For Students Coming to US from Bangladesh- version 1.

4
This document primarily contained only the list of necessary things. The list was prepared by me in December 2012 while I was preparing to go to Arizona
for my PhD. The first online lists (version 1.1 to 1.3) was for helping the students who are coming to the Southern parts of US (where the minimum
temperature is higher) - Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, may be California, Nevada, Mississippi etc. From version 1.4, I have made a significant
change by updating the list even for northern parts of US (so may be good for Canada too) and adding some key-points in the advice section. I also added a
to-do list before beginning the journey which should help the students who are going abroad for the first time by plane. Most of the students should find it
useful with a few modifications.
Notes About the to-buy list:
After coming here, I updated my own list and made a few changes from my experience. I will try to make another update later if necessary.
In the to-buy list there are two columns for prices to keep a track of the total cost incurred. I myself couldnt keep the track though
I tried to mention the minimum/optimum quantity according to my judgment. Consider issues like total weight, necessity and other things for packing
your own luggage and then decide how many you need or if you need it at all.
Most of the things mentioned are available (but costly) in US. So you may opt to buy them here instead of bringing a lot of luggage.
As I came to Arizona, I didnt have to bring the winter dress for northern parts of US mentioned in the list. These dresses are heavier; so if you are
going to the Northern parts, you have to choose wisely what you select to leave behind from the rest of the list. I think for this you may leave some
things from the normal dress list if you are having weight problems.
Other than the winter dress section, rest of the to-buy list is good enough for everyone.
Comments mentioned here are absolutely personal and everyone should use his/her discretion. No responsibility is taken if anything goes wrong
Advice:
Check your varsitys website to find any recommended vaccination. Take those vaccines earlier- there is a minimum gap between the doses and some
vaccines have 2 doses.
Check the weather of the whole year of your intended state.
Always try to talk or communicate with students living in that state for their specific suggestions
Dont buy from the first shop/store- Check Market prices first; dont rush. Start your marketing as early as possible
Dont buy things of poor quality specially for shoes, backpacks, dress (I am not suggesting to go for the most extravagant either)
You can carry two 23 kg luggage, one hand-carry and one backpack for laptop (but nobody ever checks for laptop). Check dimensions for each
luggage. For hand-carry and backpack, they dont measure the weight; only the size should be exact. So make the best use of all 4 luggage.

 For the luggage, try to buy light ones, if the luggage itself is heavy, it cant hold much in it.
For main luggage, always buy trolley type (never a suitcase type) and try to buy the lighter ones (sometimes even heavier luggage looks lighter if the
handle is very nice one so you can be easily deceived). Check the market/s for 2 days before buying. Remember the wheels under the trolley have to
be strong. Avoid the hard body-trolleys as they might break easily. Dont buy very expensive ones, good quality luggage is very cheap in US and
once you get here, you can buy them easily.
Buy the hand-carry very carefully. Remember if you are visiting other states, most of the airlines will allow you only this so it should be good looking
and also robust enough for repetitive use. The handle and wheels should be strong.
Buy a good quality and good looking backpack (Pierre Cardin is the best choice). Remember that you will carry it everyday with your laptop.
After publishing the first few versions, people repeatedly asked me how much money they should bring to US if they are funded (RA or TA). From
my experience, I think you should bring like $ 2500 if you are coming with own laptop and $ 3000 if planning to buy a laptop here (depending upon
your house rent and other fees mainly). I have kept a good margin here, you will not need so much but it is better to bring some more than you need.
You will have expenses like school fees (yes, still some extra fees are there in most of the schools even if your tuition is waived), house rent, for
buying a lot of things to start and if unlucky enough, may be hotel rent too.
Some people opt for travel check for bringing money, I dont find any reason behind that if you can safely keep the money with you and people here
are not looking to rob you either, just dont drop it in some place. (Never keep all your eggs in the same basket as the popular saying goes).
No need to run to banks for endorsement, a reliable money exchange is enough (but make sure that you dont have a fake dollar, even the banks
sometimes gives fake ones). Try to carry some changes (some 1$, 5 $) which will help you in the airports.
I also received some messages asking how much money might be needed to buy the things I mentioned in the list. I cannot reply to this directly as the
price may vary a lot on the quality and the place where you are buying it from. Just remember that the same quality goods can be bought at a very
different rate in various markets. Anyway, overall the cost is huge (sevis fee- $ 200 + visa application fee- probably BDT 14000 around+ to be
brought to US - $ 2500/3000+ Flight cost (?) + Expenses for things, vaccine, luggage etc- should easily go beyond BDT 100000 or 120000.
Try to make the living arrangements before arriving in US. If you are thinking of living in campus housing, then you should contact your varsity
beforehand for finding suitable ones (remember campus housing is costly most of the time) Ask for help from seniors for their advice and if you want
to look for apartments, they are your guide in this. In US you have to sign a deal for leasing apartments (can be done over internet by scanning and
emails) and it can be done from Bangladesh if someone pays the necessary money to the apartment owners. This will save a lot of trouble for you
because otherwise you may need to stay with seniors or rent hotels.
For People for whom this is the first flight:
Always contact multiple travel agents for booking a flight. If it is your first journey, you should try to minimize your flight time though it might be
more costly sometimes. Always contact the experienced people who live in your state to know about these things as they know the specific problems.

After you fix a date confirm your ticket as early as possible to save extra charge and dont forget to cancel the other extra bookings or otherwise all of
them might be cancelled automatically by the system.
When you are making the booking, make sure that you are allowed to carry 2 main luggage for the whole journey. Suppose you are going to a small
city in a state US. Your journey will be normally like this: from Dhaka to x international airport where you wait and change planes and go to y
airport in US (There are mainly 4 international airports or y airports for people to arrive in US). After arriving at y airport, you take a domestic
plane and go to z airport in your intended city. Now the problem is if your travel agent is not careful enough, you might have to pay extra money for
luggage because some domestic airlines dont allow people to take 2 main luggage. So make sure that even the domestic airlines will allow 2 main
luggage when you are booking and confirming the ticket. Read the e-ticket carefully to know about luggage specification and food options.
Leave a hard copy/photocopy of all of the documents in each pack of luggage you are carrying.
Dry food can be carried in the main luggage, wet food is sometimes seized by the customs in US. Also any type of corns (rice etc) are

forbidden. So if you still want to carry some- they have the right to seize it- sometimes some lucky people get escaped though.
It is perfectly OK to bring knives & metal equipments for cooking but you must pack them in the main luggage, not hand-carry/backpack
I have met people who have really missed planes due to traffic jam, so reach the airport earlier before the reporting time.
Regardless the weather outside, you will feel a little bit cold inside an airport and the plane. So I would suggest to carry a jacket or other warm cloth
on the back or in the backpack/ hand-carry so that you can take it out for use whenever you feel cold.
I suggest carrying dollar, passport, boarding pass and other small necessary things in a small waist pouch as they will be needed frequently for
checking and it would be tiresome if you have to open your backpack for everything.
The standard delay or waiting time between changing planes in an airport is 3/4 hours. Whenever you are booking or confirming a ticket, make sure
that the time difference is never less than 3 hours between your landing from one plane and the reporting time for 2nd plane. There might be a delay in
landing of your first plane and you can end up missing the next plane. Also avoid a long waiting time of 8/10 hours if possible.
If anyhow, you still miss the next plane in dont lose heart and contact the officials and take the next plane to your destination.
Remember that after you receive your boarding pass from your airlines officer just after arriving at the airport. Ask the officer how many boarding
passes he is giving you; normally he should give you at least two passes; one for Dhaka to x international airport in another country and one pass for
traveling from x airport to y international airport in US. Carry all parts of all your boarding passes till the end and they have the authority to check
for it anytime and can deny you any entrance without a pass.
Your specific seat is not mentioned in the ticket. When you are taking the boarding pass, you might ask him/her for a specific seat. If you are traveling
with friends you can sit together or if you want to sit by window for views in daytime, you can ask him/her for it. My suggestion is to avoid window
seats if it is a night journey because every time you want to go somewhere, you have to wake up your fellow passenger, so it is better to ask for a seat
in the aisle so you can go out whenever you like.

 Whenever you are in an airport, do not help anyone who is asking you to observe his belongings while he is away. And you, too, should not ask others
for this kind of favor.
If you have specific food choice on plane (i.e. for avoiding specific dishes or wanting specific dishes which might not be available if not ordered
beforehand), you should act earlier. Sometimes the travel agents can make it sure while booking ticket. If that is not the case, then ask for your choice
while receiving the boarding pass. I would suggest to prepare mentally for a food that might not be delicious at all.
Whenever you reach any airport, you will be carrying a lot of stuff- one back-pack, one hand-carry, waist pouch. You will be asked to remove all your
metallic belongings, mobile from your body, hand-carry and backpack to hand them over a counter. So after everything is scanned, remember to take
everything back and dont lose anything in this process.
DO NOT drop your packs outside for going to a restroom (toilet) in any case. In an airport, there are two types of restrooms (toilets): one is normal
and another type is for disabled persons with a specific trolley sign on the restroom door. If you have no friends with you, you should use the
disabled persons restroom as it has more space and you can walk with all your belongings (backpack, hand-carry etc) in it.
Every international airport has free internet browsing facility (and also wi-fi- easily accessible by laptop or mobile phone if you are carrying any) but
you might have to walk a bit for finding the computers.
Your changes (small notes of $1 or 5) will be of great use if you want to buy food in an airport.
Sometimes you can fall asleep if the waiting time is too long in an airport. So be careful about that.
Go for reporting for your next plane earlier. Do not think like that you are already in the airport, so it should not take much time; in reality, it does
take time as you have to go through procedures and sometimes face a long line of passengers as the plane can be really huge.
Before you land on US, you have to fill up a form declaring the cost of your belongings and the money you are carrying with you. Do not lie, in any
case about the money you are carrying (Some get afraid that it is illegal carry so much money) it is perfectly legal to carry $ 5000 (some say, it is $
10000) Even if you are carrying more, they wont mind as you are a student; they will understand that you need money to pay tuition.
After you land on the first international airport in US, you have to go through the customs there. So what happens is: you take all the luggage from the
conveyor belt, go through the customs check and get all the paperwork done. If your ultimate destination is another airport where you have to take a
domestic plane, then you have to carry your luggage to put it in a new conveyor belt so try to find the exact belt this time otherwise your luggage may
end up in another state.
Remember that all the procedures will take a long time after landing in US. So prepare mentally so that you dont end up losing any important
documents or luggage.
Sometimes the boarding pass for the domestic airways will not be given to you in Dhaka. You have to take it from the domestic airport then. After
reaching the international airport, look carefully for your destined domestic terminal. Sometimes the airports are so big that it can take quite a long
time to find yours. Thats why the time difference between landing in US and taking domestic plane should be ideally 3/4 hours.

 Probably domestic planes will not give you free food (check for the food status- it is mentioned in the e-ticket) so eat well before starting this episode.
Ask the officials if they allow you to carry dry food in the plane.

Prepared by: Arunodoy Saha, EEE, BUET04, Arizona State University (arunodoysaha@yahoo.com)
I am really thankful to a lot of my friends who helped me while I was preparing a to-buy list for me. I wanted to mention all the names,
but that list would be huge as well. Hopefully they wont kill me for that. Still a special thanks to the following persons:
Avijit Saha, EEE, BUET04, Virginia Tech
Shibani Ghosh, EEE, BUET04, Virginia Tech
Partha Pratim Acharjee, EEE, BUET04, U of Maryland Baltimore County
Sanjib Das, EEE, BUET04, U of Tennessee- Knoxville
Adnan Mahmud, EEE, IUT04, Arizona State University
Check

Item type

Item

Decision

Quantity

yes

1/2

yes

1/2

Optimum for AZ and southern states,

Winter Trouser

yes

1/2

check with your friends or acquaintances

Hand gloves (Leather and Wool)

yes

1+1 pair

of your intended state

Woolen Cap

yes

Medium Heavy Jacket

Optional

Thermal Inner

Optional

Muffler/ Scarf

yes

1/2

Heavy Jacket

must

1/2

Hoodie

yes

1/2

(for parts of

Medium heavy jacket

yes

1/2

US- where

Overcoat

optional

summer is

Thermal Inner

must

4/5 pair

yes

1/2

yes

3/4

must

1/2 pair

/ Jacket (with hood)

Winter dress
(for Southern
part of USwarm weather
states)

Winter dress

very short)

/ Jacket (with hood)

Muffler/ Scarf
Snow proof shoe

Unit Price

Total Price

Comment

May buy it for visiting other states

This is heavy, so save space in luggage by

carrying it on hand/back

Available in Bata

Normal Dress

Three Quarter/ Trousers

yes

Sports Trousers

yes

2/3

Underwear

yes

12

Jeans Pant/ Gabardine pant

yes

T-Shirt

Yes

12

Yes

Formal Shirt

Yes

Formal Pant

Yes

Half Sleeve Shirts

yes

Belt

yes

Half Shirt

yes

Complete suit/ Pant

yes

Ties

yes

Big Towel

Yes

Small Towel/Gamchha

yes

Sun Cap

yes

Handkerchief

yes

3/4

yes

3/4

yes

1 big

Backpack

must

Nail Cutter

Yes

Small waist pouch with 2/3 pockets

yes

Umbrella

yes

1/2

Small Scissors

yes

must

must

4+4 pair

must

Miscellaneous

more than one color

Battery AA & AAA (some normal &
some rechargeable- bring charger)
Wallet Key bag with lots of pockets
(Check the market for the best ones)

Mainly for occasions and get-together

Must be good quality

Very helpful in plane journey

Check weather of your state (bring for South)

And learn how to use it when in danger :p

very costly in US
To keep cards, keys and money//I found them in some
ground floor shops near Multiplan Centre

yes

1/2

optional

Cotton bud

yes

1/2 pack

Laptop Cleaning brush

yes

Badminton Racket

User

Very costly here

dependent

,,

Comb
Photo Frame

Table Tennis paddle and balls

Foot cleaning mats
wrench, screw driver, pliers (seperate
pieces are costly here in US)

Bathroom

Item type
Footwear

Bedroom

may buy them here, not very costly

1/2

large set of tools only 20$ in US (may

optional

bring 1 or 2 piece for starting)

yes

2/3

Toothpaste

yes

Soap

Yes

,,

Shaving Kit, Foam

optional

Cheaper in US

Deodrant, Scent

optional

,,

Item
Socks Short and Long (White +
Black)

Decision
Yes

Quantity
8 pair Blk
2 pair Wht

Formal Shoes

Yes

1 pair

Leather Sandal

Yes

1/2 pair

,,

Sports Keds

Yes

2 pair

,,

yes

Min. 2 pair

,,

Shoe Shiner/ Shoe polish

Yes

Shoe Polishing Brush

Yes

Bed cover/Bed Sheet

yes

Pillow cover

yes

Tooth Brush
Available in AZ)

Check

optional

may buy them in US, not costly

Available here
Costly & not available in every state but some alternatives
available//will take a lot of space in luggage
For first 5/10 days, cheaper in US

Unit Price

Total Price
Market/Comment
Even good brand socks are not costly in some states like
AZ, not sure about all the states
Must be good quality, costly in US

Pillow

Blanket/ Comforter
Kitchen

yes

If you prefer your own pillow

optional

consider weight/space issue

1

Nonstick frying pan /

Pressure cooker

optional

Sauce Pan, Rice Cooker

Melamine Plate

Costly but good quality here, tough to carry from BD

(couples may try :P )//
non-stick frying
pan (

Mug with tight lead

yes

Spoon

yes

Fork

yes

Peeler (very necessary)

yes

1/2

Dish

yes

yes

yes

2/3

yes

yes

must

yes

optional

must

1/2

Market -dont carry in hand luggage

must

3/4

Bring it- necessary from 1st day

non-stick
various sizes

Tiffin box (oven, dishwasher proof &

glass/plastic made with tight lids
Knife (Big and very good quality)
(must keep in the main luggage)

Can opener
Food

optional

These are available here at somewhat

more expensive price than in Bangladesh.
Not heavy so if not struggling with weight
may try to pack. I brought them.

Very costly here

Glass is heavy- so u can buy it here

Buy a very good quality from Dubai

never

bad quality in BD, cheaper here

yes

Available here but costly, bring some for

yes

first few months

optional
If you prefer not to miss them in US
optional

Check

Tea

optional

Cooking manual

optional

Item type

Item

Decision

Quantity

Academic

Calculator MS 991

must

1/2

Wall Clock

User dependent
If u want to invite people & cook specific foods for
which youtube videos are not available :D
Unit Price

Total Price

Market/Comment

Cheaper here in US
Not available in US, if you dont bring them you will have to staple

USA
optional

blank white pages (pages are not costly in Costco and Walmart so not
necessary to bring)

Pens (

must

10/12

Pencil (2B, HB)

yes

2 each

Kangaroo stapler

yes

Stapler pin packet

yes

Gems Clip packet

yes

Pencil box

yes

Lead pencil

yes

Eraser

yes

Sharpener

yes

Anti Cutter

yes

Scale small (Steel & plastic both)

yes

Scale (Plastic, transparent, Large)

yes

Punch Machine

yes

yes

5/6

must

6/7

Quality pens are expensive in US. You will get lots of free
medium/low qual. pens in seminars/
specific

Punched paper storage files

(I suggest them)
Files/ Clear Bags
Super Glue

yes

Fevi-stik

yes

people prefer pencils to pens here

Here punch machines are different (3 holes, not 2) but if

you bring them from BD, you can punch and store your
own papers easily at home
For keeping and storing documents

Medicine

Cello Tape, Normal Tape

Yes

Books (Text, novels and others)

yes

Check the website, find which books you will need in

next 2 years (lot of weight, if comfortable with PDF
then it is optional)

Napa, Napa Extra

yes

Though varsities carry cost of med. insurance (for TAs

Oral Saline

yes

and RAs), still in some varsities (like ASU ), there is a

Antacid Plus

yes

minimum cost for taking help from Health Centre for

Vergon (for headache)

yes

every time you go there and u have to bear total cost of

Pain Killers

yes

medicine in some places (like me ); so go there wisely

and before going, note down all your problems

Bring your common medicines not

precisely.

listed here (inhaler etc)

must
Dettol, Band Aides, Burnol
Technical

5 pair

Consult the doctor in BD for eyes and teeth just before

minimum

journey even if you have had no problems

For first few days only. good qual. available in US

must
yes

USB multi-port hub

must

1/2

good quality hub from IDB

Mouse

must

Very costly here

yes

USB pen drive- 16 GB

Extra Key-board for laptop

Laptop

optional

Mobile Set

optional

Small Sound-Box (for movie lovers)

optional

Head Phone
Portable Hard Disk

must

yes

1/2

Pirated Softwares

must

Battery Charger (good quality)

must

Blank CD/DVD box

Asian to US converter plugs

Good qual. & cheaper in US. U can order just after coming if u have contacts here;
for emergency use library desktops//bring from BD if bought recently or want to
bring the old one for first few days, remember to bring converter
Not necessary, but if you bring yours, then may be
useful// bring it if you have email and internet on set
1
Logitech sells small ones for laptop
Very costly here
must if not carrying laptop from BD

1/2

yes
must

2/3

Without them, you cannot use your Bangladeshi

(Buy very good quality ones)

electronics here, (available in Nilkhet- I heard)

Documents to Pack (Specific user may need to add more depending on purpose)
*** Leave a hard copy/photocopy of all of the documents in each pack of luggage you are carrying
Passport
Admission Letter
I-20 & VISA with photocopies
Assistantship Offer Letter

(if you have it)

Transcripts
Recommendation Letters
GRE / TOEFL Score Sheets
Medical Fitness Certificate
Health History

(if you have it)

Job Experience and leaving Certificate

(if you have it)

Vaccination Certificate

MMR, Meningococcal and others- check your varsitys website thoroughly

Medical Prescription of all medicines

must

International Driving License (I.D.P.)

Optional

Enough Money

Cash and with some small changes for phone calls and other initial stuff