New Saudi Students Orientation University of Miami

Mohammed Saleh A Munshi

m.munshi@umiami.edu (954)-980-5511

Bank Accounts
Which?
Bank of America. City Bank.

Where?
The nearest branch to your apartment:
http://locators.bankofamerica.com/locator/locator/LocatorAction.do https://online.citibank.com/US/GCL/citilocator/flow.action

What to bring?
Passport. I20. Saudi License. Cash to deposit. Ask for temporary check to send a cancel check to SACM.

Rent a Car
The cheapest car rental website:
http://www.economycarrentals.com/ The price they are going to give you is includes with full cover insurance.

Where to pick up the car?

Miami International Airport (MIA). Downtown. South Beach.

What to bring?
Print the confirmation they send to your email. Your Saudi License (Not the International License).

Phone
Which?
IPhone. Blackberry.

Where?
AT&T(IPhone) - http://www.att.com/storelocator/. T-Mobil - http://locator.t-mobile.com/. Verizon- http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/support/store-locator.

What to bring?
Passport. Bank Debit Card (No Cash).

Internet and Cable

Which?
Depends in the building.

(usually included with the rent)

Where?
AT&T. Comcast. Direct TV. Verizon cable.

What to bring?
Passport. Bank Debit Card (No Cash). You will need a $500 deposit if you want to get an IPhone unless you have a social security number (refundable in 1 year).

Apartment
Where?
There are 4 areas I recommend to live in Miami:
Coral Gables
(near the campus, good for both families and singles, its better for families to live in apartments building, and NO VIEW).

Dadeland
(10 min from the campus, metro, Dade Land mall, and NO VIEW).

Brickell
(walkable because there is no homeless, metro, attraction and restaurants and GOOD VIEW).

Downtown (Biscayne Blvd.)

(not walkable because there is a lot of homeless, Metromover connected to the metro, cheaper than Brickell, and GOOD VIEW).

South Beach is to visit not to live. Aventura and North Miami are far and there is no metro to connect you.

Apartment
How?
Contact any real estate office in the area. I recommend to call Jay Shadden at (786) 515-4499.

What to bring?
Passport. Definition US Finance you can print it from the Saudi Portal under personal service Definition Request select Financial in Letter Type.

Condition:
First month deposit. Last month deposit or building deposit.(refundable) Owner security deposit .(refundable)

Recommended Buildings
Coral Gables
*Red Road Commons Apartments 6620 SW 57th Ave South Miami, FL 33143 (866) 768-7217 *Gables Grand Plaza Apartments 353 Aragon Avenue Coral Gables, FL 33134 (866) 768-7251 *Valencia South Miami 6001 SW 70th Street South Miami, FL33143 305-740-7007

Dadeland
Downtown Dadeland 9005 Dadeland Boulevard Miami, FL 33156 (305) 670-3400 Colonnade Dadeland 8390 SW 72nd Ave & 8395 SW 73rd Ave, Miami FL, 33143 Call a real estate office Toscano 7355 and 7350 SW 89th St. Miami, FL 33156 Call a real estate office

Brickell
*Camden Brickell 1010 South Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33130 (866) 932-1965 500 Brickell 500 Brickell Ave Miami, Florida 33131 The Plaza 951 Brickell Ave 950 Brickell Bay Drive Miami, FL 33131 Call a real estate office

Downtown
Biscayne Blvd.

One Miami 325 South Biscayne Blvd Miami, FL 33131 Call a real estate office 50 Biscayne 50 Biscayne Blvd Downtown Miami Florida, 33132 Call a real estate office Loft Downtown II 133 NE 2 Ave Downtown Miami Florida, 33132 Call a real estate office

* There is lease office dont need to real estate office

Driver License and ID

Why?
Many places give a Floridian discount. You can drive with the Saudi license only for 3 month. Its too expensive to get insured with the Saudi license.

Where?
DMV there is 2 location I recommend the one inside Mall of America located in 7795 West Flagler Street Miami, FL 33144.

How?
Get an appointment for the test and another one for the driving test from this website:
http://www.dmvflorida.org/fl-dmv-appointments.shtml
Click on online appointment system .

Driver License and ID

What to bring?
Print out the appointment reservation confirmation. Passport. I-94. I-20. 2 prove of address such as:
Bank account. Phone bill. FBL bill. Lease contract.

Driver Test
Study Paper. 2 exam:
Sign test you need to get 15 correct out of 20. Roles test you need to get 15 correct out of 20.

Driving test:
Drive in the parking garage to make all the stop. Make a U-turn in 3 move. Park between 2 coeloms. Revers. Suddenly stop. How to stop the car up in the hill?

Furniture
Ikea:
Location
151 NW. 136th Avenue Sunrise, FL 33325(954) 838-9292.

Room to Go:
Location
http://www.roomstogo.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=storeLocator.

Rent a Furniture:
CORT Furniture Rental Location
2001 Biscayne Blvd Miami, FL 33137 (305) 576-0660.

Website:
http://www.cort.com/

Grocery
Daily:
1

Winn-Dixie.
https://www.winndixie.com/_layouts/WDPortal/WDStoreLocator.as px

Publix.
5 http://store.publix.com/publix/cgi/region?country=US&region=FL& design=default&lang=en&mapid=US&gclid=CILUg8KptrACFQSxnQo dbEwj9g

Whole Foods.
http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/

10

Fresh Market.
http://www.thefreshmarket.com/stores/store_locations.aspx?q=cs

* 1 is cheap and 10 is expensive

Grocery
Monthly:
Wal-Mart.
http://www.walmart.com/storeLocator/ca_storefinder.do

Sams club.
Sell by the bulk. You need to buy a membership to get allowed to buy from there. You can buy the first visit without the membership. Location
http://www3.samsclub.com/clublocator/

Electronic
Sams club:
Location
http://www3.samsclub.com/clublocator/

Best Buy:
Location
www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=page&id=cat12090

Target:
Location
http://sites.target.com/site/en/spot/state_listing.jsp

Restaurants
If you need to go to any restaurants make a reservation by using this website:
http://www.opentable.com/miami-restaurants

Arabian Restaurants
Oriental Bakery & Grocery Co
1760 Southwest 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33129

The Baklava Factory

1777 Southwest 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33129

Daily Bread Marketplace

2400 Southwest 27th Street Coconut Grove, FL 33133

Maroosh Mediterranean Restaurant

223 Valencia Ave Coral Gables, FL 33134

Al-Salam Middle Eastern Restaurant

7811 West Sunrise Boulevard Plantation, FL 33322

Arabian Restaurants
Marhaba
5701 Sunset Drive South Miami, FL 33143

Khoury's Mediterranean Restaurant

5887 Southwest 73rd Street South Miami, FL 33143

Layali Miami
11402 NW 41st St Doral, FL 33178

Al Natour Middle Eastern Restaurant

1787 N University Dr Plantation, FL 33322

Sawa Restaurant & Lounge

360 San Lorenzo Avenue Coral Gables, FL 33146

Arabian Supermarkets
Barbar
500 Southwest 8th Street Miami, FL 33130
1

Daily Bread Marketplace

2400 Southwest 27th Street Coconut Grove, FL 33133

Oriental Bakery & Grocery Co

1760 Southwest 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33129

Al-Salam Middle Eastern Restaurant

1816 North University Drive Plantation, FL 33322
10

* 1 is week and 10 is good

Malls and Shops

Dadeland mall
7501 North Kendall Drive Kendall, FL 33156.

The Shops at Sunset Place (+ Cinema)

5701 Sunset Drive, South Miami, FL 33143

Village of Merrick Park

4251 Salzedo Street Coral Gables, FL 33146

CocoWalk (+ Cinema)
3015 Grand Ave Coconut Grove, FL 33133

The Shops at Mary Brickell Village

901 S Miami Ave Miami, FL 33130

Malls and Shops

Bayside Marketplace
401 Biscayne Boulevard Miami, FL 33131

Lincoln Road Mall (+ Cinema)

Lincoln Road Mall Miami Beach, FL 33139

Bal Harbour Shops

9700 Collins Avenue Bal Harbour, FL 33154

Aventura Mall (+ Cinema)

19501 Biscayne Boulevard Aventura, FL 33180

Dolphin Mall Outlet (+ Cinema)

NW 12th St Dolphin Mall, Miami, FL 33172

Sawgrass Mills Outlet (+ Cinema)

12801 West Sunrise Blvd Sunrise, FL 33323

Buy a Car
Where?
Hollywood area. CarMax.
http://www.carmax.com/

Craigslist
http://miami.craigslist.org/

Car dealer.

Car history:
http://www.carfax.com/entry.cfx

Get a mechanic to chick up the car usually they charge $100.

Car Insurance Companies

Nationwide
http://www.nationwide.com/

(Mo/Ye)

Progressive
http://www.progressive.com/

Allstate
http://www.allstate.com/

Statefarm
http://www.statefarm.com/

Geico
http://www.geico.com/

21st Century Insurance

http://www.21st.com/

Hospitals and Clinics

Go to Aetna website to find the nearest treatment.
http://www.aetna.com/

UM hospital is one of the best in town located in:

1400 Northwest 12th Avenue Miami, FL 33136 (305) 6895511.

Sun glasses are included in the insurance up to $400.

SACM
Use the Saudi Portal for everything. Dont forget to send the transcript to the adviser in the end of every semester.

UM Metro Ticket
Where?
From the window near the ATM machine every 27th of the month.

What to bring?
Bring your university ID.

Why?
Its 50% cheaper than the metro station.

How much?
$50 month.

How to Register for Exams

Toefl:
Go to this website:
http://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/register/

Call (877)863-3546.

IELTS:
http://www.ielts.org//test_centre_search/search_results.a spx?TestCentreSearchSubRegion=4a489b2a-083a-45dea65e-6514bc133cb4

Make sure that your passport and credit card around you.

What Do You Need To Apply

Fill the application usually the deadline is January 1st. Each school have different deadline to submit all the other requirement such as:
Resume (you will get help from Whitten University Center). Statement of Purpose (SOP).
Your childhood and how its related to your study. Study in undergrad. Career. Why this program and what is going to add to you? Why this school?

GRE or GMAT (offered by Kaplan and paid by SACM).

http://bookings.kaplaninternational.com/en/CourseListing.aspx

What Do You Need To Apply

Each school have different deadline to submit all the other requirement such as:
Toefl or IELTS score. Portfolio (requirement from design school). Transcript. 3 recommendations:
2 academic. 1 professionally.

The transcript and the recommendations must be in an envelop signed and sealed.