Before You Leave

  1. Important Documents

    Be sure to make TWO copies, front and back, of all important documents that you bring with you so that you have all of the necessary information to replace an item should you lose it. Leave one copy at home with someone you trust and carry one copy with you in a place separate from the originals.

    Make sure that you have copies of the following items

    • Passport
    • Visa
    • Credit Cards (front and back) or the customer service phone numbers
    • ATM Cards (front and back) or the customer service phone numbers
    • Student ID Card from Home university or International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
    • Insurance Cards (front and back)
    • Plane Tickets or e-ticket receipts
  2. Clothing (see also weather)

    Bring warm clothes no matter what time of year you are coming. Utah is a northern state and Logan gets the coldest temperatures of any city in the state. It is not unusual to hit 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) by the beginning of November, and stay around this temperature until the end of February. However, the beginning of the fall semester (August-October) and the end of the spring semester (March-May) can be very warm, so plan accordingly. Please see our Weather link for more information on what you can expect.

  3. Bedding/Room Accessories

    Most study abroad students will be housed in San Juan Hall. Items provided for you are: desk, bed, and closet. Items not provided are pillows, sheets, blankets, etc. You will probably want to purchase those when you arrive so that you can bring the most clothes in your luggage. Please see our Housing link for more information on what is provided and what you will need to bring with you or purchase after you arrive.

    Bedding is available very inexpensively at local "super stores" such as Walmart, ShopKo or Kmart. Expect to spend about $50 on basic sheets, pillows and blankets-you could easily spend more depending on the type of bedding you purchase. These stores are located about one mile from San Juan Hall and the local city bus service provides an easy way to reach these stores.

  4. Finances

    Most students traveling to the US bring a credit card, an ATM or debit card and some cash to get to their destination and pay for expenses that come up in the first few days. We recommend that you bring $100-$200 of U.S. currency for the first week that you are here. DO NOT bring the currency of your home country-it can be difficult and expensive to make the exchange into U.S. currency.

    Many international students open a bank account at Zions Bank after they arrive in Logan. Zions Bank has an office located right on campus on the bottom floor of the Taggart Student Center. It is free to open an account, there is no minimum balance, and you receive free online banking and a free debit card. It is also free for you to deposit and withdraw money. Zions Bank asks that you bring your passport, USU student ID (which you will get when you arrive) and traveler's checks (NOT cash).