Getting Started:

• You will need a passport
• You will need a visa
• Take extra passport photos
• Determine if you need to visit a doctor and/or receive vaccinations.
• Arrange air transportation.
• Make arrangements with a responsible person and forward your mail to them while you are in the United States, if necessary.
• You will need your I-20 form
• Your I-94 card
• Your admission letter
• US currency or travelers checks
• Be familiar with the health insurance information provided by your school/program.

Before You Travel:

• Make two sets of copies of important documents (i.e. passport, visas, insurance card). Leave one set of copies with a trusted person and bring an extra copy with you.
• Fill any necessary prescriptions.
• Reconfirm flight with airline at least 48 hours in advance and check baggage weight limits.
• Agree upon communication schedule with family, especially for arrival.
• Be sure to inform the International Student Services Office at the school/program you will be attending of your travel plans, and make arrangements for transportation from the airport to campus.

Documents and Legal Items:

• Passport
• Visa
• Supporting financial documents
• Airline tickets
• Banking information and credit card
• Insurance information
• Photocopies of important documents (passport, visa, insurance card, etc.)
• Extra passport-sized photos
• Phone card
• Emergency contact information
• Contact information of person you are meeting in the airport
• Luggage lock and tags
• Your I-20 form
• Your I-94 card
• Your admission letter
• US currency or travelers checks

Packing Basics:

• Clothing for all four seasons (shorts, short-sleeve shirts to pant, boots, and sweaters, clothes that can layer easily)
• Bath towel and shower shoes
• Batteries
• Camera
• Toiletries
• Anti-bacterial hand lotion
• Jacket and umbrella
• Eye glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses and cleaning solution, and eye bring prescriptions
• First aid kit (including: motion sickness medications, laxatives, anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids, pain relievers, decongestants, antiseptics, and bandages)
• Prescription medicines and written prescriptions
• Laptop
• Comfortable shoes
• Backpack

At the Airport:

• On the plane, you will complete the Form 1-94 Arrival/Departure Record.
• At port of entry, present your passport with visa, I-94, and sealed envelope to CBP inspector.
• Present your I-20 and original financial documents, which should be sealed in an envelope marked “For presentation at port-of-entry.”
• Once you reach New Jersey, call the contact person at the school/program you will be attending to notify them of your arrival and start making your way to campus.

We look forward to meeting you in New Jersey!