After getting the passport, you must also apply for the visa. Make sure that your passport is still valid until the completion of your study abroad. In applying for passports, you must present the admission notice or other related documents from the school you are planning to study in. Chinese students who wish to pursue to study in the United States must apply for the student visa. Although the United States government takes a variety of measures to streamline application procedures, visa application procedures still take a lot of time due to the strict evaluation of materials and documents submitted.  

Upon arrival to the United States, the student must do the following suggestions:

• Inform your family back home. Tell them that you have arrived in the United stated States already.

• Open a bank account and make deposits.

• Report to the International Student Adviser’s Office and present your passport and your I-20 form.  

• Report to the Office of the Department of your major to get information about your curriculum, notification of registration and many others.

• The student will be oriented and be given guidance about the local cultural groups and other significant information. It is advisable to get a copy of their daily paper.

• Arrange your accommodation: hotel or apartment

• telephone applications and procurement (preferably with answering machine).

• A pply for social security number (Social Security Number).

• Apply for driver’s license (you have to pass the driver’s license test)

• Take a campus tour in order to be familiarized with the campus site and environment.  

• Officially register yourself and get to meet your professors.

• Move around the campus and make new friends.

• Start to focus on your study

Telephone Services

American Telephone services can be categorized as follows:

    You may use the coin payphones or phone cards. Public telephones are used to make short distance local class and expensive long distance call.

    Home telephone is relatively inconvenient. This is because local home numbers must register first to one of the local telephone companies such as BELL ATLANTIC, BELL SOUTH, GTE and so on and the mode of paying the bill is done monthly.  

    In subscribing to the long distance telephone companies such as the AT & T, Sprint, MCI, etc. you must be aware that these companies have numerous sites so you have to be very careful to choose which of them is economical. In the United States, it is advisable to ask the call rate of either domestic or international calls. You have to know how much is the charge per minute and also, if there are other taxes and fees collected by the company to which you have subscribed with.

    American telephone industry competition is intense, so often telephone companies send you calls for promotion purposes. So, do not be surprised or confused should someone will call you and invite you to subscribe in his or her company’s services.

   The long-distance telephone companies have certain concessions, such as sending 25 Yuan a month every after four months for the tax charges and other fees.

    Some of the telephone companies have promotion strategies such as offering ten cents per minute for a day or 5 cents per minute half the weekend and many others. So you have to know this also to be able to try their promotional strategy.

   Telephone numbers in the United States are composed of ten digits. The first three numbers is the area code followed by the seven specific telephone number. This applies even to payphone.    

    The police hotline is 911. Aside from police services, the 911 can also be used for other trivial things such as reporting a forgotten key at home, or reporting a neighbor’s stereo that sounds too much and so on. Police in the United States provides very efficient services and that the officers are polite and responsible.

The Internet

    Most of the American Universities provide students with free e-mail accounts and have sufficient computers for students to use. Upon registration, you have to report to the concerned authority and ask about your password and user name so you could have full access to the internet and other school facilities. .

    United States law allows international students to work on campus for not more than 20 hours a week and that compensation must not be less than 5 dollars per hour. The International Student Adviser must assist the student to apply for social insurance and work permits. Holidays and weekends can be workdays for students. Many American colleges and universities offer their employees the opportunity to help students solve problems and provide opportunities for students to work without neglecting their academics. There are many American universities that employ qualified students in place of administrative staffs. This is one way of the university to reduce expenses.

Library
American University Library provides students with various learning opportunities. The library provides for almost all information the students need in their academics. It also provides a very good venue for groups of students to have fun while studying.  

Computer room
American Universities’ computer rooms are actually another employment hub for students. A lot of students are hired to as computer assistants to the students who give on-site help and other information to the customers.

The school cafeteria
Almost all American universities have restaurant. These restaurants also employ students in addition to the management team and cook staffs. Such job is also a very good one because aside from the income; you can also get free meals. Thus, even if the wage is not too high, it can solve some economic constraints especially on food.

School quarters
American universities undergraduate dormitories are equipped with facilities and managed by assistants, which are usually graduate students. Such work makes the assistant enjoy the benefits of free accommodation. In addition, school administrators often need students to work as administrative assistants, secretaries and even drivers, cleaners and so on. Students may also apply as assistant to bookstores and other centers of the university that has job vacancies for students.

  The United States and China have different education system. How to adapt to the American education system is very important for the student especially in the methods and strategies of teaching, classroom set-up, independent study assignment, group discussions and also research. In the United States rely more on the self-study rather than the group study. You must make the best out of the library resources and the internet. Actively participate in the panel discussion topics, dare to express your views as this does not only promote dynamic learning but also a way of making new friends. If you wish to use the computers, make sure you are familiar with the operational requirements otherwise, you have to undergo extensive training. This intensive training must be completed within a certain period of time as specified by your teacher, otherwise, your teacher will refuse to give you extension and that would mean you failed in the training. Students are advised to inform your teacher about any learning difficulty so that you will be given appropriate attention.

   AIG easy network services are also providing students with a medical insurance policy to ease students’ worries. Illness or injury can be addressed to the school's health center treatment (usually free, but students have to buy medicine). If the student’s illness is complicated or serious, the university health center will indorse to specialists in general hospitals. The International Student Adviser will be responsible to look for suitable and economical doctor for the student. Take note the doctors with high profile usually charge high fees. When the serious illness is caused by accident, you have to call the university health center first. If the university center is closed or that the doctor is out, you must go to the nearest emergency hospital and then just call later the university health center to arrange the bill and other services.

For the convenience of students, the China Merchants Bank and some financial institutions in the USA have launched credits cards. The most common and widely used credit cards companies are the VISA and MASTERCARD.

Visa International
Visa International (VISA INTERNATIONAL) is the world's largest organization of credit card and travelers checks. Visa International, is the predecessor of the 1900 Bank of America credit card companies. In 1974, Bank of America credit card companies and the Western countries together with some other commercial banks have cooperated to the establishment of the international credit card company. And in 1977, it was officially recognized as VISA, an international organizations for global credit card

MasterCard International
MasterCard International is the world's second largest credit card international organizations. In 1966, some California banks have set up a bankcard association called the Interbank Card Association. In 1970, the association formally opened the Master Charge as the official name including the logo. This also started the unification of the member banks to issue credit card name and design. It was in 1978 the association took the current name MasterCard.

The two organizations are not the only issuing agency of credit cards. Other commercial banks have also credits cards issued to bankers. Domestically, China's major banks have also credit cards.

Credit and debit cards are different?
The distinction between "credit card" and "debit card" is very simple to understand. The first can be used to pay a bill even without being deducted to your deposit. You may pay the credit later. Usually, you will be informed or advised when you have already reached the overdraft amount. Debit card on the other hand can be used to pay a bill only when you have deposited in the bank. The bill will be automatically deducted from your deposit. However, in the united states, these two different cards may be referred to simply as “cards”