Transportation
Many students choose to use public transportation to commute from their apartments to campus and around the area. Familiarize yourself with the public transportation options around Redmond.
If you prefer to drive your own car, there are many automobile dealerships in the area where you can purchase or lease a vehicle. In order to drive a car in the United States, you will need a Washington driver’s license.
Redmond is a bicycle-friendly city with many off-street trails and on-street bike lanes. Learn more here. Many DigiPen students use bicycles as their main mode of transportation, and bicycle locks and appropriate safety equipment are highly recommended.
Money and Banking
Managing your finances is one of the most important and challenging aspects of an enjoyable academic experience. When selecting a bank, you should compare services and service charges and choose a bank with offices that are conveniently located before making your decision.
Finances
Before beginning your travel to the United States, please remember that your initial expenses here will be considerably higher than those you will incur later: You will need to find and furnish your apartment, buy necessities you couldn’t bring with you, and have a variety of additional one-time household costs. You must calculate your finances carefully and plan on these expenses.
To prepare to meet your financial needs for the entire year, you should make the necessary arrangements with any banks in your country to ensure that your funds will be available to you. Remember that checks drawn on foreign banks require several weeks to clear and you might not have access to those funds right away! In order to have money available to you upon arrival in Redmond, the necessary funds should be transferred to a local bank at least one month prior to your departure.