With the US Embassy having opened bulk dates for student visa interviews; thousands of Indian students are getting prepared to join classes at US universities in the Fall session of 2023. Pre-departure orientations organised by different universities and even by the US Embassy and EducationUSA are helping Indian students understand different aspects of their educational journey to America.
“These sessions prove to be immensely beneficial. Every year, many students who either finish or are close to finishing their first year in the university write to me through social media. They are ever so grateful for all the information, the forewarnings, the life hacks, and the insight they got from attending the orientation,” says Ojas Rawal, a TV, theatre and film actor who graduated from University of South Florida in 2008 and has conducted pre-departure orientations for US-bound students for 18 years as a panel moderator.
He feels that the orientation sessions are wider ranging and informative now than back when he had gone to study in the US. Students, parents and teachers who attend orientations now are equipped with specific and useful information on topics including ‘last week in India;’ ‘food and clothing’; ‘entry into the US’; ‘first week on campus’; and ‘opportunities beyond the classroom’.
“Information which is specific and novel to Indian students is also dealt with such as changing universities, designated faculty advisor, visiting foreign countries during breaks, campus jobs, undergraduate research, community service hours, on-campus housing and selecting roommates, culture shock etc,” says Rawal. Simple questions such as ‘how do I go from the port of entry airport with my luggage to my university’ to serious ones such as ‘what safety measures do universities have if my daughter has to travel late at night from the library to her apartment’, are all tackled. Common questions that Indian students ask include ‘how to get an assitantship/internship on campus’, ‘what is the grading and evaluation system there’, ‘how much winterwear should I carry’, ‘how do I scout for a job after graduation’ and the infamous ‘how many bottles of mango pickle can I take’.
“Equipped with years of experience, and that too from varied streams of education, the panelists at such pre-departure orientations make the whole session very comprehensive and diverse. Be it masters or bachelors, be it public university or private university, be it a STEM field or liberal arts, each panelist brings a unique perspective to the meeting,” Rawal, who recently conducted a USF pre-departure session in Mumbai, says. Serious issues such as campus safety, racism and stereotypes, drugs and alcohol, relationships and dating, mental wellness, returning to India, and adjusting back to life in India have also been coming up at these sessions.
“We, as panelists, openly and willingly share anecdotes and experiences with the attendees. We understand that some students sitting in front of us have never even stepped foot in an airplane before. Therefore, we try to cover as many topics, answer as many questions, quell as many fears, and arm them with as much information as we possibly can,” Rawal says.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City is inviting overseas students to join open information sessions twice a week and those who attend regularly learn quite a bit about UMKC, Kansas City and the surrounding region. Advice is shared about fun things to do and good places to eat in the Kansas City area.
“They get to know our staff, and they learn answers to a lot of questions. This kind of interaction gives them confidence to answer a wide range of questions in the visa interview, and since they truly know who we are, they are able to demonstrate that to the visa officer,” says Julie Myer, coordinator of international admissions at UMKC.
A lot of tips are also shared about the visa interview. “Many times students feel that if the visa officer asks about something, that means there is a problem.
There is not necessarily a problem. The visa officer wants to know if you really understand where you are going and if it is a good fit. If the visa officer asks why, you are doing something, just be confident that you know why,” Myer says. General advice about campus jobs, housing, medical care and insurance, basic academic issues and different resources on campus is also shared.
Shishir Kumar Upadhyaya, principal adviser, strategic and global initiatives, University of Southern California, India, feels that after obtaining the visa, it is essential for students to keep all required documents, including digital copies, original documents, and photocopies, in a secure manner. Students should also complete all university requirements such as uploading immunization records, enrolling in relevant courses, and following their university’s medical insurance requirements. “Students should attend a pre-departure session hosted by EducationUSA, secure suitable student housing, establish connections with current students in their university and programme, familiarise themselves with requirements at their port of entry, ensure they have enough cash and traveller’s checks to cover one month’s expenses as wire transfers may take time, arrange transportation from the airport to university housing, and register to attend university orientation programmes,” says Upadhyaya.
Checklist for students going to study in the US
Source: University of Southern California; University of South Florida and University of Missouri-Kansas City
Most universities provide a pre-arrival checklist that has a lot of information to help students prepare well for arrival; information from the university should be read carefully
University social media accounts should be followed to learn more about the university’s culture and find out about resources that are available. Besides the main university social media, specific departments and even student organisations should be followed
It is important to find out about transportation from the airport and arrange housing, especially for the first few nights
Students should arrive as early as possible to get settled in, do all of the required tasks, adjust to the time zone and start becoming familiar with the environment before classes start
Students should familiarise themselves with important concepts such as plagiarism and academic integrity
The visa officers want to know if the student has a clear understanding of their plan and may want to understand where the student is going and if it is a good fit
Students need to have a clear plan in mind and should not memorise answers in advance for the visa interview
“These sessions prove to be immensely beneficial. Every year, many students who either finish or are close to finishing their first year in the university write to me through social media. They are ever so grateful for all the information, the forewarnings, the life hacks, and the insight they got from attending the orientation,” says Ojas Rawal, a TV, theatre and film actor who graduated from University of South Florida in 2008 and has conducted pre-departure orientations for US-bound students for 18 years as a panel moderator.
He feels that the orientation sessions are wider ranging and informative now than back when he had gone to study in the US. Students, parents and teachers who attend orientations now are equipped with specific and useful information on topics including ‘last week in India;’ ‘food and clothing’; ‘entry into the US’; ‘first week on campus’; and ‘opportunities beyond the classroom’.
“Information which is specific and novel to Indian students is also dealt with such as changing universities, designated faculty advisor, visiting foreign countries during breaks, campus jobs, undergraduate research, community service hours, on-campus housing and selecting roommates, culture shock etc,” says Rawal. Simple questions such as ‘how do I go from the port of entry airport with my luggage to my university’ to serious ones such as ‘what safety measures do universities have if my daughter has to travel late at night from the library to her apartment’, are all tackled. Common questions that Indian students ask include ‘how to get an assitantship/internship on campus’, ‘what is the grading and evaluation system there’, ‘how much winterwear should I carry’, ‘how do I scout for a job after graduation’ and the infamous ‘how many bottles of mango pickle can I take’.
“Equipped with years of experience, and that too from varied streams of education, the panelists at such pre-departure orientations make the whole session very comprehensive and diverse. Be it masters or bachelors, be it public university or private university, be it a STEM field or liberal arts, each panelist brings a unique perspective to the meeting,” Rawal, who recently conducted a USF pre-departure session in Mumbai, says. Serious issues such as campus safety, racism and stereotypes, drugs and alcohol, relationships and dating, mental wellness, returning to India, and adjusting back to life in India have also been coming up at these sessions.
“We, as panelists, openly and willingly share anecdotes and experiences with the attendees. We understand that some students sitting in front of us have never even stepped foot in an airplane before. Therefore, we try to cover as many topics, answer as many questions, quell as many fears, and arm them with as much information as we possibly can,” Rawal says.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City is inviting overseas students to join open information sessions twice a week and those who attend regularly learn quite a bit about UMKC, Kansas City and the surrounding region. Advice is shared about fun things to do and good places to eat in the Kansas City area.
“They get to know our staff, and they learn answers to a lot of questions. This kind of interaction gives them confidence to answer a wide range of questions in the visa interview, and since they truly know who we are, they are able to demonstrate that to the visa officer,” says Julie Myer, coordinator of international admissions at UMKC.
A lot of tips are also shared about the visa interview. “Many times students feel that if the visa officer asks about something, that means there is a problem.
There is not necessarily a problem. The visa officer wants to know if you really understand where you are going and if it is a good fit. If the visa officer asks why, you are doing something, just be confident that you know why,” Myer says. General advice about campus jobs, housing, medical care and insurance, basic academic issues and different resources on campus is also shared.
Shishir Kumar Upadhyaya, principal adviser, strategic and global initiatives, University of Southern California, India, feels that after obtaining the visa, it is essential for students to keep all required documents, including digital copies, original documents, and photocopies, in a secure manner. Students should also complete all university requirements such as uploading immunization records, enrolling in relevant courses, and following their university’s medical insurance requirements. “Students should attend a pre-departure session hosted by EducationUSA, secure suitable student housing, establish connections with current students in their university and programme, familiarise themselves with requirements at their port of entry, ensure they have enough cash and traveller’s checks to cover one month’s expenses as wire transfers may take time, arrange transportation from the airport to university housing, and register to attend university orientation programmes,” says Upadhyaya.
Checklist for students going to study in the US
Source: University of Southern California; University of South Florida and University of Missouri-Kansas City
Most universities provide a pre-arrival checklist that has a lot of information to help students prepare well for arrival; information from the university should be read carefully
University social media accounts should be followed to learn more about the university’s culture and find out about resources that are available. Besides the main university social media, specific departments and even student organisations should be followed
It is important to find out about transportation from the airport and arrange housing, especially for the first few nights
Students should arrive as early as possible to get settled in, do all of the required tasks, adjust to the time zone and start becoming familiar with the environment before classes start
Students should familiarise themselves with important concepts such as plagiarism and academic integrity
The visa officers want to know if the student has a clear understanding of their plan and may want to understand where the student is going and if it is a good fit
Students need to have a clear plan in mind and should not memorise answers in advance for the visa interview