Information for new students

    Housing Information

    1. You can find the updated housing information here

    Before and after landing

    1. Inform your landing date and time, flight number to the person who will give you ride before your flight.
    2. Check the weather forecast of your destination before flight and dress accordingly.
      1. The airports and plane is always on AC, so it might be colder than outside.
      2. In College Park (and surrounding), the weather can be very hot and humid in mid August. So, it’s better to check beforehand.
    3. Make sure you have enough charge on your phone before landing .There are charging ports on the plane, so it should not be a big issue.
      1. The charging port can be different from the usual one in Bangladesh. It’s always handy to have a universal travel adapter. It will be handy in the USA as well.
    4. Once you land at IAD, connect to the airport WiFi and inform your rider that you have landed. 
      1. It usually takes 1 hour to clear the immigration and collect luggage. Since there is no parking in the airport, so, the rider usually starts once they know you have landed. The drive also takes around 1 hour, so none will have to wait for long time if you inform timely.
      2. Follow the signboards at the airport, ask the police/security officers if you are lost or need any help.
      3. Have your papers ready, mainly passport and I20.
      4. If you are carrying anything that must be declared, declare on time to avoid any hassle.
      5. You will have to pay for luggage carrying carts, probably $7. Sometimes credit cards are not accepted, so carry some cash (preferably exact value). You probably won’t get $5/10 notes in Bangladesh, but you can get change at the transit airport.
      6. There are two arrival gates, usually you need to use the one on upper level. Still, it’s better to check/ask someone to make sure since, the arrangements can be changed by the authorities anytime. 
    5. Check your I94 information after 48-72 hours of landing from here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search
      1. It will be updated automatically for air travel. But you need to check if the information are correct, especially the spelling of your name. If you see any anomaly, contact CBP (Customs and Border Protection)
      2. Get a few printed copy of the latest I94. You will need this for SSN application, driving license application. You might need for other places as well. So it’s best to have some copies ready.
    6. Check with ISSS if you need to update any information at testudo and/or iterp.

    Open a bank account and credit cards

    1. Lots of options (Bank of America, M&T Bank, Wells Fargo, Chase Bank)
    2. FYIs:
      1. Chase is giving $200 to new Chase checking customers. It's located at 7417 Baltimore Ave. 
      2. Bank of America is giving $100 for new Checking accounts. It's located at 7370 Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD 20740 USCC.

      3. Wells Fargo is giving $200 for new checking accounts. 

    Get the school ID card

    1. https://registrar.umd.edu/FreshmenIDcards.html

    Get a SIM Card

    1. AT&T- https://www.att.com/
    2. Verizon- https://www.verizonwireless.com/
    3. T-mobile- https://www.t-mobile.com/
    4. Sprint- https://www.sprint.com/
    5. Mint- https://www.mintmobile.com/
    6. Lycamobile- https://www.lycamobile.us/en/
    7. H20 – https://www.h2owirelessnow.com/
    8. Cricket - https://www.cricketwireless.com/
    9. FYIs:
      1. Lycamobile has a great package for overseas calls (calls to Bangladesh)
      2. Other carriers have family plans. Interested people can form groups of 4-5, which brings down the phone bill to a very reasonable amount. For example Cricket has a family plan option of 4-5 people with each paying $25.

    Apply for SSN in the SSA office

    1. https://globalmaryland.umd.edu/offices/international-student-scholar-services/social-security
    2. SSN is a must-have, it is necessary to have a SSN to receive stipends/salaries. You also cannot apply for a credit card without SSN.

    Get a Debit/Credit card

    1. Having a credit/debit cards is very important to make online and local payments.
    2. Usually you will get a debit card while opening the bank account
    3. Having a credit card is important as it is deemed to be safer than debit card and also, it helps build credit history, which is super important while staying in the US. Generally, to have credit cards from big banks, you need good credit history.
    4. Typically, you need SSN and credit history to get most credit cards. However, there are a few options for new people:
      1. Credit card from your bank: Some banks such as Bank of America offers credit cards (with initially very small limit) for account holders. It doesn’t require any SSN and credit history.
      2. Discover Credit Card  is a great option for students in general.

    Groceries and ways to go

    1. You can find the common grocery places, items and the routes in details here

    Be prepared for winter

    1. It is important to get a good windbreaker jacket (example:. Columbia), might cost around $120-$150, but should last you longer. Be ready to wear more layers of clothes underneath when the cold gets extreme near January – February.
    2. Other things you might consider buying: hand gloves, thick socks
    3. Online:
      1. Amazon: cheapest, more options, more reviews. Downside is you will not be sure of what size to get without experience. 

    Local Shops

    1. Burlington (Greenbelt)
    2. Marshalls (Greenbelt)
    3. Ross (PG Mall)
    4. Macy’s (PG Mall)

UMD shuttle 133 will take you to PG Mall and shuttle 143 for going to Greenbelt.

Beware of Spams

You might get multiple spam calls asking for your SSN once you get one. Please be careful and don’t share your SSN over the phone call/SMS.