Please find below an indicative list of essential items that you are required to buy/arrange for.

1. FOOTWEAR




1. Shoes (Applicable to both Male / Female)




1. Sport Shoes: just carry one pair of sports shoes (wear them on the flight to save space). One can buy a very good pair and a reasonable rate as compared to India during sales etc. Most of the students go to college in shorts and T-shirts.




2. Leather Shoes: Formal leather shoes (for interviews and formal occasions).




2. Chappals




1. As per individuals requirement. Cheap slippers can be found in Walmart etc.




2. A pair of Indian style shoes for Indian occasions.




3. Girls can carry extra pairs of flip flops if going to a warm state like California.




2. For students travelling to northern (colder) states




1. Carry a sweater and a wind cheater.




2. Carry thermal ware (4 tops and 2 bottoms)




3. Carry a pair of woolen gloves and 2-3 pairs of woolen socks




4. Carry a woolen hat (monkey cap). Buy all other winter ware viz. coat, snow jacket, boots, snow gloves etc. over there as and when required.




3. PERSONAL ACCESSORIES




1. Hangers for clothes;




2. Wallet: One that has space for cards as you normally don't carry much cash with you.




3. Shaving kit & blades (get a good stock, they are costly abroad). Brush & toothpaste (these are also expensive abroad).




4. Soap (get a couple of bars of bathing soap till you go for the first groceries abroad).




5. Combs & hair oil (if you use hair-oil get a year’s supply of your favorites).




6. Nail cutter




7. Small scissors, Safety pin bunch




8. Mini-sewing kit with some buttons




9. Medicines first aid kit;




10. Carry prescribed medicines if required along with prescription




11. Books, Back pack




12. Key Chains




13. Soap box

Items	Quantity	Items	Quantity
Soap bars	2+	Towels	2
Shampoo bottles	1+ big bottle	Napkins	6+
Body Spray	3+	Perfume	2 or as per requirement
After Shave	1+	Tooth Paste	6+
Tooth Brush	2+	Shaving Tube	6+
Mach Razor	2	Blades	20
Light shawl	1	Duster (for cleaning)	4
Scrub	2	Sponge	2
Single bed sheets	2	Double bed sheets	2
Nail cutter	1	Rubber band packet	1
Scissors pair	1	Engineering Calculator	2
Passport size photos	40	Stamp size photos	40

The kind of utensils that you plan to take depends on whether you plan to cook alone or with your housemates. This is because most people don't get time to cook daily. Therefore, students generally cook once in two days.

1. 2-3 plates,
2. Glasses
3. Cups and bowls
4. Forks (2 each)
5. Serving spoons
6. 3 to 4 cooking vessels
7. Pressure cooker of 3 liters
8. Cooker containers and spares (rings and valves)
9. Non-stick frying pan with turner
10. Tongs and knives
11. Cutting board for vegetables
12. 2-3 patella’s that fit into each other and that preferably have handles
13. 1 pressure pan (Prestige), ask your prospective roommate to get one too
14. Utensils holder
15. Plates which are microwave proof
16. 2-3 microwave proof bowls
17. 6 spoons and a couple of steel glasses
18. Knife.
19. Cooker 1 no. + spares
20. Cookers Containers 2 no (with their lids)
21. Kadai 1 no.
22. Nonstick tawa 1 no.
23. Spoons 6 no.
24. Grip 1 no.
25. Chapati = 1 no.
26. Laddle = 1 no.
27. Spatula = 1 no.
28. Knife 2 no.
29. Peeler 1 no.
30. Serving spoons = 3 no.
31. Knife & Fork 6 no.
32. Sauce pan 2 no.
33. Steel containers to heat food 2 no. (with lid)
34. Rolling Pin (to make rotis) 1 no.
35. Plate 1 no.
36. Katori 3 no.
37. Glass = 2 no.
38. Cutting board = 1 no.
39. Eating knives = 2 no.
40. Coffee spoon for salt etc = 3 no.
41. Small size plastic spoons for masala = 1 no.

1. Dhania & jira - ½ kg
2. Chilli powder - 1/2 kg
3. Haldi - ¼ kg
4. Full jira - 200 grams
5. Mustard Seed - 200 grams
6. Garam Masala home made - 200 grams
7. Pav Bhaji Masala - 200 grams
8. Hing Powder - 1 bottle

1. White Sheets - 50
2. Pencils - 12
3. Cello tape - 1
4. Safety pin - 1 packet
5. Thread black - 1
6. Blue reel - 1
7. White reel - 1
8. Erasers - 4
9. Paper cutter - 1
10. Stapler - 1
11. Stapler pins packet - 1
12. Stationery compass - 2
13. Blue and Black pen - 6 each
14. Scribing pad - 2
15. Glue Stick - 1

1. Start your packing well in advance




2. Put identification marks and labels on both the inside & outside the boxes) apart from this, the airlines will also provide you with adhesive labels).




3. Copy of all the certificates/documents (originals in hand baggage)




4. Important application materials (SOP, Reco, etc.) (Soft copy)




5. Necessary book/notebooks (some suggested books are - Clarks Tables, a good dictionary/thesaurus, a booklet for units conversion)




6. Copy of address book/telephone book/diary




7. Some stationary and related items suggested (not absolutely necessary) - just for the first few weeks are: common items + rubber stamp with house address + air mail covers + few Indian razor blades for cutting work + screw driver




8. Medical history files




9. [Note: second-hand storybooks are cheap abroad]




10. Don't take Indian files (empty) or punching machines - filing system is different in every country (3holes, A4)




11. Don't take raincoats.




12. Wear your shoes to save space in the box.

1. Some medicines (including for air-sickness)






2. Novel/magazines/books for in flight reading




3. Sweater




4. Original important documents (I-20, visa, tickets.)




5. Enough money (little cash, forex cards)




6. Address book/phone book (Indian & Abroad)




7. Copies of your photos (passport size)




8. Enlisted steps to be followed in case of emergency (accident, theft, etc.)

Things to be kept in person:

1. Shorter extract of contact addresses - especially of people coming to pick you up.




2. 1 handbag to carry in flight stuff with you (buy a good quality, spacious one 'cause you might have to use it for carrying clothes to the laundry later).




3. 1 backpack (get a good one; you will use it almost all the time abroad).

Books:

1. Contact students at your Univ.




2. A good dictionary




3. Your calculator




4. Your entire fundamental course texts and notes (for reference of basics).




5. Standard mathematical table and formulae handbook. An alarm clock.

Money to be taken with you:

1. Other than you fee requirements you may have to take $1000-$2000 depending upon where you are going (you can get this info from your seniors over there). This you can get from Thomas Cook/American Express and of course any Foreign Exchange banks like SBI, SBH IOB etc. Do these after you buy your ticket.

Documentation:

1. Carry all documentation safely, and have photocopies to back you up - letter from Univ., mark sheets, etc. (the visa stuff basically).




2. Things to get photocopied: Make three sets of the following copies, keep one set at home and take the remaining two sets with you.




3. Visa




4. Xth, Inter (10+2), Degree marks sheets, Convocation Certificate of Under graduation.




5. I-20 and acceptance letter from the university.




6. Take all the I-20's/Offer Letters with you if you have more than one.

Important things to do before you leave:

1. Put your signature on a 10 plane papers, write you name below it, keep these at home, they may need it for any purpose like authorization to collect marks sheets, Provisional certificate, Transfer certificate, Bonafide certificate, Degree certificate, Migration certificate from the university, applying for the refund from the college etc.




2. Make all bank accounts joint

Things to be left at home:

1. List of addresses/phone numbers at which info about you can be obtained.




2. One copy of all your important documents.




3. A copy of all relevant parts of medical history files.




4. Arrange to collect/redirect mail from your room/hostel.




5. Arrange to apply/collect/mail your transcripts (about 10 in number preferable)

A Review & Miscellaneous:

1. Get a driving license and an IDP (international Driving Permit)




2. Get your application material if you wish to reactivate your applications at a better place for the next semester/year.




3. Get a set of transcripts in case you apply all over again for a PhD.




4. Bachelor’s Degree certificate.




5. Get 2-3 passport size photographs.




6. Get an address/phone number diary.




7. Depending upon the weather in your area get a folding umbrella.




8. Carry Rs.300 - Rs.2000/- for airport tax and Rs.600/- for the $20 you'll get inside the airport.




9. Carry medical prescription for all your medicines you bring.




10. If you have glasses, get a through eye-check-up before and get 2 extra pairs of glasses.




11. Confirm your ticket a couple of days prior to the flight directly through the airlines you are flying no matter how reputed your travel agent is.




12. Let me repeat this, get a driver's license and an IDP.

IN THE LAST WEEK:

1. Call up and find if there is any change of the schedule of the plane (inform the people coming to pick you up of any such change).




2. Get ready to face the long journey.




3. Bid adieu to all concerned.




4. Find out the name of the person who is coming to pick you up at the airport. Remind those people of the flight timings, airline no, your name. Inform all these to your people at home.




5. Relax the day before journey, and check all the documents you are taking with you once again.




6. Arrange for the conveyance if you don’t have a car. You can book with any private transport facility like City cabs/UBER.

ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT AND ON – BOARD:

1. Since it is going to be a long flight wear something comfortable (cotton dress + full sleeves shirt). Wear your shoes - in flight you can remove them




2. Check all the documents once again and keep them at appropriate places.




3. Be at the airport 3-4 hours before the departure.




4. Relax during flight, sleep as much as possible.




5. Watch out before you eat - you may get non-veg even if you had asked for veg. Veg food is generally bland - fruits/juices are good choices. (Before ordering anything on board check if, you have to pay for it separately). Don't hesitate to ask questions.




6. Once out of India be very careful (from sheer experience of seniors). Don't trust anyone. Don't hire a taxi (unless emergency) till you reach your destination. If required don't hesitate to spend money.