Dear friend,
Whether you intend to come or you just came to the University of Maryland for studies this page can be of some help. It contains some answers to the most common questions that people not familiar with the area or the US have. We hope that in the following lines you will find useful information about the life and get an idea of what you may expect to find here in the USA and particularly at the University of Maryland and the area around it. Based on our experience, these tips could save you time and frustration and make your first days here as easy as could be.
1. Do I have to look for a house before I come there?
2. What is the cost of living in Maryland?
3. What utilities do the apartments include ?
4. How much money should I bring with me the first time I arrive from Greece ?
5. What's the weather like in Maryland ? What kind of clothes shall I need ?
6. Is clothing expensive in Maryland ?
7. Is it a good idea to open a bank account before I come to Maryland ?
8. Shall I need a driver's license ?
Concluding this sample of frequently asked questions, we hope that we have already answered more of your questions and even give answer to some you haven't even thought of. If you still have some more questions we will be glad to help.
Try to contact us as well in advance as you can. Establish a connection with people here via e-mail (digenis-board@cs.umd.edu), mail or through our home page so that we can help you and answer your questions.
You will see that with some help and support from the current members of our association, your first days will be very easy and enjoyable, probably among the most carefree in this place. Somebody will help you with looking for places, buying things and so on. Our association has a tradition in supporting its members, and we believe that our new members will continue this tradition!
So, don't worry too much about the first days...
Brush up your English... Go to the islands and practice...
Go to the islands anyway to relax...
See you in August...
Do I have to look for a house before I come
there?
Housing is not a big problem here. Although it must be among your
first priorities as soon as you come, you don't have to start
searching before you leave Greece, unless you are planing to live in
one of the university housing facilities. In the latter case it is
advisable to sent the appropriate forms as soon as possible as there
is usually a waiting list. If you decide to live off-campus, there
are plenty of houses and apartments at various costs and it is always
a good idea to come here and then look for a place that will fit your
needs best.
The most important considerations you must have in mind while looking
for a place to live (since probably you will not have a car for some
time after you arrive here) are:
(a) to be close to university shuttle bus routes and/or bus
routes that go through the campus - take a look at the UMCP home page, where
you can learn more about your (free) daily transportation to the
university using the shuttle buses, and
(b) to be close to a shopping-center (mall) so as you can do
your basic shopping (food, etc) easily. One thing that we strongly
encourage is to plan your arrival 15-20 days before the beginning of
the fall semester (it usually begins at the second week of
September). This will give you enough time to find a home and get used
to the life here before the beginning of the courses.
You don't have to worry about your accommodation during the very first days of your arrival; all members of the Digenis Association are certainly willing to offer the traditional Greek hospitality to the newcomers! Probably you will get a good introduction to the area's night life since late august is usually a not very busy period for people here. As soon as you decide to come to UMCP for studies, contact one of our members for further details about your arrival. Members also offer a free shuttle service from the airports of the area to their homes, that is, they can come and pick you up from the airport.
Return to the the Questions' List.
What is the cost of living in Maryland?
The cost of living can be best determined if you consider the
following average expenses per month
| 1 room in a student house | $300-$400 (including utilities) |
| 1 room in a private house | $350-$500 |
| 1 bedroom apartment | $450-$700 |
| 2 bedroom apartment | $800-$1000 |
| 3 bedroom apartment | $1200-$1500 |
| townhouse | $1000-$1500 |
| electricity bill | $20-$30 (in winter), $80-$120 (in summer)* |
| telephone bill | $20-$30 (standard fee) plus $50-$150** |
| internet,cable TV | $40-$100 |
| food | $150-$250 |
If you are thinking of buying a car, you must add
| car insurance | $50-$150 |
| gas | $20-$40 |
For a decent (second-hand) car you might spend around $2500-$3500. You can find cars for as low as $500 but it is usually not a good idea.
In general, the living cost per month is about $750-$850, not considering of course the tuition.
Most graduate students with a full teaching assistantship (TA) get around $1000/month as stipend while graduate students with a full research assistantship (RA) get about $1100/month (taxes and health insurance excluded). This is in addition to the tuition remission they get with their assistantship.
In few words the money you'll get from your TAship/RAship will be adequate for you to survive and go out occasionally. At the end of the semester you might have saved the money for a trip home. If you want to buy a reliable car you will need to bring money from home. If you plan to stay here long then at some point you will need to buy a car.
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What utilities do the apartments include ?
Housing options include:
(a) Room in a house: you usually get a room in a 3-4 room house and have to share all the facilities, like kitchen, bathroom, living room with roommates or the family that owns the house. In some cases this room with a small bathroom and a small kitchen is independent from the rest of the house and has its own entrance. Usually it is the basement of the house. In the case of a room in a house, you usually have to pay extra for electricity, gas and water, depending on the agreement you have with the owner.
(b) Apartments: in small 2-3 story buildings with 4 flats per level or in large 10-30 story buildings. Most apartment places are owned by large companies and tend to be the cheapest option. The monthly rent usually includes electricity, gas for heating and cooking, hot and cold water and trash service. Most apartments are equipped with central air conditioning, a gas or electric cooking oven, an electric refrigerator, dishwasher and wall-to-wall carpets but are otherwise unfurnished. They also have free maintenance. At the basement of each building or on each floor there are coin-operated laundry and drying machines that you have to share with other residents. If you need to sign a lease with such a company you may need to prove that you have sufficient funds. In such cases the admission letter and/or the I-20 form (if you have an assistantship) or a bank statement of your family account in Greece (if you don't have an assistantship) might be useful. Be prepared to live with not so well-off people and bear with some noise from the neighbors (American buildings have simple wooden inside walls and thin floors that don't offer too much sound insulation).
(c) Town houses: independent 3-4 room houses that are arranged in rows of 4-5 houses. Offer more isolation from the neighbors and are usually owned by individuals instead of companies. This means that you have to worry yourself about maintenance and utilities. Tend to be a bit more expensive than apartments.
(d) Houses: completely independent houses with driveways, yards etc. More expensive that the other two options. You have to take care of the yard, and keep the driveway clean from the snow...
The advice here is to live with roommates. Usually a lot of people come at the same time to UMCP, it is quite convenient and cheap to live with some of them.
Return to the the Questions' List.
How much money should I bring with me the first time I
arrive from Greece ?
It's a good idea to bring some extra money with you. At the beginning
of your new life here, you will need to spend some money before even
starting to get payed by the University. Mainly, they are expenses
you have to make in order to furnish your apartment and your room with
some essential things, like a bed, a table, etc. Also some expenses
related with your registration at the university and your studies.
A list with such expenses are given in the following lines
| Rent deposit & fees | $100-$200 (in the case of apartments) or 1-2 month rents (in the case of townhouse) |
| Bed | $200-$300 |
| Study desk | $50-$150 |
| Chair(s) | $15 each |
| Dinning Table | $30-$80 |
| Lamp(s) | $10-$20 each |
| Office supplies | $50-$100 |
| Kitchen stuff | $100 |
| Bathroom stuff | $50 |
| Mandatory university fees | $300-$450* |
In addition, you must have in mind that you will need some money for food and every day expenses for the first 20-30 days of your staying here, as you will not get your first paycheck (if you are a teaching or research assistant) before the first or second week of September. This means that you will need some extra $400 for this period.
Any of you that will come here without an assistantship must also have in mind that you will have to pay for medical insurance (it is mandatory by law) about $800-$1000. In case you are a teaching or research assistant this will be covered (at least the larger part of it) by your assistantship.
In conclusion, you will need $2000-$3000. If you own a universal credit card (MasterCard, VisaCard, etc), it is a good idea to bring it with you, either as an extra assurance in case your expenses is more than the cash you brought with you or for the case you don't feel comfortable to travel with so much money with you. In this latter case (or if you don't have a credit card) you can always use traveller checks (ask a bank on how you can get them) which can be easily canceled in case you lose them.
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What's the weather like in Maryland ? What kind of
clothes shall I need ?
The weather in Maryland is like the weather in most states of the
northeast coast. Namely, the summer is hot and humid, while the winter
is cold. The positive thing is that all buildings, shopping-centers,
buses, houses (most of them), etc. are air conditioned for the summer
and central heated for the winter, thus the weather can be tolerated
even in extreme cases. If you buy a car, remember that air
conditioning is a must! During the summer you will need some light
clothes (T-shirts, shorts, etc.) and for the winter you will need a
heavy jacket, gloves and a pair of boots.
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Is clothing expensive in Maryland ?
Everyday clothing (jeans, shirts, blouses etc.) is not very
expensive. You can find everything you need at low prices, especially
during some bargain periods. Usually, there is a promotion or a sale
around. So if you don't have some of the clothes you may need,
especially heavy jacket, boots etc. (clothing that is not necessary
for the mild Greek weather) you can easily buy them here as soon as
you need them. This will save you the extra weight (and in some cases
extra money you will probably have to pay) during you travel and also
let you buy clothes suitable for the weather here.
On the other hand, if you want to buy good quality clothes for special occasions (evening clothes, etc.) you might have to spend some time and quite a lot of money to get what you want.
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Is it a good idea to open a bank account before I come
to Maryland ?
Although you will need to open a bank account, as most transactions
are done with checks (as soon as you open an account, you get a
checkbook) and credit cards, it is not necessary to open an account
before you come here. If you get an assistantship or fellowship, you
will be able to open an account at the State Employees Credit Union
Bank (SECU), which has the most profitable rates and services for
students.
Return to the the Questions' List.
Shall I need a driver's license ?
Here in the US, the driver's license (US) is also used as an
identification card. Your life will be much easier with such a license
whether you want to drive a car or not. That's why it is advisable for
you to get one as soon as you have the opportunity. In order to obtain
a driver's license you will have to pass a written and a driving
test. Both are fairly easy especially if you already have a driver's
license and a driving experience. In case you have a driver's license
back home, we recommend to get a certified translation or an
international driver's license (issued by ELPA) with you. This will
save you from paying some additional expenses (e.g. the learners
permit) and also give the opportunity to get your American driver's
license in one day. In conclusion, in order to get the license you
need:
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The International Education Services (IES) organizes a short
orientation program for international students (during late August),
where you will be able to learn some things about the university and
the life in the USA.
Also during the university orientation days for the international students, you will receive a Social Security Number (SSN) which you will need when you will apply for a driver's license and for a bank account.
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