We are here to guide you through the entire process starting from your departure from home until your internship period in India concludes.
Make sure you carry the following important documents before your departure from your home
- Passport
- Visa
- Originals and a true copy of all the documents involved in your entire selection procedure
- Appointment letter by the employer(if provided)
Security
To make your stay comfortable and secure, please register yourself at the nearest police station within one week of your arrival. Remember, this is in compliance with Indian constitution and the intern must strictly adhere to it
Social issues
Please have a general know how of the countries culture and ethnic background.
Any tax deductions that will be made will be informed before your arrival and informed to you.
Q. Once accepted, which visa should one apply for?
Ans. It is highly advisable that a Student Visa and not a Tourist Visa to India should be applied for. The application for visa must be submitted at The Indian Embassy in the native country immediately after acceptance has been received. If required, a letter will be provided addressing the Indian Embassy in the native country to make the visa process faster .
Q. What all should be brought along while coming to India?
Ans. It is advisable that some ethnic dress of the native country should be brought along to participate in the cultural events which IAESTE organizes. Sufficient cash should be there to support the journey, transport and food, before you the 1st payment is received. Hostel rooms will be provided with basic furniture and bed mattress, and any other room accessories required should be brought along depending on your needs .
Q. What should I do once I am in India?
Ans. It is a prerequisite for you to send us a copy of your arrival details (flight number, date and time of arrival) at incoming@iaeste.in at least two weeks before your arrival, and expect a confirmation from our side. After your arrival to the nearest international Airport, i.e., Mumbai/Bangalore, you must make your way to Manipal as follows-
- From Mumbai International Airport –
Book a ticket from Mumbai domestic Airport to Mangalore Airport, and if you have provided us with you arrival details in your N5b form, you shall be received at the airport.
- From Bangalore International Airport -
Once at Bangalore Airport, you can either take a domestic flight from Bangalore Airport to Mangalore Airport, and if you have provided us with you arrival details in your N5b form, you shall be received at the airport, or if you plan to reach here by road, we request you to book a bus directly to Manipal (Tiger Circle) from which the IAESTE Office will be a "hop skip and a jump".
Please Note:
- Most often, when you book your tickets to Mumbai/Bangalore from your country, you should be able to book air tickets from Mumbai/Bangalore to Mangalore as well. If that is not possible, we recommend you book your tickets from the web sites of the popular domestic airlines in India such as Kingfisher Airlines, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Jetlite, etc [Look up the Incoming brochure for more details].
- If you have a stopover in Mumbai/Bangalore before you take your connecting flight, you will find plenty of hotel/guest house options near the airport.
- Travel by train or bus from Mumbai to Manipal is not recommended, but if you still prefer such a trip, then contact incoming@iaeste.in for further details.
- It is a lot cheaper to travel by Auto rickshaws, than by the Taxis while traveling within the city.
Q. In case IAESTE is unable to receive me at the airport, how should I reach Manipal?
Ans. IAESTE India MIT will do its best to receive the intern from the
Mangalore airport, but in case the vehicle is not available on that particular day, then you must hire a cab from Mangalore Airport. You can find plenty of taxis/cabs outside the airport which will get you from Mangalore airport to Manipal, costing you approximately Rs. 750 (A slight
variation in the price is acceptable, but don't let them overcharge you by a huge amount, preferably not more than Rs.850. Also note that night travelling charges may be slightly more).
You should ask the taxi driver to take you to MIT Hostels in Manipal, and most often you
would have the exact address of your stay emailed to you before you start from your country. In case, we have not been able to inform you about your lodging address, you should try and give us a call from the nearest PCO/STD Booth (Telephone Booth), you can ask the cab driver to stop over at the nearest one, on the numbers for the incoming welfare team, provided on the web site.
Note: The option of taking a bus to Manipal, from the Mangalore airport, is available and it is much cheaper, BUT it gets very inconvenient as there are no direct buses to Manipal from the airport.
Also, with your heavy baggage, it could get very tricky on the way.
Q. What will my accommodation be like?
Ans.You will usually be accommodated in a student hostel room, shared by two, with an attached bath/toilet. Kitchen facilities are not provided and strictly prohibited in the Hostel premises. There are hostel rules and regulations which all the residents of the same have to follow, which you also will have to sign on arriving here and abide by them.
IAESTE India provides basic accommodation as mentioned above, free of cost. If the student wishes to have additional facilities like Furnished Accommodation, AC facility etc., subject to availability will be provided, with certain amount being deducted from his/her salary for the same.
Q. Will there be laundry rooms in the hostel?
Ans. No. Incase you need, there are various economically priced laundry services available in the hostel.
Q. How far will the college be from where I will live?
Ans. The college is at a walking distance from the hostels, but a regular bus service is also available during the college hours.
Optionally, the interns can be provided with a bicycle for which the caution deposits shall be Rs.2000 which will be refunded after the completion of their internship duration.
Q. Will I be given internet access?
Ans. Yes. If you bring your laptop, you will get wireless internet access in the whole campus, free of charge. This is subject to slight variation in the future. In addition to this, we have a lab in the college campus, especially for interns where you can access internet free of charge. There are also ports to which you can connect your laptop if necessary.
Q. I am planning on getting some electronic device chargers along. What are the electricity specifications in India that I should take care of?
Ans. If you plan on getting any of your electronic device chargers along, please note that in India the main supply is 220 Volts, 50 Hz. You will need to get a converter along if the electronic device in question works on 110 Volts. Also you might need an adaptable plug socket, as we use "Type D (Old British 3-pin)" electrical plug sockets. For more information, go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_AC_power_plugs_%26_sockets
Q. Will I be able to exchange foreign currency in Manipal?
Ans. There are plenty of banks in Manipal that will help you exchange popular foreign currencies such as US Dollars and Euros, and the respective traveler’s cheques. If you plan on getting a currency different from these, you must confirm with us before. Going by the costs of daily items mentioned in our brochures, you should carry enough cash to sustain your 1st month of stay in India as it might take some time before you get your first salary.
Since you won't be charged for the accommodation, the amount that you earn here might be sufficient only for your cost of living in Manipal. If, after your internship gets over, you would want to take a tour of India, it is advisable that you carry extra cash with you for the same. Money transfer from your country, through any bank here in Manipal is possible, but it might NOT be very fast.
Q. Where are the nearest places to have some nice food in Manipal?
Ans. Since Manipal is a typical University Town, there may not be many exquisite restaurants. There are many interesting ones though, some of them being Hangyo Saiba, Hangyo Chill... Thrill... Fill..., China valley, Dominos Pizza Restaurant, Cafe Coffee Day, Dollops, The Food Court and many other places. You could also visit a near by town called Udupi to have the specialties of this part of India, like the famous "Dosa". You'll get wind of them once you come here. You would also be having an option of joining a "mess" or a cafeteria near the hostel, which may be a good, affordable and commutable option. Another good option is the college canteen, where you get good food of various varieties, that too at cheap rates.
Q. Will I get mobile connectivity in Manipal? Are there any restrictions to it or any specifications that I must follow?
Ans. As mentioned above, the mobile set's charger must be compatible with the 220-230 V, 50 Hz Supply. You also may not be able to use your existing set here if it has been locked by another contractor. In such a case we suggest you buy a new mobile here in Manipal, usually an affordable one costs somewhere about INR 1500 and you can also get a connection for the set for INR 700 more approximately. In addition to this you can also avail some special connections which allow you make international calls at lesser rates. One of the members of the IAESTE India local committee will be able to help you out with this in case you face some serious problems with it. You can also sell the handset for a lesser price before you leave.
Q. Is there a number I can contact upon arrival in Mangalore?
Ans. You will be given the numbers of 2-3 members of IAESTE India local committee during prior correspondence. You can call any of them in case of any difficulty. Also please make sure that you make contact as soon as you reach India, so that all arrangements are made before your arrival. This will be to the convenience of both IAESTE and yourself.
Q. How is the weather in Manipal?
Ans. The weather in Manipal is usually hot and humid. Summer is from April to August. Then onwards till November, it’s the rainy season. It rains very heavily; in fact Manipal is second only to Cherrapunji in India when it comes to rainfall. In summer the temperature may go up to 45 deg Celsius.
Q. What are the important clothing to take?
Ans. Taking the weather into consideration, it advisable to have clothing to protect yourself against heavy rainfall. In case you also plan to travel to various parts of India, you should bring clothing according to the places of visit:
North India –
March to August – Summer – very hot weather
August to October – rainy season – mild rainfall, cool weather.
November to February – Winter – Cold weather – temperatures may fall to 5 deg Celsius.
South India –
March to July - Summer – hot and humid
July to October – rainy season – Heavy rainfall, cool weather.
November to February – Winter – Mildly Cold weather
Q. What are the important documents to take with me?
Ans. It is advisable to always carry photocopies of your passport and visa, where ever you go. Also paperwork in India is elaborate, and is done in detail. So you are also advised to bring along at least 10 passport size photographs and most importantly to be patient in this regard.
Q. What are the important links to get information?
Ans. To get general information about India, you can log on to the following sites:
www.incredibleindia.org
www.indiatourism.com
www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/india
Lonely Planet is one of the best guides to India. It gives a good perspective of the culture of India and also helps you in getting the right accommodation, knowing the right places to visit, all at the right price. Previous interns have found it very useful in their tours. So you are advised to get one along.
For information about Manipal or MIT, you can log on to the website http://www.manipal.edu/manipalsite/Users/manipalhome.aspx or http://manipal.info/
