Welcome to the Indian Graduate Business Association at the

McCombs School of Business

Can you sit back and relax now? Well No....

1. Communication with student organizations for pick up / temporary stay

Most of the countries are represented by a student’s body in Austin which provides free airport pickup and also temporary accommodation for 1-2 days. We advice you to keep in touch with one of the student body.

http://studentorgs.utexas.edu/ica/

http://www.utexas.edu/student/esl/pals/iso.html

2. Start packing!

The anxiety and thrill of coming to US often ends up in excess shopping. You are free to decide what to bring from India and what to buy in US according to your considerations. But make sure you get only as much as you can carry, and can unpack and repack it quickly. Don't put any important documents in luggage you plan to check in as there is a chance of it getting misplaced on the way. Remember to keep all important documents in the luggage that you will carry on the flight.

     a)      Clothing

There's no dress code on campus and students usually dress informally. A T-shirt worn with jeans or shorts is the universal, unisexual attire. So, make sure you bring plenty of them. Formals may come in use occasionally for company presentations, alumni meets and obviously for interviews. The Ford Career Centre has a recommended formal dress code. Please visit the following link:

http://fcc.mccombs.utexas.edu/handouts/proper_attire_nonsecure.asp

You may, of course, want to bring along some traditional clothes with you which come in handy during the various international events on the campus.

Austin has all four seasons however weather in Austin is erratic. It can range from being hot one day, to rainy the next, followed by a day of humidity and the fourth day could be really cold. It’s much better than the harsh cold winters of the north though. Summer in Austin is hot. The average temperature during daytime in summer is around 85 °F. Sometime it could be as high as 100 °F (40 °C). Fall is pleasant, getting cold starting November. December – January is the peak of winter (5-15 °C). We suggest you bring a couple of jackets and sweaters. It rains now and then; so an umbrella might be a good idea. Summers are hot and can get pretty humid around June-July. We'd definitely suggest shorts and tanks.

No matter where you stay, you'll have access to washing and drying facilities. These machines have large capacities, so that it is possible to do 1-2 week's laundry at a time. So plan your wardrobe accordingly.

Note: Clothes (particularly cottons) have a tendency to shrink when washed on the hot and/or warm cycle in a washing machine here or by drying them in the dryer. So please be careful with sizes and the quality of the fabric.

     b)     Kitchen          

Food isn't a problem for either vegetarians or non vegetarians, though non-vegetarians have more choice. Lots of food joints in the vicinity provide Indian / Chinese / Italian / American / Mexican / Arabic etc cuisines. But eating out daily could be pretty expensive and it'd be better if you came equipped with cooking utensils and spices. You can easily find inexpensive eating utensils and cutlery here.

There are a number of grocery/convenience stores close to campus including HEB, 7-11, Eckerd etc. and at a slight distance there's Costco (which is a store where you can buy utilities in bulk.) Though there is no lack of stores, it'd be easier if you bought your own spices if you prefer to. US customs don't normally make a fuss if these are properly sealed. Fresh fruits and meat however are prohibited.

     c)     Personal Stuff

The campus is well located in Austin and you can get everything from groceries to toiletries at a distance of approximately 5 -10 minutes. Get your personal toiletries and a few medicines. Ones that you're used to or need on a daily basis since medical bills can come pretty high in the US. Though the medical insurance (which UT will require you to have before registration.) covers for quite a bit, dental and eye problems are not accounted for. Carry your medical records and other important documents with you.

     d)     Books, Supplies and Misc. stuff

Text books are better bought from here as you don’t know what classes you'll be able to get in the beginning but if you're aware of your classes already, then you might want to check the availability and cost of books in your home countries as books tend to be costly in the US. We would recommend you to get some reference books in accounting, economics, and statistics which you might have used in other courses that you have taken in the past.

      e)     Documents

In addition to your Passport, I-20，Admission Letter and Immunization form, consider carrying your photos in standard size, certificates, Transcripts, Degree Certificate which might come in handy for various requirements.