International graduate students who have been admitted to Philadelphia University are eligible to receive a SEVIS I-20 for application for an F-1 visa. Please review the following pages, as the information is intended to help you understand the steps you need to take from now until you arrive on campus.
Please note, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires F-1 and J-1 visa applications to pay a one-time fee of $100 to supplement the administration and maintenance costs of the Student and Exchange Information System (SEVIS). The fee must be paid at least three business days prior to applying for your visa, or applying for admission at a U.S. port-of-entry for those exempt from the visa requirement. The fee must be paid prior to submission of a change of status petition or reinstatement application. The fee can be paid to the DHS by mail or online and must be accompanied by a Form I901. It can be paid by you or by a third party, inside or outside the U.S. If you are denied a visa, the SEVIS fee will not be refunded. However, if you reapply for a new F-1 visa within 12 months of the denial, you will not have to pay the fee again.
Obtain a Form I-901 “Fee Remittance for Certain F, J, and M Non-immigrants.”
Download the form from www.FMJfee.com
Request the form by phone at 1.800.870.3676 (inside the US)
Complete the Form I-901. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form.
Prepare a check, international money order or foreign draft (drawn on U.S. banks only) in the amount of $100 USD, made payable to “The Department of Homeland Security.”
Mail the completed Form I-901 and payment to the address listed on Form I-901.
A Form I-797 receipt notice should be mailed within three days of processing the fee. Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep it with your other important immigration documents.
Find the Form I-901 at www.FMJfee.com.
Complete the form online and supply the necessary Visa, MasterCard, or American Express information. *Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form.
Print a copy of the online receipt.
Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep it with your other important immigration documents.
A completed and signed International Student Agreement Form (see page 347).
A completed notarized Statement of Support Form (see page 351). Students supporting themselves do not submit this form.
Official bank statements, no more than three months old
A non-refundable check or money order made payable to “Philadelphia University” in the amount of $100 U.S. dollars. This money will be credited to your account, deducted from your tuition fees, and is in addition to the $100 SEVIS fee discussed above.
A Transfer Recommendation Form, for students currently studying in the United States. Photocopies of the student’s last I-20 and most recent student visa are also required.
Students must be on campus for International Orientation and registration at least one week prior to the start of classes. You will receive a mailing about orientation from the international student advisor approximately six weeks before classes begin.
Graduate tuition for the 2010-2011 academic year is $846 per credit hour. Online tuition for MF courses is $806 per credit hour and for MB courses is $900 per credit hour. For full-time students enrolled in the Physician Assistant Studies Program the annual tuition is $33,189. Graduate students who take undergraduate day or evening classes will pay the respective day or evening rate for these classes. An international student fee of $55 per semester will be charged to all graduate students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Tuition: $14,508
Room and Board: $11,985
Books, Insurance, etc.: $3,500
Courses at the University are taught in English; therefore, all students are required to have proficiency in English. All international graduate students are required to take English reading and writing placement tests before registering for any courses. The tests are scheduled a few days before classes during orientation. If a student misses the scheduled testing session, it is his/her responsibility to report to the Learning and Advising Center for testing before registering for courses. Based on the results of the placement tests, a student may be required to take undergraduate English as a Second Language courses in reading and/or writing. In a case where a student is in need of extensive English preparation, it is University policy to have the student complete an intensive language program elsewhere before he or she enrolls in our graduate program. Any fees associated with these courses are the responsibility of the student.
Requirements to maintain student status as mandated by the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services:
Have a valid passport and an F-1 student visa.
Be a full-time student (for graduate students this means registering for at least nine credits per semester).
First-year students may not work off campus, but may apply for permission to work after the first year if they can prove financial difficulty. (Permission is rarely granted, so students should not expect to work while in the U.S.).