Pay SEVIS fee and obtain your visa
A valid student visa is required for entry to the U.S. ?(Note: Canadian citizens do not require a visa, but must pay the SEVIS fee prior to entering the US).
Before applying for the visa, you must pay the SEVIS Fee.
The easiest way to pay the fee is online. If you are outside the U.S. and do not already have a valid student visa, you must apply for one at the nearest U.S. Consulate. View http://usembassy.state.gov for information about your consulate's process for non-immigrant visa applications and to download the visa application forms.
When you apply for your visa, you will need to show your valid passport, DS-2019 form, proof of sufficient funds available to meet all expenses, and proof that you have paid the SEVIS fee.
You will receive an I-94 (small white card) on the airplane that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official will staple into your passport next to your visa. Please safeguard your I-94; you will need this document to prove your legal status in the U.S. When you enter the U.S., you will present your valid visa and DS-2019 to the DHS official. Canadian citizens must present the DS-2019, financial documentation, and proof of SEVIS payment.
The Home-Country Residence Requirement
After studying abroad in the United States, some J-1 exchange students will be required to remain in their home country for two years before they are allowed to return to the US. (This is so the student’s country might benefit from the exchange experiences.) Not all exchange visitors are subject to this requirement. If you have questions about the requirement, ask the consular officer when you apply for your visa. The “annotations” section on the visa stamp in your passport will tell you whether or not the requirement applies to you.
Legal Requirements: Full Course of Study
All exchange students are required to enroll on a full time basis each semester. For undergraduates, full time enrollment is equivalent to at least 12 units per semester (4 classes of 3 units each.) For graduate students, full time enrollment is at least 9 units per semester (3 classes of 3 units each.) Courses taken through the College of Extended Studies or Open University do not count toward full time status.
Financial Requirements
Students attending SDSU on exchange do not pay tuition here. However, responsibility for paying other costs varies depending on the type of exchange program (bilateral exchange, ISEP, CSU-IP.) For information about your program, check with the international exchange coordinator at your home institution or contact the Incoming Exchange Coordinator: (619) 594-0770. (Please note: CSU-IP participants are required to pay SDSU campus fees, as discussed in the previous section, "Important Notes Regarding Registration – CSU-IP Students.")
Plan to have funds readily available for your initial expenses - fees, housing, health insurance, books and miscellaneous expenses. Since bank drafts can take several weeks to clear, you will need traveler's checks or World Money Orders. Plan to have at least $2,000 available upon arrival.
You will be required to submit a financial statement verifying that you have at least US$19,300 available if you are studying for one academic year (two semesters), or US$9,650 if you are studying for one academic semester to cover the following estimated costs:
- Registration Fees: paid by exchange program
- Tuition: paid by exchange program
- Health Insurance: US$1,327 for one academic year (9 months)
- Living Expenses (Food, Housing, Books/Supplies, Personal Expenses) US$17,973 for one academic year (9 months)