almost all the items mentioned below are readily available in MIT - i.e. this is not a list of must haves
. However, the list is prepared with a view of minimising your initial expenditure upon arriving in the US , and to provide a checklist to help students who might be leaving home for the first time.
Documents
- Remember to carry all important documents in a neatly arranged folder.
- Make 3 copies of the documents. Leave 1 copy at home in India and carry 2 copies with you.
- Preferably carry the originals (especially PASSPORT, I-20 LETTER etc.) on person (or in your cabin baggage) during travel as checked-in luggage is liable to get lost.
Checklist
- Passport (with stamped VISA)
- Form I-20 (Note: American citizens/Green card holders do not need the I-20 form)
- Correspondence regarding your admission to MIT
- Letter of Financial Aid (if present)
- Graduation diploma (if available)
- Transcripts/Mark-sheets of previously attended schools
- Any other bona-fide certificates / documents
Clothes
| Quantity | Clothing |
|---|
| 3 pairs | Jeans |
| 4 | Light T-shirts (summer wear) |
| 2 | Thick T-shirts (or sweatshirts) |
| 3 | Shorts |
| 1 | Cap |
| 1 pair | Sports shoes (sneakers) |
| 2 to 3 | Formal shirts & trousers / dresses (for presentations etc) |
| 1 | Formal blazer or suit (for interviews, etc.) |
| 1 pair | Formal leather shoes (carry shoe-polish too) |
| 2 to 3 | Neck-ties |
| 2 to 3 | Belts (formal and informal) |
| 1 | Light jacket for fall (temp. in beginning of Fall at Boston is about 7-100C) |
| 2 | Sweaters |
| 1 | Woollen Cap |
| 2 pairs | Thermal underwear (OPTIONAL) |
| 2 | Night dresses |
| 14 (!) pairs | Underwear (note: laundry normally done once in 2 weeks) |
| 8 pairs | Socks |
| 1 pair | Slippers/Sandals |
| 1 or 2 | Leather wallets (preferably with pockets for lots of plastic cards) |
| 1 or 2 | Traditional outfits (Kurta-Pyjamas/Sarees - for ethnic functions organized by Sangam) |
Toilet Kit
| Quantity | Item |
|---|
| 2 | Toothbrushes |
| 1 | Toothpaste |
| 1 | Talcum powder |
| 1 or 2 | Razors |
| 2 | Packets of shaving blades ( - expensive here !) |
| 1 | Shaving cream |
| 1 | After-shave lotion |
| 1 | Shampoo |
| 2 | Soaps |
| 1 | Deodorant/perfume |
| 1 | Bottle hair-oil |
| 1 | Comb |
| 1 | Nail cutter |
Miscellaneous items
| Quantity | Item |
|---|
| 1 | Umbrella (it rains often here) |
| 1 | Bag / backpack |
| 1 | Scientific Calculator (required for engineering students) |
| 1 | Stationery set (pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, staplers, cello-tape, etc.) |
| 1 | Can opener |
| 2 | Towels |
| 3 | Napkins |
| 1 | Sewing Kit (needles, thread, buttons, safety-pins, scissors, etc.) |
| 1 | Screwdriver |
| 1 | Watch |
| 1 | Alarm clock |
| 2 | Bed-sheets (large - beds here are slightly wider) |
| 1 | Pillow (if used) |
| 2 | Pillow covers (if pillow is used) |
| 1 | Blanket |
| 1 | Torch (OPTIONAL) |
| 1 | International Calling Card (OPTIONAL: Better calling cards are
available here, but may be useful for making a few initial calls,
esp. if you will be calling from a public place) |
| N.A. | Text books - all important ones in your field of study (expensive here) |
| N.A. | Religious idols, photos, CDs, cassettes, walkman, swimming trunks,
badminton/tennis/table-tennis racquets, musical instruments, etc.
(- you will have ample opportunity to pursue your hobbies here :-) ) |
Medical Kit
- Please carry prescriptions from your doctor for any chronic illness or medical condition.
- If you use spectacles/lenses, do carry an extra pair (- a new pair of glasses is very costly).
- It is also advisable to have an eye and dental check-up prior to coming to the US.
In addition to your prescription medicines, you might want to carry :
| Type | Examples |
|---|
| Fever reducers | Crocin |
| Pain Relievers | Brufen, Disprin |
| Anti-allergy, cough and cold medicines | Actifed, Coldarin |
| Band-aids (cotton and bandages) |
| Ointments for burns, cuts, etc. | Burnol, Soframycin |
| Medicine for diarrhoea, stomach ache | Lomotil, Pudin Hara |
| Pain relieving sprays/oitments | Iodex |
| Moisturising cream |
Utensils
Please note that if you know who you room-mates will be, it might be a good idea to share/distribute the utensils to be carried. Do carry a few recipe books if you are not familiar with cooking.
| Quantity | Item |
|---|
| 1 | Large frying pan (non-stick preferable) |
| 1 | Kadhai (for deep frying) |
| 1 | Cooker - 5 litre (also carry extra gaskets, whistles, safety valves, etc.) |
| 1 | Tea strainer |
| 1 | Strainer spoon for deep frying |
| 1 | Rolling pin set (OPTIONAL) |
| 3 | Kitchen knives (different sizes are useful) |
| 1 | Peeler |
| 1 | Holder (to move warm vessels) |
| 4 | Cooking spoons |
| 1 | Serving ladle |
| 2 | Wooden spatulas |
| - | Small PET bottles for salt, spices, etc. |
| 1 | Cutting board (wooden/plastic) |
| 4 | Dinner plates (preferably microwaveable) |
| 2 | Plastic bowls |
| 4 | Eating spoons (teaspoons) |
| 2 | Coffee mugs |
Food Items
Warning: The U.S. immigration and agriculture department strictly prohibits carrying food, meat, vegetables, fruits, seeds, etc. into the United States . Your baggage might be subject to a security check and inspection by sniffer-dogs at airport.
However, our experience at the Logan airport is that you are normally allowed to bring in food articles as long as they are carried in adequately sealed packets. At your risk and discretion, you may carry sealed packets of spices (red chilli powder, turmeric, jeera, garam masala, etc.).
Please note that all these items (and more) can be easily purchased at the nearby Indian grocery store.
For initial use you may want to carry:
| Quantity | Item |
|---|
| 1 kg | Rice |
| 1 kg | Dal |
| 1 packet | Coffee/Tea |
| 1 packet | Salt |
| 1 packet | Sugar |
- Meet your department secretary and inform him/her of your arrival.
- Go to the MIT card office and get your MIT-ID. Activate your computer/athena accounts.
- Go to ISO information session and get the things that need to be completed.
- Apply for your Social Security Number.
- Apply for a bank account.
- Register for classes.
- Recognising the different cultural backgrounds of international students, the ISO and GSC organize many orientations during the first few weeks of Fall (starting in end of August). You should check out their orientation schedule, and attend the events that interest you. This is a good way to learn about life in and make new friends.
- Sangam also organizes a party for the incoming student, it is a good platform to meet all Indian student around the campus.
For any further information, e-mail sangamitra at mit dot edu.
You have primarily two options for a physical bank - Bank of America and/or MIT Federal Credit Union.
Advantages of Bank of America:
- Dense ATM network across the United States, perhaps the largest network.
- They do currency exchange.
- They do money orders and cashiers checks.
Disadvantages of Bank of America:
- Depending on your account type, you may have to pay a monthly fee.
- The interest rates on savings and fixed deposits are usually lower than MIT FCU rates.
Disadvantages of MIT Federal Credit Union:
- Sparse ATM network, mostly in and around MIT. However, ATMs that are part of
the SUM network do not charge a fee when you use the MIT FCU card.
- They do not do currency exchanges, but you can go to Bank of America for this if you
want. Or go to AAA, Thomas Cook, or some other such service.
Advantages of MIT FCU:
- The account is completely free for MIT students.
- You get very good personal customer service. Staff will sit with you in their
office and patiently explain all the details of the accounts, and help you with
options. You get free notary public service for attesting documents, etc.
- Spouses get free accounts.
- The accounts are for life, even after you leave MIT.
- Good loan rates for almost anything: homes, cars, study, computers, even
boats!.
- Decent interest rates (they cannot do much if the economy is bad, but usually
better than Bank of America).
- You can get a credit card with a nominal credit line, even if you do not
have much of a history (as when you first get to the US). This is a good way to
start building your credit history.
Other physical banking possibilities include Cambridge Trust Bank and Citizens Bank.
Once you have set up a physical bank account, you may want to consider internet banking. These internet banks (such as ING, Met Life Bank etc.) are able to offer excellent interest rates since they don't need to maintain any physical branches.
