Pre-arrival Information
Apply for Student Visa
A valid visa is required to lawfully enter the United States. Immediate family members (spouse and children under the age of 21) who will accompany you may apply for dependent visas.
Understand the visa type you are on before you being your application, F-1 students and J-1 exchange students have different
Application for Dependent Visas
Be prepared to show evidence of relationship to the dependent (e.g. certificate of marriage or birth certificate).
If your dependent is attending the visa interview alone, be sure to bring a copy of the above mentioned documents to the interview.
Expiring Passport
Your passport should have at least 6 months validity before entering. The visa stamp in your passport is only required for entry into the United States. Once you are in the United States the visa stamp may expire as long as you have:
- A passport that is valid for at least six months into the future
- An unexpired I-20 (for F-1s) or DS-2019 for (J-1s)
If you leave the country, you will need to apply for a new visa before returning to the United States
Housing
Ensure that you have secured housing. Freshmen are required to live on-campus the first three semesters.
Travel
Once you have secured housing, arrange for travel to campus. Students are required to be on campus before the program start date listed on the form. Do also be mindful of blackout dates by Residential Life before booking your ticket.
Students should NOT arrive more than 30 days before the start date
Travel outside the indicated dates will likely result in student being turned away at the border
Post-arrival Information
Check post-arrival information and do the post-arrival checklist once you arrive on campus.