In your first week in Amman, deal with the tasks that let the next day run smoothly: reach the correct address, get connected, keep your documents accessible and learn the journey to your university or workplace. A few organised records can save repeated trips and conversations.
This plan suits students and NGO workers settling into Jabal Amman. German Jordanian University (GJU) students can also use the Jabal Amman campus guide and the first-week university checklist for their academic tasks.
Before the flight: save the details you will need offline
- Your issued visa or approval and the documents supporting your entry route.
- The full accommodation address, entrance pin and the person meeting you.
- Arrival arrangements if the flight is delayed or lands late.
- Your university or employer’s first appointment, building and contact.
- Insurance details, essential prescriptions and copies of travel records.
Your entry route depends on nationality and purpose. The Jordan visa guide explains the fees, documents and residence procedures. A study or work trip needs the paperwork for that purpose even if you plan sightseeing during the stay.
Arrival day: get to the right door
Confirm your accommodation destination before leaving the terminal. Keep a screenshot of the map pin and an address written in a form the driver can use. Share your arrival progress with the person receiving you.
| Transport choice | What to settle before starting |
|---|---|
| Airport taxi | Give the destination area and exact pin, confirm the official zone fare and keep the receipt. |
| Airport bus | Check the current stop and timetable, then plan the onward journey to Jabal Amman with your luggage. |
| Transport app or arranged pickup | Confirm the pickup instructions, vehicle details, contact method and the fare or estimate shown. |
Queen Alia’s official transport directory lists airport taxis, bus services and transportation apps. The airport taxi operator lists a desk in the Arrivals Hall and a booth at Exit 1, round-the-clock service, zone-based official fares, cash or card payment and receipts. Source: airport taxi service.
At the apartment, check the entrance and keys, the contact for a problem and the arrangements for water, electricity and internet. Learn how the equipment provided in that unit is meant to be used. Keep the first shop short enough that you can rest after the journey.
Day one: phone, money and your local address
Before choosing a mobile line, check whether your phone is unlocked and supports the physical SIM or eSIM offered. Take your passport when visiting the provider, and ask for the complete first payment, the allowance, expiry date and renewal cost for the line available to you.
Zain, Orange and Umniah publish mobile or data services on their official sites. Check whether the offer is a phone line with calls or a data-only product, whether tax is included and when a promotional price ends. Zain, Orange and Umniah.
- Test mobile data and a local call where the plan includes calls.
- Save the provider app or account details, renewal date and a receipt.
- Keep the local number with the accommodation, university or work contact who needs it.
- Carry a payment method you can actually use and keep some cash for ordinary purchases.
- Save the entrance pin, building information and a nearby landmark for deliveries or pickups.
Start a spending note with the amount paid, the currency and what the charge covered. Keep a first-month setup cost separate from a recurring monthly subscription so it does not distort the budget.
Days two and three: groceries and the daily journey
Build your first grocery list around the kitchen facilities available: a breakfast, a simple meal and the supplies needed to prepare it. Check what utensils and cleaning products are already provided. Smaller purchases can be easier to carry while you learn the route and the shops.
For a takeaway option, the Amman shawarma guide includes Reem at Second Circle and Shawerma 3a Saj around Rainbow Street. Use the branch map and menu rather than ordering from a different location with a similar name.
Test the university or work journey before the first appointment. Save the destination entrance, leave time for hills and crossings and note a backup option. The Amman bus website provides route information and trip-planning resources; match the stop to the exact journey you need.
For German Jordanian University (GJU), use the building and room confirmed by your programme. NGO workers should use the office details supplied by their employer, including arrival instructions and the contact who is expecting them. Keep personal staff addresses private when sharing travel information.
Days three and four: documents and appointments
Keep the passport identity page, entry stamp and issued visa together with your local address records. Ask the university or employer which documents they need and where to submit them. Put a follow-up date beside anything waiting for a reply.
UK government entry guidance describes a registration requirement within 14 days for visitors staying over 14 days where that rule applies, with exemptions including tourists, annual residence holders, pilgrims and transit visa holders. It identifies biometric registration at the relevant police station and a JOD 200 fine for failing to register when required. Source: registration guidance. The full visa guide explains the distinction between registration, a stay extension and residence permission.
For a study file, keep your current proof of registration ready. For a work assignment, keep the employer’s instructions and any issued approvals. A receipt showing you submitted an application should be filed separately from the final decision.
Days four and five: understand the apartment and bills
| Question | The answer to record |
|---|---|
| What does rent include? | The specific bills, services and any usage limits. |
| How are electricity and water charged? | The meter or bill used, the billing dates and who pays. |
| How are shared costs split? | The agreed method when occupants or dates differ. |
| How does the internet work? | Connection details, support contact and any equipment you must return. |
| What happens if something needs fixing? | Who to contact, what information to send and how urgent problems are handled. |
| What are the departure arrangements? | Notice, checkout, final bills, inventory and deposit process. |
For apartments for rent in Amman for students and NGO workers, our four Jabal Amman apartments offer room and whole-apartment arrangements. Confirm the unit, dates and written inclusions before comparing a quoted rent with your total monthly budget.
Take inventory photos when you move in and keep the written agreement and payment receipts. If you share bills, agree on readings and dates early so the first payment does not become a disagreement about someone else’s usage.
Days six and seven: review the routine
Look back at the journeys, shops and spending from the week. Keep what worked and change the parts that took too much time. Turn the next week into a simple plan with class or work times, a grocery shop, a bill reminder and a study or rest period.
- Check that your university or work contact can reach you.
- Review any residence, registration, insurance or bank task still waiting.
- Keep the first week’s receipts and separate one-off setup purchases.
- Save a reliable route home and the contact for a household problem.
- Choose one outing that fits the time and money left after the essentials.
If Petra is on your list, the Wanderer, Explorer and Expert guides explain the pass options and consecutive-day conditions. Put your available dates into the plan before buying extra admission days.
Keep a small help list
For an emergency in Jordan, call 911 and give the location and nature of the incident. The Public Security Directorate identifies 911 as the emergency reporting number. Source: emergency service instructions. Save your accommodation contact, insurer’s assistance number, university or employer contact and an emergency contact at home alongside it.
For a non-urgent problem, start with the right organisation and a clear record: the booking contact for a household question, the provider for a mobile charge, or the university office for registration. Include dates, receipts and the specific question you need answered.
What you should have by the end of the week
You should be able to find your entrance, make the daily journey, contact the people responsible for your stay and explain what your main payments include. Keep the remaining tasks in one list with dates. German Jordanian University (GJU) students can continue with the first-week campus checklist and keep the student campus guide for services and contacts.
