New Student Information

    Dear New International Student,two people shaking hands in front of a world globe

    Congratulations on being accepted to BYU! We welcome you as one of over 2,100 international students on campus.

    We at International Services look forward to meeting and working with you to help make your educational experience at BYU pleasant and successful.

    As you embark on this exciting educational adventure, please take some time to become familiar with the information in this section of our Website and take advantage of the resources listed here.

    It is vital to your beginning and continued success that you get started here having made informed and wise decisions.

    • Pre Arrival
    • Upon Arrival
    • Horizon Newsletter for Students
     


    new students

     

    Both before and after arriving at BYU you will likely have many questions regarding the campus, your program of studies, living conditions and a whole host of other things related to arriving at a new place and becoming a student here.

    Below are answers to the most common pre-arrival questions, but we realize that we can not anticipate every situation or question that you might have. Feel free to contact us for assistance.

    • SEVIS Fee. Pay the required SEVIS fee; keep your proof of payment with your immigration papers. more
    • VISA. After receiving either a Form I-20 for Fs or a Form DS-2019 for Js from BYU, you must obtain from a U.S. embassy or consulate in your country list a visa to enter the United States.
      • Make sure that you use BYU's Form I-20 or DS-2019 when you apply for your visa and when you enter the U.S.
      • Be certain to apply for either a F or J visa; B-2 visitor/tourist visas are not for students and will not allow you to study.
      • If you are a Canadian citizen entering the U.S. from within the Western Hemisphere, you are not required to have a passport or visa, but you must show your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 and proof of Canadian citizenship.
      • applying for a visa and other detailed visa information
      • Visa Appointment Strategies
      • more

    • Register for Your Classes
      • It is important that you resigter for your classes.
      • Advisement is available from your major department or the University Advisement Center.

    • Passport
      • You must have a passport valid at least six months into the future from the time you plan to enter the U.S.; contact your government for application details.
      • Canadian citizens are presently not required to have a passport to enter the U.S. from Canada, but they must have some other recognized form of ID to enter.

    • Money
      • It is a good idea to exchange currency for U.S. dollars before your departure, but you should not travel with large amounts of cash.
      • Make arrangements to have your funds transferred and available to you in the U.S. when you arrive.

    • United States Port of Entry
      • Before you will be admitted to the United States, you will required to present your passport, visa, Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, your proof of SEVIS fee payment and your completed Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record to the Immigration inspector. We recommend that you also have your proof of finances documentation with you should you be asked for it.
      • Expect to have your index fingers scanned for fingerprint purposes and a digital photograph taken.
      • When you are admitted, the Immigration inspector should stamp your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 in red and write "F-1" or "J-1" and "D/S" before returning it to you.
      • The inspector should also stamp your Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) in red and write "F-1" or "J-1" and "D/S" indicating the date and place of admission to the United States, your immigration classification, and your authorized length of stay.
      • Most of the time, there will be no difficulty. In certain cases, if there is some problem with your documents, you may be issued a 30-day entry on your Form I-94 and issued a Form I-515, usually with instructions to see your international student advisor to resolve.
      • Before leaving the port of entry, check to make sure this information is entered upon your documents. Keep these documents in a safe and accessible place during your stay in the United States.
      • Anyone who is denied admission at the U.S. port of entry should be very cautious about arguing with an immigration official. You may risk being issued "expedited removal" which now entails a five-year bar on admission to the U.S.
      • more

    • Getting to Provo
      • You will likely arrive by air at the Salt Lake City International Airport which is 50 miles (80) kilometers) north of Provo.
      • Shuttle service is available from Express Shuttle; refer to International Horizons for a discount coupon.
      • Should you be driving to Provo, plan your route by using an on-line map service such as MapQuest.

    • Arrival Date
      • Your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 indicates your program start date; you should plan to enter the U.S. no more than 30 days before.
      • It is desirable that you arrive in time to attend New Student Orientation and check in with International Services before your classes begin.
      • Note: If your plans change, and you decide not to attend BYU, return your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 to the admitting office with a letter of explanation. If you wish to defer your admission to a later date, you must also contact the admitting office for approval.

    • Things to Bring
      • You may like to bring examples of arts, crafts, traditional dress, photographs CDs or other items descriptive of your country and culture which you might use to share your culture with others. International Services provides such opportunities. These items may also be used to decorate your new home.
      • You may want to bring items you use regularly that may not be readily available here or may be more expensive--for example, eyeglasses, cameras, watches, favorite spices, recipes etc. You may also have the opportunity to visit a duty-free port where such items may be purchased at a reduced cost.
      • Clothes. Informal dress (jeans, etc.) is usually common on campus, but there will be some occasions when you will want wear suits and ties, dresses or your country's native clothing.
      • There are many other items that you could bring, but realizing that space is limited, you may purchase all of what you will need for your living accommodations and studies in America, including a winter coat, computer and other electrical items.
      • more

    • Other Helpful Information

       

     

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