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Welcome! The Baylor Graduate School and the Graduate Students Association welcome you to Baylor University and to Waco Texas. This digital magazine contains links that will help you to set up in Waco. Some of these searches can be done prior to your arrival, some upon your arrival and some will continue to assist you with changes and transitions. The links included here provide a window to the many resources and options available for you to choose from. In the US, you can truly make your stay as unique as you are and in line with the resources available to you. Learning about your options, your rights and responsibilities is just as important as your pursuit of graduate studies at Baylor. Because this will give you peace of mind as you transition to study in the US. Most of the links listed here are external to Baylor and not affiliated with the University. By now, you have probably been contacted by your department and welcomed on board by colleagues in your program. It is always a good idea to reach out to colleagues, but it will be better if you have been through some of the information in this magazine to familiarize yourself with what is out there and narrow some options for informed conversations with them. We wish you the best as you open your next chapter at Baylor and Waco!
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Table of Contents SIM card options………………………………………...………………………………………………………………………………….4 Housing options……………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………...….4 Furniture……………………………………………….…………………….………………………………………………………………...5 Signing your lease………………………………………………………...………………………………………………………….…...6 Utility connections ………………………………………………………...………………….………………………………………….7 Renters Insurance………………………………………………………...……………………………………………….……………...7 Maintaining your apartment………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8 With a Car…………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………………….9 Additional Contact Information………...…………………………………………………………………………………………10
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SIM Card options: You absolutely must get a SIM card. An active and registered US phone number in your name will be necessary to register your information and enable others to contact you. Baylor, your bank, housing managers, the utility companies, the Department of Public Safety (if you are applying for a license) will all need this to contact you. Friends in the US may contact you by phone or social media alternatives (GroupMe etc. which are web-based services). Some options to begin the exploration process include: The 7 Best Prepaid SIM Cards For the USA Buying a Sim Card in USA in 2021
Housing Options Housing options are dependent on your budget, and there are many alternatives to explore. You need to become familiar with the qualifying guidelines first, and then decide which options work better than others (living close to campus, or further out). This is a matter of income, personal choice as well as the availability of transportation. A simple search of one-bedroom apartments gives you the options in the link below: Apartments for Rent in Waco You need to determine how many bedrooms you need. The rent rises with number of bedrooms. But the links below give you an overall idea of what rent may look like. If you plan on visiting the apartments, it is a good idea to take an American friend with you who understands the ins and outs of renting which may be new for you. Graduate Student Housing Community Guide to Off-Campus Living Popular Housing Searches Apartment Guide Apartments.com
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Furniture As suggested by the name, furnished housing comes with furniture. But you will need to inquire exactly what might be included when you see ‘furnished’. If that is sufficient for you great! If you are interested in renting an unfurnished space and furnishing it yourself, you can begin to look at some options below. Homezone, Ashley furniture and Furniture outlet Waco are all here, and they sell new furniture. Consignment furniture sells used furniture and dependent on your budget, this may be worth a look. You can also order furniture through Wayfair and other online options. Make sure you get some opinions from friends. Interestingly, in the US, you can also rent furniture, but you will have to be careful of the terms and conditions applicable, so you don’t end up paying fines and extra fees for not caring for someone else’s property that you are leasing.
New furniture outlets Home Zone Furniture Furniture Outlet Ashley Furniture Wayfair Used Consignment Furniture Renting furniture Furnishings at First affiliated with First Baptist Waco Church usually makes furniture available to graduate students that they can keep for the duration of this stay at Baylor. Representatives from Furnishing at First usually attend the ‘Graduate Resource Fair’, held the same day as in-person Orientation. Be sure to stop by their table and learn more.
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Signing your lease
Signing your lease is an important step to housing in the US. Your lease is an important document that lets you know definitively that you have a place to stay. It also outlines your responsibility as well as your landlords. You may need to ask someone to co-sign a lease with you. You can read all about that here: Cosigner guidelines Before you sign a lease make sure to: •
Do a proper walkthrough The Apartment Walkthrough: Things to Watch Out for Before You Move in
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Ensure it is in your name if you plan to get a driver’s license! How International Students Can Apply for a US Driving License?
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Ask an American friend to help you understand some of the lease terms.
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Clarify about parking your own as well as visitors’ vehicles in the apartment complex. Make sure you understand exactly what is required and if you need parking stickers, DO NOT park your vehicle without them.
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Change stickers immediately if you purchase a new car
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Understand towing enforcement laws for your apartment complex and wherever else you park Consumer Information about Towing
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Understand what your landlord should fix in your apartment! Landlord/ Tenant Law
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Understand your full responsibility towards apartment maintenance
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Utility connections If you choose an apartment where you are responsible for setting up utilities, you will most likely have to get your own connections. Your apartment manager may be able to guide you in this regard, but you can also look at the following websites to review options. Utilities such as Electricity, Water etc. Compare electricity rates in Waco Internet & or Cable provider if needed Cable Providers Recurring Payments If you have a credit card or bank set up in the US, that will be helpful to set up recurring monthly payments to avoid problems with disconnected utilities. If you set this up with your checking account, make sure it has sufficient funds for recurring payments.
Renters Insurance Some complexes require renters to get their own insurance to cover losses that the complex is not able to cover through their overall insurance contract. Renters insurance also allows you to make recovery for losses from break ins etc. Find out if you will need renter’s insurance Compare Top Renters Insurance
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Maintaining your apartment
Something to keep in mind is that apartment complexes are commercial units and therefore normally not made with the best of materials. Walls tend to be thin and student living countertops tend to be made of linoleum which can curl if water is not wiped away after each use of the bathroom/kitchen sink. Maintaining your apartment is a responsibility that you should take seriously, to keep from violating your lease agreement and ensuring you have a place to stay. At the same time, you have the right to expect cleanliness around your apartment and you must read your lease agreement to understand those rights and how and when to request maintenance. If you have never lived in a US apartment before, please review this video about Apartment Upkeep. It will guide you about cleaning products to purchase and what to keep in mind in terms of general apartment maintenance. Your responsibility for your apartment includes: •
Keeping counters (Bathroom and Kitchen) clean and dry
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Maintaining bathrooms
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Ventilating apartment
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Candle burning + hazards
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Oven use + hazards
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Food burning + fire alarms
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Grime and oil free stove spaces
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Fines for inability to maintain spaces
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Wall and paint damage etc.
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Noise levels in private and public spaces
Preventative Maintenance Checklist for Apartments Preventative Maintenance Checklist for Apartments
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With a Car Make sure you find the ins and outs of parking on campus since parking is usually tight. There is free parking in limited spaces for students. You will need to learn how far off the free parking spaces are from your classes and apprenticeship. Additionally, know that: •
You must have car insurance if you purchase a car in the US (get a Texas ID to get a lower rate and more companies to compete for your business)
Compare Top Car Insurance •
There is an annual charge for parking in faculty/staff spaces if you are eligible
Baylor Parking Account Portal •
If you travel to Dallas/ airports often enough, it may be worthwhile to get Toll stickers for easier access to toll roads and the airport.
What is TxTag, TollTag, EZ Tag?
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Contact Information The following is a list of useful contacts in case you require assistance: Baylor University Counseling Center (Baylor ID required for entry into the SLC http://www.baylor.edu/counseling_center/ Counseling_Center@baylor.edu Office Phone: 254-710-2467 Crisis Line: (254)710-2467 Location: 2nd floor of the McLane Student Life Center, room 277
Title IX Office Dr. Laura Johnson, Title IX Coordinator TitleIX_Coordinator@baylor.edu 254-710-8454 Anonymous Reporting: To Make a Report
Baylor University Health Services http://www.baylor.edu/health_center/ Office Phone: 254-710-1010 (Call anytime to speak with a nurse) For Emergencies: 254-710-2222 or 911 Location: McLane Student Life Center 2nd Floor
Baylor University Chaplain, Dr. Burt Burleson http://www.baylor.edu/spirituallife/index.php?id=870509 Burt_Burleson@baylor.edu 254-710-3517
