Preparing for Your Arrival and the VISA Process

Information on how to obtain a student visa can be found online at travel.state.gov. There are also directions on how to get a visa are on the admitted student website under Future Students.

Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to expedite the processing of your visa application. We encourage you to make a visa appointment immediately after you receive your acceptance packet. Getting an appointment and securing your visa can take up to 6 months. The U.S. Embassies and Consulates are responsible.

Yes, the International Student Orientation and/or Graduate Orientation is mandatory and can be done online or in person (though many international students find it hard to travel to attend an in-person orientation due to cost and visa restrictions). There is also a mandatory check-in held on campus prior to the start of the semester for all international students. This check-in is required as it provides basic information on immigration requirements and allows university officials to college the mandatory immigration documents from students for the U.S. Federal immigration reporting.

Yes, the International Student Orientation and Check-in is mandatory even for transfer students.