University of Texas - Arlington

Visiting your child at UTA means flying into Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), about 20 minutes from the Arlington campus - one of the shortest airport-to-campus hops in Texas. Plan the US visitor visa well ahead.

Getting from DFW 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 UTA? 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. UTA requires new international students to complete a pre-orientation course and attend orientation before registering.

Arrival checklist

• Book your flight into DFW early - UTA is only ~20 min from the airport.
• Complete UTA's Office of International Education pre-orientation Canvas course to clear your INT hold.
• Plan airport pickup: Uber/Lyft is simplest; Arlington Via + TRE is the budget transit route.
• Confirm student baggage allowance with your airline.
• Carry your I-20, SEVIS receipt and financial documents in hand luggage for US immigration.

Dallas-Fort Worth is affordable and a magnet for Indian students - about $1,300-2,000 a month all-in, with shared rooms at $600-1,000. Texas has no state income tax, which quietly helps once you work on-campus or move to OPT. DFW is spread out, so a cheap car or a place near DART rail matters; Richardson around UT-Dallas has the densest Indian-student housing market.

Monthly cost of living in Arlington (a student estimate)

That's roughly $15,000-24,000 a year for living costs, on top of tuition.

Finding accommodation

Dallas-Fort Worth is affordable with a huge Indian student population around UT-Dallas (Richardson). Most students share apartments near campus.

• Richardson (around UT-Dallas) has a dense Indian-student community and lots of shared-housing options.
• DART rail serves Richardson/Plano and downtown, but DFW is spread out - many students share or buy a cheap car.
• Texas has no state income tax, which helps if you work on-campus or do OPT later.

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

The Dallas suburbs where most students live (Richardson, Plano, Irving) are generally safe and quiet; use normal big-city awareness in the urban core and at night.

• Campuses (UT-Dallas, UNT, UT-Arlington) run security escorts, shuttles and safety apps - use them after dark.
• Richardson and Plano are well-regarded suburban areas popular with Indian students and families.
• DFW is car-oriented and spread out - plan transport, and don't leave valuables visible in parked cars.

Indian community & food

Dallas-Fort Worth has one of the largest and fastest-growing Indian communities in the US, centred on Richardson and Irving - the 'MG Road' area on Richardson's Mahatma Gandhi Memorial corridor is a desi hub.

Indian grocery stores

• The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial corridor in Richardson - the DFW 'Little India' with grocers, sweets and restaurants.
• India Bazaar and Taj Grocers across Irving and Richardson.
• Patel Brothers (Plano, Irving) for a big monthly shop.

Student community

• UT-Dallas (one of the largest Indian student populations in the US), UNT and UT-Arlington have very active Indian/South Asian associations.
• Richardson/Irving host major Diwali and Holi events and several Hindu temples (e.g. the DFW Hindu Temple, Irving).

• Extensive Indian dining in Richardson and Irving.

Cost & living figures for Arlington last verified Jun 2026. Figures are estimates and change over time.