Preparing for your first semester of college or university is an exciting time in life. There is a lot of planning that is involved in preparing for the next chapter. For international students it’s equally as exciting, but there are a few things international students should do to prepare for the fall semester.

Buy Your Textbooks

Be prepared to pay for your textbooks. Depending on the subject matter, textbooks can be quite expensive, even for digital versions. Make sure to have money budgeted for your textbook or other course materials. To save money, try and buy your textbooks used, but make sure you are buying the correct edition for the class. It is best to buy your textbooks as soon as you can so you are prepared for when the teacher starts assigning reading. Most teachers will send students their course syllabus prior to the first day of class, but if they don’t, they generally give students two or three days to get their textbooks.

Confirm Housing Arrangements

Make sure your housing arrangements are verified and confirmed prior to your arrival in the USA. These details will be important to know and provide to proper authorities when entering the USA. It will be very stressful and difficult to look for housing while you are beginning your course in the USA therefore it is best to confirm your housing arrangements prior to your arrival.

Get a U.S. Bank Account

Managing your finances with a foreign bank account in the USA will be difficult and potentially expensive due to foreign transaction fees. Prior to the start of your fall semester, set up a USA bank account. It is best to do this in person as you will need to provide many documents and identification. Ask your international student office if they have any arrangements with local banks.

While there are many things that international students should do to prepare for their fall semester, these three things will helps students transition to their new life studying in the USA.

Brianna Burrows is a freelance marketing specialist and alumna of Northeastern University. She specializes in event management, social media management, and content branding. She can be reached at briannaburrows@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

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