All graduate students live off-campus. Apartments around the campus in Troy may have 1 to 4 bedrooms, and cost ranges from $350 to $1000 per person.
Explore the following websites to find a suitable apartment:
Facebook Groups
RPI: Free & For Sale
Marketplace
Accepted students landing at JFK or EWR airports are encouraged to explore the following transport options to reach Albany, which is the nearest big city from Troy.
Subway from Jamaica Station to Penn Station
Airport shuttle between JFK and Port Authority
Subway from Jamaica station on "route E" to Port Authority
Shuttle service from JFK to Albany
Albany is 15mins drive away from Troy. In case GradISA can't provide pickup from Albany, Taxis, CDTA buses, Uber or Lyft can be used.
Please fill in your details here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TnPAYh49W0seGgaa20AeiV7CWJAyB5icG2mdYRcTXvA/edit?usp=sharing
GradISA will find volunteering seniors to pickup accepted students from the Albany area. Common pickup locations are listed below:
Greyhound Bus station
Rensselaer Amtrak station
Albany airport
SUNY bus stand
GradISA will also find volunteers to provide temporary accommodation to accepted students for few days till they find and rent their own apartment.
RPI ID Card
Visit the ID card office on the first floor of Student Union (on 15th Street near the walkover bridge) during office hours with your passport and RIN to get your student ID card. They will take a photograph, so you may choose to be presentable.
The RPI ID card can enable you to use gyms, swimming pool, and access your department at late hours.
You can also use it in all CDTA (like bus 87 for Walmart) buses to roam around for free. Otherwise, you have to pay $1.50 for every trip.
Opening Bank Account
Students below the age of 24 can open Checking and/or Savings account in Bank of America (BofA) on 3rd Street even if you don't get TA/RA. If you're older, you need a regular income source to open Checking account at BofA.
Second option, SEFCU bank in Student Union.
Interest rates are insignificant in Savings account, and there might also be minimum balance. Explain your financial situation and ask questions before opening your account (but don't trouble them too much)
Mobile SIM
Form a group of 5 and buy a family plan from AT&T, TMobile, Verizon, or any other provider. You can catch 87 bus, get down at Price Chopper and visit these shops to inquire.
Mobile plans are more expensive compared to India. You will get unlimited calls and SMS but internet will be limited. You can subscribe to a limited internet plan (1GB to 10GB) for every month, as you will have WiFi at your home and RPI campus. Unlimited plans will slightly more expensive.
You can also join family plan of seniors, if they have vacancies.
International calls are provided by some companies for additional cost, or maybe included in the basic plan.
Also checkout secondary providers like Lyka, Cricket, etc which run on primary providers' network for cheaper deals (like Cricket uses AT&T network)
Apartment Lease
Once you have a bank account, you can pay your security and rent through online banking, checks or cash.
You can also withdraw cash with your multi-currency card brought from India.
Read the lease carefully, and clarify the expiration date of the lease - when you have to vacate the house.
If the apartment is not furnished, politely ask them if they have spare furniture or mattress for you. If you are staying for just a year, they will be happy to help you out.
State ID/Learner's Permit
If you want to visit pubs, bars or other places which require proof of age, you should have an ID with you. RPI ID card doesn't mention your age. Passport works everywhere but it's risky to carry passport when you're planning to get drunk.
You can get Learner's Permit or Non-Driver ID card from DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). For learner's permit, you have to answer a simple test of 20 questions and give an eye test at the DMV. No such tests are required for the non-driver ID card.
Check https://dmv.ny.gov Read the website before visiting DMV.
You will need to provide documents like passport, address proof, SSN (or an ineligibility letter).
It costs $65 for Learner's Permit. Non-driver ID may be cheaper.
To upgrade the learner's permit to Driver License, you have to attend a 5 hour classroom course and give a road test.
You have to file taxes for both State and Federal govt. if you received any income for being TA, RA, etc. It'll help you get some tax refund from both.
The following guide assumes that you:
Have not spent more than an year in USA
Have only RPI as source of income
Have no gains/loss from investments
(those who don't meet these conditions, have to fill different and/or extra forms than mentioned below)
You have to fill and send the following documents physically by post (you are not yet eligible for online filing):
Federal docs:
1040NR-EZ (https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040-nr-ez)
Copy of W2 (http://sis.rpi.edu/)
State docs:
IT203 (https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/ads/efile_addit203-2d.htm)
IT2 (same as above)
Read the instructions from respective websites, consult your seniors and fill the forms in groups to make the process easier. You'll receive the refund within 6 weeks of posting the documents.
You'll need to
Know Routing and Account number of your bank account for receiving refund
Fill all the forms
Send two mails (for state and federal) before 15th April
Most importantly, India has treaty with US which allows us to exempt income up to $12000 for federal tax purposes. You have to mention that in form 1040NR-EZ. Thus, entire federal tax withheld by RPI might be refunded.