Pre Departure

• Apply for visa and book your tickets in advance.

• Buy a Health Insurance or get a health certificate from your doctor.

• Packing Checklist: There are some very important items you will want to have handy at all times. These are:

  • Passport & Visa

  • Tickets

  • Prescription medicine

  • Glasses

  • Money in Indian Currency

  • Health Certificate with proof of required vaccinations or
    health insurance

  • Other official documentation (e. g Offer Letter from IITK)

• Keep multiple copies of important documents in a safe place
  separate from original documents.
• Keep all necessary items you will require during your stay in
  India.
• Inform IR office in advance about your travel plans and for pick- up service from Kanpur railway station/ Lucknow airport.

On Campus life at IIT Kanpur

• Accommodation: Students will be given two options for residence. First option will be rooms in the Visitor Hostel (Extension), which are air-conditioned and fully equipped. Charges for these rooms will be INR 7500 per month (on shared basis; INR 15000 for single accommodation). Two students can share one room if they wish to. Second option in dormitories/ Halls, which are not air conditioned. They have shared Indian style toilets and bathrooms. These room charges are very nominal.

• Meals: Meals can be a little challenge. Everyone has different eating habits, likes and dislikes. Plus, you need to give yourself and your stomach time to get used to of new and spicy food you will be eating in India. For students who like Indian food, there are plenty of options available. You can eat in visitor hostel’s dining hall, messes or canteens of different Halls, and food court in the new SAC area. For coffee and snacks Cafe Coffee Day is also a nice lounging option.

• Extra Curricular activities: IITK houses many extra-curricular activity centers where you can advance your hobbies or develop new ones. Electronics, photography, music, aero modeling and robotics clubs are only a few amongst many clubs. You can contact various club coordinators to join these clubs. For more information, log on to http://students.iitk.ac.in/gymkhana

• Health Center: We have a Health Center on campus that provides emergency and primary healthcare facilities to the campus residents.

• Safety and Hygiene: While in India, safety and hygiene might be a concern for you. However with some care and little precaution, you can enjoy a perfectly healthy stay in the country.

  • Avoid drinking tap water and carry bottled water instead.

  • Avoid the lip smacking India street food, or practice
    caution.

  • Visit only recommended places.

  • As a general rule, dress modestly, especially if you are in a
    small town.

  • Do not get offended if you find yourself being stared at. It’s simply curiosity. However, trust your instincts as well.

  • Travel in large groups and be careful while choosing the mode of transport, especially at night.

  • Outside campus, do not carry valuables especially important documents in your wallet.

After Arrival

• International Relations Office: Foremost, visit the IR office to complete all required admission formalities. Please bring a copy of your passport, visa, offer letter and CV along with 4 passport size photographs for registration.

• Counseling Service: The IR office will arrange a visit to the IITK Counseling Service. The Counseling Service ensures that IITK is not just an institute, but a home away from home for you. An Orientation Programme for the freshmen is arranged at the beginning of the session to acquaint them with the facilities, services, personnel, rules and regulations of the Institute. Student Guides and Volunteers affiliated with the Counseling Service, help newcomers to settle in the new environment. For more information, log on to http://www.iitk.ac.in/counsel/

Travel & Tourism

There is lot to see and experience in India.

In Kanpur, you can go for a day trip to Bithoor. It is a small town situated on the left bank of the Ganges and is a centre of Hindu pilgrimage.

Nearby places of Kanpur

Lucknow known as “The city of Nawabs”. Lucknow is a
multicultural city. It is famous for beautiful gardens, poetry, music and fine Awadhi & Mughlai cuisine. A major part of Lucknow is its shopping-centers and markets/bazaars. Lucknow is also famous for
its jewellery, ornament and perfume shops.

Agra, 275 km away from Kanpur, is one of the prominent destinations on the World Tourism map with three heritage monuments - The Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri & Red Fort.

Khajuraho which is just 220km away from Kanpur. Khajuraho is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculptures.

Varanasi also known as Benaras, is the most visited pilgrimage in India. It is one of the oldest continuously inhibited cities. Distance between Varanasi and Kanpur is 328km. Varanasi is well connected from Kanpur by train and bus.
There is a long list of places you would love to see in India.

Northern India: Leh& Laddakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Manali, Shimla, Uttaranchal, Delhi, Varanasi Southern India: Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore, Hampi, Ooty, Mahabalipuram, Kodaikanal, Pondicherry, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, Kochi, Lakshadweep and Andaman Islands

Western India: Goa, Bombay, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur

Eastern India: Bodhgaya, Puri, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Orissa, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal.

Learn well, Enjoy the experience in India and stay safe!