Frequently Asked Questions
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Answers
| Q1: What kind of school is UHCL? |
| A:Deciding a school depends on your area of interest. In US graduate schools, each academic department has its own ranking. (E.g. Computer Science, Psychology etc. classes are very strong in UHCL. Please refer US news rankings for further details). Apart from rankings, other strong points of UHCL are that we have a very active student life, and along with education you also get the chance to be involved on campus and build your personality. You will also have individual attention in your classes as the class sizes are pretty small compared to other schools. The Indian community is very strong and close-knit here. |
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| Q2: What are the GRE and TOEFL scores required to get an admission in UHCL? |
| A:It depends on the program you are applying to. Generally it varies from department to department. You need a minimum score of 213 in Toefl according to the admission requirements of UHCL. |
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| Q3: What are the chances of getting a visa to UHCL? |
| A:According to the feedback given by the students here, the UHCL visa hit rate if fairly high when compared to other universities. This information is solely based on students feedback |
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| Q4: What are the projects that are going on in UHCL? |
| A:The projects going on in each department are listed on the department websites. |
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| Q5: Is UHCL the same as UH? |
| A:UH(University of Houston) has four campuses, main, downtown, south and Clear-Lake. We are the UHCL, or University of Houston – Clear Lake campus. |
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| Q6: Can I apply for Computer Science if I've done my undergraduate degree (Engineering college) in electronics? |
| A:Yes, you can apply for computer science even if your major is electronics. If you get admission, usually you will have to take a few extra classes, called pre-requisites, or pre-reqs which will cover your basic computer science classes. |
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| Q7: What is UHCL's rank? |
| A:Rankings of schools vary year-to-year. Please check the latest on websites such as www.usnews.com. |
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| Q8: I am interested in "ABC" field. Is UHCL the right place for me? |
| A:The best way to know this is by contacting the professors in your department. If your interests match with the interests of the professor, you can always work together with the professor and can gain invaluable experience. If you are not interested in research another way is to find out whether the courses being offered at UHCL are of your interest. |
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| Q9: How do people commute from school to apartments? |
| A:There are three modes of commute from apartment to UHCL, if you don’t have a car. Mostly people walk to and from school. Some of us have bike (cycle)s, and the third option is the UHCL shuttle. The shuttle is operated by the Student Life office, and runs at specific times between specific routes. These are convenient for getting to and from classes, but walking/ bike (cycle)s are preferable when we have to keep late hours etc. |
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| Q10: Is there any public transport facility in Houston? |
| A:The public transport facility in Houston is very limited. There is a Park-and-Ride bus that goes to downtown every hour or so (more at office timings). Although the bus stop is far from the school, the school shuttle stops there. In downtown itself, trains run. There are no other means of public transport. You will not need public transport to travel between school and your apartment. |
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| Q11: How many Indian Students (desis) come to UHCL each semester? |
| A:Each semester on average 25 - 30 students come to UHCL to do their masters. Generally more students come for Fall semester than Spring. |
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| Q12: How is the aid scene in UHCL? |
| A:Getting aid depends on many factors such as the department you’re in, the funding available at the time, etc. There is no way to predict if you will get funding, but many International students do end up getting funding in one way or another, i.e. scholarships/ assistantships etc by the second semester. |
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| Q13: What is the fee I have to pay for each semester in UHCL? |
| A:You may refer to the school website for up to date information. Usually all the students coming from India for their masters have to take 9 credit hours ( 3 credit hours is equivalent to 1 course) i.e. to remain in status every graduate student has to take atleast 3 courses. For 3 courses the tuition fees is $4327. Apart from the tuition fees, you need to pay for the insurance and other special fees which calculate up to nearly 500 - 600 dollars. Totally you end up paying nearly $5000.( this is as per fall2005) |
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| Q14: How many buildings are there in UHCL? |
| A:UHCL campus consists of four buildings. Delta Building: This is the building where all the school of science and computer engineering (SCE School) holds all its classes. All the faculty of SCE School, TA's, RA's and GAs have their offices here. Most SCE administrative work goes on in this building. There is a computer lab in this building (PCLab) where students with UHCL accounts can access computers. Arbor Building: This is the building for the arts majors. Bayou Building: Bayou building has classes for all the other majors like biology, psychology, MBA, MHA etc. All under graduate classes are also held here (including computer science). There is a student lab (Bayou Lab) in this building where students with UHCL accounts can access computers. SSCB Building: All the student life offices, international offices, fitness zone, student labs, etc. are in this building. This is the student services building. SSCB also has a computer lab for UHCL students (SSCB lab) |
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| Q15: Is it true that UHCL is a very small campus? |
| A:UHCL consists of four buildings, and is situated over an area of 524 acres. It’s a small, beautiful campus and it’s very scenic, and lakes, parks and trees surround the campus buildings. Because of the small size of the campus, the students get a choice to interact with all the faculty and school officials on a personal basis. You get individual attention in classes, and the professors know you by name! If you’re actively involved on campus, you get personal recognition. Because of the high student involvement and small student body size, you will get to choose to be on different university councils and can make a difference! |
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| Q16: In which part of United States is UHCL located? |
| A: UHCL is located in Southern Houston, a few miles from Galveston beach and downtown Houston, and minutes away from NASA Johnson's Space Center. Houston is located in Texas, the Southern-Central part of the United States. Google maps will show you the school, and its relative location. |
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| Q17: What is the cost of living in Houston, Texas? |
| A:Texas and Houston are cheaper in terms of cost of living than are most of the North-East states, and West Coast states. |
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| Q18: What are the living expenses for a single person? |
| A: Rent: $120 - $150 ( Please refer “Housing” section for further details.) Groceries: $70 - $100 Utilities: $30 - $ 50 Other expenses are dependant on your personal choice, like a car/ cell phone etc. |
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| Q19: What would be the weather conditions at UHCL? |
| A:Weather here is bit strange and keeps on changing. It's very hot is Summer and the temperature even goes up to 45 degree Celsius. In winter the temperature is generally 10 degree Celsius. But because of winds it feels even colder. There are sudden climatic changes and hence Houston has a very popular saying "If you do not like the climate in Houston, wait for five minutes, it will change". Occasionally (once or twice), the winter is harsh and the temperature may go to 0 degrees Celsius. It rains round the year, You can check today's temperature at weatherpages.com. Some say that the weather here is very similar to Delhi's weather. |
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| Q20: What are the job opportunities in Houston after I graduate/ what are chances of internships? |
| A:Job opportunities are dependant on the job market, and fluctuate with time. There is no way to predict how easy it will be for you to get a job once you graduate. As your seniors, we can advice you to keep up a good GPA and varied campus involvement. This will increase your chances of getting a good job. |
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| Q21: Are there any on campus placements in UHCL? |
| A:UHCL has a few on-campus interviews and career fairs. You can look for updated information at the career center website |
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| Q22: Do we get time for extra curricular activities at UHCL? |
| A:ISA conducts many events throughout the year which will give you a break from school work. These events are cultural, educational, sports and a whole wide range. You will find more details at www.isauhcl.org. There are also several other organizations you can become a member of, and participate in their events Apart from organization events, there are many recreational activities available in UHCL itself. Student Life in UHCL has many programs like drama, art, we have painting displays in the Bayou building, and several shows throughout the year. |
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| Q23: What about cricket? |
A:If the ISA provides you everything you need to ensure you don’t feel homesick (apart from your family).. how can we forget the most important thing for Indian boys! Cricket!? |
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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
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