F-1 Status to Study
FORM I-20 is a document issued to accepted students by Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools that indicates a student's primary purpose for coming to the United States. Jefferson's Center City Campus issues I-20s for full-time, on-campus degree programs.
Newly admitted students would receive an invitation from Jefferson's International Services Portal to complete their profile and to request their I-20 for F-1 student status. Once you receive an email from the International Services Portal, you will use your Jefferson Campus Key to log in and submit the required documents for I-20 processing.
After submitting the required documents, I-20 processing times are within two weeks. Please plan accordingly, especially if you need to obtain a visa and travel to the U.S. Failure to provide the Office of International Affairs with all the required information and documentation will result in significant processing delays.
Financial Documentation for I-20
One important requirement to issue your I-20 is proof of finances for one academic year. Tuition and Fees vary from program to program and from year to year. However, fixed costs such as living expenses and student health insurance do not change despite your living situation or if you waive out of Jefferson's health insurance.
Proof of finances should meet the following criteria:
- Proof can come in the form of bank statements (within 3 months), a bank letter, scholarship award letter or approved loan.
- If submitting a bank letter on letterhead, the letter must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation.
- Funds must be liquid assets (easily cashed - i.e., money market account, certificate of deposit, etc.) available to you for at least your first year of study at Jefferson (value of jewelry or other non-liquid, non-renewable assets cannot be counted as appropriate sources of funding)
- Non-Canadians will need to show original financial documents to the U.S. Consular official when applying for your visa.
Prospective Student Outside the U.S. and In Need of an F-1 Visa
You must obtain an I-20 before you apply for the F-1 visa at a U.S. consulate. Since U.S. consulates are recently experiencing a high volume of visa applications and may have limited visa appointments, it is essential to submit your documents for I-20 processing well in advance.
If you are a Canadian citizen, you do not require an F-1 visa, but you must still pay the SEVIS fee and prove non-immigrant intent at the border.
F-1 Students at Another U.S. College Transferring to Jefferson
Contact your current International Student Advisor about the best time to release your SEVIS record to Jefferson. The Office of International Affairs cannot provide you with an I-20 unless the SEVIS record is released to Jefferson and all required documents are submitted.
Visa Status Change to F-1
Contact the Office of International Affairs at oia@jefferson.edu for guidance on how to change your immigration status. Timing and additional documents will differ depending on your current status (H-1B, H-4, B-1, J-1, etc.).