Congratulations on your acceptance to Puget Sound! We're so excited to welcome you to our vibrant learning community. You can learn more about the Visa process, International Student Orientation, and our Campus Ambassador Program here, or reach out if you have any questions.
All international students coming to Puget Sound must have a valid student visa before entering the U.S. Once you have confirmed your enrollment with your deposit, International Programs will begin to work on your I-20 or DS-2019 packet. Full-time degree-seeking International Students will receive form I-20 to be used to obtain an F-1 Student visa. International exchange students will receive form DS-2019 to obtain a J-1 Exchange visa. After you receive your I-20 or DS-2019 from the International Programs Office, you can apply for your visa.
To issue your Puget Sound I-20 (DS-2019 for Exchange Students), International Programs needs the following:
- Proof that you have sufficient liquid funds for the first year of your studies at Puget Sound, including:
- Completed International Student Certification of Finances form (you should receive a link to this form from your Admission counselor).
- Supporting documents that prove that you, your parents or your sponsor's have, in liquid funds, sufficient money available to pay your cost of attendance (minus any scholarships) for your first year at Puget Sound. Liquid funds means assets that are readily available for payments (i.e., checking or savings accounts). Investment accounts do not reflect available funds and will not be accepted. Accepted documents for proof of funds include:
- an official letter (on letterhead and signed) from your, or your family's, bank confirming the amount you have available in liquid funds;
- or a bank statement (or statements) clearly stating the amount of liquid funds available;
- or some combination of the above
- If you provide a statement, or statements, from a parent's or other sponsor's bank account, be sure they have signed the International Student Certification of Finances on page 3 indicating that they agree to make these fund available
- If the documents are not in English, you must also supply a translation of each document
- For non-degree seeking exchange students, please email International Programs for financial verification instructions, as they vary from degree-seeking students.
- A scan of your Passport ID Page
- If in the U.S. already: a scan of your most recent U.S. Visa and/or a scan of your most recent I-94
- If transferring your I-20 from a U.S. high school or college: a scan of your most recent I-20
- Your current address and phone number: Before we send you your I-20 or DS-2019 we will email you to confirm the address and phone number you would like us to use when we ship the document via FedEx
Once you have your I-20 (or DS-2019 for J Visas), you may start the process of applying for your F-1 or J-1 Student Visa. We will include instructions on how to proceed in your I-20 or DS-2019 packet. Please plan ahead and acknowledge that the wait time for visas varies by country. You can look up average visa appointment wait times at on the US Department of State Website. Don't wait until August for your visa appointment! Below are the general guidelines for applying for a Student Visa.
- Pay SEVIS Fee (I-901 Fee) online. Be sure to print a receipt and keep with you for your records. If someone else pays the fee for you, make sure you get a copy of the receipt.
- Fill out the visa application online, pay the visa application fee and make an appointment at your nearest embassy.
- Attend your visa appointment
Note that you may not arrive in the U.S. more than 30 days prior to your program start date listed on your I-20.
Note to Transfer Students:
If you are transferring to Puget Sound from another U.S. institution, you must contact your current school to request your SEVIS record be transferred to Puget Sound. The first I-20 you receive from Puget Sound will state "Transfer Pending." If you plan to travel internationally before arriving to Puget Sound, you can use your "Transfer Pending I-20" once to return to the U.S. Bring with you your previous I-20 from your old school when you travel, and make sure you keep all previous I-20's for your records.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email the International Student Advisor.