Welcome to the United States, new students! Thinking back to when we arrived more than a decade ago, the internet and social media were nowhere near as developed as they are today. Back then, our main sources of information about life in the U.S. were senior labmates and roommates. Looking back now, some of that information was useful, but some was relatively one-sided and not necessarily the best option.

This article summarizes useful information for new international students coming to the U.S. in 2025! We have selected beginner-friendly posts from more than ten years of blogging, covering practical topics such as IDs and documents, personal finance, daily life, and travel, to help everyone adapt to life in the U.S. quickly and smoothly. Even if some of the content does not make sense right away, that is totally fine—take it slowly, and one day it will come in handy.

In fact, this article is very helpful for anyone who has just arrived in the U.S., so feel free to share it with your friends.

New Student Group

This article took a long time to put together. We dug up many posts on the blog related to life in the U.S., and we hope they can help everyone adapt quickly. We have created a 2025 U.S. international student new student group and invited some longtime friends who have lived and studied in the U.S. for many years; when they have time, they can help answer questions. New friends who need it are welcome to join. If the QR code expires, please contact the WeChat assistant at uscards101 and include the note “新生群” (new student group).

Status and IDs

In the U.S., it is important to carry proof of identity with you, so it is best to get the relevant documents as early as possible. Among them, the Social Security Number (SSN) and a driver’s license/State ID are two very important documents.

Social Security Number (SSN)

Let’s start with the Social Security Number (SSN). If you come to your school as a research assistant (RA) or teaching assistant (TA), or if you are a visiting scholar on a J visa, you are considered to have a U.S. job. You will need to use this job, your status, and other documents to apply for an SSN. This number will later be used for filing taxes, applying for credit cards, opening bank accounts, opening brokerage accounts, and more. In a sense, it is like the U.S. version of a national ID number.

To apply for a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN), you generally need to go in person to a local Social Security Administration (SSA) office, submit Form SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card), and provide copies of proof of identity, proof of work authorization or employment if applicable, and proof of immigration status such as I-94, I-20, etc. The application is free, but after approval, it usually takes 2 to 4 weeks for the SSA to mail the Social Security card to the address provided.

A quick tip: if you are an F-1 international student without a job, you can obtain an SSN by applying for on-campus work, such as a cafeteria job, teaching assistant position, library job, and so on. The SSN is extremely important for personal finance and is a key part of how international students can earn money and free flights through credit cards. However, after you receive your SSN, you should keep it safe. It is best not to carry your Social Security card with you, but you should memorize this 9-digit number because many forms will ask for it.

Real ID/Driver’s License/State ID

A driver’s license is also very important in the U.S., unless you live in a major city such as New York or Chicago where you can rely entirely on public transportation.

ITIN

As mentioned above, the Social Security Number (SSN) is an important number for filing taxes and applying for credit cards and bank accounts. If you do not have a job for now, do not plan to look for one in the near future, but still want to apply for U.S. credit cards, what can you do? You can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead. See our summarized article for detailed explanations and steps.

Personal Finance

Personal finance is the biggest category on this site. In addition to adapting to life and studies in the U.S., international students should consider learning about U.S. personal finance in their spare time. You can earn free flights and hotel stays with your own efforts, and even make some living expenses, which is great.

Credit Cards

In the U.S., credit cards not only save you money on everyday spending, but also offer welcome bonuses worth up to $1,000+ that can let you enjoy perks such as first class flights, airport lounges, and luxury hotels for free. International students may not have high income, but the barrier to entry for credit cards is not that high either. By building credit, you can apply for good credit cards and earn substantial rewards. We have organized related beginner articles so new students can build a foundation.

For new students, it is best to apply for a few no-annual-fee cards first. No-annual-fee cards can be kept long term and help build a solid credit foundation.

Of course, if you already have some credit history, you can consider credit cards with higher welcome bonuses.

If you are already familiar with the site’s content, you can also join the more advanced USCC101 Knowledge Planet for discussion.

We have organized the basic credit card articles, and you can view them from the menu and learn step by step.

Bank Accounts

Bank accounts are also very important for personal finance. You need a checking account to receive salary, accept transfers, pay credit card bills, deposit checks, and more. Therefore, we recommend opening one as soon as possible after arriving in the U.S. However, before you have an SSN, you usually need to use your passport to open an account at a local bank branch, and you may not be able to get an account-opening bonus, so it is best to get an SSN first. In general, we recommend major banks because they have full functionality and local branches, making future errands more convenient and also helping with credit card applications. Examples include Chase, Bank of America, Citi, Capital One, and others.

We have summarized some good banks, especially those with high account-opening bonuses, so you can grab a bonus while opening an account.

Compared with credit cards, bank accounts are simpler and easy to understand. In fact, in addition to checking accounts, banks also offer savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs), which are also worth learning about.

Brokerages

If you come to the U.S. with some savings or income, you can consider investing in U.S. stocks. The U.S. financial market is well developed, and returns can be attractive. If you research individual companies, you can buy individual stocks; if you do not have the time or energy, broad-market funds such as QQQ, SPY, and VOO are good options. Of course, you need to choose a good brokerage platform, balancing a high account-opening bonus with day-to-day usability.

We have organized a menu for U.S. stocks as well, so you can start with beginner articles and learn the basics.

Taxes

Taxes are an important part of personal finance in the U.S. Whether or not you have a Social Security number (SSN) or ITIN, if you have income, you will have tax issues and will need to file a tax return. Tax software is very advanced now, but we still recommend understanding the basics of the U.S. tax system. It not only helps with filing taxes, but also guides you on saving and legally minimizing taxes. Reducing your taxable income by 10% is equivalent to increasing your income by 10%, which is very meaningful.

We have put together some basic tax-saving methods that may be useful after you start working.

For basic tax-filing content, you can check the menu.

Everyday Life

Cell Phone Number

Getting a new U.S. phone number is essential after arriving in the U.S. The most important thing is choosing a cell phone plan that fits your needs. There are three common types; see which one applies to you:

  • Prepaid Plan: Good for low usage, short-term temporary use, or people who do not want to share a family plan with others.
  • Postpaid Plan: Good for balanced but relatively heavy usage, and for people who have a stable long-term group to form a family plan with. Also suitable for those who do not want to spend time researching ways to save or earn money.
  • Unlimited Porting: For those interested in researching how to save and earn money by porting phone numbers between carriers.

See our article:

You can also choose the cell phone plan we recommend for international students:

Saving Money

Saving money is a broad topic, and each store is different; online and offline shopping also differ. Here we focus on a general method: use the right credit card for each purchase to get the highest cash back.

In addition to credit cards, online shopping can also earn rewards through cash-back portals. The process is simple: go to the merchant through the cash-back portal, and your purchase will be automatically tracked for cash back. The following four are useful:

There are also ways to save money by buying gift cards. See:

The best time to shop is November to December, when merchants offer the biggest discounts. In particular, every year around Black Friday and Christmas, we put together Black Friday deals:

Car-Related Topics

Most people who come to the U.S. will buy either a new car or a used car. We have compiled articles about buying and selling cars; refer to them if needed.

Travel

After coming to the U.S., you can always find time to travel during spring break, summer break, or Christmas. If your family comes to visit, you can travel together as well. Our travel experience focuses heavily on free travel! That’s right: from flights to hotels, things can be free—even business class between the U.S. and China, or stays at the Waldorf Astoria. Credit cards can also give you free airport lounge access, free food and drinks, free rental car insurance, free Uber credits for rides, and credits for food delivery.

More details below.

Flights

Using Google Flights or Priceline to find cheap flights is no longer that exciting. We focus on free flights through credit cards. However, award tickets do have a learning curve, so you need to learn how to redeem miles.

After understanding the basics, look at some simple redemption examples. Although the cards may have changed, the core ideas remain the same.

If you do not know how to redeem points, you can use a consulting service to make business and first class travel a reality.

Airline content has been organized in the menu for quick reference. You can also read reviews of business class and first class flights.

Hotels

Hotels are similar. Many credit cards give you an annual free night certificate just for holding the card. Hotel points can also be very rewarding, and some cards provide hotel credits. So hotel stays can basically cost you nothing! At upscale hotels, you may also enjoy free breakfast, room upgrades, and more.

Hotels are simpler than airlines: earn the points and free night certificates, then redeem them directly. If you do not currently have elite status but want free breakfast and upgrades, you can get complimentary upgrades through our channel simply by booking through us.

We have organized hotel basics and real stay reviews on the site; you can find them in the menu.

Rental Cars

Road trips are common in the U.S. If you are going to remote attractions or cities with weak public transportation, renting a car is often unavoidable. Rental cars are flexible and convenient, and splitting the cost among multiple people can be very reasonable. We have compiled articles on rental cars:

Besides the rental fee, insurance can be a significant cost, but credit cards can provide free rental car insurance!

Family Visiting the U.S.

After you have stayed in the U.S. for a while, inviting family to visit is common. We have compiled articles about visas and entry into the U.S.:

Summary

This article took a long time to put together, collecting many U.S. life-related articles from the blog. We hope it helps everyone quickly adapt to life in the U.S. We have created a 2025 new international student group for the U.S., with long-time friends who have lived and studied in the U.S. for many years and can help answer questions when they have time. New friends who need it are welcome to join. If the QR code expires, please contact the WeChat assistant at uscards101 and note that you want to join the new student group.