Stage 8 of 8 · 8 lessons · ~2 weeks

Making the degree count

Use the degree well once you arrive: keep your grades and visa conditions safe, work within the rules, get internship and research experience, build a network, and decide calmly between staying and returning.

Start: The first weeks

Lessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order

Do this

Complete every registration and immigration step in your first weeks.
Read your university's rules on plagiarism, collaboration and AI tools.
Find your exact work limit on the official page and track your hours.
Note internship and research application windows in your field.
Go to at least two seminars or events a month and follow up with people you meet.
Update your LinkedIn profile with your programme and projects.
Learn the post-study work options and their deadlines where you study.
Set a monthly budget and find the university's support services.

Start with

GuideFree
Study in the States
US Department of Homeland Security
Official rules on on-campus work, CPT, OPT and STEM OPT

Practise

ADPList
Free mentorship calls with people working in the country you study in

Keep handy

LinkedIn Help: Create a Good LinkedIn Profile
Set up a clear profile so classmates, alumni and recruiters can find you

Before moving on: A written plan for your degree: registration and visa steps with dates, your exact work limits, an internship or research target with deadlines, three people to build a connection with, and your current thinking on staying or returning.

Tauseef's advice

Start the job or research search in your first term, not your last, especially on a one-year masters. And learn your visa rules better than anyone around you: employers and friends will often be wrong about what you are allowed to do.