Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
Any student who has or will enter the US on a visa that allows the individual to enroll in a school in the US is an international student. There are many types of visa’s that permit international citizens to enroll in schools in the US, and the F1 visa is the most common. An F1 visa is given by the US Embassy to international students who have been accepted or are attending an academic program or English Language Program at a U.S. college or university.
In order to apply for an F1 visa, a student must have a Form I-20. The Form I-20 is a United States Department of Homeland Security document issued by the University. Students need to submit immigration documents in order for a Designated School Official (DSO) to issue an I-20.
International Students on F1 visas pay out of state tuition fees. However, students that receive a university scholarship of $1000 or more will receive a waiver and pay in-state tuition. There are other visa’s that permit an individual to enroll in a U.S. college or university which grants eligibility for in-state tuition for the international student. To be eligible for in-state tuition, the international student must have a visa from this list, and the individual must have lived in the state of Texas for the last 12 months prior to the first enrollment term.
DACA students can work and study in the US and are considered as domestic students and should use the domestic application form. According to Texas Senate Bill 1528, undocumented students who have lived in the state of Texas for a minimum of three years before receiving their high school (in Texas) diploma or GED can enroll in institutions of higher education and are considered as residents for tuition purposes.
Required Documents for I-20
Required Documents for I-20
The following items are required to apply for an F-1 visa or maintain F-1 visa status. All documents must be uploaded as a PDF file to the students myUH self-service account at accessuh.uh.edu
Letter of Financial Backing Form. The Letter of Financial Backing Form must be less than six months old from the date of the sponsor(s)’ signature(s).
Bank Statement. The bank statement must be less than six months old, and it must indicate a minimum balance of USD $38,700 or the equivalent. To upload: If the student has more than one page, student needs to save all pages into one PDF file before uploading.
o Bank statements must have an original signature from the bank agent and or an official stamp/seal of the issuing bank.
o The amount should be at least $38,700.
o Multiple funding sources are acceptable as long as the sum of the funding available meets the academic year estimate.
o Multiple sponsors are acceptable. However, each sponsor must sign an Affidavit of Support. Students supporting themselves must also sign an Affidavit of Support.
o Acceptable financial documents include:
Statement from the bank signed by agent or bank stamp/seal or
Letter written from bank with the amount clearly indicated in U.S. dollars
Checking, savings, or certificate of deposit statements
Scholarship letters
Letters showing government funding
Copy of bio-metric page of current passport.
International Address Form. International students seeking an I-20 from the University of Houston must provide a physical address outside the United States in their home country using the International Address Form.
International transfer students must contact their current International Advisor to complete the I-20/DS-2019 Transfer Form and request for the current school to release the students SEVIS record to University of Houston-System.
Once all the required documents are uploaded, it will take up to 10 - 15 business days to process and issue an I-20.
An I-20 is either mailed to the international address of the student or the student may request to pick it up in person or through a third party. (See Options to Receive I-20 below)
Student’s that would like to pick up their I-20 from the admissions office need to fill out the Third-party release form and email it to the DSO or bring it to our office.
Once the I-20 is ready it is sent to the welcome center Admissions office and is placed in a red folder by the international counselor’s desk. The student is also notified via email.
Due to the pandemic, I-20 is currently a PDF file that is mailed to the student.
The student’s checklist on PeopleSoft will reflect all the immigration documents and completed I-20.
International students with visa types that are listed here will not require an I-20 and do not need to submit the immigration documents. However, some international students on dependent visas might need to change status to F1 visa when they turn 21 years old. The International Students and Scholar Services Office (ISSSO) helps enrolled students in such situations.
Options to Receive I-20
Options to Receive I-20
Students choose the best method to receive the I-20.
Option 1: Regular Overseas Mail
Overseas mail takes 4-6 weeks. The I-20 will be sent by regular overseas mail to the address indicated on the student's International Address Form.
Option 2: Express Mail
With this option, the student will receive the I-20 within 5 days after processing. Express mail is at the expense of the student. To select express mail:
Go to the University Express Mail Service (UEMS)
Select "Student Sign Up"
Create an account
Select the University of Houston as your school and the Office of Admissions as the department
Enter mailing, payment, and myUH ID
Option 3: Pick Up
Student I-20’s will be available for pick-up upon receipt of the I-20 Release Form. A confirmation e-mail for pick-up will be sent in 5-7 business days from the date the release form is submitted.
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