International Admissions
How to Obtain an I-20

Out-of-Country

1. An applicant must meet all admission requirements including proof of financial support and the English proficiency requirement.

2. An I-20 is mailed to the prospective student. The I-20 does not guarantee the student will receive an F-1 student visa; it is merely a form stating that the student has met all requirements for admission at Gainesville State College and will be enrolled in classes upon entry into the United States.

3. Once the I-20 is received by the student, a $100 SEVIS fee must be paid at least three days before the visa interview. For detailed information regarding the fee, please visit www.fmjfee.com.

4. The prospective student will take the I-20 form and proof of SEVIS fee payment to the U.S. Embassy in his or her home country and make application for an F-1 student visa.

5. If the applicant receives an F-1 visa, the applicant will arrange for travel to the United States and arrive in the U.S. at a port-of-entry.

6. Once interviewed at the port-of-entry, the applicant will receive an I-94 card which will be stamped by the U.S. customs official indicating how long the applicant may stay in the United States. In the case of an F-1 visa holder, the I-94 will generally be stamped “D/S” which means “duration of status”.

Institutional Transfer

1. An applicant must meet all admission requirements including proof of financial support and the English proficiency requirement, as well as a copy of the I-20 from the current institution and the Transfer Clearance Form which verifies enrollment while in the United States. The applicant must notify his or her current institution that he or she will be transferring.

2. Once admitted to the college, the student will need to have his or her SEVIS record transferred from the previously attended institution to Gainesville State College after the semester has ended but before the next semester begins . A new form I-20 will be issued once the student reports to campus for classes. New students must meet with the Coordinator of International Admissions prior to the start of classes to obtain the new I-20.

Change of Status

For questions regarding the change of status process, please contact the Coordinator of International Admissions in the Office of Admissions.

Reinstatement

A student who is out of status on his or her current visa may still apply for admission to Gainesville State College. The student must meet all admission requirements.

Once the student is accepted, he or she will need to meet with the Coordinator of International Admissions  to discuss the details regarding his or her current status in the United States.

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