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Graduate and Professional School Students

  • Students walking in front of Baker Berry library.

    Graduate students will also participate in orientations hosted by the professional schools and the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. These orientations are separate from the OVIS check-in.

Pre-Arrival Information

  • When you accept your offer of admission to your academic program, Dartmouth will set you up in the institutional student system.
     
  • International students will receive instructions to claim your Dartmouth credentials so that you can access the OVIS (Office of Visa and Immigration Services) iDartmouth system and begin providing the information needed to prepare your immigration documents.
     
  • For Master's degree and professional school graduate students, you will be asked to provide evidence of sufficient funding to cover your personal contribution.  If you are receiving any financial aid or scholarship funding, your award must be finalized by your program's financial aid office before OVIS can process your Form I-20 request. 
     
  • OVIS will review your information and will prepare your Form I-20 in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's SEVIS system (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), which will be mailed to you at your Dartmouth email account.
     
  • When you receive your Form I-20, follow the instructions to pay the SEVIS fee before you apply for your F-1 visa stamp at a U.S. consulate or embassy.  Note that Canadian students are visa-exempt, but are still required to pay the SEVIS fee before seeking admission to the U.S. in F-1 status.
     
  • You can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the program start date listed on your Form I-20. You must have a valid passport, valid F-1 visa stamp in your passport, and valid Form I-20 to enter the U.S. in F-1 status. Canadian citizens are visa-exempt and must have a valid passport and Form I-20 to enter.

Evidence of Funding for F-1 Students

OVIS is required under the F-1 regulations to verify that each international student requesting a Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility has sufficient funding to cover one academic year (3 terms) at Dartmouth.  The funding documentation we require will also be required by the U.S. Consulate or Embassy at the time of the visa application. 

To obtain your I-20 in a timely manner, please follow the funding evidence guidelines below when submitting your request for a new or extension Form I-20 document:

Dartmouth College funding

  • Dartmouth College financial aid or scholarship award letter on Dartmouth letterhead and issued within the last 3 months stating the amount and type of funding.
    • Note for undergraduates: if you are receiving financial aid, you must upload your most recent financial aid award letter
    • If the award does not cover the total program costs, you will need to show proof of funding that covers the remaining amount.

Personal funds

  • Bank statement(s) that contain:
    • Name on the account and account number
    • Name of financial institution
    • Account balance and currency
    • Date/issuance within last 3 months
    • Evidence of liquid assets that can be converted to cash
    • English translation (unofficial translations are acceptable)

Family or friend funds

  • The sponsor's bank statement(s)
  • Letter(s) indicating the relationship between you and the sponsor(s), the amount of support and the length of support
  • Loan Certificates or Letters
    • Must indicate your name and the amount of approved loan
    • Conditional loan approvals may be accepted only if the condition is the receipt of your Form I-20
    • Loan applications are not acceptable as proof of funding

Home government support

  • Evidence of support should be presented in English, on government/agency letterhead, and detail the amount and period of support to be provided

Investment Accounts

  • Stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, only if the amount provided is at least 1.5x the required amount needed for the I-20

Other organization support

  • Evidence of support should be presented in English, on agency letterhead, and detail the purpose of the support, amount of support, and period of funding

Documents that are NOT acceptable as evidence of funding:

  • Financial documents/bank statements older than 3 months

  • Income or salary statements

  • Funds that are not immediately accessible

  • Assets that are not in liquidated form (real estate, car, etc.)

  • Life insurance policy statements

  • Tax return forms or documents

Dependent Funds

If you will bring a spouse or child(ren) as your F-2 or J-2 dependent(s), you will need to provide additional proof of funds.

  • Spouse: $5000 per year
  • Child: $3500 per year, per child

SEVIS Fee

  • Visit Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for information about the SEVIS fee.
  • Students or exchange visitors issued an initial Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 are responsible for paying the SEVIS fee. There are exceptions, such as transferring from one SEVIS institution to another, or changing academic levels within a SEVIS institution.
  • The SEVIS fee is paid after the student receives the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 and before the student goes to the Consulate for a visa and to the U.S. port of entry.
  • The fee is paid online or by check, or money order mailed to SEVP.
  • The fee receipt is required at the Consulate for purposes of obtaining the visa and at the port of entry.

Obtaining a Visa

  • OVIS will provide a cover letter with your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Complete instructions for obtaining the visa will be included in that letter.
  • A visa stamp is the "key" to enter the "door" of the United States. It is different from Form I-20 or the Form DS-2019, which are required for a visa application.
  • Canadian citizens do not need a visa stamp but are inspected at the U.S. Port of Entry for admission in F-1 or J-1 status.
  • For all others, a valid visa stamp is required for inspection, admission, and entry to the United States.
  • Applications are made after receipt of the Form I-20 and after the SEVIS fee has been paid.
  • Contact the U.S. Consulate for a visa appointment.

Arrival in the U.S. and at Dartmouth

  • Upon arrival in the U.S. an I-94 record of arrival will be created to document your admission. When you are in the U.S., you can access your I-94 record on the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency's website to confirm you were properly admitted in the correct status.

  • Once you are in the U.S. you must complete and submit the F-1 Check-in e-form in iDartmouth. This will allow us to register you in SEVIS for the term and to activate your F-1 status.

  • Your OVIS advisor will schedule your SEVIS check-in and orientation session. Check-ins are not done on a walk-in basis. 

  • Graduate students will also participate in orientations hosted by the professional schools and the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. These orientations are separate from the OVIS check-in.
     
  • You cannot complete a Form I-9 or receive stipend payments from Dartmouth until you have checked in with OVIS.