Incoming student guide

• JHU Homewood Graduate Students

• WSE Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures

• JHU Office of International Students and Scholar Services

• JHU Registrar

• JHU Student Life

• JHU Virtual Tour

• Graduate Admissions

• About Baltimore

• CPT for internship

It is best to apply early for an F-1 visa, as the background checks can take up to 4-6 weeks. Thus, it is advisable to apply as soon as you receive the I-20 form from the University and have all other documents ready. You will need to fill out an online Visa Application Form available at the US Embassy website and schedule an appointment for visa interview.

You should try arriving about one to two weeks prior to the day of the orientation. This will give you some time to look for a place to live, find roommates, unpack/purchase things for the apartment and familiarize yourself with the area in general.

You should arrive at the BWI Airport, as it is the closest to the Baltimore city and is well-connected by public transport. Avoid booking flights flying to Dulles International Airport as it is much further away and can cost almost $100 to get to Baltimore from there.

Students are encouraged to book tickets together. From the airport, one can avail shared shuttle services like SuperShuttle and Go Airport Shuttle.

IGSA uses a google mailing list for all public communications within IGSA community, including notifications from the board, information on rental, sublets, sale of goods, carpooling and any other messages. However, no soliciting is allowed on either of the forums. To be added to this mailing list, please register with us. New students are suggested to join the Fall 2018-JHU Indian Graduate Students Joined group to make sure they do not miss out on useful information.

We also recommend you to join the IGSA Facebook group for important updates on IGSA activities.

• Passport

• I-20

• Admission letter and other documents from the program

• Certificates

The amount of money that you wish to carry with you is a personal choice. The main expenditures immediately after your arrival in Baltimore shall include housing (a month's rent and a security deposit) and house items (furniture, bedding, kitchen supplies etc.). Hence, make sure you have enough to cover these and 1-2 month's living expenses (food, transport, books etc).

Please carry majority of the money as travellers' cheques (as they are safer and can be replaced if lost). Please bring some cash, including loose change to pay for food, airport carts, transportation.

Here is a list of the common things that you must bring with you from India when you first arrive in Baltimore:

Books/Stationery

Textbooks and supplies are much cheaper in India. Hence, it is advised to get information in advance on the textbooks you need for your courses and purchase them before coming here.

• Backpack

• Textbooks

• Stationery (notebooks, pens, pencils, scissors, stapler, tape, glue stick)

• Calculator

• USB drives/ Portable hard disks

Kitchen

Due to weight limitations, it is not advisable to bring too many kitchen goods as they are bulky. Most food items and spices are easily available at the Indian stores here. However, it is a good idea to bring a few basic items to help you in your initial few weeks here. These are just some suggestions you may consider:

• Utensils (pressure cooker, frying pan, saucepan)

• Tableware (Plates, cutlery, glasses/mugs, knives, serving spoons/ladles)

• Kitchen towels and mats

• Small packets of rice, lentils and spices for the initial few days

• Few ready-to-eat packets

Personal use

These requirements vary from person to person, so you are the best judge of the things you need on a daily basis. These are just some main things:

• Clothes

• Winter jacket and woolens

• Toiletries

• Medicine

• Umbrella

• Shoes (sneakers, formal shoes and slippers)

• Bedding

The Johns Hopkins University does not provide on-campus housing to its graduate students. Most graduate students at Hopkins rent apartments near the Homewood Campus. The rent varies depending on the apartment type, location and occupancy.

Some neighborhoods in Baltimore are not very safe. Sometimes, you may get better prices in such areas, but living there is not advisable. Thus, before signing a lease for an apartment or a row house, please check with someone about the safety in the vicinity. Other factors to consider before finalizing housing include proximity to campus, public transport, grocery stores and other shops. Also, be careful to check for any additional costs such as high utility bills, maintenance fees, parking fees etc.

For more housing-related information, please email igsa.board@gmail.com

Resources:

• JHU Off-campus Housing

• Facebook Housing Page

• IGSA Roommate Database

• Facebook IGSA

Yes! you can follow IGSA on Facebook using the link at the end of there page. We have also created a WhatsApp group for Fall 2022 so that fellow admits can get to know each other.