Studying in the US: Document Requirements for International Students
Document Requirements for International Students: Study in the US application documents are not a one-size-fits-all packet. A university might require transcripts and letters of recommendation, while its international office needs financial documents before issuing a Form I-20. A US consular officer is looking at a different collection of documents when considering a student visa application, and a bank or housing provider may demand ID once a student is on campus.
All can have different requirements, so each checklist must be given to the appropriate organization.
EducationUSA recommends always researching individual institutional admissions requirements because US college application procedures vary.
Documents Your University May Require
Documents needed for undergraduate admission A high school diploma; Transcripts; Relevant national examinations should also be included. Transcripts should normally be submitted together with the English translations if the records are not written in English. In case you need professional certified translations of the academic records, then visit https://www.rapidtranslate.org/ for certified translation of your academic records in over 80 languages.
Academic Transcripts
Your transcript shows the courses you’ve taken and the grades you’ve earned. EducationUSA says schools often ask for official transcripts or certified copies. A college or university may ask your previous school to send your records directly to it. Graduate programs may look at your undergraduate transcript to see your previous coursework. A standard college transcript may include course names, semesters, grades, credits, and a grading scale.
Translate a transcript into the American system, or do you have a copy of the results? Do not expect your translated transcript to translate your grades into the American system. EducationUSA recommends not to translate courses or results into their U.S. equivalents.
Test Scores and Supporting Materials
Certain higher education institutions may ask for test scores or English proficiency scores. Applications can include recommendation letters, essays, and a personal statement, although the composition of an application differs from one school or program to the next.
Translation and Submission Rules
Translation and evaluation are different steps. One school might accept translated transcripts while another might have specific instructions about how to submit. Applicants should always adhere to the school’s instructions and not assume a transcript style applies universally.
You should keep both the source document and English translation handy. This will assist you in answering questions about course titles, grades, dates, seals, or other information that shows up on the original record.
Credential Evaluations
Additionally, certain U.S. institutions might require you to complete a credential evaluation alongside your translated academic documents. Credential evaluation involves analyzing your foreign education and comparing it to the U.S. education system and can include degree level, credits, and course-for-course equivalencies. The list of U.S. institutions that require, and recognize, credential evaluation services varies and can be confirmed in each institution’s application instructions.
Documents Your School Needs Before Issuing Form I-20
Admission does not itself require an F-1 application, upon SEVP-certified schools admission the student SEVIS and verify with the Form I-20. SEVP-certified school has to retain the Form I-20 before it could carry out the procedure of release the information of the financial capability of the students.
The school chooses the financial evidence required. According to DHS guidance, family bank statements, sponsor letters, scholarship letters, and award letters are some of the evidence that can be submitted. The amount of money shown in the evidence must cover the amount of expenses in SEVIS for the initial Form I-20.
This also indicates the admissions file and the I-20 file could be similar but not one in the same. An academic transcript indicates academic readiness. Financial documents indicate ability to finance the program.
Documents the U.S. Consulate May Require
The Department of State provides the following list of essential documents for an F or M interview: a valid passport, DS-160 confirmation page, visa application fee receipt, photo, and a signed I-20 form. F and M visa requirements: students need to be admitted to an SEVP approved school, and enrolled in SEVIS.
More evidence can also be supplied. Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, certificates, needed test scores, proof related to plans after research, and proof of how you will have the ability to pay your training, dwelling and journey bills. Test instructions from the embassy or consulate as a result of the applying process could be totally different relying in your location.
While filling out Form DS-160, F and M students will need the details of their Form I-20, such as the SEVIS ID and school address. While filling out the form, the State Department also recommends having a passport as well as travel, education, and employment records on hand.
Documents a Bank May Ask For After Arrival
A US bank account offers a second set of documents. Most banks require two forms of ID, says the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but they are free to ask for anything else. While some will take a foreign passport as primary ID, they may need a second document to verify address or ID.
Individual banks might be more stringent with their international student standards. NYU recommends that international students carry a passport, Form I-20 or DS-2019, I-94 record, student ID, proof of enrollment, and proof of U.S. address when opening a bank account. This is an example (for NYU students) and therefore should be checked with the bank itself before visiting.
Documents Housing Providers May Request
The type of housing documents you’ll need will vary depending on whether you’re renting from the university or a private landlord. Items to have on hand include copies of your IDs, proof of student status, a lease agreement, and financial or guarantor documentation. An example would be NYU Langone’s lease guaranty program, which asks for a photo ID, proof of student/employments status, and a lease.
The lease (or rental agreement) should be treated like an immigration paper. It is a legal contract about rent, rules, and other issues, and you should read it before you sign, not fill it out like an immigration form. In fact, this immigration guide has instructions for international students on leases.
The Useful Checklist Is Several Checklists
The key difference is not between ‘important’ and ‘unimportant’ documents. It is the fact that it is asking a different question: the university wants to know whether you qualify academically for a place there, the international office has to gather together the information which it uses for its documents that confirm your student status, the visa issuing body that determines whether you qualify for a visa.
So a convenient file will be more effective if you classify it by recipient instead of type of documents. Reserve distinct files for admissions, Form I-20 and SEVIS, visa processing, banking and housing, and then put the duplicates of the documents in the places where you really need. A single passport can be kept in many files, but every file will respond a different question of the administration.
