Requirements for New International Students (GAP 2.2)
Summary
Presents policy and procedures for the initial processing of international students, including the handling of visa requests; initial student enrollment; and language requirements, if any.
Rationale
In order to register as students, Stanford University requires that all those who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. registered permanent residents must obtain and maintain an appropriate and valid visa status for their stay in the United States.
For students sponsored by Stanford for an F-1 visa, Stanford University is required to verify the student's initial arrival on-campus and current U.S. residence address before permitting the student to enroll. In addition, based on scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Stanford’s offer of admission to graduate study may be contingent on completion of an English Language Placement Test or completion of intensive English language study prior to first-quarter enrollment.
Receipt of university funding may be contingent on the applicant’s successful completion of these requirements, and, in the case of an anticipated teaching assistantship, on the successful completion of TA-OK language screening.
1. Policy
1.1 Visas for International Students
The types of student visas sponsored by Stanford include the following:
- F-1 VISA, obtained with an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility issued by Stanford University. The graduate student on an F-1 visa must enroll in a full course of study. The accompanying spouse or child enters on an F-2 visa. F-2 visa holders may not hold employment or engage in business under any circumstances. The F-2 spouse of an F-1 student may not engage in full-time study, and the F-2 child may only engage if the study is in an elementary or secondary school (kindergarten through twelfth grade). The F-2 spouse and child may engage in study that is avocational or recreational in nature.
- J-1 VISA, obtained with a DS-2019 Certificate
of Eligibility issued by Stanford University or a sponsoring
agency. (Examples of such sponsoring agencies include the Institute
for International Education, and the Fulbright Commission.)
This visa is required for graduate students sponsored by certain
agencies, foundations, and governments. In some cases, exchange
visitors must leave the United States at the conclusion of
their programs, may not change to non-student visa status,
and may not apply for permanent residency in the United States
until they have returned to their home countries for at least
two years. The accompanying spouse or child of an exchange
visitor enters on a J-2 visa and may, in some cases, obtain
permission to work by means of an application to the US Department
of Homeland Security. J-2 dependents can apply for an Employment
Authorization document from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services in order to be employed in the U.S. There is no regulatory
restriction on study for J-2 dependents.
Graduate students may qualify for a J-1 visa as long as they are funded by the university, or a government agency, foundation or company, and at least 50% of the student's funding comes from a non-personal or non-family source.
The J-1 visa is also used for nonmatriculating international graduate students, including Postdoctoral Scholars and Visiting Researchers.
The certificate of eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) is issued to an admitted student accepted for admission only upon after receipt of evidence of satisfactory proficiency in the English language and certification of adequate financial support for the student and his/her dependents. Proof of support for multiple years (two years, or the duration of the program) may be required. An F-1 student transferring from another U.S. school must obtain a new visa with a Stanford certificate of eligibility I-20 document from Stanford, and complete a transfer process at the Bechtel International Center no later than 15 days after the effective date of the transfer. A J-1 student transferring from another US school must obtain a new DS-2019 document from Stanford, and complete a transfer process at the Bechtel International Center no later than 30 days after the effective date of the transfer.
Information on visas is provided for admitted graduate students in the “Guide for New Graduate Students,” published by the Office of the Registrar.
1.2 Initial Registration
Upon their acceptance to Stanford University, the Graduate Admissions Office determines whether Stanford University (or another sponsoring agency) must sponsor the visa to permit the student’s entry into the United States. If the visa is to be sponsored by Stanford, the Graduate Admissions Office will either:
- issue the initial immigration paperwork (the I-20 and, if applicable, the I-20 for the student’s dependent(s) OR
- determine the student budget and coordinate the issuance of the DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility with staff at the Bechtel International Center.
The Graduate Admissions Office then places a hold on enrollment until the student arrives on the Stanford campus.
In order to have the enrollment hold released, the new international student must go in person to the Bechtel International Center to verify physical presence at Stanford. The student must also:
- attend a “Maintaining Your Legal Status” workshop offered by the Bechtel International Center (normally during Orientation Week).
- enter his or her local residence address into the “Student Directory (local) address” field of Axess.
Upon completing these requirements, Bechtel International Center staff will release the enrollment hold in PeopleSoft Student Administration, and the new student will be able to register for classes.
The Bechtel International Center maintains information for new international students, including the schedule of mandatory workshops, on their web site.
1.3 Enrolling in Summer Quarter Language or Other Courses
The English for Foreign Students Program offers an English placement test for new students before the start of each Fall quarter. In addition, this office offers a six-week intensive course during Summer quarter for students who have been admitted to graduate degree programs starting in the autumn. The focus is on spoken and written fluency, including the production of research-oriented papers and oral presentations.
Incoming international students may indicate their desire to enroll in this language program, or other Summer Session courses before the start of their graduate degree program at Stanford, on their request for an I-20 form, or by separate email correspondence with the Graduate Admissions Office. In addition, they may be notified by the Graduate Admissions Office of a requirement to complete either the placement test or the language program as a condition of admission.
If planning to enroll in any Summer Session courses, international students must provide evidence of adequate financial support for the summer (including the payment of Summer quarter tuition), in addition to that required for the academic year.
Upon receipt of this additional documentation and approval from the English for Foreign Language / Summer Session Program, the Graduate Admissions Office will create a summer visitor record for the individual, enabling the student to attend the Summer Session Program during the Summer quarter preceding the first quarter of matriculated study.
NOTE: Language requirements for international graduate students who are appointed to teaching assistantship positions during their graduate program at Stanford are in addition to those described here for incoming students (see GAP 7.3, Assistantships).
2. Implementation Guidelines
2.1 Obtaining F-1 Visas
The following steps must take place as soon as possible after the student has accepted the offer of admission.
| PROCESS STEPS | RESPONSIBILITY | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Submits a request for the I-20 (including for dependents, if applicable), directly to the Graduate Admissions Office (form is printed in the Guide for New Graduate Students publication). Must also provide:
|
Student |
| 2. | Creates the I-20 form in PASS (the PeopleSoft application that communicates with the federal SEVIS system). | Graduate Admissions |
| 3. | Batch processes the I-20 in SEVIS, and retrieves the processed I-20 the following day. | Bechtel |
| 4. | Saves the I-20 as a pdf file and returns it electronically to the Graduate Admissions Office. | Bechtel |
| 5. | Prints, signs and mails the I-20 form to the new student by first class airmail.Note: Departments may make arrangements to mail these forms. The Schools of Medicine, Law and Business mail the I-20 forms to their students. | Graduate Admissions |
| 6. | Pays the SEVIS fee and applies for a visa with the necessary documents and visa fee to the US State Department (Embassy location). | Student |
2.2 Obtaining Student J-1 Visas
| PROCESS STEPS | RESPONSIBILITY | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Submits a request for the DS-2019 (including for dependents, if applicable), directly to the Graduate Admissions Office (form is printed in the Guide for New Graduate Students publication). Must also provide:
|
Student |
| 2. | Determines the student budget and sends the approved DS-2019 application and verified funding information to Bechtel. | Graduate Admissions |
| 3. | Creates the DS-2019 and batch processes in SEVIS. | Bechtel |
| 4. | Prints and signs the DS-2019, and either mails directly to the new student or notifies the department to arrange for the form to be picked up. Note: Departments may make arrangements to mail these forms. The Schools of Medicine, Law and Business mail the forms to their students. | Bechtel |
| 5. | Pays the SEVIS fee and applies for a visa with the necessary documents and visa fee to the US State Department (Embassy location). | Student |
2.3 Initial Registration
| PROCESS STEPS | RESPONSIBILITY | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Upon issuance of the I-20/DS-2019 and matriculation for a new student, places an enrollment hold on the student’s record. | Graduate Admissions |
| 2. | Upon arrival at Stanford, enters a local address in Axess. | Student |
| 3. | Attends a session of "Maintaining Your Legal Status" workshop, offered by Bechtel International Center. | Student |
| 4. | After completion of 2 and 3 above, presents photocopies of the following information at the Bechtel International Center:
|
Student |
| 5. | Upon presentation of the above documentation, releases the enrollment hold for the student. | Bechtel |
| 6. | Retains all documentation in their files. | Bechtel |
2.4 Summer Session Enrollment
The following steps are for graduate students who intend to take summer courses, including language courses, at Stanford in advance of commencing their degree program at Stanford. This does not apply to enrollment in subsequent summer quarters.
| PROCESS STEPS | RESPONSIBILITY | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Establishes intensive English language coursework as a provision of admission and notifies the student. | Graduate Admissions |
| 2. | Indicates a desire to enroll in Stanford’s Summer Session program, including the intensive language program, by checking the appropriate box on the I-20 request form, or sending a separate email message to gradadmissions@stanford.edu and submits an application to the appropriate Summer Session Program Office. | Student |
| 3. | For new incoming matriculated graduate students who intend to take Summer Session courses at Stanford in advance of commencing their degree program, initiates a Summer Visitor status in PeopleSoft Student Administration for the Summer quarter preceding the initial Fall term and issues the appropriate visa certification. | Graduate Admissions |
| 4. | Upon arrival at Stanford University, presents necessary documentation at Bechtel International Center (see steps described in 2.3, above). | Student |
| 5. | Enrolls for appropriate Summer courses in Axess. | Student |
2.5 Obtaining Visiting Researcher J-1 Visas
| PROCESS STEPS | RESPONSIBILITY | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sends completed Visiting Reseacher application materials to the Office of the Registrar, along with copies of the biographic pages of the Visiting Researcher's passport (and, if applicable, the Visiting Researcher's dependent's passports). | Department |
| 2. | Enters biographic data, assigns EmplID, and notifies the department of the EmplID for the Visiting Researcher (and dependents, if applicable). | Registrar |
| 3. | Completes and submits the DS-2019 Request Form marked for Visiting Researcher at the Bechtel Center web site (note that there are required fields for the EmplID on this form). | Department |
| 4. | Issues the DS-2019 and notifies the department when the form may be picked up. If the Visiting Researcher has dependents, the dependent DS-2019's will be provided along with the Visiting Researcher's form. | Bechtel |
| 5. | Notifies the Visiting Researcher and the department regarding requiremets for:
|
Bechtel |
| 6. | Picks up the DS-2019 form from Bechtel and forwards to the Visiting Researcher. | Department |
| 7. | Pays the SEVIS fee and applies for visa at US Consulate. | Visiting Researcher |
| 8. | Upon arrival in the US, emails Arrival Confirmation, including US Residence address to Bechtel. | Visiting Researcher |
| 9. | Validates Visiting Researcher's SEVIS record. | Bechtel |
