The University of Chicago

Booth School of Business

Transition Guide for students moving to Chicago

from Overseas
 Contents

1. About us
2. Housing
3. Furniture
4. Indian groceries/restaurants
5. Transportation
6. Electricity / Heating
7. Mobile phone connections
8. Taxes
9. Winter / Spring / Summer Breaks
10. Chicago winter clothing
11. Banking
12. Textbooks
13. Student Visa
14. SABG co-chairs
15. Contact us
About Us

The South Asia Business Group (SABG) aims to provide a cohesive forum through which members of
the Chicago Booth community and other constituents can identify, explore and lead initiatives related to
South Asia. As the largest cultural group at Booth, SABG provides business students with many
opportunities to create a strong network through social, cultural and professional events.

Professional

SABG organizes several professional activities that help its members reach their professional
objectives.

• Indian Leadership Summit - The conference will provide members with an unparalleled
opportunity to network with some of the most influential leaders.
• India Trek - This two-week trip provides a unique opportunity to explore India from a social,
cultural, and professional perspective.
• Speaker Series - This series brings prominent South Asian leaders to discuss current issues
facing the South Asian community.
• Mentoring - First-year students are matched with a second-year mentor for resume reviews,
internship/career focused panels, mock interviews, advice regarding visa matters, travel
concerns, and general questions regarding living in Chicago.

Social/Cultural

Come party with SABG! We host tons of fun social events to bring the Booth community together.

• Diwali Party - One of the largest social events attracting the greater Chicago community to
celebrate the beginning of a new year.
• Bhangra Blast - This event gives SABG the opportunity to showcase their cultural heritage and
really PARTY!
• Other Social Events - Welcome party for new members, Bollywood movie screenings, trips to
Devon St. (Little India), Booth-Kellogg mixers, and Pub Night.

We invite all Booth students to join SABG regardless of their backgrounds or ethnicities and encourage
all members to become actively involved.
Housing

1. Downtown

Chicago Downtown boasts of a number of attractions – proximity to Millennium Park and Grant Park,
Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile shopping district, AMC Theatres, State Street & Lasalle (the finance district
of Chicago), to name a few. No wonder more than half of Chicago Booth students choose to live here!

Advantages of living in Chicago Downtown

• Located in the heart of the city, with close proximity to all the places listed above.
• Within 5-10 minutes walking distance from the Chicago Booth Downtown center (Gleacher
Center).
• A number of grocery stores (Mariano’s, Dominick’s and Bockwinkles) located within close
walking distance of all popular apartment buildings.
• Convenient access to campus for students without cars. Chicago Metra within convenient
walking distance.
• Easier to form study groups / hold meetings with Chicago Booth students as a large number of
students live Downtown.
• Modern apartment buildings. Most provide the following amenities – 24-hour doorman, gyms /
health clubs, in-unit dishwashers, swimming pool etc.
• Some buildings have underground access to restaurants, services and the Metra through the
Chicago Pedway – life-saver during winters!
• Close proximity to the University Club where some recruiting events are held

Disadvantages of living in Chicago Downtown

• Higher rent than other areas - rents generally range from $1200 to $1600 for a studio /
convertible in most buildings.
• The neighborhood has a mixture of offices with some high rise residential, and as such, the area
is a bit sterile. Native Chicagoans are more likely to live in residential areas in the north, such as
Lincoln Park and Lakeview.
• Not many good options for dining out or drinking in immediate vicinity of most of these buildings
(though most places are a short cab-ride away).
• Downtown may not be very economical for people who own cars, as parking is expensive at
most buildings.

Getting to School

Harper Center (i.e., Main Campus)

Students living in this area generally take the Metra train from Millennium Station to go to Harper
Center (approximately 5 minutes walk to the Metra Station, 20 minutes train-ride, and 10 minutes walk
from Metra station to Harper Center) or the number 6 CTA bus (approximately 40 to 60 minutes), which
leaves from Wacker Drive, just outside Columbus Plaza.

For students planning to drive, most buildings also have easy access to Lake Shore Drive and the drive
to Harper Center takes about 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. There is no reserved parking in the
University campus.

Gleacher Center (i.e., Downtown Campus)

It is possible to walk to Gleacher Center (Downtown Campus) from most Downtown apartment
buildings (approximately 5-10 minutes, depending on the building).

Buildings

Millennium Park Plaza

151-155 North Michigan Avenue | www.millenniumparkplaza.com

- Known as the unofficial ‘Booth Dorm’ – with approximately 200 students residing in the
building!
- Most convenient access to the Metra – station located just across the road. It takes about 3
minutes from the building exit to the train!
- In-house swimming pool, gym, laundry room, business center, 24-hour receptionist / security.
Kitchens have built-in dishwashers / microwaves / refrigerators.
- Pets allowed / parking available for additional charge
- Rent covers internet, cable connection, utilities (excluding electricity)
- Few furnished apartments available
- Stunning lake / city view from few apartments
- No security deposit required and special rates offered to Booth students
- Flexible 9-12 month lease options
- Close proximity to a number of grocery stores (Bockwinkels, Dominick’s, Mariano’s)
- Because of high Booth student population, long wait for elevators around specific class times
- Situated next to the pedway which has a number of fast food outlets (like Cosi, Starbucks,
Potbelly’s, and Dunkin’ Donuts), a Citibank branch, and a FedEx counter.

Columbus Plaza
233 East Wacker Drive | www.columbusplazachicago.com

- This 48-story high rise apartment building is located within a short walk of Millenium Metra
Station (5-7 minutes). Access to Metra Station is through the underground Pedway directly
from the building – this is incredibly convenient in the winter.
- Stone’s throw from Bockwinkle’s grocery store (2 minutes), Michigan Avenue / Magnificent Mile
(5 minutes), Millenium Park (5 minutes), Gleacher Center (5 minutes), Dominick’s grocery store
(6-7 minutes), Navy Pier (10-12 minutes).
- Open, spacious apartments with good storage space (multiple closets, plus storage units in the
corridor)
- Floor plans include convertibles (600 sft), 1 BHK or 2 BHKs. Does not have studios but instead
has convertibles which is basically a large studio converted to a 1 BHK by creating a half-
partition
- Some units are not renovated
- Apartments facing north may have views of the Chicago River and the Wrigley Building. East
facing apartments have views of the Lake Michigan
- Very close commute to catch the number 6 bus to Harper Center
- 24-hour doorman; a well-maintained gym (5 treadmills, 2 elliptical machines and several weight
machines), outdoor patio with grills, laundry room in lower level, business center, 24-hour
complimentary coffee / tea, dry cleaner/hair salon/indian restaurant on the Pedway level.
- Rent excludes internet and cable.
- 12-month leases only.

MDA City Apartments

63 East Lake Street | www.mdacityapartments.com

- This 24-story, architecturally-interesting building is just a couple of minutes West of the Metra
Station (4-5 minutes walk).
- Floor plan styles include studios, convertibles, 1 and 2 bedrooms apartments, soft lofts, lofts
and penthouses.
- Styles include soaring 10-12 floor ceilings, sleek wood floors and brilliant granite island
kitchens.
- It has a very nice patio and roof top and is famous for its Chicago Booth parties.
- There is a great little “European-style” wine and cheese shop and the Elephant & Castle Pub
(one of the few drinking venues close to the Downtown buildings) on the same block.
- Apartments tend to be small and many do not have nice views.

North Harbor Tower Apartments

North Harbor Drive 175 North Harbor Drive

- This 52-story building has apartments with great lake views, especially on the higher floors on
the eastern end.
- Apartments are modern and well maintained. The building is known for its amenities: wood
flooring, bay windows, a well-equipped, large fitness center with a sauna and heated indoor
pool, sun deck, 24-hour doorman and a 24-hour business center, dry cleaner.
- Location is one of the main drawbacks - the building does not have access to the
- Pedway and is farther than most of the other downtown buildings from main attractions:
Millenium Metra Station (8-10 minutes), Bockwinkle’s grocery store (8 minutes), Michigan
Avenue / Magnificent Mile (10-12 minutes), Grant Park (2
- minutes), Gleacher Center (15 minutes), Dominick’s grocery store (15 minutes), Navy Pier (15
minutes).
- Good deals on rent especially in the lower levels and for apartments without lake views.
- 12-month leases only. No security deposit.

Shoreham / Tides / Aqua

Shoreham - 400 East South Water Street | http://nnpresidential.com/the-shoreham/index.html
The Tides - 360 E South Water St | http://www.lakeshoreeast.com/tides.html
Aqua - 225 N Columbus Dr | http://www.lakeshoreeast.com/aqua/home.html

- These towers are relatively new and located in a residential development around a central
courtyard. The buildings face north / south and northern-facing apartments have river views,
while some apartments on the higher levels facing south (and east) have lake views.
- Apartments have balconies, granite fit out in bathrooms and kitchen, plus a granite island in the
kitchen and built-in microwaves. The apartments also have a in-house washing unit.
- The buildings have many amenities – on the 16th floor of each building there are outdoor
sundecks with multiple grills and a pool, as well as communal areas that can be reserved for
parties and well-equipped gyms.
- Within walking distance of major attractions: Millenium Metra Station (8 minutes, partially
through Pedway), Mariano’s grocery store (2-3 minutes), Michigan Avenue / Magnificent Mile
(10-12 minutes), Grant Park (4 minutes), Gleacher Center (8-10 minutes), Navy Pier (15
minutes).
- There is a small café on the first floor of Shoreham.
- Apartments in these buildings tend to rent a premium compared to other buildings in the vicinity
(i.e., Columbus Plaza and North Harbor Tower).

Cityfront Place
400 North McClurg Court | http://www.habitat.com/residences.asp?m=intro&id=62&state=

- Modern apartments, some with views of the river looking south.

- Located on the north side of the Chicago River, this building has more convenient access to
most attractions than the other Downtown buildings, but is farther from the Millenium Park
Metra Station (12–15 minutes).
- Many people with families live in this building.
- Michigan Avenue / Magnificent Mile (5 minutes), Grant Park (10 - 12 minutes), Gleacher Center
(4 minutes), Dominick’s grocery store (4 minutes), Navy Pier (4 minutes).
- There is a well-equipped gym available in the building for an extra monthly fee.

Park Millennium
222 N Columbus Dr | http://www.parkmillenniumchicago.com

- This 52-story high rise apartment building is a condominium.

- Located right behind Columbus Plaza, you need to cross the road to connect to the Pedway to
go to the Metra Station.
- Park Millennium has a 24-hour Lap Pool, Jacuzzi, Sauna, and Fitness Room. It also has Dry
Cleaners, Laundry Center, Business Center, Party Room, Extra Storage, and Bike Room.
- The business center also provides residents with 8 high-speed computers, unlimited printing
and faxing capabilities.
- Located directly on the Northwest side of the Park Millennium is Bockwinkle’s grocery store.

2. Lincoln Park/Lakeview

Lincoln Park and Lakeview are less common choices for international students / students without cars.
Unless you live near the El (Chicago’s elevated train service) or a bus stop, it will take you at least 45 –
60 minutes to get to Hyde Park. A car is almost always required. The trip on Lakeshore Drive (an
entirely scenic drive that gives you a great view of Lake Michigan) to Hyde Park is about 20-30 minutes
long and the trip to downtown about 15 minutes long.

Lincoln Park is a great place to live - surrounded by restaurants, cafes, shops, pubs, supermarkets,
dance and yoga studios...the list goes on. This sways the vote for some students, as affordable food
choices downtown are extremely limited on Sundays. Not only do you get a lot more food choices here,
most places here are not chains and you get a great variety of authentic cuisine: Mexican, Italian, Asian
and more. If you love the chains, they are here for you: Starbucks, McDonald's, KFC, Dunkin Donuts,
Chipotle, Panera Bread.

Lincoln Park is extremely safe and you will feel comfortable staggering home after TNDC (Thursday
Night Drinking Club) which is held in the Lincoln Park area about 80% of the time. If you opt to live near
the lake, the beach is only about a 10 minute walk away. All in all, LP is a very live-able area and many
Booth grads who remain in Chicago after graduation choose to live in this area.

Lincoln Park is also closer to the areas up north, like Evanston (think Kellogg), O'Hare Airport and
Lincoln Square (for great Korean, Thai, German food and karaoke). Finally, if you are looking on
craigslist, the area that you want to live in will probably be the square marked out within Belmont,
Armitage, Lakeshore Drive and Halsted.

There are rental buildings and owner-occupied ones, but the range in the type of housing is bigger here
compared to downtown. While in Downtown you will almost always live in a high-rise building (and see
your classmates every time you enter the elevator), you can pick a quaint three-story stone houses in
the Lincoln Park area if you so desire. Rent tends to be cheaper here. A comparable one-bedroom is
about $300 cheaper.

3. Wicker Park

A true old-flavored Chicago neighborhood, the Blue "L" line, 100-year-old buildings, several trendy
shopping corridors and an intense artistic scene (some people often compared it with the SoHo and
parts of the NY Village) are some of the features that define Wicker Park’s reputation for being on the
cutting edge of fashion, music, art and entertainment.
Location: The borders of the neighborhood are generally accepted to be the Chicago River (east),
1800 N Bloomingdale Avenue (to the North), 1200 N Division (to the south), and 2400 W Western
Avenue (to the west).

What you can find: By day, youngsters shopping second-hand albums at Reckless records, hippies
with their bikes trying to move forward across the traffic of six corners, moms with children secured
inside jogging strollers making their way to Wicker Park, the four-acre green zone named after the
family that donated the land to the City (which in turn gave the area its name). At night, the only hurry is
being able to secure a table at one of the 30-plus restaurants, queuing for entering any of its concert
venues (funky, rock, jazz, swing, etc) or having a cocktail with your significant other while watching the
moonlight in one of the terraces that invade its streets during the summer.

Public transport: There are two CTA Blue Line stations (Damen and Division), seven bus lines and
the convergence of three of the city's major streets (North, Milwaukee and Damen Avenues). The Loop
is accessible in 10 minutes, O'Hare in 30. Hyde Park in 55 min (Blue Line until Dearborn, walk 250
meters and jump in buses number 2 or 6).

Private transport: going to Harper Center by car takes approx. 25 min. Usually there are not problems
to park in the neighborhood as most of the new buildings have private garages. There are two
entrances to Interstate Highways 90/94 at North and Division.

Population: is diverse by occupation, mixed by education and ethnicity, single or married, but almost
always young. Everybody is in their 20 or 30’s.

Types of dwellings: Historic homes from the German beer barons of the 1890s are still occupied on
Hoyne and Pierce Streets, unaffordable even in their “B version”, but they give this bohemian flavor to
the neighborhood. Some cottages and bungalows remain on the side streets.

Looking for apartments to rent, they can be found as part of a condominium or a three-rise block
community building. As an example, a 110 square meters, one bedroom, two bathrooms loft is around
1800 dollars per month (excluding utilities, cable and internet). Most of them have rooftops where you
can barbecue, sunbathe or simply enjoy the views of the downtown skyline.
@properties is the name of the real estate company that runs most of the properties in the area, but if
you have time I would strongly recommend going for a stroll in the neighborhood and taking notes of
interesting properties (all have signs in the façades with the telephone number of the real estate agent
to contact).

4. Hyde Park

The main advantages of living in Hyde Park are-

- Being close to campus.

- You travel free to school everyday and to most places within Hyde park, just by showing your
university ID in the CTA buses. Also, there are Booth / University shuttles, evening van service etc (all
for free) that pick-up / drop students within Hyde Park.
- Staying close to campus gives access to a lot of university resources like the health center (pool, gym
etc) and a number of libraries which are open till late in the night.

Apart from that, the neighborhood does not have many options in terms of restaurants or bars, it is far
from downtown (30-40 minutes by bus, $20 by cab) and is somewhat unsafe at night.

In terms of housing, there are 4 main options

I-House

The main advantages of living in International Student house (I-House) are its proximity of the Harper
Center (5-minute walk) and having contact with diverse people from different departments of the
University of Chicago. In I-House you will meet undergrad, master’s and PhD students from many U of
C departments and you can socialize all the time due to the common living rooms. Also, the price is
very competitive. The standard bedroom, furnished, with a common WC on the floor, is $700/month
with electricity included and internet on campus. The larger room, the Suite, rents for $1,000/month.

The main disadvantages are: being far away from downtown, shared bathrooms and common kitchen
when cooking, and having a very small room if you take a standard one.

School Housing

The main advantages of this option are:

i) location, usually close to the Harper Center (within walking distance). But if you do not want to walk,
there are still several school bus routes that will get you around the university’s facilities;
ii) the price is much cheaper than Regent’s Park and if you do not want to share the bathroom as in I-
House but still live close to the university, school housing is a good value/price option;
iii) you have the alternative to get a furnished apartment, so you don’t have to rent a car to go to IKEA
or worry about what to do with all furniture at the end of you lease;
iv) flexible lease period is another advantage, i.e. if you are staying only for one quarter or if you do not
want to sign the 12 month lease that many other buildings require;
v) some residences are closer to grocery stores and restaurants than Regent’s park.

The main disadvantages are:

i) the quality of the buildings, they are old and not very well maintained. Units are modest, furniture is
simple, definitely not for choosy people;
ii) you do not get to choose a concrete apartment before your move-in date. You specify your
preferences, then, subject to availability and before you sign the lease you choose whether to take it or
not, so you should apply early if you want to stay in School Housing;
iii) there is no community feeling in the building compared to I-House or Regent’s. It is unlikely that you
will find classmates at from Chicago Booth in School Housing building.

Main Off-Campus Apartment Buildings

The off-campus apartment buildings are more expensive than the other options but

i) the apartments are bigger and in better condition,

ii) they have 24-hour security and
iii) they are better located, namely in terms of access to the Metra and the bus to Downtown (#6).

Regent’s Park is the most famous building in Hyde Park. Every year as many as 60 - 70 Booth students
live here – mainly the international students (99% internationals vs 1% Americans).

The main advantages of Regents are:

i) the location - it is in front of the bus #6 stop and the Metra 51st stop;
ii) the apartments, although unfurnished, are the best of Hyde Park;
iii) the laundry, gym and supermarket inside the building (believe me, during the Winter this matters)
iv) the price, compared to Downtown is ~20% less.

The main disadvantages, aside from being located in Hyde Park, are:

i) it’s an old building, so some people have had problems with the apartments;
ii) it has a central air conditioning, you cannot control the temperature inside your home, meaning that
during transitioning periods, you can have hot/cold inside your home (especially serious during the first
hot days of the summer when the central heat is still in the winter mode);
iii) the heating bill is shared by square meters, which means that even when you don’t use your air
conditioning, you will have to pay;
iv) maybe it’s obvious, but the apartments are unfurnished (which is worse vs the I House/School
Housing’s options).

Other

Most apartments in Hyde Park are run by Mac Apartments real estate agency
(http://www.macapartments.com/mac/a_ch_hp_overview.html). Unfortunately, since they have a
monopoly, their apartments are not in the best condition. However, they offer a relatively cheap price at
least compared to School Housing and Downtown. The most popular streets to live on are: Woodlawn
(Between 55th and 53rd), Greenwood (Between 55th and 53rd), Kimbark (Between 57th and 58th
which is very close to Chicago Booth). Also there are several apartments along 56th Street.

The best options though are finding condos that are being rented. These are usually in the best
conditions. However Mac Apartments are the most common. They offer 1/2/3 bedroom apartments.
Sometimes they convert the living room and dining room into rooms to have more people per
apartments. People pay between $350-$800 per month. Usually these apartments have the essential
kitchen appliances: fridge and oven. They usually don't have dish washers. There are common laundry
services in the basement which you can pay for. All other utilities are paid separately and they do not
have air conditioning but they do have heating.

5. South Loop

This area of Chicago has undergone major changes over the past 15 years and has become one of the
hottest real estate development spots in Chicago. Bounded by Grant Park in the north, Lake Michigan
in the east, and Interstate 94 in the west, the neighborhood is full of brand new buildings, offering
amenities unmatched for the price.

Advantages of living in South Loop

- Large, modern apartments at a reasonable price. They offer a wide range of settings, from
modern loft to traditional apartment, and often feature amenities such as large pools, sundecks,
gyms, etc. Depending on the building (see list below), you may get up to 2 months free when
signing your lease.
- Lively neighborhood, with plenty of restaurants around.
- Proximity to convenience stores (Target, Jewel-Osco, Dominick’s)
- Plenty of transportation options (EL, Metra, Bus lines to downtown)
- Proximity to the lake, Grant Park, Lakeshore Drive
- Convenient / cheaper option for students who own a car.

Disadvantages of living in South Loop

- Not that many bars and entertainment venues around. You are most likely to go to Lincoln Park
or downtown if you are up for partying.
- Not that many Booth students live here, so you will get less of a “dorms” and campus feel (this
could be a pro of a con depending on your preferences)
- Not many studios, for people who want to live by themselves and are on a budget. The south
loop is particularly suited for people with roommates or couples.

How to get to School

By Car: Hop onto Lake Shore Drive. There is sparse traffic between the area and the school and the
beautiful ride will take you approximately 10 minutes

By Public Transport: You can hop onto the Metra at Roosevelt or take the bus or EL that takes you to
Hyde Park. The Metra is recommended and the ride takes about 10 minutes to Campus.

Select Apartments in the South Loop

- Sky 55 - www.sky55chicago.com
- AMLI900 - www.Amli900.com
- 1212 - www.1212southmichigan.com
- 1130 – www.1130smichigan.com
- 1401 S. State - www.1401south.com
Furniture

There are a number of options available for buying furniture. Some of them are listed below -

1. Outgoing second years - You could take over the lease of an outgoing second year student with all
the furniture / appliances / cutlery etc. Since the items are second-hand, and you’re purchasing in a
bundle, you might be able to get a good bargain. Also, you needn’t worry about lugging / assembling
the furniture. Outgoing second years usually circulate which items they are selling off through the first
year google groups, so be on the lookout for these emails.

2. Craigslist - Great for one-off buys! However, you might be required to disassemble / transport / re-
assemble the furniture.

3. Furnished apartments - Fewer in number, and charging a premium of ~$400 per month, furnished
apartments are usually not a good deal. Saves the trouble of renting a car, picking, transporting,
assembling and disposing off the furniture (at the end of 2 years) though.

4. IKEA - Affordable, trendy, easy to put together! IKEA is definitely a one-stop shop for all your
furniture / fittings needs. Just rent a car, gather a group of 4-5, drive over to neighboring Schaumberg /
Naperville, select your furniture and order a delivery for just 60 bucks (for all your furniture). Delivers
same / next day. However, you need to assemble the furniture on your own.

IKEA Direct: If you order online it is a $99 delivery fee, but you need to order it in advance. The online
orders take about 2 weeks to reach the 3rd party delivery company in Chicago and then they will call
you to schedule a delivery date within the next week.

5. http://www.yelp.com/biz/lubinski-furniture-sales-chicago

6. http://www.cort.com/ - If you’re looking to rent furniture

7. Value City - Reasonably priced, good variety, and they deliver at your residence.

8. Sears- Free delivery of mattresses over $499 or a nominal delivery fee for mattresses that are less,
and you can schedule the delivery date. If you have a local Sears store you can test them out there and
then set up the order with a store in Chicago. There is a store 2 blocks from Millennium Park Plaza.

9. Salvage One (www.salvageone.com) - For the environmentally responsible!

10. Other outlets / options worth a mention-

- Amazon (free delivery with Amazon Prime membership)
- Furniture Outlet on Fullerton Avenue
- Far Below Retail on Larrabee
- Back to Bed on West Roosevelt
Indian restaurant / groceries

1. Devon Street - The mini-India, Devon Street boasts of a large number of Indian / Pakistani
restaurants and grocery stores. Special mentions include-

Restaurants-
- Sabri Nihari
- India Garden
- Sukhadia Sweet and Catering Service

Grocery Stores
- Patel Brothers
- Farm Supermarket
- Super Fruit Market

2. Masalas4less.com - Buy all your Indian groceries online and have it delivered to your residence for
free over the weekend (for orders exeeding $20). Affordable and convenient, this is a personal favorite
of most Indian students.

3. Chef Padmaja - Large variety of North / South Indian dishes, delivered for a fee of $6. She can be
reached at [email protected] or 630-551-5346.

4. Downtown restaurants
Bombay Wraps – Enjoy Bollywood karaoke while having dinner!
Chutney Joe’s – Good for home delivery
Khyber Pass – Located in the pedway, right below Columbus Plaza
India Garden
India House
Transportation

1. Zipcar /I-go car / Enterprise- Pay by the hour / day when you rent a car from these agencies. Most of
them have free membership. However, you need an international / US driving license. Cost ~$10 /
hour, including gas.

2. Metra (www.metrarail.com) - The most convenient way to commute between Hyde Park and
downtown. The monthly pass is currently priced at $85.50 and a 10-ride ticket at $27.

3. Go Airport Shuttle (http://goairportshuttle.com/) - For safe, hassle-free commute to / from any of the
airports. Price depends on the distance and number of passengers travelling together.

4. CTA buses / train

Electricity / Heating

Most buildings require you to register with ComEd (https://www.comed.com/Pages/default.aspx) within

the first week of arrival. It takes approximately 10 days for your information to be processed. If you have
a Social Security Number, registration can be done online. Else you’ll need to make a trip to the closest
ComEd office (you can obtain the address from your apartment management). Make sure you visit the
ComEd office after you have set up a bank account, and take at least 2 proofs of identity.

Electricity bills peak during the winter due to heating requirements. Electricity bills are approximately
$60 per month.

Mobile phone connections

There are four major phone companies in the States and many more local ones. The four big ones are:

Verizon - www.verizonwireless.com
T-Mobile - www.t-mobile.com
AT&T - www.att.com
Sprint - www.sprint.com

All operators offer smartphones and given the number of emails business school students receive each
day, most students opt for one. Verizon has the best national coverage but also the highest rates. Most
students from overseas opt for T-Mobile since they offer the best plans (great deals on family plans if
you register with friends/roommate). However, AT&T would give you the best network in Harper Center,
especially in the classrooms.
Taxes

Foreign students and foreign scholars have special filing requirements for U.S. federal income tax
returns. There is no minimum dollar amount of income which triggers a filing requirement for a
nonresident alien, including foreign students or foreign scholars. The dollar limit thresholds which
trigger a filing requirement for a U.S. citizen or a resident alien do not apply to nonresident aliens. All
international students and dependents must file one or all of forms 8843, 1040 NR-EZ for federal taxes
and IL 1040 by the due date in mid-April. Keeping good financial records, including charitable donations
receipts, interest earned, etc. will help ease the tax filing process.

The university conducts tax workshops in the winter quarter to help international students understand
tax filing requirements. It also provides free access to tax software to assist students with their tax filing.
It is best to start preparing for tax filing in Winter quarter and not wait till the last minute. International
students can typically not file their first tax filing online and will need to mail the forms before the
deadline.

Winter/Spring/Summer Breaks

Winter Break - Students have three weeks off between the end of autumn quarter and the start of the
winter quarter. There are numerous career treks that happen in first week of the winter break. Students
usually spend the remaining two weeks travelling internationally or visiting their home countries.

Spring Break - Students have one week off between the end of winter quarter and the start of the
spring quarter. There are numerous international trips organized by various student clubs during this
period.

Summer Break - Students have 14 weeks off between the end of spring quarter and the start of the
autumn quarter. Most students end up pursuing summer internships during this period. Summer
internships are usually 10-12 weeks long. Students spend the remaining time travelling with their
classmates or visiting their home countries.

Chicago winter clothing

Most overseas students buy their heavy down jackets and snow boots in Chicago.

Suggested retail outlets:

1. Burlington Coat Factory - http://www1.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/spring-easter-

HQ.aspx?bcid=easter2012aw_a
2. The North Face - http://www.thenorthface.com/en_US/
3. Columbia Sportswear - http://www.columbia.com/
4. Nordstorm Rack - http://shop.nordstrom.com/C/nordstrom-rack
5. Macys - http://www.macys.com/

Banking

Citibank has a branch next to the University of Chicago bookstore. There is also an ATM located in
Harper Center opposite the Kovler Cafe. Citibank also offers international students both debit and credit
cards (which is useful if you want to build a credit history in the US). You need to obtain your University
of Chicago ID from the Regenstein Library before you can open an account.

Textbooks

New / used textbooks can be purchased from the University Bookstore in Hyde Park (970 E 58th St
(between Ellis Ave & Ingleside Ave) Chicago, IL 60637) or the bookstore at Gleacher Center. However,
most students purchase textbooks from one of the following sources (sometimes at a significant
discount to the bookstore prices)-

- www.amazon.com
- www.half.ebay.com
- www.abebooks.com (great resource for buying reasonably priced international editions)
- Second year students

Course packs, including copyright materials, are usually purchased from the University Bookstore.
These usually differ for each professor and the professors can sometimes introduce significant changes
in readings / cases year-on-year. These can be purchased from second year students after checking
that all the required material is covered in the old course pack.

Student Visa

The first step to getting a F-1 student visa is getting an I-20 from Booth. In order to process the I-20, the
school will require a copy of your passport, completed financial resources form, loan approval and other
funding documents and a copy of the undergraduate transcript or TOEFL score. Once you have an I-
20, you can apply for a visa at any US embassy up to 120 days before the start of the program. To
book a visa appointment, you will need to complete the DS-160 form online at travel.state.gov, pay the
SEVIS fee online and the visa application fee at any HDFC bank location. It is advisable to book an
appointment as early as possible as dates can be hard to get during the peak summer period.
Change of Status

For students already in the US on another visa such as the H1-B and not planning to travel home
before the start of the program, it is possible to do a change of status without receiving an actual F-1
visa stamp. The change of status process changes your status to student with the US Citizenship and
Immigration Services and allows you to start your program. You can also start the program without a
change of status approval if you have applied for a change of status and have a receipt showing that
your application has been received. This process should be started not later than 3-4 weeks before the
start of school - however, you must stop working (if on an H1-B) as soon as your change of status is
approved. For further questions on timing your application (in case you need to work till a certain date),
contact the international office at the University. The change of status is also not a valid travel
document and you must obtain a F-1 stamp if you need to re-enter the country. While rare, it is
theoretically possible for your visa application to be rejected even if the change of status has been
approved. Some individuals who may have concerns about their visa applications for various reasons
may want to avoid doing a change of status and then having a visa application rejected in the middle of
their MBA program.
SABG co-chairs (2012-13)

Name: Amit Bapat Name: Sanjhi Agrawal

Hometown: New York City Hometown: New Delhi
Education: B.S. Cornell Education: B.Com (Hons),
University, Materials Engineering Shri Ram College of
Prior Experience: Citigroup, Commerce (Delhi University),
Corporate M&A & Business Chartered Accountant
Development Prior Experience: Ernst &
Summer Internship: Boston Young (Audit and Taxation)
Consulting Group – Boston Summer Internship:
Office Consultant Deutsche Bank, London –
Investment Banking
Contact me if you:
Contact me if you:
- Love Bhangra and want to dance at Booth
- Want to recruit for Corporate Finance
- Are considering multiple recruiting tracks
- Looking at UK for internship / full-time recruitment
- Have an interest in Private Equity / Venture Capital
- Want to discuss the academic curriculum
- Want to discuss academic planning
(including pre-MBA accounting classes)
Contact Details:
Contact Details:
[email protected]
[email protected]
+1-(732)-977-8379
+1-312-823-6249

Name: Shivam Srivastava Name: Sahil Sethi

Hometown: New Delhi, India Hometown: Karnal, India
Education: Computer Education: IIT Delhi,
Engineering, Illinois Institute of Biotechnology
Technology, Chicago Prior Experience:
Prior experience: Lead 4G Management consulting
Systems Architect, Clearwire Summer Internship: Product
Summer Internship: Venture manager at Microsoft
Capital in Chicago

Contact me if you: Contact me if you:

- Want to know more about Hyde Park Angels - Want to pursue a career in healthcare or
- Are interested in a career in start-ups or Venture technology
Capital - Interested in start-ups
- Like to watch and play cricket - Are moving to Chicago with your spouse
- Have questions about surviving the Chicago winter - Looking for accommodation in Columbus Plaza

Contact details: Contact Details:

[email protected] [email protected]
+1-847-848-4713 +1-312-493-3532
 Name: Shantanu Samant Name: Shounak Simlai
Hometown: Mumbai Hometown: New Delhi/ London
Education: B.E, University of Education: Dartmouth College
Mumbai, M.S Georgia Institute Prior Experience: Wildlife
of Technology Conservation, Education
Prior Experience: Deloitte Consulting
Consulting LLP, Atlanta Summer Internship: AT
Summer Internship: McKinsey Kearney - management
and Company, Atlanta consulting, Indian National
Contact me if you: Congress - campaign strategy
- Want to recruit for Management Consulting or Contact me if you :
Corporate Strategy - Want to work / live in the UK post-graduation.
- Want to talk about life in Chicago or have questions - Are interested in the nonprofit or public sectors
about your move to Chicago from India or another - Are an older or non-traditional candidate
city in the US - Will be recruiting off-campus
- Have interest in Private Equity/Hedge Fund
Contact Details:
Contact Details:
[email protected]
[email protected]
+1-404-408-1276 +1-917-442-7683
Contact us

Name: Krati Gokharu Name: Akshay Sharma

Hometown: Jaipur Hometown: New Delhi
Education: B.Tech, IIT Delhi Education: BTech. IIT Delhi
Prior experience: ABN Prior Experience: Start-ups:
AMRO; Optiver (Amsterdam) VirtualWire Technologies
Summer Internship: Citi– (Wireless Comm.), Zomato.com
Investment Banking (New (Web); Precision Electronics
York) (Telecom + Defense)
Summer Internship: Apple,
Operations Group
Contact me if you:
- want to recruit for Investment Management/ Contact me if you:
Investment Banking/ Sales and Trading - Want to pursue a career in high-tech
- want to look at off-campus recruiting opportunities - Are excited about entrepreneurship
- want to know how to make the best use of the - Enjoy visiting museums, theatre, cinema etc
different resources at career services - Considering a J-1 visa
- don’t want to miss a single TNDC while managing - Spouse is evaluating joining you in Chicago
everything else ;)
Contact Details:
Contact Details: [email protected]
[email protected] +1 (202)-525-7427
+1 (312)-532-2958

Name: Niranjana Rajagopal Name: Raman Guglani

Hometown: Mumbai Hometown: Panipat
Education: BE (Electronics Education: BE (Electrical)
Engineering), CFA Level-II Prior Experience: Inductis,
Prior Experience: KPMG Ocwen Asset Management
India- Corporate Finance Summer Internship:
Summer Internship: The Wellington Management
Boston Consulting Group, (High Yield Desk)
Chicago
Contact me if you :
Contact me if you are: - Want to recruit for Investment Management/ Sales
- Interested in pursuing a career in consulting and and Trading
want to know more about Management Consulting - Interested in playing cricket, squash
Group - Want to get involved UChicago Theatre and
- Transitioning from a career in finance to Dance group
consulting - Are a foodie!!
- Looking for accommodation in Millennium Park
Plaza Contact Details:
[email protected]
Contact Details: +1-312-493-5463
[email protected]