International Students
The international student population at the GSD has reached a record 40%. Many have attended previous U.S. institutions; however. but quite a few are arriving to study in the U.S. for the first time. The first place you should visit is the Harvard International Office (HIO), on the eighth floor of Holyoke Center. Along with the GSD Admissions Office, which is the GSD's liaison for international students, the HIO is a centralized Harvard University office that is a great resource for many questions about immigration issues such as visas, working in the U.S., resources for spouses or partners of GSD students and their families, as well as adjusting to life as an international student at Harvard. Each school is assigned an advisor; the GSD's advisor is Ivana Hrga-Griggs.
The HIO offers weekly orientation sessions for newly arrived international students and their families. This program is called "Getting Started." This link provides its schedule and topics. The HIO will also send you emails at times during your studies; please be sure to read them carefully.
Resources for Making Your Studies a Success
The GSD experience can be stressful even for American students. When students are also struggling with English, are away from their families and friends and in an academic environment that is different from the one back home, it can become even more stressful.
The GSD Language Resource Center is there to help you strengthen your English oral and written skills.
Many of our American students feel overwhelmed and stressed out at some time during their studies and they are quite comfortable seeking help when they feel bad; it is much more of an open topic for conversation in our culture, and an accepted part of our life. Some of you come from cultures where emotional distress or mental illness is not discussed openly, and can be a source of embarrassment. Even if it difficult for you to approach someone when you are feeling overwhelmed and having trouble concentrating, we strongly encourage you to seek help. We can help you identify what is troubling you and refer you to the best resource. You should contact Laura Snowdon, the Assistant Dean for Student Services, Gund 422, of you have any concerns or are experiencing difficulties. Also, remember that all of your conversations remain completely confidential.
Arriving in the U.S.
Detailed information on visas is included in the brochure you receive over the summer from the International Office entitled, "Welcome to Harvard."
Travel with all of your documentation. Make sure you have your Design School acceptance letter, visa, I-20's, etc. because they are often requested at Immigration. Again, read the brochure, "Welcome to Harvard."
Ask the company transporting your belongings before you leave what customs documentation is required and what you will need to do. One example: a student's boxes can only be released from customs once he or she has a contact telephone number in Cambridge. In addition, get contact numbers of your shipping company's representative offices in the U.S. in case you have any problems.
Money and Bank Accounts
You should bring about $2,000 in traveler's checks. Bring all other money in the form of a banker's draft. An international credit card and a foreign bankcard that works in U.S. automatic teller machines (or ATMs) are handy as well. It usually takes one day to open up a bank account, but the banker's draft can take as long as seven days to clear. It might also be a good idea to open up a bank account before you arrive and have money wired to your new account. Banks that have ATMs on campus are Cambridge Trust and Bank of America. To open up an account, you will need to bring your passport as identification.
Before coming to the GSD, it is worth finding out from your bank how to wire money to the U.S. and how much the transfer costs. When you arrive and set up a bank account, you can then arrange the transfer by faxing your home bank with your U.S. bank details (your account number, the bank's name and address, and the bank's ABA number). It is often cheaper to have your home bank pay all of the fees. Transfers take between 4-5 days. Make sure you ask for a confirmation from your home bank once the money has been sent.
Please remember that you may need to spend a fair amount of money getting yourself established your first week. If you want to get a U.S. credit card, bring a credit history (usually six months' worth) from your home bank. It is very difficult to get a card without a U.S. credit history unless you deposit a balance with the credit card company.
There is detailed information about initial expenses in the International Office's brochure, "Welcome to Harvard."
Telephone
Telephone service in the U.S. is a complicated thing to navigate when you first arrive. Because of legislation passed about ten years ago, local and long distance service has been deregulated. The good news is that rates have fallen by about 60%; the bad news is that you have to pick separate providers for local, long distance, and possibly internet service.
Unlike many countries where a phone is included in your service, in the U.S. you need to purchase one. There are many types available in most stores, such as Radio Shack or Staples in Harvard Square, or Best Buys in the Watertown Mall. For phone service, if you don't have a credit history in the U.S., phone companies sometimes require a deposit for the first nine months (approximately $200) to set against long distance calls.
If you live in a dorm, you have the choice to pay for service from the Harvard University Student Telephone Office, (617) 496-8200. Harvard is more expensive and provides a limited choice of long distance carriers, yet calls within the Harvard community are free and convenient. Choosing another provider allows you to shop around and find the long distance carrier with the lowest rate structure to your home company.
An excellent service for long distance overseas calls is isterra. For a base rate of about $6.00/month you can save a lot of money on calls. Another alternative is to pick up phone cards at the post office, CVS, and convenience stores.
Clothing
Clothes are generally cheaper in the U.S. There are always sales, especially after Christmas for winter clothes, although you will need winter clothes before then. (At the end of each season, there are great discounts.) You should be prepared to bring or buy warm gloves, a hat, and waterproof winter boots.
Weather in New England
It is a known and lamented fact that the weather in New England is quite unpredictable. Also, it is a known fact that some of the seasons such as the autumn make the foliage in this area incredibly beautiful. In any case, there may be no snow in winter and then there will be three major snowstorms in March (as was the case in 2001). The following chart will give you some idea of the temperature ranges each season:
Fall - Mid-September to November
8 to 15 degrees C or 46 to 60 degrees F.
Winter - December to mid-March
-17 to 3 degrees C or 0 to 37 degrees F.
Spring - Mid-March to May
3 to 15 degrees C or 37 to 60 degrees F.
Summer - June to Mid-September
15 to 35 degrees C or 60 - 95 degrees F (and humid)
Housing
Finding a place to live can be difficult and discouraging. GSD international students have commented that housing is so much more expensive than at home; that is probably true. Like other major U.S. cities, it is very expensive. The International Office brochure, "Welcome to Harvard," gives you some practical information.
There is no temporary housing available on campus, although there are a number of options off-campus. These include rooming houses, bed-and-breakfast facilities, and hotels. The GSD Admissions office has a list of these places.
Also, if you are here, check bulletin boards because students sometimes sublet their apartments for short periods of time or advertise for roommates. See the Housing section in Before You Arrive, for more information.
Health Insurance
Students are automatically enrolled in both Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance and the Harvard University Health Plan. Students only have the option to waive the Blue Cross insurance if they are already enrolled in an approved U.S.-based health insurance program. The Harvard University Health Plan provides extensive on-campus services to students and their families (if enrolled) at University Health Services in Holyoke Center. Students must enroll their families separately. Please note, also, that USIA regulations require J-1 visa holders and J-2 dependents to have health insurance that meets the standards outlined in the booklet, "Health Insurance for International Students and Scholars and Their Families 2001-2002." Please contact the HIO ifyou did not receive a copy of this booklet.
You will receive booklets on Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Insurance and University Health Services (UHS) at orientation. In addition, there is very useful information under the heading, "Health Insurance and Health Care" on the HIO website.
Conversion Charts (measurements, temperature, currency, etc.)