Vidita tells about the cost of living and finding a suitable accommodation in Jersey City, USA
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Study expenses - tuition and others
Always focus on getting a good GPA; which can help you in getting a teaching or graduate assistantship. I earned teaching assistantship because of which my fees for the entire master’s program was waived off and on top of that I got a stipend of $500 which helped me with my living expenses. I never ask my parents to send money to me. If you are not having any of these - your expense would be around $40-45K per year for your master’s fees. Living should be somewhere $600 per month (including grocery and rent). Also, it may take another $100 a month for commuting.
Average monthly expenditure
My monthly expenditure is somewhere around $500-$600. It depends on which part of the USA you are living in. Cities like NY, Boston, and California will be much more expensive as compared to FL, NJ, and Texas.
The average cost for a student to live in the city
As stated, New York City is always expensive. Rent will cost you $400-$450 and grocery, electricity, and internet ($150/month) and commute ($120/ month).
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Money spent on basic requirements like cooking gas, electricity, internet, laundry, movies, and dinner
New Jersey was cheaper than New York. I always recommend to look for good deals on movies. Because of the increased competition, mobile operators offer half the prices on certain days. So try to watch movies accordingly. Cooking gas in New Jersey cost $2.31 per gallon. Electricity and internet will cost somewhere around ($30-$50/month) depending on the weather. Further, grocery will cost you around $70-$80/month. Again all these expenses are on sharing basis. If you have your own plan of the internet it can cost you more.
Food expenses
My monthly expenditure on food come across $100 maximum.
Details of travel expenses
It depends on where you are living and the mode of transport you are using to commute. A bus will cost you $1.5-$4.5 per ride. Trains will cost you $2-$9 per ride. So this depends on where you are living. I used to take 2 rides that cost me $2 per ride and I used to commute 5 days a week.
Details of unforeseen expenses
Books, any specific material which you may need during your program. Any specific material for preparation for a certification exam. Apart from this, you need to pay fees if you are pursuing any extra classes and also commuting charges for the same.
Any special discounts for students
Try to be in touch with your seniors and professors. Always be active in knowing more about the developments going on in your field. Do you need to attend any conference, workshop or special classes which can differentiate you from others? And always make sure universities have a special fund for participating in such an activity. They sometimes waive the travel expenses (in case you need it). If you are using any special material which is helpful for the entire course - University may order it for all the students, so always try to create a unique personality and ready to learn each and every single moment. One should always aspire to do things differently! I earned teaching assistantship and got an internship and a full-time job through campus interview. My two research papers were published at the Long Island University. As a student, I worked as the President of International Student Association. When I graduated, the university nominated me twice as Class leader of LIU-Alumni chapter. Also, currently, I am working with Regulatory Affairs Advisor Committee. USA has plenty of opportunities to offer, be ready to grab as much as you can.
Pros and Cons of On-campus or off-campus accommodation
Well, if the student is coming for bachelor/undergraduate, I will certainly recommend for on-campus accommodation. One of the reasons is that the student will be new to the surrounding, culture, and atmosphere. For their own personal growth and career perspective, I would strongly recommend staying on-campus. Here, they can focus and participate in the day to day university activities, use the library and work closely with professors and seniors. For students who are coming to pursue the master or any postgraduate course, I will recommend staying off-campus. It will certainly help to learn the importance of sharing, how to prepare for household stuff, basic necessities like electricity, public transport, and finding the house etc. I stayed in the sharing apartment for 4 years during my master program which was 40 minutes away from my university but that helped me a lot in my own personal development. I learned so many things like; how to start your routine, plan for it; how to deal with inclement weather, how to set up electricity or internet in your home, and how to live with other people. I learned the concept of sharing. In addition, I have come across many new people and that helped me to establish a network and professional contacts.
Best off-campus option: PG, home-stay or shared apartment
I will never recommend staying in an apartment alone. You will never learn the importance of sharing and never create friends. The more you exchange your views, meet people, I guess you will learn many things.
PG: It depends on how you find it; I heard people having difficulties with food; sometime PG owners won’t serve good food. I have friends who are staying with a family and they are treating her like their daughter; serving good food, and also allow the tenants to cook.
Sharing Apartment: Again, how you are living; shared room or shared apartment, that's also a huge topic of discussion. Well, I stayed in the shared apartment, but, we all have our own personal rooms and I have framed a rule that grocery will never split so we took dinner and lunch together. We celebrate all the festivals, summer and holidays with roommates and create our good memory. To all the students who are planning to come to the USA, one should always make sure that you need to learn to give and put your attitude on the side and neglect the small things. These are very small things; you are here to shape your career.
Finding a suitable accommodation on arrival
I never faced difficulties. There are so many ways now a days, like university blog, Indian student group, international student group, and town group. You just have to post your need and you will come across with many options. Social networking sites like Facebook, WhatsApp, Craigslist, and Sulekha will certainly help you. Also, I stayed in the same house for 4 years so, I never faced any difficulties.
Negotiating for rent/lease
Well, if you are nice and keeping the house clean I don't think the owner will ever ask you to increase the rent or cut the lease. Generally, people saying it is hard to find parking space in Jersey City, NJ. In this case, our owner gave us a free parking spot. So that also depends on your nature.
Facilities you can expect/ask from a PG, home-stay, or shared apartment
For vegetarian students, it’s a challenge to share the apartment as they might have to face the smell of non-veg food in the house. Again, it's your way to look out. I always wanted to stay with vegetarian students (no offense); just that we never split our grocery and live like a family. So, I always came across with those people.
Factors to consider before selecting the location
If you don't have a vehicle, always make sure you can get public transport easily. Also, laundry should be nearby (in case you don't have any inside the house) and a small grocery store nearby. So, in rough day/inclement weather at least you can get milk, potatoes, cookies, and basic food too.
Are you satisfied with your present accommodation (city)?
Yes, no doubt.
About the Author:
Vidita Desai completed her M.S in Drug Regulatory Affairs from Long Island University, Jersey City and Bachelors in Pharmacy (K.B. Institute of Pharmacy), Gandhinagar. Currently, she is working as Regulatory Affairs Specialist focusing on international markets.
Q: Â What GPA is required for the University of South Dakota?
Q: Â What GPA is needed to go to Ohio State?
There is no minimum GPA score for UG admission at Ohio State. However, International students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) for graduate admission. Applicants may submit a standardized test score (GRE or GMAT) if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for the last degree.
Q: Â Is it hard to get into the UTSA in San Antonio Texas?
According to various sources, University of Texas San Antonio has an overall acceptance rate of around 87% which makes it somewhat selective for international student admissions. Some of the general requirements to be considered for admission are given as follows:
- SAT/ACT scores
- Overall Student's GPA
- Letters of Recommendation
- High School Class Rank
- Additional Academic Records
Q: Â Is University of North Dakota good for Indian students?
The University of North Dakota is one of the top choices for international students to pursue their higher education. The UND warmly welcomes its international students as they have contributed a lot to the success of the university. Moreover, the university offers a top-notch environment, the best academic opportunities, technical & career training, etc. The university boasts over 1000 international students who represent more than 95 countries. Additionally, international students highly enjoy the facilities provided by the University of North Dakota. The UND is one of the largest research universities in the United States for international students.
Q: Â How much is the application fee for Alabama University?
The Alabama University application fee for International students vary by application type. Mentioned below are the application fee for UG and PG applications at Alabama:
- UG: USD 40 or INR 3,342.14
- MBA: USD 80 or INR 6,684.28
Q: Â How much does LIU cost?
The Long Island University cost is comprised of tuition; hostel costs, insurance; transportation; books and supplies; and miscellaneous expenses. The Long Island University tuition ranges between INR 33L and INR 35L for undergraduate programs and INR 19L and INR 33L for postgraduate programs. The tuition cost along with the other expenses are given below for the popular programs:
Long Island University Courses | Tuition Range | Insurance Range | Hostel Range | Miscellaneous Expenses and Fees Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
B.E. / BTech | INR 31L –INR 32L | INR 3 L | INR 12 L | INR 4K-INR 1.5L |
B.A. | INR 30L- INR 32L | 279373 | INR 12 L | INR 4K-INR 1.5L |
BBA | INR 31L –INR 32L | 3.31L | INR 12 L | INR 4K-INR 1.5L |
M.A. | INR 23L –INR 27L | INR 2.7L | INR 12 L | INR 1.6L |
MS | INR 18L –INR 33L | INR 2.7L | INR 12 L | INR 79K - INR 1.6L |
B.Sc. | INR 30L- INR 32L | INR 2.7L | INR 12 L | INR 4K-INR 1.5L |
MBA/PGDM | INR 28L | INR 2.7L | INR 18 L | INR 1.6L |
MIM | INR 21L-INR 26L | INR 2.7L – INR 3.31L | INR 18 L | INR 1.65L – INR 1.68L |
Q: Â Can I get into Oregon State with a 3.5 GPA?
International students must have at least a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 for UG and PG admission at Oregon State. Therefore, candidates are eligible to get admission to the university with a 3.5 GPA in their academics. Oregon State University GPA requirements are different for undergraduate and graduate admission. Mentioned below is the range of GPA required for Oregon State University admissions:
| Program | Minimum GPA Required (on a scale of 4.0) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 2.5 - 3.0 |
| Graduate | 2.5 - 3.0 |
Read about the Grading System in the USA
Q: Â What is Northwest Missouri acceptance rate?
The Northwest Missouri acceptance rate for international students is around 80%. This shows that the university follows a moderate selection criteria when it comes to admission. However, the moderate selection criteria does not imply that the university accepts every application. International students must showcase their excellent academic performance, score high GPA, submit standardized test scores and English language proficiency test scores. In addition, if a student has a history of participation in relevant extracurricular or experience, their selection probability increases by 50%.
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Comments
(2)
P
11 months ago
The University of South Dakota expects a GPA score of 2.5 from undergraduates and 3 from postgraduates on the 4-pointer scale. Along with the GPA scores, undergraduates must meet the basic eligibility and submit an ACT score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1070 or higher. In addition, they must submit the required documents, such as academic history, transcripts, letters of recommendation, English language scores, and more.