Documentation, visa and bureaucratic stuff

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Very helpful. Thank you!

The first thing to do is get your visa. Your school should send you visa forms depending on the kind of visa that you'll get (an I-20 form for an F-1 visa, or a DS-2019 form for a J-1 visa). Your I-20 will contain your SEVIS number, which you need to schedule an interview at the US embassy in your country. There are other forms you need to fill out which may change from country to country, so you should read the requirements on the US embassy website for your country. If I remember correctly you need to fill out a visa application - DS-156, DS-158, in some cases also DS-157 and/or DS-160 - and to have visa-approved photos (the website will have instructions on that). You also need to pay the SEVIS fee and the visa application fee and bring the receipts with you to the interview. In the interview you'll need to prove that you have enough funding to support yourself while in the US; your school will send you documents detailing how much support you will from them, and they will tell you if you need to provide bank statements for any additional funds.

After you have the visa, you can use it to enter the US up to 30 days before your program begins (according to the date on your I-20). There are several ways to find a place to live - some people sign up for dorms. Others find a short summer sublet or live at a cheap motel and search once they get to their new city. Sometimes you can find an acquaintance or current student who will host you while you search. It's possible, but not recommended *at all*, to find a place from afar; if you try that, you should at least have someone you trust see the place in person for you and send you pictures. you should not sign a lease for a place sight unseen. Home owners in university towns are versed in renting to international students so it's not too hard to find a place that doesn't require a credit history, though some options may be limited and you may be required to pay higher down payments than others. Apartments in the US (unlike dorms) usually come unfurnished, so you'll also need to buy furniture. You can rent a U-Haul and drive to the nearest ikea or find used stuff on craigslist. There may be other local options that you should ask students in your department about.

Opening a bank account it easy. Some schools have credit unions that are very good at catering to the needs of students and will know how to handle an application from a foreign student. Large banks like Bank of America and others will also know what to do. You should ask about branch availability near your university; current students will be able to give you good recommendations. Once you have an account, get checks and a debit card. You should learn about how American credit cards work before you get one.

For utilities, phone, internet, etc - you can do all that without a SSN, but you may be required to pay a large down payment.

You issue an international driver's license in your home country, if I am not mistaken. However, I'm not sure you necessarily need one. Check out the agreements between your country and the US - in some cases your license from home will suffice. You should get a local US license once you move. States differ in how long they allow you to drive with your foreign license, you should find out the specific rules for your case. It can be anything from 10 days to 3 months or more. You'll have to retake the theory exam, get a driving permit and take a practical exam. You do all that at your local DMV. You may need a SSN, or a waiver if you can't get a SSN, to start this process. You should be able to find all the details on the DMV website.