Duke

[suja84_ibt]

I now have my housing assignment and waiting for the I20.

Suja... I received one copy of my funding letter directly from my department - the sent it by fedex. I later received another copy by post many weeks later. Ask your Graduate Director to send you the letter by fedex!

oh, thanks for telling me. I will mail my graduate director right away.

Have you had your immunisations. My understanding is that we only need MMR and DPT. (I wish I had kept my records as a child!

Nor do I have any of the immunization records. But there is one hospital nearby that gives all immunizations required for US immigration as a package and provides a certificate too. Tho it is overrated I will just take it.

Btw, any international students here? What about visa appointments? I have paid SEVIS fee, the visa application fee, etc and am trying to get a date in may or june or atleast july. In the consulate in my area dates are available only in september :shock: Lets see...

[Guest Romlit]

I'm an international but residing in a small country where demand for US visas is low so you just walk in without an appointment thank goodness. If I were in my home country I would have to book an online appointment - I once did that and got and appointment 7 months away!.

What you should do is book an emergency appointment. You need to do that because you would need to buy your airtickets early - the flights do get full don't they and they could bump you off if you do not tickt soon (advice from someone who is yet to receive his I20! )

[Guest Suja]

I'm an international but residing in a small country where demand for US visas is low so you just walk in without an appointment thank goodness. If I were in my home country I would have to book an online appointment - I once did that and got and appointment 7 months away!. What you should do is book an emergency appointment.

So I booked a visa appointment on 19th may... that leaves me with just about a week to prepare all documents. Well, thats better than not getting a date at all.

You need to do that because you would need to buy your airtickets early - the flights do get full don't they and they could bump you off if you do not tickt soon (advice from someone who is yet to receive his I20! )

LOL. I will make sure that doesnt happen. Or I could ask Duke univ to send a flight over here to pick me up. :twisted:

[Guest Romlit]

So quiet here..I guess that means that everyone is ok, busy packing

Here's where I'm at:

I got my first MMR shot, need to get the second after 1 month. I know we are required to have 3 Tetanus shots, I only have two so far. I only got TT and not DT as they recommended - I'm not sure if this is to my disadvantage. I am not able to access the health history form since I don't have my Duke ID yet. What about you guys? The deadline to enter the information is 30th of June - what are you all doing? Do you have your IDs?

Has anyone figured out what the net stipend works out to? I know most of us have either received 16500 (for 9 months) or 21K for 1 year. What does that mean in terms of what we take home?? If anyone with info could share this?

Well that's it for me. Please let's share with each other, encourage one another however few we are!! It really helps.

[suja84_ibt]

I got my first MMR shot, need to get the second after 1 month. I know we are required to have 3 Tetanus shots, I only have two so far. I only got TT and not DT as they recommended - I'm not sure if this is to my disadvantage. I am not able to access the health history form since I don't have my Duke ID yet. What about you guys? The deadline to enter the information is 30th of June - what are you all doing? Do you have your IDs?

I got a letter from OIT that had my Duke Net ID and password. If you dont have that yet you can submit a query form at the DUNK website (search for it). They will mail you your ID and ask you to call them and collect your passowrd. I am not sure how serious it is but TT is only protective for tetanus and diptheria is different. TT is just Tetanus Toxoid. I will see the health forms and let you know if I find anything there.

Has anyone figured out what the net stipend works out to? I know most of us have either received 16500 (for 9 months) or 21K for 1 year. What does that mean in terms of what we take home?? If anyone with info could share this?

My letter says I get 2000$ per month. Even I want to know how much exactly I will get and how much money I should take when I go, in case the first pay check comes very late.

[Guest Romlit]

I got a letter from OIT that had my Duke Net ID and password. If you dont have that yet you can submit a query form at the DUNK website (search for it). They will mail you your ID and ask you to call them and collect your passowrd. I am not sure how serious it is but TT is only protective for tetanus and diptheria is different. TT is just Tetanus Toxoid. I will see the health forms and let you know if I find anything there.

Thanks! I have done exactly as you suggested so I'm waiting for the response. I'm on a tiny island and the mail was probably swallowed by a big whale on it's way here!

I really hope that the minimum requirements are the 3 TT jabs - I was informed by my doctor that the final course of DT is given 6 months after the 2nd. I'll definately be too late!

On another note I have also applied to be exempted from the English Language Exam for foreign students - I'm sure it's not a terrible exam but it's one headache to deal with on arrival at a new place!

From what I've been reading there is a 6% w/holding for the state of NC - I guess this applies to our stipends. here should be a further 7% federal w/holding. These are just rumours that I have been picking up lurking on other sites so if someone has more concrete information...|

[suja84_ibt]

Thanks! I have done exactly as you suggested so I'm waiting for the response. I'm on a tiny island and the mail was probably swallowed by a big whale on it's way here!

LOL... possible

I really hope that the minimum requirements are the 3 TT jabs - I was informed by my doctor that the final course of DT is given 6 months after the 2nd. I'll definately be too late!

:roll: I am yet to start the whole process!

On another note I have also applied to be exempted from the English Language Exam for foreign students - I'm sure it's not a terrible exam but it's one headache to deal with on arrival at a new place!

That sounds cool... how did you do that? on what grounds? English was medium of instruction at both my school (16yrs) and college (4yrs). Any idea if I can apply for exemption too? Do you think its already late to ask them? As in, that mail has been in my inbox for a few weeks and I havent done anything about it till now. So to just ask for exemption now... :oops:

From what I've been reading there is a 6% w/holding for the state of NC - I guess this applies to our stipends. here should be a further 7% federal w/holding. These are just rumours that I have been picking up lurking on other sites so if someone has more concrete information...|

I have no idea... lets see if someone else does.

[Guest Romlit]

That sounds cool... how did you do that? on what grounds? English was medium of instruction at both my school (16yrs) and college (4yrs). Any idea if I can apply for exemption too? Do you think its already late to ask them? As in, that mail has been in my inbox for a few weeks and I havent done anything about it till now. So to just ask for exemption now... :oops:

You can actually request for exemption. I just stated that English has been the language of instruction at all the schools I've been to since pre-school till university. You will get a response from Ms Parker almost immediately. The deparment secretary actually suggested that I write to ask for the exemption.

I now have my NetID thanks to you! I just need to call to gewt the password. What a relief.

Hmm, I'm trying to think of anything else I vcan share that would be of help to anyone...maybe later!

[suja84_ibt]

You can actually request for exemption. I just stated that English has been the language of instruction at all the schools I've been to since pre-school till university. You will get a response from Ms Parker almost immediately. The deparment secretary actually suggested that I write to ask for the exemption.

I wrote to her and got exempted too. Thanks!

Have you taken on-campus accomodation? Erwin road apts?

[Guest Romlit]

wrote to her and got exempted too. Thanks!

Have you taken on-campus accomodation? Erwin road apts?

That is great about the exemption!

I opted out of campus housing at the last minute I found someone from the department that I could share with.

How long did it take you to receive your I20? Can you imagine I do not have mine yet It is now 3 weeks since the request was forwarded to the International Office

[suja84_ibt]

I opted out of campus housing at the last minute I found someone from the department that I could share with.

Oh, thats good. I will probably go off-campus next year.

How long did it take you to receive your I20? Can you imagine I do not have mine yet It is now 3 weeks since the request was forwarded to the International Office

It does take a minimum of three weeks for them to process I-20. I got mine exaclty after three weeks and three days through DHL. So don't worry!

[Guest Rpmlit]

How long did it take you to receive your I20? Can you imagine I do not have mine yet It is now 3 weeks since the request was forwarded to the International Office

It does take a minimum of three weeks for them to process I-20. I got mine exaclty after three weeks and three days through DHL. So don't worry!

[suja84_ibt]

Fare prices just keep jumping by the day!

ok, so I have bought the air tickets. I will come to US on August 9th but will come to Durham a week after that.