Applying for the F-1 Student Visa
If you would like to apply for the F-1 student visa, then you need
to fill out the "Request for Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20)" as
well as the "Declaration and Certification of Finances" for your sponsor
to fill out.
The financial support of your sponsor (or yourself) should be documented
by a signed letter from a bank manager (or a bank statement). The
amount required to support one year of living and studying is US
$16,000. But if your host or sponsor verifies that you will have a
place to live, you only need to show $8,000. For a two-year visa, you
should double the amount of finance documented.
If you are applying from overseas, then once you are accepted into the
ESL Program at Seton Hall, the I-20 "Certificate of Eligibility" will be
issued and sent to you. You will take the I-20 and the finance documents, with the
housing verification letter, to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your country.
For more advice on immigration and applying for the F-1 visa, contact the
Office of International
Programs, Telephone (973)761-9072, FAX (973) 275-2383, Email
OIP@shu.edu.
If you already have a student visa, you can transfer it to Seton Hall after your acceptance here. You may contact your current institution and ask them to complete the transfer of visa form. They will also enable the transfer of the SEVIS I-20.
Click here for an F-1 visa application checklist.
Costs $$$$
One
semester of full-time ESL study costs $1500. THere is also a
one-time fee of $400 assessed by the OIP. For the description of
expenses at SHU, including ESLP tuition and estimated living costs, see
the OIP information sheet at
http://academic.shu.edu/oip/How%20to%20get%20your%20I-20%20Form.pdf
Note that all SHU categories are listed; look for the ESL references.
Your financial support documents are valid for one year. Before leaving the U.S., be sure to have your finance forms ready and have your I-20 signed by the OIP advisor for your re-entry. Customs officials may require them.
Change of Visa Status
If you're already in this country and wish to apply for the F-1 student visa, the application process is the same. Once the I-20 is issued, it is submitted to the USCIS (INS) Center in the U.S. with the appropriate application (Form I-539) for change of status, plus USCIS fee. The OIP will help you with the change of visa status to the F-1, from your current visa -- for example J-1, F, B-2. It is advised to begin the process of change more than 60 days before your visa is set to expire. Once the change of status application is sent off and is in process, your right to stay in the U.S. is secure. Certain restrictions are in effect regarding studying while changing from the B-2 visitor's visa.
Attendance in Full-Time Coursework
Once the F-1 student visa is issued, attendance in 12 hours per week of classes is required, beginning in the next available session or semester. Lack of attendance or disappearance from the program will cancel the F-1 visa status.
Of course, ESL courses qualify for official immigration documentation. Each semester hour of ESL coursework is the equivalent of one university credit.
For more advice on immigration and visas, contact the ESLP Office, or the Office of International Programs, Telephone (973)761-9072, FAX (973) 275-2383, Email OIP@shu.edu.