Prepare for Your Departure
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By NATASA MILAS
Illustration by Shah Faisal Khan, photographs from Getty Images
Seek assistance from an EducationUSA advising center and the international student adviser at your chosen university while planning your journey to the United States.
42 JULY/AUGUST 2021
hen it comes to higher education, the United States is one of the most desired destinations for students across the globe, including from India. According to the Open Doors Report published by the International Institute of Education, nearly 200,000 Indians studied in the United States in the 2019-20 academic year. To help international students navigate the application process, the U.S. Department of State created EducationUSA, a network of international advising centers which promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering accurate, comprehensive and current information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States. EducationUSA has created a simple fivestep process to help students navigate their journey to studying at a U.S. university: 1. Research your options 2. Finance your studies 3. Complete your application 4. Apply for your
student visa, and finally, 5. Prepare for your departure. If you successfully completed the first four steps, you are a few months away from your trip to the United States. One of the first things students can do at this stage is to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the website of the university or college they will attend. Here students will find information regarding housing, local weather, campus, transportation and more. It is very important to attend the predeparture orientation at the nearest EducationUSA center, which will offer advice on a variety of topics, including which documents to take with you, how to acclimatize to a different culture, what are the academic expectations at U.S. institutions and how to pack for your trip. At the EducationUSA predeparture orientation, students can meet with advisers and alumni and ask questions to better prepare for their upcoming trip. This year,
