• A copy of your passport biographical page (begins with your picture and ends with the passport expiration date; usually on the same page). If your passport has been renewed, make sure you include the validation extension pages.
• Copies of prior or current I-20s, DS-2019s, or IAP-66s, I-94, visas and EAD cards (required ONLY if you have previously studied in the U.S).
• Supporting financial documents translated into English (translations need not be certified). Documents should be current—not more than four months old in any case. If you submit original financial documents via mail, they will be returned to you in the mail with your I-20 or DS-2019.
• A copy of your official Letter of Admission to The New School. Do not send the original letter; you will have to present the original document at your visa interview.

International Student Services accepts documents via email (iss@newschool.edu), fax (212.229.8992) or courier/post (79 Fifth Avenue, 5th floor, New York, NY 10003). Mailing documents by post may delay processing. If your email documents, please make sure your files are clearly scanned (PDF preferred but JPEG scans are accepted). Do not send photographs.

You will receive an email from ISS confirming receipt of your I-20/DS-2019 application; you can also check the status of your application online. Once we have received your application and all the supporting documents, we will issue the I-20/DS-2019 within 10 business days. Be sure to complete the Eship Global Form so we can send your documents via FedEx. Send an email to iss@newschool.edu if you have any questions or concerns.

Even if you already have an I-20 or DS-2019 document from another school in the United States, you must obtain a separate I-20 or DS-2019 from the The New School as described above. In addition to the supporting documents described above, you must also print out the "Transfer Certification" from the online application form and give it to the international students office at your current school so they can transfer your SEVIS record to The New School. You must applypor a New School I-20 or DS-2019 no later than 15 days after beginning classes here.

If you are a non-immigrant alien entering the United States under any student status, the U.S. government requires you to pay the SEVIS fee. At the time this web page was updated, the F-1 SEVIS fee was $200 and the J-1 SEVIS fee was $180. These fees are subject to change. Citizens of all countries entering the United States as students must pay the SEVIS fee, including citizens of Canada and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. The SEVIS fee is payable online by credit or debit card or by international money order or by a check drawn on a financial institution in the United States and payable in United States currency. Be sure to pay the SEVIS fee before you enter the U.S. or visit a U.S. consulate or embassy to apply for a visa. You can learn more about the SEVIS fee and pay it online and print a receipt by going to www.fmjfee.com.

After you receive the I-20 or DS-2019 document, go to a U.S. consulate or embassy office in your home country and apply for an F–1 Student or J–1 Exchange Visitor visa to enter the United States. The application process varies from country to country and can take from one day to many weeks, so please plan ahead. You must take the following documents with you to the consulate or embassy:

• Signed and dated original Form I-20 or DS-2019
• Your original letter of acceptance from The New School (not a copy)
• Valid passport
• Original or certified copies of financial documents (with translations, if necessary)
• Proof of ties to your home country (this is critical for a successful visa application; see below for more information.)
• Proof of SEVIS fee payment, if necessary (See SEVIS fee section below.)

You will be required to present original visa interview documents to a U.S. immigration official when you arrive in the United States. These documents are valuable. Never put these or other travel documents in your checked luggage.

Ties to your home country are facts that are perceived to give you strong reasons to return from the United States after you have finished your studies. Anyone applying to enter the U.S. to attend school must be able to show strong ties to their home country with official documents. For example

• If your family owns a business, bring letters from the bank describing the business and/or documents showing that the business is registered and truly owned by your family.
• If your family owns property, bring deeds or or other documents proving ownership.
• If you and your family have previously visited the U.S., bring your passport—even if it's an old one—to demonstrate that you have been issued visas in the past and visited the U.S. and, after every visit, you returned to your home country.
• If you belong to a professional organization in your home country, bring proof of your membership.
• If you have the prospect of a job in your home country, get a letter from the company stating that you will be considered for a job upon your return or that they often hire workers with the kind of education you are seeking.

Citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not a visa to enter the United States, but they do need the Form I-20 or DS-2019 if they are coming here to attend school. They must pay the SEVIS fee prior to arrival. At the U.S. port of entry, they must present proof of identity and citizenship. Since January 1, 2008, Canadians have been required to have a valid passport to enter the U.S.; they will be issued an I-94 card and corresponding status. Refer to the visa application checklist above to prepare for interviews at the port of entry. See more detailed information online.

If you are denied a visa, you will receive a formal notice from the U.S. immigration authorities explaining the reason for denial and offering you the option to apply again with new information. If this happens, please contact New School ISS immediately and fax or email a copy of the denial notice so that we can make recommendations about your documentation in case you wish to reapply.