Exactly what happens,from sign-up to settled.

Tell us what you need and your advisor finds places that fit — checked for scams, seen on a live video tour. You choose; they arrange the application and read the lease; you sign and pay the landlord directly, and move straight in when you land.

Watch out: Red flags: a landlord who is 'out of the country', a price far below market, pressure to pay a deposit today, or any request for payment by wire, gift card, Zelle or crypto. Only ever pay the way your advisor has checked — if anyone asks for another way, stop and tell your advisor.

Your advisor reads the lease before you sign and tells you in plain English what it says: how long, the deposit, fees, who pays which bills, ending it early, subletting and automatic renewal.

A photo or scan of your passport, F-1/J-1 visa stamp, I-20 or DS-2019, SEVIS I-901 fee receipt and admission letter, on the Documents page. This ticks itself once they're all there, and your advisor checks every one for you — anything missing, expiring or wrong gets caught now, not at the immigration desk.

Have $3,500–$5,000 reachable for your first month — deposit, first month's rent and setup costs land almost at once, and your US bank account will not exist for the first few days. Carry only $300–$500 of that as cash; the rest should be on a card that works internationally or ready to transfer. Expensive cities need more: run the estimator for your city.

Watch out: Never carry your full first-semester budget in cash, and never hand cash to anyone who offers to 'exchange at a better rate' at the airport. Carrying more than $10,000 in cash or equivalent must be declared to US Customs — failing to declare it can mean losing the lot.

Only if your place doesn't start the day you land: a real, verified place to sleep until it does — university dorm, a reputable short-stay, or a hostel. Send your advisor the listing before you pay and they will check it for the usual red flags. If your lease starts by the day you land, this ticks itself.

Watch out: Do not wire money or send Zelle/Venmo/crypto for a room you have not seen and that has not been verified. It's one of the most common scams against arriving students.

Originals of I-20, passport, financial proof, admission letter and vaccination records go in your carry-on. Never in checked baggage — if the bag is delayed you still need to clear immigration.

What to say to a 911 operator, your address, your advisor, your emergency contact at home, your insurance reference and your university — on the Emergency page, ready to print. Paper, not just on a phone that might be dead.

Flight number, landing time and how you are getting from the airport to your new place, shared with your advisor 48 hours before departure — so they know when to check in and you know exactly which exit, train or rideshare zone to head for.

What the CBP officer will ask, what to have in hand, and what to do if you are sent to secondary inspection. Your advisor goes through it with you before you fly and is reachable by message while you queue.

Follow the route you planned with your advisor — the train, the shuttle, or the marked rideshare pickup zone. Message your advisor when you are on your way; they can help if a train is cancelled or a ride does not show.

Watch out: Never accept a ride from someone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a taxi. Licensed pickup happens at a marked rideshare or taxi stand only.

A prepaid SIM or eSIM on day one so you can be reached. We compare Mint, Visible, T-Mobile Connect and US Mobile against your actual usage — no credit history required for prepaid.

Watch out: Skip airport kiosks selling 'tourist SIMs' at 3–4x the price. And you do not need a Social Security Number to buy a prepaid plan — anyone insisting otherwise is upselling you.

Bedding, towels, a week of food, a power adapter. Your advisor sends you a list and the nearest stores that are actually good value, so the first shop does not cost double.

Accommodation keys, wifi password, and a message home. Send your advisor a quick note so they know you are safely in.

Report to the international student office within the window your school requires (usually within 30 days of the program start on your I-20). This one is not optional — your SEVIS record depends on it.

ID card, campus email, wifi, meal plan and library access. Your advisor gives you the order to do them in so it is one trip instead of four.

Your advisor compares student accounts that waive monthly fees and do not need an SSN, and tells you exactly what to bring: passport, I-20, admission letter and your US address. Book the branch appointment and message them if anything goes sideways at the desk.

Watch out: A bank will never ask you to pay a fee to open a student account, and never asks for your password. Anyone offering to 'open an account for you' for cash is committing fraud in your name.

Transit card, student transit discount, campus shuttle routes, and the rideshare apps that actually work in your city.

Once the bank account exists, switch from prepaid to a plan that suits you, or stay prepaid if it is cheaper. We do the maths with your real usage.

Most schools auto-enroll you and bill it to your account — but the waiver deadline is early and unforgiving. We check your status and what your plan actually covers.

Only if you have on-campus employment or an eligible job offer. Your advisor helps you get the letter from your school, fill in the SS-5 form correctly and book the SSA appointment. Expect the card in 2–4 weeks.

Watch out: The SSA never charges for an SSN, never calls you demanding payment, and never threatens deportation over the phone. Any such call is a scam — hang up and tell your advisor.

Electricity, gas, water and internet in your name. Some providers ask for a deposit without US credit history — we know which ones do not.

Campus marketplace, local buy-nothing groups, and the outgoing-student sales that happen every semester. Most of a first apartment can be furnished for under $400.

So you stop carrying your passport everywhere. Requirements vary by state — your advisor prepares the exact document list for yours and helps you book the DMV appointment.

A secured or student credit card, used correctly, gets you from no credit history to a usable score in about six months. This decides your future apartment, car and phone terms.

Student societies from your region, places of worship, sports leagues, and the local community groups that make a city feel like somewhere you live rather than somewhere you landed. Your advisor sends you the ones near you.

Almost every F-1 student must file Form 8843 even with zero income. We explain what you owe, when, and which free software handles nonresident returns.

Watch out: The IRS initiates contact by post, never by phone, text or email. Nobody from the IRS will ever demand payment in gift cards.

20 hours a week on campus during term. CPT and OPT have deadlines that catch people out every year. We map your dates so you do not miss a window.

Watch out: Any 'job' that pays you cash off the books can end your visa status. Never accept unauthorised work, however casual it sounds.

A written summary of everything set up and a clear list of who to call for what — university, medical, legal, and us.