Texas A&M University - College Station
Travel guide for Indian students — College Station, United States. Nearest international gateway: IAH (Houston).
Texas A&M University in College Station is one of the largest public universities in the United States, known for engineering, agriculture and sciences. It sits in the Brazos Valley, roughly 100 miles from both Houston and Austin.
College Station has a small regional airport (Easterwood, CLL) on campus with connecting flights, but most international students fly into Houston's George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), about 90 minutes away, which is the practical international gateway.
Texas A&M has a large international graduate community, with Indian students concentrated in engineering and the sciences. Because campus is 90+ minutes from the nearest big airport, planning your ground connection matters more here than at most Texas schools.
Getting to campus from Houston (IAH)
The practical gateway is Houston IAH, about 90 minutes / 100 miles away. Ground Shuttle runs scheduled shared vans between IAH and College Station for about $52 each way, with roughly nine weekday departures (every 90 minutes) and five on weekends. Reserve in advance, as seats are limited.
Flying the last leg
Alternatively, Easterwood Airport (CLL) on campus has limited American and United connections from IAH and DFW, so some students fly the final leg instead of taking the shuttle. RedCoach also runs luxury coach service to Houston and Dallas with student discounts.
Getting around College Station
Uber is available locally, and Texas A&M runs an extensive on-campus bus system. The town is compact and student-oriented.
Visiting your child at Texas A&M means flying into Houston (IAH), then a 90-minute ground connection to College Station - factor that extra leg into your plans. Plan the US visitor visa well ahead.
Getting from IAH to campus
Visitor visa for parents
Indian parents need a B1/B2 visitor visa. First-time interview waits are long and vary sharply by consulate, so city choice matters - you may book at ANY US consulate in India, not just your home city.
- Plan 8-12 months ahead, especially for graduation - graduations do NOT qualify for emergency/expedited appointments.
- You can book at any consulate in India; many families fly to Chennai to save months versus Mumbai or Delhi.
- The dropbox (interview waiver) window shrank from 48 to 12 months in 2025 - most parents with older expired visas now need a full interview.
- Visitor stays are up to 6 months per visit, set by the officer at entry on the I-94.
Just admitted to Texas A&M? Most Indian students enter on an F-1 academic visa (DS-160 fee $185 + SEVIS I-901 fee $350). J-1 is for exchange programs (SEVIS $220), M-1 for vocational study. Spouses/children come on F-2/J-2/M-2 dependent visas. You can enter the US up to 30 days before your program start date. For Fall 2026, Indian F-1 applicants must interview at one of five US consulates in India.
Arrival checklist
- Book your flight into Houston IAH - the practical gateway, ~90 min from campus.
- Reserve a Ground Shuttle seat (IAH to College Station, ~$52) in advance - they fill up at intake.
- Consider an Easterwood (CLL) connecting flight if timings line up better than the shuttle.
- Confirm student baggage allowance with your airline.
- Carry your I-20, SEVIS receipt and financial documents in hand luggage for US immigration.
College Station, home to Texas A&M, is an affordable, student-built city - about $900-1,450 a month all-in sharing and cooking, roughly 14% below the US average. Texas has no state income tax, and A&M students ride the Aggie Spirit buses free, so most daily costs stay low.
Monthly cost of living in College Station (a student estimate)
That's roughly $11,000-17,000 a year for living costs, on top of tuition.
Finding accommodation
College Station is organised around Texas A&M, so off-campus complexes ring the campus and fill with students; sharing keeps rent low.
- Texas A&M students ride the Aggie Spirit bus network free.
- Northgate sits right by campus; complexes further out are cheaper with a bus route.
- Houston (~1.5 hrs) is the nearest major airport and big-city desi shopping.
Working part-time
On an F-1 visa you can work on-campus up to 20 hours/week during term (full-time in breaks). Off-campus work needs authorization - CPT during study, OPT after (up to 12 months, +24 for STEM degrees). You cannot freelance or work off-campus without approval.
Safety & student support
College Station and its Texas A&M campus areas are generally safe by US standards; use normal awareness at night.
- Texas A&M runs a security escort, safety app and (often) campus shuttles - save the campus safety number.
- The campus and main student areas are busy and well-populated.
- Summers are hot - plan for AC costs from June to September.
Indian community & food
Texas A&M has a large international graduate community, so Bryan-College Station supports a steady Indian presence with grocers and restaurants.
Indian grocery stores
- India Bazaar and other desi grocers in Bryan-College Station carry spices, lentils and frozen foods.
- Mainstream H-E-B stores stock a basic international aisle for everyday needs.
- Houston (~1.5 hrs) has very large Indian supermarkets for a bulk run.
Student community
- A&M's Indian Graduate Student Association runs Diwali, Holi and Garba events.
- The international student office is a strong support network.
- Several Indian restaurants in College Station serving the student community.
Cost & living figures for College Station last verified Jun 2026. Figures are estimates and change over time.
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