Frequently Asked Questions

1. What all do I bring?

For winters, a jacket (with a hood) is indispensable. You can get a good jacket here for around $60. We suggest you buy a jacket here as the ones from India generally aren’t good enough for the severe winter here. You may carry woolen sweaters with you although all buildings are centrally heated / cooled here. The summer is pretty hot too, so plan on bringing lots of cotton T-shirts and shorts! Though the rainy season in Kansas is short, an umbrella would be useful. Textbooks are relatively expensive here and you may want to bring some reference books (the library provides a reasonable number of books in each field, though you may have or want to buy the prescribed course textbooks). It is worth bringing audiotapes of your favorite music. You won't get much choice in Indian music here. Don't bring any gadget that works on 220 V AC.

2. Can I work off-campus?

Students on F-1 visas are not allowed to work off-campus. Under extenuating circumstances this restriction may be waived, but only with prior permission from the Immigration and Naturalization Services, and that too only after completing nine months of studies here. The Immigration Department is very strict about permitting F-1 students to work off-campus, even if the situation appears desperate from the point of view of the student. There are some on-campus jobs available for students on a very competitive basis. Spouses on F-2 Visa are not allowed to work under any circumstances.

3. What will be my major expenses?

We suggest that you keep in mind the above facts when you make a decision on the amount of money you want to bring with you. If you are on an Assistantship, your fees for the first semester can be deferred for three months and so a sum of $1000-$1500 should suffice to cover initial expenses. If you are not on an Assistantship you should contact your department regarding tuition and fees. The I-20 gives a good reflection of the tuition and expenses. You may expect a probable hike in tuition and other fees. The cost of food, housing and utilities may change from student to student. So, ISA deos not prefer to provide information on the average cost of living. Medical care is very expensive in the United States. Please bring some of the commonly prescribed tablets and pain balms with you. If you are wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses, it is highly recommended that you bring an extra pair with you.

4. What do I do for my accommodation?

Most Indian students find living off campus preferable to staying in dormitories. Living off campus and sharing the apartment with others while cooking your own food works out to be less expensive. If you are a vegetarian, living off campus may be the only alternative. Cooking is comparatively convenient and easy here (even if you do not know how to cook, you will end up learning fast). Most of the Indian groceries and spices are available in Manhattan. Pressure cookers are not available here, so getting one along with a few basic utensils would be of use. Actually, electric cooker, (do not get electrical items from india) which can be bought here, works fine. In general, three to four persons share an apartment, so suitably plan on the size of your utensils.

5. How about financial aid?

Many new students who do not have an assistantship inquire about the possibility of assistantship after arrival. Most students do get some sort of financial aid after arrival within a semester or two. But a few students are not so lucky. In most circumstances it has been seen that deserving students do get some sort of financial assistance. All students are encouraged to bring extra copies of transcripts, recommendation letters and all other important documents.

6. Any other advice for me?

1. Make sure that you carry all the necessary original documents (passport, I-20, transcripts) with you in your hand luggage during your flight travel.
2. All students are encouraged to email us atleast four weeks before your arrival in Manhattan to help us help you with the accommodation.
3. Take the help of your travel agent to find out whether any other person from your town/city is planning to come to Kansas State University. In this way you can make friends prior to your arrival. (ISA will have only the list of students who have been sent the I-20, and not the confirmed list of students who have chosen to come here).
4. In case you haven't cooked much earlier try to bring a cookbook.
5. Do not carry more than $100 cash. Traveler’s Cheques (TC) are the best form to bring money. You can easily encash them anywhere and are secure. You may have to wait until you get a social security number to open a bank account. So until then you could use the TCs.
6. Have some change (dimes - 10 cents, quarters -25 cents) and some one-dollar bills. These will be handy in the airport eat outs and for using airport trolleys. Also carry some Indian currency(Rs 25-Rs 50)
7. An international driving license taken in India is valid for one year in the state of Kansas and you may want to take one.

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