|
C/0 LSU International Cultural Center (ICC)
3365 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
Tel: 1-225-342-3084; Fax: 1-225-342-0864
Welcome
Congratulations
on your admission to Louisiana State University (LSU).
The ISA extends a cordial welcome to you. Before you embark on this
journey, we would like to bridge the gap between the two cultures
providing you with some information and suggestions to make your
arrival and stay more comfortable.
Financial
Aid
Funding is available primarily through Graduate
Assistantships or Student Worker jobs. If you do not have an
assistantship already, though not impossible, it is quite unlikely that
you will be able to procure one in your first semester.
Teaching/Research assistantships are available in one's own department
while other Service Assistantships (primarily computer-based jobs) can
be obtained from other departments too. It helps to have
knowledge/experience in web-designing, databases, hardware maintenance,
networking etc., if you wish to obtain such assistantships. However, it
is important to realize that most assistantships are awarded on a
competitive basis and hence you must have adequate funds with you when
you arrive at LSU. We would encourage you to contact your individual
departments for more information on assistantships. Student worker jobs
(on campus) involve working in libraries, offices, cafeteria,
bookstores, etc. These are relatively easier to get and pay between
$6.55 - 8.00 per hour. International Students are permitted to work up
to a maximum of 20 hours/week (40 hours/week during vacations) and
hence a student worker job will only take care of your living expenses.
For undergraduate students, the numbers of scholarships are very
limited. However, there are chances of getting a partial tuition waiver
in the second year.
Housing
and Expenses
Expenses can be kept low by sharing off-campus apartments with other Indian students. Normally, 4 students share a 2-bedroom apartment and pay a rent of around $225- $275/month per head. The ISA can assist you in finding an apartment close to campus. It would be advisable to come at least two weeks in advance to become acclimatized to your new surroundings. This will also enable you to meet faculty members and explore opportunities for assistantships or jobs. Average monthly expenses figure around $350-$400. Other additional expenses may vary as per individual tastes and habits. On campus housing is generally more expensive. Also, for under-graduate students, it is mandatory to take a meal plan during your first semester if you live on campus. In your first month, additional expenses will be incurred such as deposits for your apartment, electricity, telephone etc. It is advisable to get about $600 extra for this, in form of cash and Traveler's Checks. Even students on assistantships should carry this amount. You can carry your tuition fees as a check made payable to LSU. Additionally, you can carry a check made payable to yourself or some traveler's checks. We do not encourage you to carry a lot of cash.
The health insurance costs $539 per semester and is mandatory. However, if you have a full time assistantship (20 hrs/wk) the University pays $350 towards your health insurance premium We strongly recommend that you take all the vaccines as prescribed in the immunization form. Remember to bring along an extra pair of spectacles if you wear one. Please attend to all your dental work in India as it is very expensive here and is not covered by the insurance plan. Also, any medical problems related to eyes are not covered by the insurance.
Food
All the
ingredients pertaining to Indian cooking are available in Indian stores
here. Vegetarians will not face any problems. A pressure cooker is the
only utensil that you might want to carry along with you since it is
unavailable here. It would be a good idea to pick up a few cooking tips
while you are in India. Any preprocessed food brought from India must
be well sealed and packed.
Getting
to Baton Rouge
You can
fly to Baton Rouge or fly into New Orleans and then take a Greyhound
bus (www.greyhound.com) to Baton Rouge. We can arrange to pick you up
from the Baton Rouge airport or from Baton Rouge Greyhound terminal.
You can also find yellow cabs (taxi) outside the airport. If you can't
find one then you can call for one on 225-926-6400. We cannot arrange
to pick you up from New Orleans. As far as possible, please try to
schedule to fly directly into Baton Rouge. It is advisable to carry
$200 cash for miscellaneous expenses like food, bus ticket, etc. Please
inform us of your arrival well in advance providing flight details
(Airline, Flight Number, and Arrival Time). On arrival here, you will
be a guest of one of the Indian students here for a few days. There are
quite a few Indian girls studying at LSU who will be hosting the
incoming girls till their accommodation is confirmed. We will have an
orientation session where you will be provided with important details
regarding registration, insurance, social security, etc.
Weather
The
weather is similar to that in most parts of India. The period from
March to October is warm with temperature ranging from 25-35 °C and
with regular rainfall throughout the year. During winter it gets quite
cold with temperatures ranging from 10-20 °C and sweaters, woolen
clothes and a good jacket would be needed. Additionally, it is a good
idea to carry sufficient clothing so that you can do your laundry
weekly or fortnightly. It is also advisable to bring sufficient pairs
of jeans and cotton T-shirts.
Culture
Louisiana
is famous for its cultural heritage and hospitality. LSU has
a large and internationally diverse student population. There are
numerous avenues for interacting with people from other cultures. The
International Hospitality Foundation (IHF) assists International
Students in finding host families. Interaction with the large Indian
community during various festivals and occasions will ensure that you
have a home away from home. Don't forget to get a couple of traditional
dresses for such occasions. We will also have a number of social
gatherings where you will be able to meet the Indian Students and the
Indian Community at Baton Rouge.
Reminder
Please
inform us about your arrival well in advance so that we can make
arrangements for your pick up and accommodation. It will get difficult
to arrange housing if you arrive late or do not inform us well in
advance. Also keep this letter with you during journey (it might help
you). Keep checking the ISA website for arrival and other important
information, which will be updated regularly. Have a pleasant and safe
journey. We look forward to seeing you at LSU. Have a pleasant and safe
journey.
|
