Overview
Thank you for choosing to study at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. This content will provide you with information regarding your arrival to the United States, including before and after you arrive on the SIUE campus.
U.S. immigration regulations permit new F-1 /J-1 visa students to enter the country up to 30 days prior to but no later than the program start date printed on page one of the I-20/DS-2019 form. DO NOT attempt to enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the program starting date on your I-20.
Please consider arrival dates carefully when making travel plans to the U.S. and we encourage you to check the airlines policies on refunds.
COVID-19 Update for Newly Admitted Students
You may have questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and beginning your studies at SIUE. We encourage you to check SIUE’s COVID-19 webpage for the latest updates about current SIUE protocols. For questions about COVID self-quarantine or exposure guidelines, please contact SIUE Health Service at 618-650-2842 or email cougarcare@siue.edu
Visa Issuance
At this time, the U.S. Department of State has temporarily suspended visa services at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates and there is very limited visa appointment availability. We encourage you to continue to check with your local embassy/consulate at www.usembassy.gov for updates about its operating procedures.
Newly admitted students for summer who are outside the U.S. may not be able to arrive in time to start their program. If this is your situation, please reach out to the Office of International Admissions at intladm@siue.edu for steps to defer to the next possible term and to receive a new I-20 or DS-2019.
Register for Orientation
Spring 2021 International Student Orientation virtual sessions start on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. Following mandated physical distancing guidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of our orientation activities will be in a virtual format. Additional details will be provided via email.
Late Arrivals
All newly admitted students should arrive on time to attend the required orientation. Arriving late may cause serious academic consequences, including inability to register for classes, limited class availability, incurring late registration fees and jeopardizing your visa status.
If a graduate student is unable to arrive to SIUE until after the first day of classes due to extenuating circumstances, the student must contact the Director of the Office of International Admissions at intladm@siue.edu with a written request. Submitting a request does not guarantee approval. Students in this situation are advised not to travel to the U.S. until written approval from the director is received. Each case for late arrival is reviewed individually and approval or denial will be based on the individual merits of the request.
Late arriving students are required to maintain full-time enrollment throughout the semester. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services will not approve reduced course loads for students who are not able to find the needed classes or who are likely to receive poor grades due to the late arrival. The inability to meet this enrollment requirement will jeopardize a student’s F-1 or J-1 visa status.
