A Form I-20 is the certificate of eligibility issued by a Designated School Official (DSO) at the school where you wish to enroll. It shows that you have been admitted to an F-1-approved school and provides information about your program and dates of study.

A completed application form that includes:

Copy of valid passport

• Valid passport is required for each dependent (if applicable)
• You must have a passport that is valid for travel to the United States. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements).

Proof of financial support | Bank statement

• The U.S. government requires you to demonstrate that you have sufficient financial resources to cover your tuition, fees and living expenses while you are studying in the United States and enough money to support all dependents.
• Your financial statement and certification must be in English and dated within 90 days of your application.
• You must demonstrate your funding by providing the following:
  
  • Personal or Family Funding
    If someone else is providing proof of financial support, please clearly indicate your relationship to this person and ensure he/she/they signs where indicated.
    
  • Upload a copy of a bank statement.
    The bank statement should show an excess of the total fees and estimated expenses as described in the Certificate and Costs page and application form. This should not be a list of transactions. This document should show available funds that can be converted into cash in a short time with little or no loss in value. No cryptocurrency, stocks, bonds, or real estate statements are acceptable.
    
  • Scholarship or Institutional Funding
    If you are receiving funding from your school or another organization, upload a letter from the organization on official business letterhead that includes a signature showing your name, the amount and length of support.

We process I-20 requests in the order in which they are submitted and are complete. We aim to send your I-20 to you within 3-5 business days of your completed application and payment of the application fee. You will receive an email to your preferred email account when your I-20 is ready.

You will receive an email to your preferred email account when your I-20 is ready with the I-20 as an attachment

SEVIS is a web-based system for maintaining information on international nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors in the United States. Extension has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to accept F-1 students. We are required to report the following information through SEVIS:

• Your name*
• Date of birth*
• Country of citizenship*
• Foreign address
• U.S. address
• Email address
• Phone number

*Schools are required to report this information for all dependents in the U.S. as well.

U.S. schools are also required to notify SEVIS if:

• there is a change in your U.S. address.
• there is a change in your present full-time status.
• you withdraw from school or stop attending courses.
• you fail to maintain full-time status.

The I-901 SEVIS fee is a $350 fee that all international students are required to pay. This fee helps fund the Student and Exchange Visitor Program that makes it possible for international students to pursue their studies in the United States. Please remember that this fee is separate from any visa fees charged by an embassy or consulate and school fees charged by the university.

• Newly admitted students with an "Initial Attendance" Form I-20
• Newly admitted students with an "Initial Attendance" Form I-20 who are applying for a change to F-1 status from another visa category
• F-1 students in the U.S. filing for reinstatement if they have been out of status for more than five months

Note: F-2 dependents do not have to pay the SEVIS fee.

As a prospective F-1 student, regulation requires that you pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State will issue you a visa. To pay the fee with a credit card, log on to FMJfee.com and complete the form. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20. Be sure to print a copy of the online receipt and bring it to your visa interview.

If you are transferring schools, extending your program, applying for an F-2 dependent visa, or have paid the SEVIS fee within the last 12 months, you do not need to pay the SEVIS fee.

Study in the States has a helpful I-901 SEVIS fee payment video.

To apply for an F-1 student visa, start by locating your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Visit USEmbassy.gov to search for embassy locations in your home country. If you click on the embassy that you would like to visit, you will be directed to that embassy's services.

Complete the Form DS-160 by following the instructions listed on the website. Answer all of the questions listed on the form to the best of your abilities. The Form DS-160 is used for many different kinds of visa applications, so be aware that some of the questions may not be relevant to you and your purposes for coming to the U.S.

10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Student Visa

Make sure that your answers are clear and concise since visa interviews can be very brief. During your interview, remain calm and answer all the consular officer's questions openly and honestly.

Consular officers do security checks for all visa applicants. They do special security clearances for some applicants as required by law. Students who study scientific and technical subjects are subject to additional background checks. These clearances may take several weeks or longer. Be sure to make your visa appointment well in advance of your intended travel.

If your F-1 visa application is denied, you will receive a formal notification in the mail. Email us right away and attach this notification so we can best advise you on next steps.

Other Interview Resources

• EducationUSA
• US Embassy or Consulate

Per federal regulations, B-1 and B-2 nonimmigrants (i.e., visitors who are in the United States for business and pleasure purposes) are prohibited from enrolling in a course of study at a U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school. To enroll in one of our full-time programs, you must either obtain an F-1 nonimmigrant visa from a consular officer abroad and seek readmission to the U.S., or apply to one of our international programs online and request a change of status.

• Carry copies the following documents during your trip:
• Signed Form I-20
• Passport and F-1 visa
• Paper receipt for the SEVIS fee payment (Form I-901)
• The name and contact information of your designated school official

And, remember, new students are allowed to enter the United States no more than 30 days before the program start date listed on the their I-20.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) gathers all travelers' arrival/departure information.

The I-94 is an online record of your arrival/departure to/from the U.S. and indicates on which visa you were admitted to the U.S. You can find your most recent I-94 after you arrive in the U.S. from the CBP I-94 website. The I-94 is used to verify immigration status, report your arrival to your school, apply for a driver's license, and other uses.

It is good to maintain a printed copy of your I-94.

Duration of Status on your I-94 should be listed as “D/S”. An F-1 student is admitted to the U.S. for a period known as "Duration of Status," which is recorded on your entry documents I-94 and I-20 with the notation "D/S." Duration of Status refers to the period a student is pursuing a full course of study, plus any authorized practical training following completion.

You should be fully aware of all F-1 regulations and it is your responsibility to maintain your F-1 nonimmigrant status while you are in the U.S. Please carefully read page 3 of your I-20; note that violation of any of these conditions could lead to serious consequences. The International Department is here and available to help you understand the various F-1 regulations that affect you. If you have any questions about your visa or status, please make an appointment with an international student advisor.

• You must be a full-time student.
• You must report any address change (permanent, overseas and/or U.S.) to UCSC Silicon Valley Extension within 10 days.
• If you are transferring from another school, you must complete the transfer procedure within 15 days of the program start date noted on your Form I-20.
• You are not permitted to accept employment off campus without prior authorization.
• You must leave the U.S. or take action before the end of your 60-day grace period.

As an F-1 student, you are granted a 60-day grace period after your program end date, during which you are allowed to remain in the U.S. During your grace period, you may do any one of the following options:

• Travel within the U.S.
• Transfer to another U.S. school
• Prepare for departure from the U.S.

If you are unable to depart the U.S. within your 60-day grace period, please contact your international student advisor.

All F-1 students must maintain a full-course load while in the U.S. UCSC Silicon Valley Extension defines a full-course load as a minimum of 12 units per quarter. Generally, students may enroll in a maximum of one online course (up to three units) as part of their full-time requirement.

Students who are unable to maintain a full course load may be able to request a reduced course load due to medical or certain academic reasons. Students must obtain approval from the international student advisor for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) before dropping below full-time academic status.

An F-1 student who is unable to complete their program before the completion date on the Form I-20 may request an extension. Students must have continually maintained status and making progress toward completing their academic program.

Delays cause by academic probation or financial holds will need to meet with the international student advisor to lay out an academic plan and provide sufficient proof that the student has resolved the financial hardship and can pay the tuition fees for each consecutive quarter requested.

You must request the program extension PRIOR to the program end date listed on the form I-20, one month to two weeks before is preferred.

When transferring between schools, F-1 students must have maintained their F-1 status.

F-1 students who wish to transfer to UCSC Silicon Valley Extension from another U.S. school, college or university will need to:

1. Apply and be admitted to UCSC Silicon Valley Extension.
2. Once admitted, contact the international student advisor at your current school to fill out the Transfer Form (form will be sent upon admission) and arrange for the release of the SEVIS record.
3. Instruct the DSO/International Student Advisor to release and transfer out your SEVIS record to UCSC Silicon Valley Extension after confirming your full-time F-1 status
   1. SEVIS School Code: University of California Extension, Santa Cruz SFR214F01698000
4. Our International Department will process your transfer in and issue an I-20 to you.

Transfer from UCSC Silicon Valley Extension to another U.S. school, please notify the International Department at extensioninternational@ucsc.edu with your intent to transfer. Provide the following information in the email:

1. Name of the school you wish to transfer to.
2. Date you wish your SEVIS record to be released to the new school.
3. Proof of acceptance to the new school.

Although you may be applying to multiple new schools, we can only transfer your SEVIS record to ONE school. Once your SEVIS record is transferred out, we will not longer have access to your record. If you change your mind and wish to attend a different school, you must work with the school that receives your SEVIS record.

With approval from the internship coordinator, international students pursuing a certificate program can qualify for an unpaid internship and earn credit during their studies.

• Earn 3.0 units towards maintaining your F-1 status. Internship units cannot apply towards a certificate.
• Internship has to be related to your certificate program.
• Minimum 90 hours in the quarter, but no more than 200 hours.
• $200 enrollment fee per quarter.
• Complete an evaluation form at the end of each quarter to report your internship experience.

OPT is work that is directly related to an F-1 student's major area of study. It is intended to provide students with practical experience in their field of study upon completion of a program.

An F-1 student must meet these basic requirements:

• Lawful enrollment on a full-time basis for one full academic year
• Successful completion of the course of study
• Receive a certificate from their course of study

Eligible UCSC Extension students may apply and be authorized for a maximum of 12 months of post-completion OPT. If you previously received post-completion OPT training  after completing an U.S. bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree then you are not eligible to apply for OPT again after completing your certificate program.

A student may be authorized for a maximum of 12 months of practical training and may become eligible for another 12 months of practical training when he/she changes to a higher educational level.

Note that only post-completion OPT is available to international students enrolled at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension. We offer a workshop every quarter for students who are interested and eligible to apply for OPT.

No, generally, our students are not eligible for an OPT extension. Only students who are eligible for a two-year STEM OPT extension can apply for an OPT extension based on the following criteria:

1. The student received a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree in the United States;
2. The student's employer is enrolled in E-Verify; and
3. The student has received an initial grant of post-completion OPT related to such a degree.