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Indian students abroad · in 4 steps

Decide where + how → get there safely → survive the first 90 days → build life and career.

⚡ 33-item pre-departure checklist ↗ 💱 Send money · live rates →
📊
Step 1 · Decide
ROI & country pick
Is the Rs 1.5 cr worth it? US vs UK vs Canada vs Australia — the cost-vs-outcome math.
US MS cost
$50–150k
UK MS cost
£35–55k
Break-even
4–12 yrs
  • US — strongest job market, hardest visa
  • Canada — easier PR, growing tech
  • UK / AU — 1-yr master's, post-study work right
Read student Q&A →
✈️
Step 2 · Get there
Pre-departure · 33 items
F1 visa, education loan, forex, insurance, packing, accommodation — the 90-day countdown.
Items
33
Phases
5
Lead time
3–6 mo
  • Visa — F1 / Tier 4 / SDS / 500
  • Money — Credila, Avanse, Prodigy, MPOWER
  • Logistics — flights, insurance, dorm vs apartment
Open the checklist →
🗓️
Step 3 · First 90 days
Settle in
SSN, bank account, lease, phone, transit, credit card #1, on-campus job — the order to do them in.
Day 1–30
Bank, SSN
Day 30–60
Card, lease
Day 60–90
Job, taxes
  • Banking — BofA / Chase / Discover student account
  • Credit — Discover It Student or Capital One
  • Tax — file Form 8843 even with zero income
Open the 90-day plan →
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Step 4 · While there
Life abroad · part 2
Internships, OPT/STEM extension, H1B lottery, parents visiting, taxes, when to start sending money home.
OPT
12 mo
STEM ext.
+24 mo
H1B odds
~25%
  • Career — internship → OPT → H1B sponsor
  • Family — B1/B2 visa for parents, care packages
  • Money — start NRE/NRO when you start earning
Open Life Abroad checklist →
💱
Sending money to a student abroad

Compare live FX rates · Wise vs Remitly vs banks

2–4% cost difference compounds across 24 months. Live mid-market rate, all-in fees, delivery time — for INR → USD/GBP/CAD/AUD corridors.

Open FX Compare →

Related: parents & care packages

For the family back home.

👨‍👩‍👧 Parents visiting USA
B1/B2 visa, insurance, packing — the visit checklist.
🎁 Care packages from India
Mithai, frozen mango, rotis — what ships safely.
💸 Send money home (after grad)
USD → INR corridor — Wise, Remitly, banks compared.
🏦 Open NRE/NRO when you start earning
Indian bank accounts for NRIs — required after H1B lands.

Common questions

Detailed answers on our Q&A page.

Should I take Credila or Prodigy?
Credila for Indian co-signer, Prodigy for no-co-signer.
When do I book the F1 visa interview?
Day you receive I-20. Slots fill in days for Fall.
What insurance is mandatory for F1 students?
School-mandated; ISO Student Health is common.
How do parents send tuition the cheapest way?
LRS bank wire for tuition; Wise/Remitly for monthly.
📚 All student Q&A →

Continue · related Life Moments

🏠
Life moment
Moving back to India
RNOR, OCI, NRO repatriation, redesignating accounts — the 4-step playbook.
👨‍👩‍👧
Life moment
Parents visiting
B1/B2 visa, insurance, healthcare, packing — the family checklist.