West Lafayette is a city located in Indiana, USA, and is one of the cities where a large number of people visit for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons for which numerous individuals can be seen in this city is higher education. This city is home to Purdue University, which ranks #89 among 1500 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025. This university and other institutes in West Lafayette host a large number of domestic and international students.
When international students enroll in West Lafayette, they need to do some predeparture planning which you will read below.
Apply for a Visa
If you haven’t applied for a visa yet, you need to apply for that as soon as possible after receiving your acceptance letter from your college or university. It is one of the major things you need to do because you cannot live in the USA without that visa. You can start the application process through online sources nowadays and after that, you can get the date for the interview in the visa office.
Apply for the Passport If You Haven’t Got It or Applied for It Yet
A passport is necessary to enter the USA and it is necessary before a visa because you should have a passport as a requirement during your visa process. Therefore, you should apply for the passport first for sure.
Find and Book Accommodation
Gone are the days when students used to search for accommodation after reaching
their host cities. Now, you can do it in advance while you are in your home country
through online sources. So, you should find and book student accommodation West Lafayette before departure.
You can choose between two types of accommodation in West Lafayette. The first one is on-campus student housing. This is the type of housing owned by Purdue University. Such housing is found inside or attached to the campus. The other one is off-housing. The off-campus student housing properties are owned and developed by private developers according to the requirements of students.
You can visit online student accommodation service platforms to find off-campus accommodation in West Lafayette. On such platforms, you can find lists of accommodations among which you can choose the one that suits you the best. It is advised to start searching for student apartments West Lafayette at least three months before starting your journey to find accommodation according to your budget and preferences and at the right price.
Pack Essential Items
Packing essential items is necessary and you should start this one week before your journey to West Lafayette. You need to pack clothes according to the weather in the city which you can know through the internet. You can keep the clothes for the upcoming weather also, however, for that, you will get time in West Lafayette to purchase. So, keep the clothing according to the current weather or weather that is immediately going to start is necessary for you.
Besides, you also need to keep the essential books with you. Toiletries, chargers, and many other essentials should also be kept.
Learn About the New Culture
You will find it easy to adjust to West Lafayette if you learn about the US culture in advance. So, you should prepare for this also. You can do this in different ways. As you already know, the major source of every type of information today is the internet. You can search and read a lot about the US culture and specifically the culture of West Lafayette on the internet.
Communicating with others who are living or ever lived in a place is the best way to know about the culture of that place. So, you can talk with the native people as well as other international students who are already living in West Lafayette and other parts of the USA to know about the culture through social media platforms. Besides, you can also talk to the students in your native place who studied in West Lafayette or other parts of the USA in the past and now have come back.
Do Travel Arrangements
It is also a necessary pre-departure planning for students going to West Lafayette for studies. Indianapolis International Airport is the nearest international airport to West Lafayette. So, book a flight to Indianapolis International Airport in advance. Plan your arrival date to coincide with university orientation programs.
Do Financial Planning
Financial planning is necessary to manage your finances properly in West Lafayette. Understand the tuition fees, accommodation costs, and other expenses. Purdue University provides detailed estimates on its website. Besides, set up a U.S. bank account to manage your finances more efficiently. Many banks in West Lafayette offer accounts specifically for students. Also, create a budget for your first semester,
including tuition, housing, food, transportation, books, and personal expenses.