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Use this guide as your checklist of things to accomplish before and immediately after you arrive in Rochester as an international student. We are here to help you stay up to date on all the important requirements and information. Safe travels, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Step 1: Complete the New Student Intake Forms (NSIF)
ISO uses our online portal, URcompass to collect the information and documents we need from new international students. This process is started by your admitting department once they have confirmed your acceptance and intent to enroll.
Review our NSIF page for a comprehensive overview of these forms and how the process works.
Step 2: Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee
F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee online. This is separate from visa application fees. Pay this fee and print proof of payment before you schedule your visa appointment. Students with the SEVIS category of Change of Education Level (COEL) or Immigration Transfer do not need to pay the fee again, unless the transfer is from a federally sponsored exchange program that did not require the payment previously.
Step 3: Prepare and interview for your student visa
To obtain the student visa, you must schedule an interview and apply for the visa in person at your local US Consulate or Embassy. Reference our video on Obtaining an F-1 or J-1 Visa and our Visa Application page for more information. Visit NAFSA’s website for tips when applying for a student visa.
Canadians and Bermudians
Under current immigration rules, Canadian and (most) Bermudian citizens are not required to apply for a visa. However, you still must prepare all other documents and pay the I-901 SEVIS fee for F-1 and J-1 students. The Department of State offers more information online: Canadian citizens, Bermudian citizens.
Visa appointment availability
US State Department policy requires that embassies and consulates give priority for student visa appointments. While appointment times may appear limited, the expectation is that consulates will make more appointment times available as demand increases. If you will need an earlier visa appointment than what appears to be available, you should be able to submit a request for an expedited visa appointment. You must first schedule a regular visa appointment (even if it is after you anticipate needing to travel to the US), before you will be able to request an expedited date. Expedited appointments will only be granted at the Consulate’s discretion. Please follow the instructions provided on the website of the embassy or consulate at which you will apply for your student visa.
Multiple schools
If you have multiple documents from different US universities, you need to decide which school you plan to attend before applying for your visa. Once the visa is issued, you must enter the country with the I-20 or DS-2019 from the school printed on the visa stamp and your permission to study will be granted only at that school.
Visa delay or denial
Some visas are delayed due to administrative processing. You can read more about visa application decisions or report a visa delay/denial.
Visa Application process overview
Step 4: Enter the US in F-1 or J-1 student status
When finalizing your travel plans to Rochester, keep in mind you can enter the US only up to 30 days before the program start date listed on your initial I-20 or DS-2019.
- This travel restriction does not apply to students with a SEVIS Category of Immigration Transfer or Change of Education Level.
- If you intend to apply for a Change of Status (Form I-539), you should not leave the US while your application is pending.
Please review our Entry to the United States video and Travel and Arrival in the US for more information.
Traveling to and arriving in the US
Step 5: Enroll in the student health insurance plan
The United States does not provide socialized medical care and currently there is no national system of health insurance coverage that will cover foreign nationals.
All full-time students participate in the Student Health Program, which provides care and services offered by the University Health Service (UHS) and the University Counseling Center (UCC). The Student Health Program consists of two components: the Mandatory Health Fee and the UR Student Health Insurance Plan (Aetna).
Reference UHS’s Health Insurance for Full Time Students page or our Health Insurance Overview page for more information.
Visit UHS to learn about health insurance requirements for students
Step 6: Participate in ISO’s pre-arrival programs
Before you arrive at the University of Rochester, it is important to learn about US immigration requirements and campus services. ISO offers two pre-arrival programs to help you prepare.
- TIPS On-Demand: This online training program consists of relevant short videos that you can watch at your own pace. To access this online training, log into Blackboard using your University NetID login details. Then, visit the ISO Pre-Arrival Program organization in “My Organizations.”
- ISO pre-arrival webinars: These optional webinars cover topics such as the international student experience, student employment, and social security. If you can’t attend live, recorded videos will be posted on the website for you to view later.
Review both programs to learn as much as you can before you arrive. This will help you have a smooth transition to life in the US.
Step 7: Report arrival and complete immigration check-in
Within one week of arriving to the US and no later than your program start date, you must use ISO’s Immigration Check-In tool in URcompass to complete an immigration check-in with ISO. This will allow us to report your arrival to the government and activate your SEVIS record for study at the University of Rochester.
Step 8: Attend ISO’s immigration compliance webinar
The ISO offers this webinar to help you learn about US immigration requirements and benefits. You must attend this webinar if you’re a new international student, or if you’re returning from an absence longer than one year, changing degree level at the University, or transferring your immigration record from another US school. We appreciate and look forward to your participation!