Pre-Arrival Guide - What to Bring
It is important that your most valuable items be packed in the luggage you will carry on the plane and keep closest to you. Cash, credit cards and traveler's checks should probably be packed in a discreet money belt. The carry-on and/or purse should contain:
· Airline tickets for your flight(s) to New York
· Any prescription medications that you need to bring, with the written prescriptions from your doctor
· Your passport, valid at least six months into the future, with a valid visa stamp (only Canadian citizens will not need a visa stamp)
· Form I-20 or DS-2019
· You may also be asked to present Stony Brook's admission letter and proof of financial support
· One complete change of clothing and toiletries, in the event that your checked luggage is delayed
· Your driver's license and a translation, or “international driver's license”, if you intend to drive
· A campus map, available at http://www.stonybrook.edu/sb/map/
Students may wish to bring items from home, such as photographs, crafts, art and music to decorate their new residence and to share aspects of home country culture with new friends.
Basic furniture is provided in campus residence halls, but plan to buy a lamp (no halogen lamps are allowed in the dorms) , light bulbs, clock/radio, bulletin board, pillows, bed linens, and towels. Warm blankets or a “comforter” will be necessary for our cold winter nights.
Current students recommend bringing a sheet, towel, and a few toiletries to use until you have a chance to go shopping. Some students also recommend bringing a few basic cooking implements, particularly if these items are much cheaper in your home country. International student clubs have posted some useful information on their websites specific to students traveling from their countries.
While the following items may be purchased locally, we recommend bringing at least some of them to begin your stay. Just remember, if you pack it, you're going to have to carry it around at least two airports!
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* You may be unable to get prescriptions written by your home doctor filled in the US . Typically, you will need to be examined by a physician in the US and issued a new prescription. If you have a chronic medical condition requiring regular medication, please contact Student Health Services before arrival to make arrangements.
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We plan a shopping trip during the International Student Orientation for those who will need to make a few purchases shortly after arrival. Throughout the year, there is local bus service from campus to several shopping centers and grocery stores to accommodate purchase of food and personal supplies such as toiletries, bedding and bicycles.
Be careful to budget your spending, especially in the first few weeks of school. Resist buying luxury items on impulse; the same items will be available later, when you have a better idea of how much discretionary spending you can afford.
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Standard references in your native language may be helpful to get started. Excellent library resources provide students with ample opportunity to obtain supplemental reading materials and basic texts needed for review and research.
Students are expected to purchase textbooks required for the courses in which they enroll; the texts are available through the campus bookstore. Students may be able to save money by purchasing used textbooks through the bookstore or online. Be careful that used textbooks are the required edition of the text for your course.
We do not recommend bringing textbooks used in previous study, unless they are specifically needed for transfer credit evaluation. Transfer students applying to receive advanced credit for courses taken elsewhere must provide an official course description for each course for which Stony Brook University credit is sought. Names of textbooks may also be needed. Undergraduate students should contact Undergraduate Admissions for specific requirements for transfer credit.
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Individual tolerances for heat and cold vary considerably, so the following are merely guidelines. Students from tropical climates may consider warm sweaters to be essential, even in summer, as most public buildings are air conditioned from May through September.
| Season | Temperature |
Clothing |
Summer (June – September) |
50 to 90F= 10 to 32C |
Wear light clothing for hot days and light jackets for cool nights. |
Fall (September– December) |
20 to 80F=-7 to 27C |
Layer clothing on chilly autumn days; raincoats or medium-weight coats or ski jackets are worn outdoors. |
Winter (December – March) |
0 to 45F= -18 to 7C |
In winter, heavy jackets/coats, warm hats, scarves, gloves, and waterproof snow boots are necessary. |
Spring (March – June) |
40 to 72F=4 to 22C |
Like Fall, layer clothing. Spring can be rainy and cool, warming on sunny afternoons. |
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We recommend that you arrive with enough US currency to pay for transportation to campus and for expenses during your first few weeks here. Do not carry large amounts of cash or other valuables, due to the risk of loss or theft. Any cash and valuables you bring should be in your carry-on baggage or a money belt, not in baggage to be checked.
If home country regulations permit, students should bring at least $1,000 USD in traveler's checks for the first few weeks of school, in addition to the funds required for tuition, fees and books. If you plan on living off-campus, you will need significantly more. See “Off-campus Housing.”
Students bringing large sums of money to the US should seek advice from a bank official regarding the safest and most convenient way to carry or transfer that money. Most major banks in the US have established connections with foreign banks, so transferring funds requires only a draft from the home bank be presented to the US bank with personal identification, resulting in immediate credit in US dollars. Transfer of funds should be in US dollars because foreign currency exchange may not available locally, and the University and local businesses accept only checks or drafts in US dollars.
Credit cards, ATM cards, traveler's checks and US bank drafts are also good options for gaining access to personal funds safely. Traveler's checks may be purchased at banks or travel offices either in the home country or in the US . They are typically available in denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500 or $1,000. Smaller denominations are preferable, as small checks ($20 or $50) are easier to cash. Students should carry at least $100 USD in cash when traveling; the largest denomination should be a $20 bill.
US paper currency is issued in $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills; larger denominations are issued, but rarely circulated. Many shops prefer bills $20 or less when making purchases. Coins are 1 cent/penny, 5 cents/nickel, 10 cents/dime, 25 cents/quarter, 50 cents/half dollar, and 100 cents/dollar or $1. The half-dollar and dollar coins are seldom used and can be mistaken for quarters; however they are heavier and slightly larger than quarters.
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