The International Student: From Admissions to

Arrival

January 8, 2010

PDI Presenters

Sandy Dailey, Graduate School

Christy Eylar, Sponsored Student Adviser

Petra Marlin, Assistant Director Office of Admissions

Amanda Miller, Graduate Admissions

Shelby Sack, International Student Adviser

Populations of International Students & Scholars at CSU

France ; 11 Indonesia ; 11 Kazakhstan ; 11 Australia ; 12 Russia ; 12

Vietnam ; 12

Mexico ; 14

United Arab Emirates ; 14

Germany ; 20

Qatar ; 20

United King-dom ; 21

Malaysia ; 23Brazil ; 24

Canada ; 26Thailand ; 26

Taiwan ; 37

Kuwait ; 41

Japan ; 44Libya ; 46

South Korea ; 102

India ; 137

China ; 168

Saudi Arabia ; 222

Understanding the Admission Process & the Visa Application

Process

** Two very separate processes **

International Undergraduate

AdmissionsRequired Documents and Deadlines Application

$50 Application Fee

High School and/or College Transcripts

English Proficiency: TOEFL or IELTS scores

Personal Statement

Letter of Recommendation

Financial Documents (not required for admission)

Deadlines:

Fall Semester: May 1

Spring Semester: October 1

Conditional vs. Clear Admission

For clear admission: minimum scores of 71 TOEFL Internet-based, 525 TOEFL paper-based, 6.0 IELTS

For conditional admission: scores of 45 -70 TOEFL Internet-based, 450 – 524 paper-based, 5.0 – 5.5 IELTS

Conditionally admitted students receive a TOEFL hold and must either complete the Intensive English Program (IEP) or submit sufficient scores in order to have hold removed

Conditionally admitted IEP students may take CSU classes with permission from an IEP advisor

IEP students not admitted to CSU may take GUEST classes concurrently if their total time between IEP and GUEST is equal to 12 or more credit hours. (Exception: Post Bac may take more than 6 credits at undergrad level)

How can Undergraduate Admissions and Grad

Departments work together to service students?

Students not admitted directly to graduate school may seek undergraduate admission in order to strengthen grad school app

Provide clarity on what is expected of student in order to gain admission to grad department: only a few classes or 2nd Bachelors

Undergraduate options: Apply as degree seeking student, apply as GUEST (Post Bac may take more than 6 credits at undergrad level, more than 6 at grad level needs dept approval)

V i s i t i n g I n t e r n a t i o n a l P r o g r a mA s h o r t - t e r m s t u d y p r o g r a m a t C o l o r a d o S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

•Non-degree undergraduate international students can study for 1 or 2 terms

•Requirements are similar to those for undergraduates (conditional admission is possible)

•NOT an avenue to become a degree seeking student

•Students will come on J-1 student visa

•Instructions for applying are on the OIP website (www.international.colostate.edu)

The Ideal Admission

ProcessBy Sandy Dailey

Steps the application takes

Student fills out the on-line application and forwards the additional materials to the Correct office.US Application – DepartmentInt’l Application - Admissions

Department makesrecommendation andforwards to the Office

of Admissions2A – Admit App2D – Deny App

1C- Withdraw App

Admissions office signs the 2A,If it is a clear admit. If it is a low

grade or International file,Admissions forwards the file to

the Graduate School for final review

Graduate School makesdecision

If US Application is Approved, the Graduate School

signs 2A & forwardspaperwork back to

admissions

If denied file is sent back to the department

with the reason& departmentsends out 2Ddenial form

If Int’l application is approved, the Graduate School signs

2A & forwards the paperwork to the International Programs

office where the I-20 will be issued.

From Admission to ArrivalStudent sends

written application for admission to

school

School reviews for academic

admissibility, and English ability

written

School admits student to a full course of study

Financial Ability

Reviewed by ISSS

DSO creates SEVIS

record and requests

SEVIS I-20

No I-20 without foreign

address and adequate funding

DSO prints and signs Form I-20

and creates student

packet for mailing

Cannot Express

Mail without

a phone#

Form I-20 & GS 2A are sent to student

(If out of the USA) Student pays the $200 SEVIS Fee & then uses Form I-20 to apply for an

F-1 Visa

OR

(If in the USA) Student uses Form I-20 to

apply for a Change of Status within the U.S OR

“transfers” their F-1 status to CSU.

(If in the USA) Student

completes transfer upon

check in at CSU

(If out of the USA) Student is admitted to the USA in F-1

status at a Port of Entry and CSU is notified through SEVIS. Student has 30 days to check

in at CSU

If student fails to enroll at CSU, ISSS reports a “No Show” to SEVIS within 30 days of CSU’s census date. ISSS complies with

various reporting requirements throughout a students stay in the USA.

Graduate Applicants

Changes to the Application for Admission:•Application processing fee must be paid before the application can be submitted. There are no fee waivers, but a department can pay the fee on behalf of the student via an IO (formerly IMO).

•Warning that reminds students to check with the department to ensure that eligibility requirements are met.

•Language that reminds students to verify, with the department, that applications are accepted for the desired term of entry.

Graduate Applicants

Reminders• International applicants submit all supporting

documents to the Office of Admissions for tracking of those documents in the system.

• International applicants are NOT able to check the status of their documents in RAMWeb and rely on communication from the academic department.

• Always place the 2A form on top of the packet when recommending an applicant for admission.

• Int’l 2As are prioritized and typically sent to the Grad School for final decision within 2-3 business days from the date they are received in Admissions.

How Departments Can Help Process and render a decision for international applicants as quickly

as possible to allow maximum time for visa processing.

Notify the applicant if the Certification for Issuance of Immigration Document (GS3-F) is missing before admission, but still PROCEED with RECOMMENDING THE APPLICANT FOR ADMISSION.

Include any Graduate Award information in writing with the 2A form to the Office of Admissions. If a decision is made after admission, send that information directly to OIP.

Include ANY financial documentation with the 2A (originals or copies).

Utilize the International Credential Guidebook posted on the Graduate School website to determine GPA. A Dept Letter of Support and 3 Letters of Recommendation are required (in addition to 2A forms and transcripts) for applicants with GPA below a 3.0.

Contact ADM_gradprocessing@mail.colostate.edu if you are not sure of the next step.

Sponsored Students

• Government/Fully Funded

• Fulbright/Ford Foundation/Muskie

• Some assistance possible?

• Fully funded

• Conditional Admission

How Does a Student Obtain a Visa?

Apply to the University

Be Admitted to the University

Provide Financial Documentation

Be Issued an I-20 Immigration Document

Pay SEVIS Fee

Schedule a Visa Appointment

Interview with Consular Officer

Have Visa Approved

Head to the USA

Check in at the Office of International Programs

I-20 Form

Student Visa

Transfer Students

Students currently studying at another university in the United States

If they transfer to CSU directly, generally do not need to apply for a new visa

Still require financial support documentation

Change of Level Students

Students that were currently studying at another educational level at Colorado State University

No new visa is required

New funding documentation IS required to create the new I-20

Change of Status Students

Students who are not currently in an immigration status that allows them to study are required to change their immigration status.

These students can still be admitted to CSU

If you know of any of these students, please notify our office as soon as possible as the change of status process can take 4-6 months.

Acceptable Financial Documentation

Graduate Assistantship award letter

Personal Funding

Sponsor funding

Dependents (spouse and children) require additional funding support

Student meets with a consular officer to discuss purpose for entering the U.S. (secondary

screening). If study is approved, then a visa is granted –stamped in

the student’s passport.

Form I-20 and the international

orientation packet (including the Globe Trotter) are sent by

express mail to student.

Student pays the $200 SEVIS fee

and makes appointment with the U.S. Embassy

in their home country and pays

the visa application fee.

Visa Screening and Issuance

Timeline for International Students After Admission & Before Arrival at CSU

1 week: ISSS processing time to issue and mail an immigration document after proof of funding is complete

3-15 days: Estimated time for the express package to reach the student currently outside the US

4-8 weeks: Estimated time to schedule an interview and obtain a US visa. Time depends on area of study, country, gender… Some may be longer!

1-4 weeks: Estimated advanced time necessary to arrange a flight to the US within a reasonable price range AFTER obtaining the US visa.

Cannot arrive more than 30 days prior to start of program Should “check in” at OIP as soon as possible after arrival

Possible Issues at the Consulate

Visa Delays

Security Clearances (name, nationality, field of research)

Lengthy wait times to obtain visa appointment

Insufficient documentation provided at time of interview

Visa Denials

Failure to prove non-immigrant intent

Security Risk

Previous illegal stay in the U.S.

Health related issues

Criminal background

International Student & Scholar

Services Serving students after arrival

International Student Orientation

Always held the Wednesday before classes begin

Complete schedule can be found in the Globetrotter and on the Office of International Programs website.

Students are REQUIRED to check-in at the Office of International Programs (students will need their passport, I-94 card, and I-20)

Maintaining Immigration

Status

Full-Time Enrollment Requirement

9 credit hours/semester for graduate students

There is no requirement to be enrolled in the summer

Exceptions must be approved prior to dropping courses

On-Campus Employment

Does not require written authorization

Limited to 20 hours/week when school is in session

Can exceed 20 hours when school is not session

Social security card required

Off-Campus Employment** Requires prior authorization from an

international student advisor or USCIS **

Type of Off-Campus Employment

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Severe Economic Hardship

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

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