Welcome to NYU Stern!
New international students should review the international students checklist (below), and be sure to visit Admitted Students Portal and complete the items on the admitted students checklist. NYU does not investigate, endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.
You will need your I20 and passport to open a bank account. (Bank of America close to campus has been a popular choice to open an account with for international students at NYU.)
You can buy a SIM card for your mobile phone. (Mint Mobile has been a popular choice for its student discount offers.)
Instead of carrying your passport around everywhere, you can apply for a (non-driver) NY State ID on the official NYS DMV website: Get a non-driver ID card.
NYU requires that all students registered in degree-granting programs maintain health insurance. Read more here: Student Health Insurance.
There's a choice of insurance packages you can sign up for.
Set up Apple Pay/Google Pay etc on your mobile wallet once you have a US bank account. Many stores, and the MTA, will accept digital wallet payments. This will save you a lot of time while making transactions for subway rides, food, groceries and other essential needs.
Use Google Maps to find the right subway, bus, or ferry to take to your destination.
Check your NYU email regularly to access free / subsidized Broadway tickets, sports games, and other experiences. (Remember to forward your @nyu.edu email address to your @stern.nyu.edu email address!)
Getting a credit card is a serious financial decision. One benefit is that having a credit card can help you to start building credit history. Research the pros and cons before making any financial decisions. (Some foreign countries offer credit cards to students moving to the USA based on their foreign credit history.)
