Your first friends
Before orientation even starts, you'll have seniors answering panicked 2 a.m. questions and a batch of peers going through exactly the same thing.
The India Club @WashU Olin
Welcome home —
before you've even arrived.
Across India a doorway gets a drawing — rangoli, kolam, alpana, depending on where you're from — dots and loops laid down to welcome whoever's about to walk in. Think of this as yours. From the flight out of India to your first Diwali in St. Louis — here's everything the leap to WashU Olin actually takes.
Made for you by the India Club exec team.
You belong here already.
How to use this
A guide that follows your journey.
Read it end to end on the flight over, or jump to whatever you need right now. It's laid out in the order things will actually happen — from packing your bags in India to finding your people at Olin.
01 — Who we are
The India Club @WashU Olin
We're the desi home base at Olin — a student-run community that walks you through a new country, a demanding program and a genuinely cold winter, with people beside you the whole way.
Home, on campus
Diwali, Garba, Holi, Pongal, movie nights and evenings out — the traditions you'd miss, recreated in St. Louis so the homesickness has less room to grow.
A leg-up network
Alumni who've walked the recruiting path, referrals, mock interviews, and honest advice on visas, internships, and full-time offers.
02 — Before you fly
Before you fly
The version of you that packs carefully will be very kind to the version of you landing jet-lagged in a new country. Start here, weeks before departure.
Documents — carry in your cabin bag
- Passport with your F-1 visa stamp
- I-20 (signed) + WashU admit letter
- SEVIS I-901 fee receipt
- Financial documents — bank statements, loan sanction letter, sponsor affidavit
- Printed proof of accommodation & a local contact
- Academic originals — degree, transcripts, mark sheets (plus soft copies on cloud + email)
- Vaccination & medical records, prescriptions in generic names
- A few passport photos
What's actually worth packing from India
- Ethnic wear — one kurta/saree/sherwani set. Diwali and Garba nights are real, and it's pricey to buy here
- Formals — a suit + interview-ready clothes. Recruiting starts fast
- Spices & a few masalas you love (sealed, labelled). You'll get the rest here
- Medicines — a starter stock with prescriptions
- Pressure cooker if you have space — a desi kitchen staple
- Spectacles — a spare pair; eye tests here are expensive
- Comfort food, a photo or two, anything that says home
Money before you go
Load a forex/travel card and carry some USD cash (~$200–300) for the first few days. Keep your loan disbursement and fee-payment plan sorted before you leave, and tell your Indian bank you're travelling so cards don't get blocked.
Health cover and check-ups
Budget for health insurance: the WashU plan is mandatory for F-1 students and costs $2,923 for 2026-27, billed to your student account — you almost certainly can't waive out of it. It doesn't cover dental or eye care, so get a dental check-up and an eye test done at home while they're cheap. Carry proof of your MMR and meningitis vaccinations; coming from India you may also need a TB test, and a hold on your account in week one is a miserable surprise.
Your phone
Make sure your handset is carrier-unlocked before you fly. Set up an eSIM (or a US SIM on arrival) so you have data the moment you land — you'll need it for the ride to your place. Keep your Indian number active on a cheap plan for OTPs and banking back home.
03 — Landing in St. Louis
Your first 48 hours
Most incoming students fly into St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), often via a US port of entry. Here's the order to do things so the first two days feel manageable, not overwhelming.
- 1
Clear immigration at your first US stop
At your port of entry, have your passport, visa and I-20 ready for the CBP officer. This is where you're formally admitted — keep your I-20 in hand, not in checked baggage.
- 2
Get to where you're staying
From STL, a rideshare (Uber/Lyft) or taxi to the campus area runs roughly 20–30 minutes. If we're running pickups, we'll share sign-up details in the group.
- 3
Turn on a US number
Activate your eSIM or grab a prepaid SIM (there are many budget carriers). A working number unlocks everything next — bank, rideshare, deliveries, orientation check-ins.
- 4
First grocery + essentials run
Pick up bedding, a few utensils and starter groceries. A desi store run for rice, dal and your comfort spices makes night one feel a lot more like home (full list in section 06).
- 5
Note your key dates
Check your OISS mandatory international check-in, WashU orientation, and Olin program onboarding dates. Missing the international check-in can affect your visa status, so treat it as non-negotiable.
04 — Settling in
The set-up weeks
The Danforth campus (where Olin lives) doesn't have designated graduate housing, so nearly everyone rents nearby. Here's how to find a place, get your finances running, sort your health cover, and move around the city.
Where WashU grads live
University City & The Loop
Most popular · walkable · ~10 min to campus
The unofficial student HQ. Diverse, lively, packed with food and shops along Delmar. Eastern U-City tends to be the most affordable; the Hanley–Delmar side is quieter and family-friendly.
Clayton (Moorlands, DeMun)
Upscale · very safe · adjacent to campus
Leafy, polished, and a short walk or bike from Olin. A bit pricier, with a walkable business district and easy MetroLink access at Clayton and Forsyth.
Central West End (CWE)
Lively · near the Med campus & Forest Park
Trendy restaurants and historic streets right by Forest Park. Great vibe; commute to Danforth is a quick MetroLink ride or bus.
DeBaliviere & Skinker–DeBaliviere
Quiet · great value · one stop to campus
Homey and often cheaper for the space, with a MetroLink stop that drops you on campus in about a minute. A favourite for value hunters.
Maplewood & Richmond Heights
More space for your money
A little further out but budget-friendly, with plenty of shopping and easy driving/transit access. Good if you're prioritising rent and square footage.
How to search
Start here
WashU's OISS off-campus resources, plus Quadrangle, Proximity, Parallel Properties, Uloop and Trulia. Ask the group — seniors often pass on leases and know which buildings to avoid.
Getting your life running
Open a US bank account
You do not need an SSN for this, whatever anyone tells you. Take your passport, I-20, I-94 and proof of a US address — a lease works, and if you don't have one yet the international office can write an address letter. Common choices are Bank of America, Chase, US Bank and local Commerce Bank. Ask specifically for an account with no monthly maintenance fee; most have a student version that waives it, but you have to ask.
How money actually moves here
Two things surprise everyone. First, Zelle and Venmo are how people split a dinner bill or pay a flatmate — set one up early, or you'll be the one holding cash nobody wants. Second, paper cheques still exist, and some landlords still want rent that way, so keep the chequebook your bank gives you. Wiring money from India has limits and paperwork at the Indian end, so plan the first transfer before you need it.
Start building credit early
You arrive with no credit history, and here that quietly gates things — apartment applications, phone plans, deposits. Fix it early with a student or secured credit card from the bank you just opened with. Then two rules: pay the balance in full every month, and keep your spending well under the limit. A year of that is genuinely all it takes, and skipping it costs you later.
Go prepaid first — postpaid is a trap early on
Prepaid needs no SSN and no credit check — just ID, an address and a card. Postpaid usually wants one or the other, and without them a carrier can ask for a deposit running to several hundred dollars, refundable only after a year of service. So start prepaid and switch later, once you have credit. T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon all offer it; cheaper networks like Mint and US Mobile run on the same towers from roughly $15-25 a month.
Social Security Number (SSN)
You'll typically need an SSN once you have a job offer (an on-campus role counts). Apply at a Social Security office with your passport, I-20, I-94 and offer letter — plus an OISS supplement form, so start with them. No job yet? You can wait — you don't need it to arrive, to open a bank account, or to get a prepaid phone.
Utilities, internet & renters insurance
Sort electricity and gas (usually Ameren) and home internet (Spectrum and AT&T are common) when you move in. Then check your lease for renters insurance — Missouri doesn't require it but plenty of landlords do, and at roughly $15-30 a month it covers your laptop and your belongings, so it's worth having even when it's optional.
Health cover and getting care
You're on the WashU plan
Every F-1 and J-1 student has to carry the WashU Student Health Insurance Plan, and you're enrolled automatically once you register — the premium is billed straight to your student account. For 2026-27 that's $2,923. You can only opt out if you're covered by a US employer's plan through a US insurer, which almost no incoming student is, so plan for this as a fixed cost of your first year rather than something you'll get out of.
If you're waiving, do it by early September
The fall waiver window runs 1 July to 5 September, it's enforced hard, and it has to be redone every single year — an approved waiver last year means nothing this year. It's submitted through the university's insurance portal with your WashU Key. Miss the date and you keep both the plan and the charge, so put it in your calendar before you fly.
Start at the Student Health Center
The Habif Health & Wellness Center on the Danforth campus is your first stop and acts as your primary care while you're a student. The plan generally expects you to start there and get a referral before seeing an outside specialist — skip that step and the claim may not be covered. Emergencies, urgent care when Habif is shut, care more than 50 miles away, OB-GYN and mental health don't need one. For a real emergency, call 911.
Counselling is already included
Counselling and psychological services are part of what you're paying for, not an extra — and TimelyCare gives full-time students 24/7 virtual mental-health support, which helps when the time difference makes calling home awkward. First terms are genuinely hard for a lot of us; using this is normal. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 988.
Getting around St. Louis
The Metro U-Pass
As a full-time student you ride the whole regional network free — MetroLink light rail and MetroBus, no limits on how far or how often. You register each semester with your WashU Key, once your enrolment has gone through. If the portal says you're not eligible, it usually just hasn't synced yet: try again the next day. It's a tap card, and replacing a lost one costs $62, so keep it with your student ID.
Free shuttles, tracked in an app
WashU runs ten free shuttle routes that go well past the campus edge — the Campus Circulator loops Danforth, and neighbourhood routes cover DeBaliviere, Skinker-DeBaliviere and the Delmar Loop, where a lot of us live. Two are worth memorising: Campus2Home runs 7 p.m. to 4 a.m., so you never have to walk back alone after a late night in the library, and the Shopper Shuttle runs Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to the Galleria, Brentwood Promenade and the Maplewood Walmart — how most people do a proper grocery and household shop before they own a car. Track them live in TripShot rather than trusting a timetable.
Parking is a real cost
Two costs, not one. Permits are priced by zone: a graduate Yellow permit runs about $941 a year, an evening-only one around $101, and the move most people miss is Parksmart at roughly $44 a year — park at West or North Campus and shuttle in. Pricing resets each 1 August. Then there's insurance, which is mandatory and brutal with no US driving history — easily $250-350 a month at first, sometimes more than the car is worth. Ask about the good-student discount, and get quotes before you buy anything.
A Missouri licence — or just a state ID
Even if you never intend to drive, a nondriver ID is worth getting so you stop carrying your passport around as everyday identification. Take your passport, your most recent I-94, your current I-20, an enrolment verification letter dated within the last 30 days, and proof of your address. If you don't have an SSN and aren't eligible for one yet, you'll need a refusal letter from Social Security first. Sort it within your first month or so.
The unwritten rules of living here
It isn't optional, and it's more than you think
At a sit-down restaurant, 18-20% of the pre-tax bill is normal — servers are paid on the assumption that you will. At a bar it's about $1-2 a drink, for Uber and Lyft 15-20%, and for a haircut 18-20%. Counter service and takeaway are genuinely optional. It feels strange for a while, and then it doesn't. Card machines usually offer the percentages, so you rarely have to do the maths.
The price on the shelf isn't what you pay
There's no MRP here. Sales tax is added at the checkout — around 9.7% in the city of St. Louis, and it varies by a percent or two between suburbs — so a $10 item is never $10. Prices are also fixed: nobody haggles, in shops or with landlords, and trying reads as odd rather than shrewd. Rent and salaries are the rare exceptions where negotiating is normal.
21, and they will check
The legal age to buy or drink alcohol is 21, and you will be asked for ID routinely even if you're comfortably older — it's the shop's licence at risk, not a judgement about you. Carry your state ID rather than your passport for this, which is the best argument for getting one early. Drinking in public — a park, a pavement, a car — is generally illegal here, however normal it looks in films.
Small talk, space and being on time
"How are you?" from a cashier is a greeting, not a question — "good, thanks" is the whole answer. Strangers making conversation in a lift or a queue are being friendly, not intrusive. Personal space is bigger than you're used to, and queues are respected absolutely. Punctuality is literal: a 9 a.m. class or a 3 p.m. coffee means that time. And most professors genuinely prefer their first name.
The numbers worth knowing
911 is police, fire and ambulance, free from any phone, and is for genuine emergencies only — a noise complaint or a parking problem goes to the city's non-emergency line instead. 988 is the mental-health crisis line. If a police officer stops you while driving, stay in the car, keep your hands where they can be seen, and have your licence ready — calm and unhurried is all that's expected.
Scams target international students
This one matters. Nobody from USCIS, the IRS, the police or your university will ever phone to demand immediate payment — least of all in gift cards, wire transfers or crypto. Real agencies write letters. The calls can be frighteningly convincing, quote real details and threaten your visa. Hang up, don't pay, and check with OISS. Every intake, someone gets one of these; the ones who lose money are the ones who didn't know to expect it.
05 — Life at Olin
Thriving at business school
WashU Olin runs the full-time and part-time/Flex and Executive MBA, plus specialized master's in Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance and Supply Chain — with newer programs in AI for Business, Sports Business and Wealth Management joining the line-up. Whatever you're in, a few things will make the first semester smoother.
Live in the career center
Recruiting timelines here are early and structured. Olin's Weston Career Center is your engine room for resumes, interview prep, employer connections and coffee chats. Treat networking as coursework from week one, not something for later.
Know your OPT / STEM-OPT
Several Olin master's degrees are STEM-designated, which can qualify you for the 24-month STEM OPT extension on top of standard OPT — significant runway to work in the US. Confirm your program's status early and let it shape your job search.
Participation & integrity
Expect case discussions, cold calls and lots of team projects — speaking up counts. And US academic-integrity rules are strict: cite everything, never share solutions unless allowed. When unsure, ask the professor.
On-campus jobs, and the hour cap
You can work on campus — dining and the library, but the ones worth chasing are graduate assistant, teaching and research roles in your own department. F-1 students are capped at 19.6 hours a week while classes are in session, and can go full-time over breaks; if you're fully funded, expect to be held to around 10 hours. Postings go up in Handshake and Workday. Hourly roles pay at least Missouri's minimum wage, $15 an hour in 2026. Federal Work-Study roles are closed to international students, so ignore those.
On campus is fine. Off campus needs paperwork.
You don't need OISS to approve an on-campus job before you take it, but you do need to complete the new-hire steps and get an SSN — which needs a job offer and an OISS form first, so start early. Any off-campus work requires CPT or OPT authorisation, and working without it ends your F-1 status. Working remotely for a department doesn't count as on-campus either. None of this is worth guessing at: ask OISS before you start, not after.
Resources worth knowing
OISS (your go-to for I-20s, CPT/OPT and visa questions), the library and writing support, and the Sumers Recreation Center for the gym. Bookmark your student email and the LMS on day one.
06 — A taste of home
Food, festivals & faith
The homesickness gets a lot smaller once you know where to get good atta, a proper dosa, and a place to celebrate. St. Louis has a warm, established South Asian community — here's the shortlist.
Indian & desi grocery stores
Tirupati Farmers Market
The one-stop favourite
Spacious and well-organised: groceries, fresh produce, plus pooja items, mandirs and Indian cookware (tawas, cookers) — and a little café for ready-to-eat snacks.
Seema Enterprises
Since 1984 · two locations
One of St. Louis's oldest South Asian stores. Deep Indian & Pakistani range — spices, lentils, sweets and ready-to-eat.
Bombay Bazar
Chesterfield
Family-run, big on fresh vegetables and authentic spices for everyday cooking.
Global Foods Market
Pan-Asian & huge
10,000+ items across Indian, East Asian and more — great when your recipe needs something unusual.
Mideast Market
Desi + Middle Eastern
Affordable fresh produce and a wide South Asian range, serving the area for decades.
Also worth a trip
Jay International · Desi Bazaar
More desi staples across town — and Desi Bazaar sits next to an Indian bakery, Signature India, for when you need mithai.
Where to eat (near campus & the Loop)
Turmeric
6679 Delmar Blvd, University City
Right by the Loop and popular with WashU students — dosas, uthappam and South Indian dishes, comfy for group dinners and watching a match.
House of India
8501 Delmar Blvd
A long-loved buffet — huge spread, lots of veg options, easy on a student budget.
Gokul
Delmar Loop · vegetarian
Beloved vegetarian spot in the heart of the Loop — a reliable, tasty walk from campus.
Gol Bowl
6227 Delmar Blvd (Loop)
Modern, fast-casual Indian (with Thai and halal options) — quick, fresh bowls between classes.
India Rasoi
Classic North Indian
Solid curries, biryani and naan when you want the familiar, done well.
Himalayan Yeti
Nepali & Indian
Momos and mountain flavours for when you want something a little different.
A place to celebrate & pray
The Hindu Temple of St. Louis in Ballwin (725 Weidman Rd, ~30 minutes west) is the community's hub — festivals, a cultural center and even a cafeteria. Greater St. Louis also has mosques, gurudwaras and churches across denominations. Ask in the group and someone will point you to the right community and carpool.
You won't cook alone
Grocery runs are a group sport here — carpools to the desi store, split bulk orders, shared Sunday cooking. If you've never made dal in your life, don't worry: someone will teach you, and you'll be feeding the next batch before you know it.
07 — Weather & what to wear
Yes, it gets properly cold
St. Louis has four real seasons, and for most of us the winter is a genuine first. Here's what to expect so nothing catches you off guard.
Hot & humid
You'll arrive to heat in the low-to-mid 30s °C with humidity. Light cottons, sunscreen, a water bottle.
Beautiful autumn
Crisp, colourful, the best weather of the year. A light jacket and layers do the job.
Actually freezing
Regularly below 0 °C, with cold snaps dipping well under −10 °C, plus snow and ice. This is the real deal.
Fresh spring
Warming up, occasional rain, everything blooming — and Holi season. Layers again.
08 — The year ahead
What we get up to
Our year, with the dates set — seven fixed nights from September to March, plus movie nights and evenings out called in the group as they come up. This is the rhythm of festivals, food and community you're joining.
- SEP
Orientation Session
A proper sit-down for the incoming batch: what the first semester actually demands, who to ask about what, and the questions nobody tells you to ask. Pairs with the written guide.
- OCT
Garba Celebration
Navratri falls 11-20 October this year. Dandiya sticks out, everyone dressed up, and the music does not stop early — one of the most joyful evenings of the semester.
- NOV
Diwali Celebration
The big one. The five days run 6-10 November with Diwali itself on the 8th, and we hold ours on the Friday that opens them. Lights, performances, a feast, and the whole Olin community turning up — well beyond just us. Bring the ethnic wear you packed.
- JAN
Pongal Celebration
The South Indian harvest festival — Thai Pongal falls on 15 January and we mark it the week after. Sweet pongal, sugarcane and a warm start to the spring semester.
- FEB
India Club Networking Gala
Our most formal night of the year: alumni, recruiters and current students in one room. Bring a suit and bring questions — this is where referrals actually begin.
- FEB
India Food Fest
Regional cooking from across the country, made by students rather than caterers. The whole point is that everyone finds something that tastes like where they're from.
- MAR
Holi Celebration
Holi itself is Monday 22 March, so we play on the Sunday. Colours, music and warmth as the year winds down — and a send-off for the batch heading out into the working world.
- ALL YEAR
Movie Nights
New releases and old favourites on a big screen, with far too much popcorn. Three across the year, called in the group a couple of weeks ahead — the lowest-effort way there is to meet the batch.
- ALL YEAR
Fun Evenings in STL
Bowling, dinners out, day trips and whatever someone proposes in the group chat. Three of these across the year, dates picked when they land — St. Louis is a lot more fun than it gets credit for.
09 — Stay connected
Don't wait until you land
The single best thing you can do right now is join the group and say hello. Questions, panic, packing debates — all welcome. This is what we're here for.
How to join us
- 01Become a memberRegister on WUGO, the official WashU student-organisation platform. This is what puts you on the roster.
- 02Join the WhatsApp groupWhere events, updates and every panicked 2 a.m. question actually happen. Come say hello before you land.
Follow us[ @handle ]
Email us[ club email ]
The people you can lean on
A note from the Co-Presidents
Moving across the world for a degree is one of the bravest things you'll do. You'll miss home, misjudge the cold, and mess up the metro at least once. All of that is normal. What you won't do is go through it alone — that's the whole point of us.
Reach out early, come to the events, and lean on the batch ahead of you the way we leaned on the ones before us. In a year, you'll be the one welcoming the next batch across the threshold. We can't wait to meet you.
Sourabh Sharma & Aditya Mohan Patnaik
Co-Presidents · India Club @WashU Olin · 2026-27
Quick answers
FAQ
Do I need a car when I arrive?
Not at first. The free Metro U-Pass, WashU shuttles and a bike cover most student life near campus and the Loop. Some people buy a used car later for big grocery runs and trips, but it's optional early on.
How much should I budget for rent?
It varies a lot by neighbourhood and roommates. Eastern University City is among the most affordable; Clayton and CWE sit higher. Sharing a place brings the per-person cost down significantly — ask the group for current numbers.
When should I book my flight?
Once your visa is stamped and you've noted your OISS international check-in and orientation dates, aim to land a few days before things start so you have time to set up housing, a SIM and groceries.
Should I bring bedsheets and kitchenware?
No need to fill your suitcase with them — they're cheap and easy to buy here. Prioritise documents, formals, one ethnic outfit, medicines and a few spices instead.
Will I be able to eat Indian food easily?
Yes. There are several desi grocery stores and a good cluster of Indian restaurants near campus and the Loop (see section 06), plus lots of communal cooking within the club.
Buy a winter jacket in India or here?
Here. St. Louis winters are colder than most of India, and local stores sell gear rated for real snow, often on sale. A light layer for the plane is enough to start.