For prospective students

Every year we get e mails from prospective students asking us about the center, life in Boca Raton, housing facilities, insurance, stipend etc. etc... So far we have been responding to each of these e-mails individually. Tired of writing the same e mail every year, Gautam and I decided to come up with this document to help answer some of these questions. This is catered more towards international applicants, as most of the students from within USA usually visit the place before they take a decision. But students from within the US are welcome to read this too. Well ...... a small disclaimer before we begin - the following document consists of opinions of students at the center and has not been attested by the University. This is intended to give the reader a broad idea about their life at CCSBS and their stay in Boca Raton, Florida. If you have specific questions which are still left unanswered after reading this, please write to one of the students - pick one randomly from the list of students!

1. What is the duration of the program at CCSBS ?

Officially, it is a 5-year Ph.D. program. Earlier people used to take longer, say 6-7 years on average. However, more recently students graduate in 5 years. Ph.D. is do-able in 5 years if one is focused enough and identifies an area of work (and a Professor to work with) as soon as he/she arrives.

2. How many hours a week does a TA have to put in?

If you are receiving a full scholarship/stipend (which is usually the case), you will not have to TA every semester. You might end up doing TA work for Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, quite a few times (not every semester though), depending on your academic background. However, most of your time will be taken up by course work and research.

3. Do we have to pay fees every semester?

Typically almost 90% of the tuition fees for nine credit hours of tuition will be waived for every student. We have to pay the rest from our pocket every semester. This will be more for international students since they end up paying out of state tuition fees. Usually the following is what we pay -
International students - $ 600 during Fall and Spring semesters when we register for nine credits and $350 during summer (registering for six credits)
Florida residents - less than half of the above figures. For exact info on the figures pl. click here

4. What would be the approximate expenses excluding tuition fees?

FAU-related expenses - you will have to buy health insurance, which will cost ~ $650/year. Textbooks are not much of an issue -- few of the classes you will take will require you to buy textbooks, and you can usually borrow them from fellow students. If you are very particular about having your own textbooks, please expect to spend ~ $150 - $200 for the 1st semester alone.

For living expenses, in general, the monthly stipend of $1300 is quite sufficient for a single person. A 2-bedroom apartment rents for ~ $800-$900/month (so with a room-mate, you pay $300- $450 per month depending on the number of people in the apt). If you are married, then you will need a separate apt and then you may end up paying the major part of your stipend towards rent. A single bedroom apt costs something like ~$700 and a one room apt (called an efficiency) also costs around $600. In Boca, when you rent an apt, you need to pay initially a check for an amount equivalent to three month's rent!!!! (the first and the last month's (of the lease) rent + a security of one month's rent. Out of this, you get back the security, when you leave the apt after the lease expires, if the apt is in proper shape). Groceries et al. vary from $150 - $300 per month, depending on whether you are vegetarian, or like eating out, etc. If you want a car, a used one will cost ~$2000 - $3000, but you will also have to pay insurance of $1000 per year (every year). A lot of people manage without a car by staying close to campus, and buying a bike for ~ $100. Finally, utilities (electricity, gas(petrol)) are ~ $50 -100/ month, and phone bills can vary $30 - infinity, depending on how frequently you make long-distance calls ... :)

NOTE: Although you could drive a car with an international driver's permit, it is advisable to get your Florida driver's license (DL) as early as possible even if you don't plan on buying a car immediately. This will help you later (when you eventually buy it), in your hunt for an insurance provider for your car (your insurance premium is inversely related to how long you have had a license). If you do not have a DL in your home country or even if you have one but have not brought it with you to Florida, then before taking the Florida DL, you will have to sit through a five-hour lecture called Drug Alcohol and Traffic Education (DATE), which is mandatory and costs $40. So it is essential that you bring your DL from your home country if you have one. In fact it is advisable to get a DL in your home country if you don't have one already. Moreover, a Florida driver's license is a valid ID. This means that even when you fly within the United States, all you need to carry is your driver's license and not your passport.

5. When do I receive the first stipend? ............ because, I'd have to arrange for funds to see me through between the time I get there and time I receive my first stipend (for international students).

To get your first pay check (as we call it here), you need to have a Social security number. And for that, one needs to apply for it. By, say, the third week of Sept, officials from the Social security office will be on campus and you can give them your application for the SSN. The processing takes another couple of weeks and you will have your SSN by Oct. Yes, that means that your first pay check arrives only by mid Oct or worst come worst by the end of Oct. Now for the scary part....how bulky your wallet should be when you arrive here.

Well, these are your possible initial expenses (minimum) before you start getting paid:

a. For the Apt. by the end of August... $400/month x 3 (first, last and security) = $1200 (this comes down if you get to share the apt with more students and goes up if you intend to stay in a separate apt. Please calculate accordingly).

b. Groceries..... $200/ month x 2 = $400 (you can eat pretty well in this provided you cook yourself).

c. Health Insurance....$650 (you will have to pay this even before you register for courses). NOTE: Students other than those on J visas (exchange visitors) may request permission to use an alternate insurance policy. In this case, the insurance company (even from your country) must complete the ALTERNATE INSURANCE COMPLIANCE FORM and fax it directly to the International students Office (ISSS) fax number listed on the form for evaluation. The policy must be approved as meeting the minimum requirements established by FAU and the Florida Board of Regents (BOR) before students can be cleared to register. The ISSS reviews the policy based on the information that each insurance company provides on the Insurance Compliance Form and, if it complies with the requirements, the MM (major medical) hold is cleared for registration.

d. General needs like bed, pillow, other accessories can be very costly if you are planning to buy new ones. Students usually take from people who leave after graduation, but in case you are not lucky enough, please set aside at least ~100 (if a sleeping bag is fine for you initially).

e. Cycle..... a new one costs $100.

f. Caution money, for a back up.....~$200-300.

A sum of about $3000 would suffice.

6. How do I find an apartment for me?

The best way is to write to senior students at the center (students@ccs.fau.edu ). Someone may have a room to spare or can even arrange one for you. Anyway, the bottom line is - no one will be on the streets. If you cannot find an apt before you reach here, you can stay with one of the fellow students till you find one. Just make sure you find one later and not hope to be a parasite for ever! You can also check the off-campus housing guide of FAU which lists some apts/rooms available for rent.

7. How early would it be advisable for me to land up to take care of registration, accommodation etc.?

The program starts by the last week of August every year. The center offers a five-day intensive program in Mathematics called BOOT CAMP for new students just before the Fall semester starts. Hence it is advisable for students to reach here about a week to 10 days before the beginning of the semester. Registration and related stuff will just take a couple of days, at the most.

8. Impressions of the place, work etc. Anything that might be relevant...................

The emphasis in the program here is very strongly on research. During the first semester, you will take a "proseminar" in which different profs will talk about their research. Off late, most students know who they will be working with by the time they reach here. If not, by the beginning of the 2nd semester, you will be expected to identify a prof. whom you would like to work with, and identify a small research project. In short, there is no time for a leisurely lab rotation. We would suggest that you start thinking about who you would like to work with, and sketch out ideas for small well-defined research projects that you would want to do with them. This will enable you to get some experience with designing and conducting experiments, and also with analyzing data. Most importantly, it will cut short the time you spend here as a graduate student.

Personally we have found environment here to be very supportive. The burden of exploring and finding good research projects is on the student, although profs will help you. Being a truly interdisciplinary program any interesting research idea is welcome, so long as it remains within the framework and interests of the center. Everyone is extremely accessible, friendly, and willing to chat about their work and kick around ideas, or to give you a hand with problems you maybe be having. We have found that talking to a group of people in your lab always leaves you with lot of research ideas or helps you better define the idea that you have. There is a lot of interaction outside of the lab also. For example, we frequently meet saturday evenings to play soccer, basketball (postdocs & faculty members included), and there are quite a few people who religiously celebrate happy hour on friday (beer o'clock :) and quite randomly.

9. What is this place Boca Raton like?

A warm and sunny place, Boca Raton is full of rich retirees driving around in stylish cars. The average age is something like 60 ... that too because we have a university here :-). There is no night life here, shops close at 9pm. BUT if you could go to Fort Lauderdale, Delray, West Palm Beach or Miami, you have enough options! (may be a bit expensive for the student budget....still)!! Well, the good news is that there is no snow, the beach is very near, and the place is very safe except for old ladies driving against you in the same lane and occasional hurricane warnings.

10. Which is the closest airport? Will someone pick me up?

The closest international airports are Fort Lauderdale (FLL), West Palm Beach (PBI) and Miami (MIA). The first two are half an hour from the center and Miami is almost an hour. If you send us the details of your arrival. someone from the center will definitely pick you up.

11. How do I register for courses? (for international students)

The procedure for registering (once you arrive) is to get your immunization records to student health services, buy your health insurance from the insurance representative who will be available near the student health services building, then go to International Students office so they can check your Visa, I-20 etc. You are now ready to register for classes (either in Administration or Science & Engineering building). Your share of the tuition fees can then be paid at the cashiers office (in the Admin building) or online before a deadline (Check deadlines in the academic calendar ). FAU takes credit cards, personal checks and cash. What classes to register, should be discussed with your advisor.

12. Center's research

Pl visit the center's homepage.

ps: One of our previous students Roger Sambrook has some additional info for prospective students on his webpage. Since this was prepared a few years back, some of the info have changed (stipend, fees etc). You may want to check that out too.