Albuquerque (pronounced [Al bu kar ki], is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 448,607 as of the 2000 U.S. census. As of the 2005 census estimate, the city's population was 494,236, with a metropolitan population of 797,940. In 2005, Albuquerque ranked as the 33rd-largest city and 62nd-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The Albuquerque MSA population includes the city of Rio Rancho, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, a hub for many master-planned communities which are expected to draw future businesses and residents to the area.

Albuquerque is home to the University of New Mexico (UNM) and Kirtland Air Force Base as well as Sandia National Laboratories, and Petroglyph National Monument. The Sandia Mountains run along the eastern side of Albuquerque and the Rio Grande flows through the city north to south. Los Alamos Laboratories are 1hr away from the city.

For more informationvisit:
http://www.cabq.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albuquerque,_New_Mexico

Founded in 1889, the University of New Mexico now occupies 600 acres along old Route 66 in the heart of Albuquerque, a city of more than 700,000 people. From the magnificent mesas to the west, past the banks of the historic Rio Grande to the Sandia Mountains to the east, Albuquerque is a blend of culture and cuisine, styles and stories, people, pursuits and panoramas.

UNM offers a unique campus environment with a Pueblo Revival architectural theme that echoes the buildings of the nearby Pueblo Indian villages. The nationally recognized Campus Arboretum offers an outstanding botanical experience in the midst of one of New Mexico's great public open spaces.

For more information visit:
http://www.unm.edu/welcome.html

Albuquerque's climate is usually sunny and dry with low amounts of humidity. The sun shines more than 300 days a year. The city has four distinct seasons, but the heat and the cold are mild compared to the extremes that can be achieved in other parts of the country. Average winter daytime highs are in the upper 40s to upper 50s Fahrenheit while dropping into the mid 20s to mid 30s overnight. The occasional snowfall often melts by the mid-afternoon. Springtime starts off windy and cool. March and April tend to see many days with the wind blowing at 20 to 30 mph. In May, the winds tend to subside, as temperatures start to feel like summer. Summer daytime highs are normally in the upper 80s to mid 90's while dropping into the mid 60s to low 70s overnight. The heat is quite tolerable because of low humidity. Fall sees mild days and cool nights. The city was one of several cities in the rocky mountain region experiencing a severe winter storm leaving nearly 24 inches of snow in just over 24 hours on December 30, 2006.

The clothing tends to be as casual as possible. It is advisable to get summer clothing in par with the winter ones. Washing is done normally every 2 weeks it would be a good idea to get sufficient number of socks and under garments. As for footwear sneakers, sports shoes and sandals are the most used commodities.

Formal shoes or footwear to go with formals are also recommended, for interviews and seminars. To go with traditional wear, anything that is suitable can be brought. For winters it's a good idea to get some woolen clothes, but don't burden yourself with a lots of them, a sweater or two and a jacket would serve the purpose. Most of the apartment complexes have swimming pools so if you are interested you can get your swimming gear.

Housing for international students in albuquerque is not a problem at all. Students from India usually stay off-campus in shared apartments. If you are couple or family and intend to stay on campus please contact housing department of UNM (https://housing.unm.edu/). If you want to live off-campus in a shared apartment you can forward your request to oips@unm.edu or bsa@unm.edu and we will post your request on this website.

For more information visit:
https://housing.unm.edu/

Students get campus jobs in variety of places and offices. The pay ranges anything from $5.15 per Hr to $12 perHour. As per students the regulations on an F1 visa are allowed to work for 20 hours per week during a regular semester and 40 hours per week during the break i.e. during the winter and the summer break. To see what jobs are advertised and apply for them you can follow this Job Link (www.unm.edu), or you can go to

Graduate students of chemical engineerng department will have research assistantships (100%), which pays 12 credit hours per semester and $1500 per month.

For more information visit:
http://www.unm.edu/jobs.html