USTL provides full scholarships to outstanding students from Timor-Leste for two to four years of study at high-quality undergraduate degree institutions in the United States. Scholarship awards include full tuition toward either a bachelor’s degree or associate degree, travel, living stipends, medical insurance in the U.S., and visa costs. USTL is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State.

LATEST ARTICLES

READ THE LATEST FROM USTL PARTICIPANTS

Return to Latest Articles

Travelling in the US tips and tricks

Posted on: 16 October 1900 BY: JSavio

Traveling around the U.S.: tips and tricks

The United States is one of my favorite countries to explore. There are so many things to see, from breathtaking National Parks, tropical places, cold places to big cities that you may know from movies, Tv shows or even video games. It seems very expensive to explore the country, but I have been to more than 30 states now and here I will share with you how you can visit your favorite States in the U.S without hurting your pocket.
Firstly, if your visa and driver’s license do not allow you to drive in the U.S., the best way is travel with a friend who knows how to drive and has a valid driver’s license, since gas in the U.S is very cheap compared to other countries. The second-best option is by plane, though. The best day to buy your ticket is on Tuesday, 60 to 120 days in advance; however, keep in mind that every season has different “best” days. If the travel is during winter, then the best time to buy the ticket is 62 days in advance, for fall and spring, it is 90 days in advance and, for summer, it is 47 days in advance. Furthermore, the best websites to buy your flight tickets are, in my opinion, 1) Google flights, 2) Sky scanner, 3) Last minute and 4) Expedia.
The airline companies in the U.S are always changing their luggage policies, especially the budget airlines. Always make sure to check their websites if you don’t want to spend your money paying for extra luggage. Fortunately, you can always bring a personal item, such as a backpack or any other type of small bags that fulfill the airline baggage requirement.
Choosing the right affordable place to stay is also very important because you can save your money and also stay safe during your travel. Either stay in a hotel, motel or AirB&B or make sure that you check the rate and review the place that you are planning to stay to make sure that you are going to stay in a good place. In your university, you can also always make friends with a student who comes from other states so that when you visit that state you may always stay with your friend.
Finally, when you travel, make sure that you do your research and make the plan as early as you were possible to save money and time. Look which is the best day to buy your tickets and compare the prices from different websites and choose a cheap one, but make sure is not a scam. Additionally, make a little research on the places that you are going to visit so that you can travel happily and in an enjoyable way

Participant Application