Receive your Certificate of Eligibility
Once you have successfully completed your financial review, Ohio State will issue your Certificate of Eligibility (form I-20 for the F-1 Student Visa, or form DS-2019 for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa) with your notice of admission. You’ll need to download this document: Watch your email for instructions from the Office of International Affairs. If your document contains any errors or you encounter difficulties with the download, please email Graduate and Professional Admissions.
You will be required to pay a SEVIS fee as part of the visa application process. You will need to have the receipt from this fee payment when you visit the embassy to obtain your visa — read more about that below.
Please keep copies of all financial documents to present to the U.S. consulate when applying for your visa.
If you are already in the United States and are uncertain of how to proceed, please contact Graduate and Professional Admissions. If you do not need an I-20 or DS-2019, state your status on the application.
Apply for your student visa
If you need a student visa (F-1 or J-1) to study at Ohio State and …
… you are currently attending an institution in the United States:
Your SEVIS International Student Transfer-in eForm will be emailed to you after successful completion of your financial review. Ohio State will instruct you to download your visa eligibility document — I-20 (for the F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for the J-1 visa) — after your SEVIS record is released from your previous school.
- If you will be traveling outside the United States prior to the start of classes, you must contact the Office of International Affairs to receive your new document prior to re-entering the United States.
- If you are staying in the United States between programs, you may pick up your document when you attend check-in with OIA.
Please follow the instructions in the SEVIS Transfer Information email and Transfer-in eForm to ensure you receive your visa eligibility document at the appropriate time. Read “Important visa issues” below.
… you are currently attending Ohio State in another program:
After successful completion of your financial review, an OSU Level Change Form will be sent to our Office of International Affairs. Ohio State will instruct you to download your visa eligibility document — I-20 (for the F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for the J-1 visa) — prior to the start of your new program. If you will be traveling outside the United States prior to the start of your new educational level, you must contact OIA to receive your new document prior to re-entering the United States. Read “Important visa issues” below.
… you are currently outside of the United States:
Ohio State will instruct you to download your visa eligibility document — I-20 (for the F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for the J-1 visa) — after successful completion of your financial review. You will need to make an appointment with the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy to apply for a visa. Read “Important visa issues” below.
To obtain a visa, take the following documents to a U.S. consulate:
- passport (valid for at least six months into the future)
- I-20 (for F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for J-1 visa)
- proof of financial support (Visa Request Form containing private sponsor's agreement of support and bank statement, or support letter from academic department, or letter from sponsoring agency or government); documentation should be less than a year old and should match the funding stated on your I-20 or DS-2019
- proof of additional funding for family members who will enter the U.S. on the F-2 or J-2 visa, and marriage or birth certificates of family members applying for the F-2 or J-2 visa (accompanying family members need their own I-20 or DS-2019 in order to get a visa and enter the U.S.)
- receipt for payment of the I-901 SEVIS fee; for more information, visit OIA's SEVIS Fee page.
- your Ohio State notice of admission
Note for Canadian citizens: Canadian citizens do not need a U.S. visa. At the port of entry you will be asked to show your I-20 or DS-2019, Canadian passport, receipt of SEVIS payment, and proof of financial support. Please make sure your passport is correctly stamped with "F-1" or "J-1" and "D/S" upon entry.
Important visa issues
- In addition to the documentation listed above, you will need to demonstrate to the U.S. consular officer that you have a home address which you do not intend to abandon, that you have substantial ties to your home country, and that you will return there when you’ve completed your studies.
- The J-1 visa often has a two-year home residency requirement. This requirement means that the visa holder must return to his or her home country for two years after completing the exchange visitor program.
- Plan to enter the U.S. on the F-1 or J-1 visa. Those entering the U.S. on the visa waiver program cannot change status in the U.S.
- Apply for your F-1 or J-1 visa using the I-20 or DS-2019 for the university in which you intend to enroll. If you have been admitted and received an I-20 or DS-2019 from a university other than Ohio State, please be aware that if you apply for the visa and enter the U.S. on that school’s documents, you will be required to report to that school.
Information on U.S. consulate policies, procedures, requirements and visa wait times can be found at the U.S. Department of State website: travel.state.gov. Get more visa information: Office of International Affairs Visa Information page.
