Rohan Bhatnagar, our former ISA president in the semester of Spring 2008, has just released his latest track, Sitar Lounge. He has allowed us to use it here, so enjoy:
Rohan’s previous album, Dholna, was released by Universal Music India in 2006. You can find more info here.
This post has been copied over from the old (googlepages) website. Some small changes have been made, but this article needs some more to keep it relevant. We’d like to invite existing students to comment their say on this topic.
This post contains all the information from planning your travel to Daytona Beach once you have been accepted into the university and have secured your student visa. If you need help or advice with applying to the university, financial aid or getting visa please feel free to contact us. For students from India, we recommend you visit United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI) to find all the information you need.
Congratulations on getting admitted into one of the best aviation and aerospace schools. Now that you are going to be a part of our small community here, we want to make sure that you have a hassle free experience.
Plan to arrive on campus when orientation starts (21st August). We don’t advice you to come earlier than that unless you have a friend/relative for your accommodation. Hotels are extremely expensive at this time ($120/night) and will cost you a lot if you plan to come a few days early and it will be hard to find transportation in the city. We may be able to accommodate you for one or two nights. Please contact us and let us know if you need a place to stay.
For students from outside the US, we recommend that you attend the International Student Orientation, hence plan to arrive on or one day before the International Student Orientation. Again, if you need a place to stay overnight, please contact us and we shall try to accommodate you.
All undergraduate students will have to stay on campus, in university housing. You will be allowed to check in to your room only on or after the first day of orientation. 
Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB)
This is the best way to reach Daytona Beach. Although the campus is located on the airport itself, it takes about 10 minutes to travel from the airport terminal to the campus. As of now, only Delta Airlines, Air-Tran and Continental Airlines offer service at the Daytona Beach International Airport and thus provide limited services. The airport is small and hence security and customs don’t take more than 20 minutes.
Students from India should remember that there are no direct flights to Daytona Beach. Generally, the port of Entry (the first airport at which you will land) will either be Orlando, Atlanta or sometimes Miami, New York, etc depending on which airline/route you travel by and then you will have a connecting flight to Daytona Beach. You will have to check out your bags at the port of entry, finish customs, immigration, etc. 
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
As Orlando International Airport is a lot busier, you may find a cheaper air ticket to Orlando International Airport (MCO). Also you may find a direct flight to Orlando and you don't have to worry about connecting flights to Daytona Beach as MCO is an hour drive from Daytona Beach. Please refer to our airport pickup page for more information regarding pickups from Orlando International Airport.
Most of the information about course requirements and courses is readily available on the Embry Riddle Website. You should browse through the website of your program and find out as much information as you can.
Textbooks are very expensive! Graduate students should bring along important text books or reference books they used during their undergraduate studies. If you buy all the required textbooks from the campus 
Computers are the most useful tool for a student. There are many computer labs on campus, but we recommend you buy a laptop/desktop. This will make your life a lot easier. For students from India, you will find a better deal on computers here, so just carry enough money ($2000 is more than enough) to buy a computer once you are here.
You will use computers extensively at this school. So if you are not comfortable with computers, now is the time to get used to them. You will be typing lots of essays; it helps if you can type faster. Practice typing in your free time. Internet is the cheapest and the best way to communicate with your parents back home once you are here. So, make sure someone in your house knows how to use internet because calling cards over four years can cost you a lot of money.
For engineering majors, if you have some free time before coming here, learn C programming, MATLAB, CATIA, if possible (not required). You will be learning these courses here, but it will help you if you already know them as programming languages are hard to understand for some students.
(Only for undergrads)
Some of the courses covered in Indiain 11th and 12th grade are repeated in your first year at Embry Riddle. For example, calculus-I covers limits and derivatives which you may have learnt in 11th grade. There is no need to spend $4000 to learn the same subject again. You can save lots of money by skipping such classes. Such classes include Calculus-I, II, Physics I, II, III, Chemistry. If you skip all these classes you can save more than $20,000. That's a semester's worth of tuition. But skipping classes is not a very straight-forward process and difficult to explain. If you dont understand this, just wait till you come on campus. We will personally help you with testing out of classes once you are on campus, if you decide to do so. This has to be done within the first few days on campus. Please bring sealed and attested transcripts and detailed syllabi for mathematics and physics for 11th and 12th standard from your school. Please contact us for any questions or clarification.
On campus jobs are a very good way to take care of your daily expenses. By working 20 hours a week, you can 
The biggest advantage of getting a job early is that, you can get a social security number. It's very hard to get a social security number without having a job. You will require social security number everywhere in United States from bank accounts to renting an apartment.
You can open a bank account during your orientation here (we recommend Bank of America). Banks will come on campus during orientation, so there is no need to go the banks. You DO NOT need a social security number to open a bank account, but some banks may not give you all the privileges if you don't have a social security number. We recommend you open up a student checking account to start with and a savings account if you wish. A debit card works almost everywhere and there is no need to get a credit card. Though if you have international credit card, it will be easier to purchase commodities in the first few weeks here till you get your debit card.
It is also a good idea to get travelers checks for initial expenditures here (books, computers, etc). You can also pay your tuition using travelers checks but its cheaper to pay by credit card or international wire transfer. Wire transfer information is available on the ERAU website under Bursar's department. Also you can bring a Dollar Demand Draft (DDD) for "Embry Riddle Aeronautical University" to pay your tuition. You may also bring a DDD under your name. You can deposit the money into your new bank account here and then can pay tuition from your bank easily.
Research Assistantship appointments are decided by individual professors and are very hard to get because there are very few available.It is generally difficult for students (even belonging to the same department) to ascertain whether a professor has projects or funding. Your best bet would be to approach the professors directly.
Teaching Assistantship positions are handled by individual departments. International students are considered for TA appointments at Embry Riddle. The competition has increased over the years with more and more students depending on getting assistantships to find their education. Therefore, teaching assistantships though available, are tough to get. Start contacting the professors as soon as you arrive on campus. It will be generally hard to get assistantships in the very first semester as TAs and RAs are already appointed by that time. There are very good chances that you will get something in your second semester here.
Presented below is a comprehensive list of things you should bring to Daytona Beach from India. Please note that almost all the items mentioned below are readily available in Daytona Beach- i.e. this is not a list of 'must haves'. However, the list is prepared with a view of minimizing your initial expenditure upon arriving in the US, and to provide a checklist to help students who might be leaving home for the first time.
Remember to carry all important documents in a neatly arranged folder. Make 3 copies of the documents. Leave 1 copy at home in Indiaand carry 2 copies with you. Preferably carry the originals (especially PASSPORT, I-20 LETTER etc.) on person (or in your cabin baggage) during travel as checked-in luggage is liable to get lost.
Important documents:
Please note that if you know who you room-mates will be, it might be a good idea to share/distribute the utensils. You can buy a good set of utensils from Wal-Mart once you are here. It will be very heavy to carry utensils in baggage. Do carry a few recipe books if you are not familiar with cooking. Student living on campus may not need any utensils except for 1-2 microwave safe bowls and dishes. Carry only small items like:
WARNING! The U.S. immigration and agriculture department strictly prohibits carrying food, meat, vegetables, fruits, seeds, etc. into the United States. Your baggage might be subject to a security check and inspection by sniffer-dogs at airport. However, our experience is that you are normally allowed to bring in food articles as long as they are carried in adequately sealed packets. At your risk and discretion, you may carry sealed packets of spices (red chilli powder, turmeric, jeera, garam masala, etc.). Please note that all these items (and more) can be easily purchased at the nearby Indian grocery store, though at a slightly expensive rate.
Note: This list was originally compiled by ISA at UM and later modified to suit ERAU.
Try to get as much as sleep as possible. This will help you a lot to overcome your jetlag. The first airport within the continental US will be your port of entry. Even though this may not be your final destination, you will have to check out your bags here. You will first clear immigration. Here they will stamp check your passport and 
Once you have cleared immigration, you will be required to pickup your luggage. You will then proceed to customs once you have your entire luggage. They will check your bags for any illegal items. The Sniffer-dogs are very smart and will sniff any open food containers. So pack food containers in plastic bags that are sealed, so that they won't smell. Once you have cleared customs you will have to check in your bags again for your connecting flight. If your port of entry is Orlando, you don’t have to check in your bags again (if you are not flying to Daytona Beach from there) and the pickup area is opposite to baggage pickup.
Now that you have finished the entire process, get ready to be picked up from the airport if you arranged so 5with us. Here is a list of things you will have to do upon reaching Daytona Beach:
The ISA is there you help you in any way possible, so contact us with any questions you have.
Q) What's the catch?
A) It's expensive and hard to find financial aid.
Q) Can you tell me something about getting a visa?
A) We suggest that you contact the branch of the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI) closest to you to answer your visa related questions. You will, no doubt, have already received loads of advice regarding DOs and DON'Ts for visa applications. We cannot provide any definite guidelines. However, you might find the following web site useful: http://usapply.tripod.com/. Also, please contact us personally for any specific question you may have.
Q) When should I arrive in Daytona Beach?
A) Your I-20 specifies the date by which you are expected to arrive at the University. We suggest that you arrive by that date. Keep in mind that it is orientation will help you to settle down before classes begin and there is no need to come early. Coming earlier could be helpful if you are interested in meeting with faculty beforehand. If you decide to arrive early, keep in mind that some professors might be on vacation (yes, they take breaks too) and you will have to budget for your longer stay in the US
If you want to arrive later than the date specified on your I-20, please confirm with your department if it would be alright to do so. If you would like ISA to to arrange a pick up for you, please try to arrive during the day/evening on a weekend.
Note: Some of the following questions about University aid apply to graduate students only.
Q) I don't have any aid. Can I come to the University and arrange some kind of scholarship? (graduate)
A) The school will not increase financial aid more than mentioned on your acceptance letter. It is possible to arrive at the University and then find either a TA (teaching assistant) or RA (research assistant) position. However, you should NOT assume that you will definitely be able to secure funding once you arrive.
TA positions are handled by departments (they appoint someone to take care of this), not professors. You need to apply for a TA once you arrive in the University. The first priority for TA positions goes to students whom the department has committed financial support. TA positions are decided before the start of the semester. It is unlikely that you'll be able to get a TA position in your first semester here. Note that you can apply for a TA in a department other than yours.
Q) Is it possible to arrange a TA before I get to the University? (graduate)
A) No, not unless you've already been offered one by the University in your letter of admission.
Q) Will it help if I come in early and talk to the professors? (graduate)
A) Sure, it could help. However, if there is no match with a professor's interests, or if he/she has no funding to offer, you won't be able to get an TA/RA. Remember, there is NO GUARANTEE that you'll be able to secure funding even if you arrive early (For example, it's possible that there are no professors in your area who have funding available and need students).
Q) Can I work on-campus or off-campus?
A) If you're on an F-1 visa, you can work on-campus during the semester (up to 20 hours per week). You cannot work off-campus during the semester. There are a number of on-campus jobs available. You could earn $200 - $600 per month, which would cover your living expenses. On-campus jobs do not cover tuition, which will probably be your single biggest expense.
Q) What are the typical living expenses?
A) You should expect to spend approximately:
This does not include telephone bills, which will depend on your usage. Phone rates to India are typically around $0.42 per minute (with suitable calling plans). Note that this is the minimum that you would need to spend.
Q) How much money should I carry with me?
A) If you have aid, you will receive your stipend/salary at the end of each month (and no, you can't reason with the Department to give you a part of that early). You should carry enough to meet the first month's expenses (more if you're arriving here early). Monthly expenses per head are around $600. You will need to spend slightly more in the first month; to set up services, buy textbooks, buy furniture etc. $1400 should be sufficient to meet your first month's expenses.
Depending upon the rent and deposit for your permanent accommodation, you may have to carry more money. If you do not have aid, please keep the above in mind and budget accordingly.
Q) Should I carry cash/TCs/DDs?
A) For personal expenses, carry TCs - they are accepted almost everywhere. Try not to get TCs of $500; $100 (and lower) are more easily acceptable. You do not need to carry much cash; $150 should be more than enough. If you don't have aid, you can carry your tuition as DDs. These can be deposited into a bank account here (you'll have to open one), and you can pay the University from that account.
Q) What should we carry for cooking purposes? Will we have to cook our own food?
A) There is a list of utensils that you can carry on the Things to Carry page. If you are not staying in a dorm you will probably have to cook your own food (unless you can con your roommates into doing all the cooking). Most of us do at least some cooking. It's not as hard as you might think!
Q) How safe is Daytona Beach?
A) Daytona Beach is a very safe town. Many of us spend late nights in the labs, and walk back to apartments alone.
Q) What is the frequency of the buses to Central Campus, especially at night?
A) Bus network in Daytona Beach is very bad and we hardly use it, but at the moment the Student Government Association is looking into helping the students with such problems and there may be a better bus service in the future.
For general questions and queries, please send a mail to erau.isa [at] gmail.com
PresidentRajiv Khatri email: rajiv.khatri [at] erau.edu |  |
Vice-PresidentYash Mehta email: yash.mehta [at] erau.edu |  |
TreasurerKushal Ashar email: kushal.ashar [at] erau.edu |  |
SecretaryGursharan Singh (Robby) email: gursharan.singh [at] erau.edu |  |
Public Relations OfficerSrujana Rao email: srujana.rao [at] erau.edu |  |
