<p>Im an incoming international freshman and I Need to open a bank account in a US bank so I can pay my fees and stuff. But they ask for your SSN, so what do internationals enter instead of it? Thanks!</p>
<p>You will be able to open an account with a bank there once you get to college, without the SSN, and will be eligible for debit card only. You just need college ID for that.</p>
<p>Once you get there the Office of the International students- OISS can guide you about the SSN. The SSN will make you eligible for credit card.</p>
<p>In the meantime you can send the fee through a wire transfer from your bank to College’s account. You can ask for details for that from your college.</p>
<p>Actually, it depends on the bank. Some banks let international students open a bank account without a SSN but some do not. Your international student office can probably tell you which banks other students have had luck with. You’ll have to open the bank account in person after you arrive in the US; bring your passport and visa documents. </p>
<p>Banks like to have an SSN so that they can check your credit report, but they need an SSN or tax-payer identification number for tax purposes. My college has all incoming international students apply for SSNs during orientation because most of us will want to earn money at some point in the US (e.g. for summer internships or part-time jobs on campus).</p>
<p>Re payments: I agree with anialways that your college probably accepts an international student-friendly form of payment. Wire transfers are the easiest but not all colleges accept them. They might also offer you to pay with a money order or credit card. Just ask!</p>
<p>Thanks guys, wire transfer has been a serious issue for me though. The three times I tried to pay by wire transfer the funds were sent back to me, because the funds go through many banks to get to my uni, and 3/3 times something screwed up. Also, they don’t accept VISA credit card, soo we have applied for another credit card, but I wanna avoid using credit card cos there is an additional fees for that! So the best option is the electronic check, that’s why I need to get it done quickly 
but thanks a lot for your help!!</p>
<p>You’ll have a hard time opening an American bank account from abroad. </p>
<p>Can your home bank get you a check in USD? My German bank would have been able to do that, for a fee of course. (I explored that option when I needed checks to pay my application fees, since I didn’t have access to a credit card. Turned out that it was cheaper to use traveler’s checks, but I wouldn’t mail large-denomination traveler’s checks. Traveler’s checks are insured against loss and theft, but only until you sign them. And you’d need to sign them before you drop them in the mail.)</p>