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Phone, Health & Daily Life

Everything you need sorted in your first week in 🇺🇸 United States — SIM card, health cover, grocery stores, transport, and apps to download.

Last reviewed April 2026. Phone plan pricing and health insurance estimates are sourced from carrier websites and university insurance offices. Telecom prices change frequently — verify current plans before purchasing.

📱 Getting a SIM Card

Get a SIM at the airport or order an eSIM before you land. You don't need an SSN or credit history.

Airport tip: T-Mobile and AT&T have kiosks in most major US airports. Mint Mobile and Tello ship eSIM instantly — activate before your flight lands.

T-Mobile

Essentials · T-Mobile (5G)

$25/mo
30GB high-speed
📞 Intl: Yes (70+ countries)eSIM

Best overall for students. Works at most US airports. International calling included.

Mint Mobile

Starter (3-month) · T-Mobile

$15/mo
10GB high-speed
📞 Intl: Add-oneSIM

Cheapest option on T-Mobile network. Buy online and get eSIM instantly — no store visit needed.

AT&T

Value Plus Prepaid · AT&T (5G)

$30/mo
20GB high-speed
📞 Intl: Add-oneSIM

Best rural coverage. Useful if your university is in a smaller city. Available at AT&T stores in airports.

Visible

Base · Verizon

$25/mo
Unlimited (throttled)
📞 Intl: NoeSIM

Unlimited data on Verizon network for $25. No store needed — fully online. Great value for heavy data users.

Google Fi

Flexible · T-Mobile + US Cellular

$20/mo
Pay per GB ($10/GB)
📞 Intl: Yes (worldwide)eSIM

Best if you travel internationally often. Data works in 200+ countries at no extra charge. No store needed.

🏥 Health Insurance & Medical Care

US healthcare is expensive without insurance. Most F-1 students are automatically enrolled in a university plan.

University Plan

$1,500–$4,500/yr

✓ Good for

Mandatory for F-1 students at most schools. Covers on-campus clinics. No pre-auth needed for routine care.

✗ Watch out

Cannot waive unless you have comparable coverage. May have high deductibles.

What to do: Enroll during orientation — it's usually automatic.

Student Health Center (On-campus)

Included in tuition

✓ Good for

Free or very cheap. No appointment needed for urgent care. STI testing, mental health, immunizations.

✗ Watch out

Limited hours. Long wait times during peak periods (August, January).

What to do: Register with your campus health center in the first week.

Community Health Centers (FQHC)

Sliding scale ($20–80/visit)

✓ Good for

Federally funded clinics that see patients regardless of insurance or immigration status. Sliding fee scale.

✗ Watch out

Long wait times for appointments. Fewer specialists.

What to do: Find one at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov — useful if you're between insurance plans.

🚌 Getting Around

Transport varies enormously by city. Here's what to expect depending on where your university is.

Major cities (NYC, Chicago, Boston)

  • Subway / metro passes (buy monthly for 20–30% discount)
  • Lyft or Uber for late nights
  • Citi Bike / Divvy / Bluebikes for short trips
  • Google Maps for transit routing

Mid-size cities (Atlanta, Seattle, DC)

  • MARTA / Sound Transit / DC Metro — get a reloadable transit card
  • Lime or Bird scooters for last-mile
  • Uber Pool for regular commutes

Campus towns (Ann Arbor, West Lafayette)

  • Campus buses are free with student ID
  • Bicycle is often faster than driving
  • Enterprise or Zipcar for weekend trips

Spread-out cities (LA, Houston, Dallas)

  • Car is nearly essential
  • Check International Driving Permit (IDP) — valid for 1 year
  • Get a US driver's license within 30–60 days of arrival

🛒 Grocery Shopping

US grocery stores can be overwhelming. Here's what each one is good for and how to save money.

Walmart

Budget king

Cheapest for staples. Walmart Supercenter has everything — groceries, household goods, electronics.

Aldi

European-style budget

Significantly cheaper than regular grocery stores. Limited selection but high quality. Bring quarters for the cart.

Trader Joe's

Mid-price, interesting variety

Popular with students. Great frozen meals, affordable wine, and international foods.

Costco

Bulk buying

Best per-unit prices if you share with roommates. $65/yr membership pays for itself fast.

H Mart / Indian/Asian Grocery

Authentic international ingredients

Essential for South Asian and East Asian students. Rice, lentils, spices at much lower prices.

Amazon Fresh / Instacart

Delivery

Convenient if you don't have a car. Amazon Fresh free delivery with Prime Student ($7.49/mo).

📲 Apps to Download in Week 1

Download these apps in your first week to handle transport, food, money, and health.

Maps & Transport

  • ·Google Maps (best transit + directions)
  • ·Uber / Lyft (rides)
  • ·Transit App (public transit)
  • ·Waze (driving GPS)

Food & Grocery

  • ·DoorDash / Uber Eats (delivery)
  • ·Instacart (grocery delivery)
  • ·Yelp (restaurant finder)
  • ·Flipp (grocery deal comparison)

Money & Banking

  • ·Venmo (split bills with roommates)
  • ·Wise (international transfers)
  • ·Zelle (bank-to-bank transfers)
  • ·Credit Karma (free credit score)

Health & Wellness

  • ·ZocDoc (book doctor appointments)
  • ·GoodRx (discount prescriptions)
  • ·Headspace / Calm (mental health)
  • ·Your university's health portal

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