Admitted F-1/J-1 Students
Getting Your I-20 / DS-2019
Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Maryland, College Park!
VIEW THE NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CHECKLIST
To apply for your nonimmigrant student or scholar (F-1 or J-1) visa, you will need an I-20 or DS-2019 “Certificate of Eligibility” Form from the University of Maryland. When you have gathered your documents, log into UMD’s iTerp system to complete your I-20/DS-2019 checklist.
You should keep in mind that it may take up to two weeks to receive your 1-20/DS-2019 Form once you submit your checklist. You will then need to apply for your U.S. visa.
For the Fall Semester, we recommend submitting your checklist no later than June 1st.
For the Spring Semester, we recommend submitting your checklist no later than November 1st.
Steps for studying with F1/J1 status
- Access iTerp and apply for immigration documents
- Pay 901 Fee
- Apply for your visa
- Attend ISSS pre arrival workshops/webinars to gain knowledge
- Submit arrival confirmation in iTerp
- Complete F1/J1 immigration video review in iTerp
- Arrive to the US and complete F1/J1 documents check in iTerp
- Attend campus orientation(s)
A scan or photo of your passport photo page
The page includes your photo, date of birth, full name, passport number, issue date and location. Be sure the scan/photo of the page is clear and includes all the information contained on the page, including the machine-readable area.
If you plan to bring your spouse and/or dependent children, you will need a scan of each of their passport photo pages too.
After you click "Submit" on your I-20/DS-2019 checklist in iTerp, iTerp notifies us that it is ready for review. Depending on the time of year, the ISSS office may be reviewing upwards of 200 applications per day. During this busy time, it may take up to two weeks to generate an I-20/DS-2019 when there are no issues with your application.
Once we review your checklist, it will take one of two paths:
- If there is an issue, we will mark that part of your checklist "Draft." You will receive an email explaining what you need to address. Once you have made the corrections, you will resubmit.
- If there are no issues, iTerp forwards your I-20/DS-2019 checklist to the U.S. government for processing. Processing can take at least 24 hours. Once your I-20/DS-2019 Form is available, we will be able to review, sign and distribute your I-20/DS-2019 Form.
Once we generate your immigration form, we will send you an email. Students receiving an I-20/DS-2019 will receive the document attached to the email.
If you are unable to locate your I-20 please ensure that you have gained access to your UMD email address as it may have been sent there, instructions here.
If you are applying for an F-1 or J-1 visa, you must pay the U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee. You will need the information listed on your I-20 or DS-2019 Form to complete payment. You should only pay the SEVIS fee once and apply for your visa with the I-20/DS-2019 of the school you plan to attend.
We recommend you pay the fee at least three business days before your scheduled visa interview as you will need to present the receipt to the consular officer. You can pay with a credit card or by Western Union Quick Pay using Form I-901. Be sure to print the electronic receipt immediately upon payment.
F-1 students pay $350 while J-1 Exchange Visitors pay $220. The fee is non-refundable, even if your visa application is denied.
Spouses and dependent children are not required to pay the fee.