Important Visa Information

Because of your non-immigrant status, you are required to obtain an appropriate visa status that allows you to enroll at WashU. Please follow the appropriate procedures below for your status type.  

If you a) are outside the United States and plan to come to WashU on an F-1 student visa, b) currently hold an F-1 status, or c) intend to change to an F-1 status: 

• Current U.S. immigration regulations require certification of admission to WashU and satisfactory evidence of available funds to finance your proposed program of study. Financial certification must cover at least the first year of your proposed program—a minimum of $98,110 for 2023-24 (you may subtract the amount of any scholarship or financial aid you have received from WashU) for tuition and living expenses. 

• This amount must be in the form of a bank statement. Statements that are not in U.S. dollars should be submitted with a copy of the currency conversion so we can ensure that the amount of funds are sufficient. The “Affidavit of Financial Support” form outlines the type of certification required. Note: Because some U.S. consular officials ask to see students’ financial certification, we suggest that you keep the originals of your financial documents, to use when applying for the visa. 

If you are currently in the United States: Please complete the online New Undergraduate Student Status Form (under Step 2). This information must be provided to the Office for International Students and Scholars before any visa document can be issued.  

If you previously attended a college program for high school students in the US on an F-1 status during a summer: When the summer program was complete, the university had to complete your SEVIS record to report that you were no longer attending that university. To attend WashU, we will need to issue you a new I-20 and you will be given a new SEVIS ID. A new SEVIS fee payment is required for your program at WashU. You may use your previous F-1 visa, if the dates are still valid, along with the new WashU I-20 to enter the U.S. You do not need to apply for a new visa. Please provide the documentation listed above for your I-20 issuance.    

If your visa status is dependent on your parents or guardian (e.g., H-4, L-2, A-4): If you currently have F-2 status, you are required to change to F-1 status as it is not legal for you to be a full-time, degree-seeking student on an F-2. If you are on another status than F-2, we assume that you will continue to stay in the U.S. on the visa that you presently hold. If you decide to enroll at WashU and will be changing to an F-1 student visa, please follow the procedure above.  

If your sponsoring agency requires you to be on a J-1 exchange visitor visa: Please contact our office for information on the procedures to obtain the J-1. Your sponsoring agency will need to provide a statement of sponsorship that states the name of the student, affirms the sponsorship is for study at WashU, details what expenses are being covered, states the dollar amount of the funding for living expenses (if applicable), provides the length and dates of sponsorship, and states the field of study (if applicable).  

If you have another type of visa status: Please contact our office and we will explain the necessary procedures. Please note: International students are not allowed to enter the United States on a tourist (B-2) visa when arriving to begin university studies. It is not legal to study in a degree program on a tourist visa.   

If you are in the process of obtaining or have applied for permanent residence: We are not requesting financial certification from you for the purpose of obtaining a visa. However, if you decide to accept our offer of admission and do not receive your green card showing your alien registration number (an eight-digit number preceded by the letter “A”) by the time of your high school graduation, please inform us and we will explain the necessary procedures.  

Upon receipt of the enrollment deposit and financial certification verifying the availability of sufficient funds for the initial year at WashU, we will issue the appropriate visa eligibility certificate (Form I-20). This document cannot be completed until both of these items have been received.

If you have already submitted your financial certification, upon receipt of your enrollment and housing deposit, we will begin processing the appropriate visa eligibility certificate (Form I-20), if you will be on an F-1.   

If you are unsure whether WashU has received your financial certification, please contact your Admissions Services Coordinator immediately. 

MyOISS

MyOISS is a technology platform used by WashU’s Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) to assist and interact with F-1 and J-1 students throughout their time as a student at WashU and beyond. MyOISS is the primary tool you will use to request and access immigration documents and to maintain your immigration status while under sponsorship of WashU. This platform is essential for managing your immigration documents, creating requests with OISS and reporting required immigration information to the U.S. government. It will also help you navigate university policies and federal regulations related to your F or J student immigration status.