Study Abroad 101: 3 things to do while we wait for visa consulates to reopen
In this week's edition, we discuss three tasks Fall 2020 admits can complete while we await F1 visa appointments to reopen.
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” - Unknown
Reading Time: 2 minutes & 59 seconds
COVID-19 has paused our world - particularly lives of Fall 2020 admits. Till consulates and borders don’t open, students cannot fly to US and start their education on-campus.
The good news is that US Consulate of Mumbai has tweeted that they will prioritise student visa appointment on resumption of services.
While we wait for Consulates to announce their reopening date, students can work on the following tasks:
Collect F1 visa documentation
Find flatmates & housing options
Shortlist US Bank Account service
1. Collect F1 visa documentation
Should US Visa appointments reopen soon, students who have their documents ready will be able to book an appointment sooner.
Essential documents you need to collect:
I-20 letter: This can be physical or digital (both are accepted)
Source of funds: Personal/family funds or Free Loan Sanction letter
Fill DS-160 form: No need to submit yet
Other documents you should collect include academic records, experience certificates, test scores, other financial documents etc.
There is no need to pay SEVIS Fee yet. Pay it after booking a visa appointment.
2. Find flatmates & housing options
Most students have received their admit and made decisions on deferral / online policy for Fall 2020. You may want to start looking at housing options in the US.
Finalise flatmates: Find fellow admits with whom you gel well and would like to live together. Also define the number of bedrooms you need.
Define your budget: Research cost of living and budget the monthly expenses you’d bear towards living (including rent, food, commute etc).
Shortlist localities: Research areas to live and choose the favoured locality as per your preferences such as budget, safety, proximity to campus etc.
There is no need to book a house now when things are still uncertain. But research makes you more likely to find your ideal home while studying abroad.
3. Shortlist US Bank Account service
You NEED a US bank account to facilitate all your financial transactions during your Masters.
Typically students set up their Bank Account 1-3 weeks after reaching US. However, students transact multiple times before reaching US such as housing deposit, university fees, living expenses, transport etc.
Currently, students rely on Forex cards or Cash which may not be the safest or most convenient form of transactions.
Now, students can now set up US Bank Accounts sitting in India. The key benefits:
Convenience: Set up the account from your home in India. Utilize online/mobile banking for all transactions before reaching US. Bonus: You also receive a credit card while in India.
No hidden FX charges: Current solutions such as Forex cards have loading & unloading costs. A bank account helps you avoid these hidden charges. If you set up bank account with Leap Finance, you will get most competitive FX rates.
Build Credit History from Day 1: Repaying your card bill builds credit history in the US. A good credit score is essential to accessing many essential aspects of the American Dream such as Mortgage, Auto loans etc.
Interested in securing an unfair advantage? Join our early bird sign up list below.
Our internet picks for the week
New Zealand is COVID-19 Free!!! Removes all lockdown measures.
AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India join forces to supply 2 million vaccines to low and mid income countries.
Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) reaffirms that India’s COVID-19 pandemic is NOT in community transmission stage.
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