International Students and Scholars
Bringing Money
Upon Arrival in Carbondale, you will need U.S. dollars to obtain housing, make tuition and fee payment, and purchase textbooks and other supplies. Although individual needs vary, expenses during the first few weeks easily total several hundred dollars or more. We strongly recommend that you do not travel with large sums of cash. Safe and convenient ways to bring currency to U.S.A include:
• Traveler's checks
Traveler's checks offer the most flexibility as the payee can be named at the time of use and money can be immediately cashed from any bank. It is an internationally redeemable draft purchased in various denominations from a bank or traveler's aid company and payable only upon the purchaser's endorsement against the original signature on the draft.
• Cashier’s Check or Demand Draft
Cashier's checks and bank drafts require that the payee's name be included at the time of issue. Ask that drafts include your name for identification purposes and ease of cashing. However this form does not serve the purpose to cash the money at any bank unless the stated one on the check or draft and it is useful to carry large amounts of money in the long run to pay the tuition.
• Credit Card
Another important currency option is the Credit Card. The popular credit cards like AMEX, VISA, and MASTER CARD are accepted at most of the places in U.S.A. Hence you may consider this as another option to carry money and pay for your needs.