Jasim95

Updates: It seems no one is going to Syracuse this fall. This thread is dead. But no problem I like to perform monologues. This is what I have learnt so far: 1- Banking: International students with no SSN and no credit history can't get a credit card from the beginning, they should start with a checking/savings account with a debit card and try to use it as much as possible. Once they build their credit history and start paying their bills they will be able to get a credit card. Some of the banks choices for Syracuse University students are JP Morgan-Chase, HSBC, M&T Bank, Key Bank, Bank of America. No info on travel checks yet, whether they are still used or not. Western union and wire transfer work just fine but it depends on the rates of conversion and the amount being transferred. 2- Housing: Almost always hotels ask for a credit card for security. It won't be charged but an amount of money will be held (blocked). Upon check out, the resident can pay everything by cash. Just make sure that the hotel releases the amount held before. In case no credit card is shown a money deposit may be required. Can I rent an apartment with no SSN and no credit history? Yes. I have got a teaching assistant with a stipend of $17k per year, that is, $1954.34 per month (without taxing). Is the letter of acceptance, I-20 and passport enough to get an apartment for an international student in Syracuse Area? Usually yes. Unless the landlord has a strict policy regarding renting to international students. Should the rent be at maximum one third of my stipend? Approximately. The golden rule is that at most 30% of your income should be for rent but it also depends on the person's circumstances. I was able to rent an apartment online and sign the lease electronically. So that answers almost all the remaining questions on the housing section. According to what I heard. Syracuse has no graduate housing anymore. Graduate students must live off campus. There is a temporary housing for international teaching assistants but only for the orientation period. To get the discounted rate of $119/night for international students in Sheraton University Hotel, send an email. Don't call! The staff at the front desk don't know a thing about the discount. Only the reservation specialist knows about it which can be reached by email. 4- Books: From the most expensive to the cheapest: New Books Used Books Rented Books Amazon can be anywhere in between. I will bring my favorite undergrad books with me as I love to have my own copy at hand. They should be all in the library or if not something similar to them.

Hi there, Moving the old thread up again. This is Jasim from Bahrain (located in the Arabian Gulf, Middle East). I was reading the thread (Syracuse, NY) and wanted to participate. I got a TA for the PhD program in Mathematics and I will be at Syracuse in the beginning of August. I have few questions and I will be thankful if you can answer any of them, have a comment or add something. I know that some of my questions have been discussed and answered before in other threads in GradCafe, but I need at least Syracuse-tailored answers or anything additional. I have read tons of threads before writing this and this is the first post for me, so please excuse my enthusiasm. By just reading though forums, websites, and watching videos in YouTube, I was able to apply to unis, accept an offer, get the visa and buy a ticket. 1- Banking: Based on what I read in forums, I think that international students with no SSN and no credit history can't get a credit card. My professor told me the opposite? He said you will see people and ads asking if anyone wants a credit card! Do you know if this is true? Personally, I don't believe that and I have a foreign credit card to use when necessary. Regarding banks, I guess I will go with HSBS. Do you have any recommendations or better banks? Do they know how to deal with international students? Other that cash, western union or wire transfer, do you know practical ways to get my money at Syracuse. Are travel checks still used at Syracuse? 2- Housing: Can I get a room in a hotel without having a credit card? If yes, is there a huge money deposit that must be given? I don't mind showing a credit card for the hotel but in the end when I check out I want to pay in cash, is that possible? I don't like to use credit cards as they are dangerous and incur interest insanely. Can I rent an apartment with no SSN and no credit history? I have got a teaching assistant with a stipend of $17k per year, that is, $1954.34 per month (without taxing). Is the letter of acceptance, I-20 and passport enough to get an apartment for an international student in Syracuse Area? Should the rent be at maximum one third of my stipend? I am targeting the apartments to the south of the University: Carriage House, Mt. St. James Apartments, Clarendon Heights, Hidden Valley, Greenwich Manor, and Maplewood Garden Apartments. I want to rent beforehand or at least booking (if that's available), but I can't see how is that possible without seeing the apartments myself and check that everything is as it appears on the photos. The problem is that it will be too late to hunt apartments in August (5th August is my date of arrival) or at least that what I heard. Any suggestions? To make it worst, I will arrive on Friday when all the apartment offices are closed and so will be Slutzker center (of international students). So I guess I have to spend at least two nights at a hotel until Monday. On Monday, I plan to go around all the apartments and decide by Tuesday which one is the best? Do you think two days is enough to make a decision? That's a four day bill at a hotel just to find an apartment. Other than Sheraton University Hotel with the discounted rate of $119/night for international students, is there any temporary housing I can stay in while searching for an apartment which is near campus in the same time? My professor (Syracuse Alumni) told me that Syracuse used to let international students stay temporarily at the dorms before returning students come back. Is this option available now? 4- Books: I probably won't be able to afford buying new books, so I will buy used ones. Are these available? What about renting? Who is cheaper buying used books or renting them? Do I need to get my most important undergraduate books with me? Are famous undergrad books readily available at the library to borrow? Thank you