BEFORE LEAVING

Carry nearly $ 1000-1500 with you (single person). This will allow you to live while you wait for the first payment from NIH (~$2000). This takes about 10 days after your arrival. In the beginning you will incur expenditure such as deposit for an apartment (usually = 1 months rent), buying furniture, getting a phone line. Alternatives are to use a credit card or do a bank transfer from your Indian bank account.

Division of International Services (also called Fogarty by some people) or your lab does not cover your plane tickets. If your passport is less than a year old, you’ll need your old passport (even if expired) or birth certificate. If your birth certificate is in a language other than English, you can get it freely translated at NIH library (unlikely for Indians). However, this can take several days. These documents are essential for obtaining your Social Security Number. Bring several copies of your passport photo with you. Bring your vaccination card. Ensure that the customs officers at the airport sign your DS 2019 document and your I-94 (which you fill out in the plane). This is important because otherwise you might face difficulties in getting Social Security Number.

AIRPORTS

Three airports serve the DC area,

1)    Reagan National Airport in Alexandria, VA

2)    Dulles International Airport in VA (IAD)

3)    Baltimore – Washington Airport outside Baltimore, MD (BWI)

You can reach National Airport by Metro rail (yellow and blue lines). Shuttle buses from NIH to the airports are free. They leave NIH from the front entrance of building 10. You can obtain copies of shuttle bus schedules at the entrance hall of building 10, or by calling 301-496-1161.

Mini Shuttle / Super Shuttle : (1-800-258-3826)

Royal Airport Shuttle : (1-800-653-0888)

Montgomery Shuttle : (301-840-0000)

Maryland Shuttle

These shuttles offer door to door service i.e. from the airport to your destination address and vice-versa. Flyer taxis are more expensive and you should only use them if you are part of a large group (cost $50 between Bethesda and Dulles). You can reach Dulles by first taking the metro then the bus. For this, you should get off at West Falls Church and take the Washington Flyer Express Bus. This is the least expensive of the different choices (~ $14).

Web-site : linkinfo.org/flyer.html

You can take the Amtrak train to BWI. But in DC it only stops at the Union Station.

ARRIVAL

Carry few dollars with you so that you do not have to depend on finding an exchange counter at the airport. If you intend to pay for the cab with a credit card, make sure that the cab you choose displays a sign saying that it accepts credit card payments. It would be useful to write the address you would like to go to on a piece of paper to make it easier since you are new to the area. Tips are required with many bills. In the case of cabs, you are required to pay a tip of 10-15%. The same is the case with waiters in restaurants, shuttle bus drivers and bartenders. You can pay $1-2 for help with baggage (porters). Prices of goods in stores do not include taxes. In Maryland, this is 5%.

Dates written in USA are  Month/Day/Year (different from India where is it Day/Month/Year).

COST OF LIFE

The NIH Fellowship allows one person to live comfortably. If you come with children, your expenses will be quite high because schooling is expensive here. Health insurance is covered by NIH (excluding dental insurance).