Frequently Asked Questions |
Answers
| Q1: How much money do we have to bring to UHCL? |
| A: This varies according to your fees. Usually students get $2500 - 3000 for expenses apart from fees. Since the fees has increased to nearly $5000 in Fall 2005, future students can get nearly $7500 - $8000. Always enquire the current council for latest information regarding the money. |
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| Q2: How do we bring this money? |
| A: Bring your first semester fees as a DD made out in favor of the school. Bring the rest in travelers checks in your name. The DD for your fees can be a little over the amount of first semester fees. UHCL will refund any surplus amount. The reason is that as soon as you come here, you can pay your fees in the form of the DD to school directly. Then you can open a bank account and deposit your travelers checks. Bring very little cash – about $200 and keep some loose change on you in case you need to make emergency phone calls, etc. Keeping some quarters with you while traveling helps a lot.. |
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| Q3: In whose name should I draw the DD in favor of? |
| A: DD should be drawn in favor of University of Houston - Clear Lake. |
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| Q4: Which banks DD's are accepted? |
| A: DDs can be made from any bank. |
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| Q5: What is the maximum amount of money we are allowed to bring to US? |
| A: There is no upper limit to this amount. Please check this before traveling, as rules keep changing. |
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| Q6: I heard that we need health insurance in US. Is that true? |
| A:Yes, all International Students are required to have Health Insurance. It can only be waived if the International Student Advisor receives documentation proving that the student had another Health Insurance that meets the minimum criteria. (By IISS) |
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| Q7: Can I take outside insurance/insurance from India? |
| A: It is safer to take school insurance, as you might get cheaper insurance from outside, but if something happens to you, it is much easier to get Doctors appointments, hospitals in Clear Lake that is covered by your insurance with UHCL insurance. Also, it is much easier to put in claims for your money if you are using the school insurance. |
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| Q8: What kind of immunizations or medical check ups do I require? |
| A: UHCL doesn't require you to show any immunization records. But for your own health and safety, we would recommend you to take all the shots before coming here. Falling sick here is not only expensive, it is very difficult to take time off, and have someone take care of you. Please consult your Doctor in India. Also, get your eyes, teeth etc checked and get the latest prescriptions filled out before you come here. Make sure to carry the important medicines |
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| Q9: Can I get any electronic items from India? |
| A: Electronic items from India require a converter, as the electric outlets are different here (two holes, not three). So bring along your items only if they are worth buying a converter for. The electric supply here is 110V, 60Hz. |
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| Q10: What is the best time to reach UHCL? |
| A: The earliest date you can reach UHCL is mentioned in your I-20. It is advisable to reach UHCL as early as possible so you can get used to US and UHCL atmosphere before classes start, make friends, and most importantly, look for in-campus jobs. You can reach the US only as early as one month before the date on your I-20. |
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| Q11: What is the earliest date we can reach UHCL? |
| A: You cannot enter United States before one month of semester starting date. For example, if your semester starts on August 23, you cannot enter United State before July 23. |
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| Q12: Do we need to get any migration letter from undergrad university? |
| A: No, UHCL does not require any migration letter from your undergrad school. |
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| Q13: Do we need to get our passports stamped stating that immigration check not required? |
| A: No, entry to US does not require this stamping. Please check with your travel agent if the country you will be flying through requires any kind of migration check |
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| Q14: Should we get copies of our mark sheets? |
| A: Get several attested copies of all your mark sheets. You might need them for applying to different courses later/ for classes you might want to take outside UHCL. |
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| Q15: Is there any university dress code? |
| A: As students, we all wear casuals. You can dress in whatever you are comfortable in, as long as its neat and clean. For on-campus job interviews etc. it is preferred that you dress semi-formal. For ISA events, bring your Indian clothes like kurtas, etc. Girls bring a couple of sarees and salwar kameezs for the ISA events. During school, you will find most of us dressed in jeans and sneakers, and sweatshirts/ jackets in winter, as they are most comfortable. |
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| Q16: How late can we reach UHCL? What happens if we miss one week or more of class? |
| A: The length of one semester is just 3-4 months, i.e. 12-16 weeks of class. If you miss one week or more, you are missing a lot. It is much preferable to come here before hand, so that you can attend all classes, and if you’re planning to look for an on-campus job, we would suggest getting here as early as possible. |
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| Q17: What is the date of reporting to UHCL? |
| A: The date of reporting is mentioned in your I-20. |
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| Q18: Do we have to abide by the date of reporting? |
| A:It is much preferable to reach UHCL on or before the date of reporting. |
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Note : If you are not satisfied with any of the answers provided here, you can post in your question on the Discussion Board of ISAUHCL for further clarification. All the ISA members are willing to help you on the discussion board.Also check the previous questions asked, so that you wont repeat the same question. For suggestions mail webmaster (AT) isauhcl.org