Romanian Student Association

(Gainesville, FL) Romanian Student Association

THE NEWCOMERS' LINKS

On the way here:

the (MS and PH.D. ) candidate's guide(in Romanian, Mihai Budiu's one)
and an English(Bogdan Cocosel's) counterpart
a 'mixed language' (Radu Sion's) one
the UF international student's guide
RSA's guide for the new Romanian students at UF. ( newest version August 15, 2001, improvements continue)

And a sound advice: if you decided to come to Gainesville, please contact us( the officers or all of us), we might be of help ( 'been there,done that' -finding a place to live and things to furnish it, opening accounts for bank, phone, utilities, buying textbooks- knowing some shortcuts won't hurt)

Once you are in here:

congratulate yourself ( 'I made it!')
check in with UF International Center(UFIC) and with your department (graduate student advisor, secretary in charge with student records,financial secretary)
start the paperwork for a Social Security Number ( SSN) or a Tax Identification Number (TIN) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

on short you need/have the right to the first if you are going to be paid from USA sources, UF assistanship included, Fulbright fellowships excluded;
you need the second one otherwise

inquire about/apply for a loan from your department ( unless you have with you 2 000 $ or more)

the bad news is that you can be paid 4-8 weeks from the moment you arrive in Gainesville (4-6 weeks, if you already have a SSN)
the good news is that among your own pockets, your department load fund and our unofficial loan fund, you will find enough money to pay all your beginning bills and simply survive

For more information( on almost any imaginable subject, 'Where to buy real FETA cheese from?' included)

Last updated: August 2001