On arrival in India

Arriving in a new country and culture can be daunting. Preparation and organisation can make this difficult transition into a positive experience. Almost everyone who studies, lives or works abroad experiences some degree of differences. It is quite natural to feel overwhelmed, excited and confused all at once. For some people the "shock" hits them the moment they arrive at the airport, while for others it could be 6 months down the track.

Some surprises always await you when you arrive in a new place. You may not be able to find your favourite food or understand the local language. Housing arrangements, the way in which classes are conducted, the informal manner in which people greet one another, all may seem very strange and confusing. This is all part of the adjustment process. Try and remember that you are not alone, that there are many other students just like you and that the International Students' Office of Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) is here to help you in every aspect of your experience in India.

1. Reaching Pune

The city of Pune is located in the hills of Sahyadri Mountains at about 170 k.m. on the Deccan Plateau, South of Mumbai.

If one reaches Mumbai, Pune is not far off and not very difficult to reach. Most of the International flights arrive at Sahar International Airport in Mumbai. There are several trains between Mumbai and Pune. They leave from Dadar terminus-a suburb of Mumbai. One can reach Pune by air also. There are several flights from Mumbai to Pune which start from the Domestic Airport at Mumbai.

Addedly, there are several private buses and taxies which ply between Pune and Mumbai rendering services to the passengers day and night.

You may also arrange for someone to pick you up from the airport. Some hotels arrange for an airport pickup. It is a good idea to purchase a city map right away, so that you don't loose your sense of direction in a new city. Maps are available at every bookshop at the airport.

2. Admissions

When International students arrive in India, they should contact the Director of the International Students' Office immediately.

The International Students' Office will guide and help them in completing the admission formalities. Students must produce all the necessary documents including passport with a Student Visa endorsed to Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), original academic transcripts, diplomas, degrees etc., a copy of all the pages of the passport and two passport size photographs. At the time of admission, the student will have to pay tuition and other fees, so he/she will have to bring with him adequate money for the payment of this fee. The student should keep in mind that, it will not be possible for the University to give him/her admission if he/she fails to produce the required documents/ to make the payment of fees in full. He should take admission before the date which is mentioned in the letter issued to him. The University will not be responsible if the student fails to get admission because of his failure in seeking the admission before the prescribed date.

3. Financial Needs

When a student travels to India, he/she needs to bring enough money to cover his/her immediate needs on arrival in India, including transit expenses, customs charges, transportation fares, initial expenditure at his/her place of study and emergency expenses.

It would be prudent to bring cash in US Dollars which can be exchanged at the airport. International debit/credit cards are mostly functional and accepted in India. Traveller's Cheques are accepted only at certain places, while banks would readily exchange them.

One of the prerequisites of student residential permits in India is that the students must have a bank account. To open an account in India, International students will need to have their admission letter, residential permit and passport, and some banks may also need the student bona fide certificate as evidence or may require some more documents. Individual banks have different policies and charges for opening a bank account. It normally takes few working days to receive the cheque book and card so a student must bring some cash/travellers cheques to carry him/her through this time. He/she can also exchange his/her foreign currency at any bank or any foreign exchange office around the country.

It may be noted that the International students will not get any financial assistance from the University or the College nor he will be able to earn money through summer jobs, so the student is advised to ensure that he has enough funding to cover all the expenses during his stay in India.

4. Foreigner's Registration Office (F.R.O.)

International students must register with the Foreigner's Registration Office (F.R.O.) of the Commissioner of Police, Pune, within 7 days of their arrival. It is extremely important that the International students register with the Foreigner's Registration Office (F.R.O.) within 7 days of their arrival. The Foreigner's Registration Office (F.R.O.) shall register International students and issue them a residential permit which is normally valid for a period of one year and should be renewed 15 days before its expiry date. The documents needed here would be:

• A provisional eligibility letter.
• Passport with an endorsed Student Visa.
• Passport size photographs.

For any other information in this regard, please contact the Foreigner's Registration Office (F.R.O.) of the Commissioner of Police, Pune. www.punepolice.com

5. Accommodation

Accommodation is one of the other aspects that a student must follow up on his/her arrival. If a student opts to rent a flat, then each accommodation provider or agent is a little different in his/her requirements. Rents and deposits also are different depending on various factors like locality, kind of housing and services etc. Some International students may choose to stay as a pay-n-guest which is advertised in local newspapers. And of course we have hostel facilities at our campuses of Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) which could be provided for if available only.

A certain number of seats in the hostel on both the campuses are reserved for International students. They will be allotted to them on first come first served basis. Those students who are not able to get accommodation in the hostel will have to try for private accommodation. Students living in hostels and even in private houses will have to adhere to the rules and regulations.

6. Medical check-up/No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Professional Courses

• An International student will have to undergo a medical checkup at his/her own cost. He/she will be required to submit a report of this medical examination to the University. Also, an International student will have to undergo HIV Test at the Bharati Vidyapeeth's Medical College, Pune at his/her own cost and submit a report of the test to the University.
• Final admission of professional courses is subject to producing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Government of India.

Note: The admission of International students will not be finalised unless he/she produces the above mentioned documents.

7. Orientation Mission

On your arrival we would like to Congratulate You on your successful application to the Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), and thank you for choosing to study here in India. Leaving your home country to study abroad is a brave and exciting decision, and one that is rich with reward.

Secondly, we would like to Welcome You to the Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) campus, and to India itself. In an effort to make your stay both rewarding and memorable, and to help you achieve your academic goals, we have provided an Orientation programme for all new International students. The orientation programme is designed to:

• Make you feel welcome, and get you settled in before your classes begin.
• Present you with general information about living and studying at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University).
• Provide information on the range of services and facilities available both on and off the campus.
• Offer some advice on strategies for getting the most out of your studies so that you will succeed academically.
• Introduce you to the unique culture, traditions, festivals etc. of India.
• And above all, the Orientation Programme offers plenty of opportunities to meet other International students like yourself!