I-20 Information Packet

I-20 Information Packet Students Beginning Study in an Academic or Bridge Program I-20 APPLICATION INFORMATION This information is designed for students who must obtain F-1 Student Immigration Status or who must transfer their current F-1 Student Immigration Status to MCPHS University. Please read the following information very carefully to ensure a smooth I-20 application process and ensure your legal ability to study in the U.S. Some common statuses include: B1/B2/WB/WT Visitor Status prohibits full time study or enrollment in a degree program. F-2 Dependent Status allows for enrollment in a degree program, but prohibits full-time study or work authorization. H-4 Dependent Status allows for enrollment in a degree program and full-time study, but typically prohibits work authorization. J-2 Dependent Status allows for enrollment in a degree program and full-time study, but prohibits work authorization without first obtaining an Employment Authorization Document from the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service. J-2 Dependent students will need to consult with their program sponsor in this regard. If your current Immigration Status does not permit you to achieve your goals, you may be required to change your Immigration Status. Please contact the International Admission Office at +1.617.732.2188 or email us at [email protected]. Z:\Immigration\I-20 Info packs\I-20 Information Packet 2020-2021 DRAFT - 2020.03.20.v.2.docx 2 | P a g e The Form I-20 The Form I-20 reflects your biographical and academic program information as reflected in the student record that we will create for you in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). You, the student, are responsible for completing the Electronic Form I-20 Application that we use to create your Form I-20. Please thoroughly read the entirety of this I-20 Information Packet before starting your I-20 application. The Electronic I-20 Application does not save your progress; this means you must complete the form and submit it all in one sitting. The Electronic I-20 Application is accessible at www.mcphs.edu/I-20application. Documentation required from all students who must obtain F-1 Student Immigration Status and those who need to transfer their current F-1 Status to MCPHS University: Electronic Form I-20 Application. It is very important that you provide us with your name exactly as it appears in your passport. Copy of the biographical page(s) of your passport Proof of available funds to finance your education. You may refer to the Funding your Education section of this document for more details. If Dependent Spouses or Children* will be joining you in the U.S., please clearly list all dependents on your Electronic Form I-20 Application: A copy of the biographical page(s) of each dependent’s passport *Only the spouse and unmarried, minor children (under the age of 21) of an F-1 student are eligible to enter the U.S. in F-2 Dependent status. Each dependent must receive his/her own Form I-20 to obtain a Dependent visa Additional documentation required for students who must transfer their current F-1 Status from another US school to MCPHS University: Notice of SEVIS Record Transfer to MCPHS form, completed by a Designated School Official (DSO) at your current school. Copies of every I-20 ever issued to you by your current and any other previous institution I-94 Admission Document F-1 Visa affixed to your passport Copies of any I-797 Approval Notices reflecting a change to F-1 Status within the U.S. (if applicable) Port of Entry Stamp If you are currently on OPT, a copy of your Employment Authorization Document If you are already maintaining valid F-1 Status in the U.S., a DSO at your current school (including high school, an English language school, or another college/university) will need to transfer your existing SEVIS Record to MCPHS before your program starts. MCPHS will then issue you a new “Transfer Pending” I-20 that reflects your intention to begin classes here. Since you do not require a new SEVIS Record, you are not required to pay another I-901 SEVIS Fee. Students who are issued a “Transfer Pending” I-20 must, by regulation, check-in with the Immigration Services Office and obtain an updated “Continued Attendance” I-20 within 15 days of the Program Start Date listed on your “Transfer Pending” I-20. Failure to check-in and complete your SEVIS Record transfer by this deadline jeopardizes your immigration record and your ability to legally remain in the U.S. Z:\Immigration\I-20 Info packs\I-20 Information Packet 2020-2021 DRAFT - 2020.03.20.v.2.docx 3 | P a g e FUNDING YOUR EDUCATION MCPHS University is required by U.S. government regulations to check the availability of adequate funding for your tuition, fees, and living expenses for the duration of your studies at MCPHS University in order to issue a Form I-20. It is strongly recommended that you request multiple copies of the documentation listed below to submit at the point of visa application and to retain for your records. Please refer to the I-20 Total Estimated Annual Budget for financial estimates. Your funding can be personal (your own money), from another individual (like from a family member or a friend), a third-party organization (like your home government or the Fulbright program), or MCPHS University (a scholarship or assistantship). All funds must be guaranteed for payment or available for immediate withdrawal. Please provide official financial documentation appropriate to your funding type as described below. Please note that additional funding must be provided for any accompanying dependent for which a Dependent document will be issued. Dependents are defined as a spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21. If you will receive a financial award from MCPHS University, please provide a copy of your Award Letter. Please note that you may not need to provide additional financial documentation if the award meets or exceeds the estimate of expenses for your program. If you are going to be financially sponsored by your home government, an organization, a company, etc., then you will need to provide a signed Letter of Sponsorship or Financial Guarantee from that organization. The document must be written on official letterhead and must state: That the funding is specifically for your studies at MCPHS University. Exactly which expenses will be covered (tuition, academic fees, living expenses, health insurance, etc.) The length of the financial support The date of issuance or the date the letter was generated If you will be funded by a bank loan, you must submit an official certification letter from the lending institution indicating the specific amount for which you have been guaranteed. If you will be funded by yourself or by another individual, you will need to submit an official bank statement or a bank letter. The document must be written in English and must display ALL of the following information: The account statement date or the date the letter is generated (NOTE: the statement cannot be older than 6 months); The account holder's full name; The account number; The account type (e.g. savings, checking etc.). NOTE: as stated above, the account must be made up of accessible funds/liquid assets. Certain investment accounts such as stocks, salary documents, property holdings, etc. DO NOT reflect available funds and will not be accepted; The monetary denomination of the funds in the account (e.g. USD, EUR, MXN, JPY, CNY, etc.); The "Current Available Balance" of the account (i.e. the amount available for immediate withdrawal); If the account statement is in someone else’s name, that person will need to complete and sign a Financial Sponsorship Certification. Z:\Immigration\I-20 Info packs\I-20 Information Packet 2020-2021 DRAFT - 2020.03.20.v.2.docx 4 | P a g e SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTATION Please submit all I-20 application documents by logging into your MCPHS Application Portal and uploading them. PLEASE NOTE: When submitting your documents, it is very important that you provide us with your seven-digit MCPHS Student ID Number and your full name. If you are sending documents as an email attachment, you must send each requirement as a separate, individual attachment. Do NOT send the requirements as one PDF. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or concerns at +1.617.732.2188 or send us an email at [email protected]. Z:\Immigration\I-20 Info packs\I-20 Information Packet 2020-2021 DRAFT - 2020.03.20.v.2.docx 5 | P a g e Financial Sponsorship Certification Student’s Name: Family/Last Name(s) Given Name(s) MCPHS ID Number: M Sponsor’s Name: Family/Last Name(s) Given Name(s) Sponsor’s Relationship To Student: (e.g. parent, spouse, friend) This certifies that I, , am willing and Sponsor’s printed name able to financially support the above name student (and his/her family, if applicable), for tuition, academic fees, and living expenses in the amount1 of (U.S. $) throughout the duration of his/her studies at MCPHS University2. Official documentation of available funds for at least the first year of enrollment or extension3 (written in or professionally translated into English) is submitted alongside this Financial Sponsorship Certification4. It is the student’s responsibility to document availability of additional funding, if required. Sponsor’s Signature: Signature Date: 1 See I-20 Academic Program Estimated Budgets for minimum expense figures.

Load more