PRE-ARRIVAL
ARRIVAL
The “Education USA” website has information to help prepare you for your experience studying in the United States, from planning to your arrival. The site can also assist you in connecting with resources in your home country.
Information for international students can be found here: Education USA
Congratulations on your acceptance to SU! This is a very exciting time to be at the University. You cannot set up your visa interview at the US Embassy/Consulate until you have been assigned a SEVIS ID Number, which can be found on your Form I-20, also known as the “Certificate of Eligibility for a Nonimmigrant Student”.
You must pay a fee to be enrolled in SEVIS, and you will need to retain your proof of payment for presentation during your visa interview at the US Embassy/Consulate. The SEVIS fee is $350 for F-1 students.
For more information on how to pay the SEVIS fee, visit www.fmjfee.com. You must bring proof of payment to your US Embassy/Consulate Interview.
Make an appointment for a visa interview by contacting the nearest US Embassy/Consulate. You’ll find that information at http://www.usembassy.gov/. The waiting time for an interview appointment for applicants can vary, so early visa application is strongly encouraged. Visa wait times for interview appointments and visa processing time for each US Embassy/Consulate worldwide is available on the US Department of State’s website, and on most embassy websites.
You’ll find that information at http://www.usembassy.gov/. Most interviews with the US Embassy/Consulate require you to bring SEVIS fees proof of payment, the interview appointment confirmation receipt, and necessary identification documents.
NEW TO THE U.S. STUDENTS
If you are a new student to SU, the Admissions Office (international@seattleu.edu) will issue your Form I-20.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
If you are transferring to SU from another school within the US, the International Student Center will issue your Form I-20, once we have access to your SEVIS record. Transfer students must request a transfer of their SEVIS record to SU in their final term at their current school. The Form I-20 packet is critically important. Please be sure to read everything we send you prior to arrival.
With your INITIAL entry Form I-20, you are only allowed to enter the United States 30 days prior to the “Program Start Date” as stated on your Form I-20. For example, if you were beginning your studies at SU in the fall, you would be permitted to come to Seattle as early as late August, 30 days prior to Program Start Date under "Program of Study" on your I-20. When you first enter the US to come to SU, you need to bring your I-20, passport, admissions letter, and visa to present at your port of entry. These are also the documents you need to keep with you each and every time you leave and then re-enter the United States.
Once you begin your studies at SU, your I-20 must have a current signature from an International Student Advisor (Designated School Official) prior to travel outside of the US. You should come to the International Student Center to have page 2 of your I-20 signed every 6 months. The process for getting a signature takes 3-5 business days, so make sure you bring your I-20 to the ISC a week before you plan to leave the United States.
Seattle University requires all matriculated undergraduate students be vaccinated against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR). We require documentation of either two doses of the MMR vaccine or a blood test showing immunity to measles.
Please enter your immunization information and upload a copy of your immunization documents (need to have your name and student ID) onto the patient portal. Include your name, student ID number and date of birth on the documents you submit.
Patient portal: https://seattleu.medicatconnect.com/
In addition to the required vaccines, Seattle University strongly recommends Hep B (Hepatitis B), Tetanus (TdAP or Td within last 10 years) and Meningococcal vaccines as well as the normal childhood vaccine series. Please see these and other recommendations from the American College Health Association at http://www.acha.org/ACHA/Resources/Topics/Vaccine.aspx and the Center for Disease Control at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/index.html
Each dependent must have an I-20 issued in his/her own name. Designated School Officials can do this in SEVIS, as they are creating a record for initial attendance. Keep in mind that the “Financial Information” section must be completed before the “Add Dependent” section, which means that dependents’ financial information must be gathered prior to creating their record.
Dependents must present their 1-20 and other required documents (such as proof of relationship to the F-1 student) to the embassy or consular office. Once the application is approved, dependents should then present their visa and 1-20 to the immigration officer as they enter the United States.
Sea-Tac Airport is located approximately 15 miles south of downtown Seattle, just off Interstate-5. Taxis, shuttle services, light rail, and buses run regularly between Sea-Tac Airport and the city. Since several hundred international students arrive each year it is impossible for staff to pick students up at the Airport as we are a small office staff.
When you arrive in the United States and go through Immigration/Customs, you must be prepared to show the Immigration Officer your passport, I-20 (for J-1 students, you must show your DS-2019), visa stamp from the US Consulate, letter of acceptance to SU, and documentation proving your financial resources. If everything is in order, the Immigration Officer will stamp the date of your arrival on your I-20. You will also be issued an I-94 number (Departure Record) which you can retrieve online: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/. It is important to print out your I-94 number after you land in the US. The Officer will return your I-20 (DS-2019 for J-1 students) to you. If you encounter any problems while you are being inspected by Immigration, please contact the International Student Center at (206) 296-6260. Also, please be sure to bring these items to the International Student Center as soon as you arrive on campus so we can copy all of these materials for your immigration file.
Whether you are living on-campus or off-campus, you must complete our ISC virtual check-in process. See the steps to Check-In!