The I-20 is an important document you’ll need if you want to study at a college or university in the USA.
If you’re considering studying at a college or university in the United States, one of the earliest steps — just after applying to the schools that interest you — is getting your I-20, an important document that you’ll need to apply for a student visa. Your student visa allows you to enter the United States! At Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), we work hard to make getting an I-20 easy.
Here’s how to get your I-20:
Step 1: Apply to the schools that interest you
You need to apply to college or university in the United States before you can receive an I-20. In fact, federal regulations stipulate that a student must be officially admitted to study before getting an I-20, so be sure to apply to your schools of interest first! Even so, you can gather your required documents right away, so after you’ve applied, you can move straight to step 2 while waiting for news on your admission.
Step 2: Gather your required documents
You must first be fully admitted before you are eligible to apply for an I-20. Once you’re admitted, an official Admission Letter will be issued to you by your school. Typically, the earlier the school receives your documents, like financial verification, sponsor forms, and a copy of your passport, the faster your I-20 can be processed.
At SMSU, please be sure to pay your $100 International Application Processing Fee early and submit the required documents through your online application portal! This helps ensure smooth processing of your admission and I-20 document.
Required documents at SMSU include:
- Financial Sponsor Form (PDF), showing you have access to at least $23,200 USD (approximately $32,800 CAD at time of publication), which includes tuition, housing, food, insurance, books, and other fees for the academic year.
- Bank statements, printed within the past three months, showing you have the required funds available: $23,200 USD.
- Colour copy of your passport that is clear and legible.
- Medical history and immunization form; learn more on SMSU’s Student Health Services webpage
Step 3: Get your I-20 from your school
When the required documents and application fee are received, and you’re officially admitted to your school of choice, your I-20 will be available through your school’s online portal. SMSU can also provide a hard copy of your I-20 for a small fee.
Now that you have your admission letter and I-20 in hand, you can move onto the next step: getting a student visa! We’ll cover this process in another article, or you can read all about the F-1 Student Visa process on the SMSU website.
Getting your paperwork in order is an important part of studying in the United States, but you don’t have to go it alone. SMSU staff are here to help you understand studies in Minnesota, so reach out with questions for the International team, who would be happy to help.
Undergraduate international students have until June 1 to apply for the Fall semester! Interested in Graduate studies instead? Click here.
We look forward to seeing you on the SMSU campus in Minnesota.
