International Undergraduate Dual Degree Program Final Application Process Instructions

Transcription

1 International Undergraduate Dual Degree Program Final Application Process Instructions OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND PROJECTS Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC) S.W. 8 th Street, CBC 223 Miami, Florida Primary phone: (305) Fax: (305) intldd@fiu.edu Website:

2 International Undergraduate Dual Degree Program Final Application Process Instructions This manual details the next steps in your admission process to FIU, in order to be fully admitted for the fall 2015 semester. Not following ALL instructions correctly and submitting required documents by the deadlines listed may result in dismissal from the undergraduate international dual degree Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program. Table of Contents Passport & U.S. Visa... 1 Mandatory Medical Insurance...2 Immunization Forms/Waiver International Student Immigration Document Request Form...4 Declaration and Certification of Finances Form...5 Current F-1 or J-1 Student Visa Holders Official Final & Evaluated Transcript.8 On Campus or Off Campus Housing.9 Payment Plan.11 Conclusion. 12 Contact Information: Office of International Affairs & Projects College of Business, CBC 223 Florida International University SW 8 th Street Miami, Florida Phone: +1 (305) intldd@fiu.edu

3 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 1 Passport & U.S. Visa The passport is the government document issued by your country of citizenship and must be kept valid at all times. Your passport information is required by the Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) in order to issue your I-20 form. 1. Please submit a copy of your (VALID) passport showing your country of citizenship. Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents should indicate if they are Florida residents or eligible to be Florida residents by sending an to intldd@fiu.edu. The U.S. visa is the stamp inside your passport that permits you to enter the United States. You will need an F-1 student visa in order to study in the U.S if you are not a U.S. citizen. Your F-1 student visa may expire while you are here in the United States, but you must return to your home country to renew it. However, you may remain in the U.S. on an expired F-1 student visa as long as you are in duration of your F-1 status (i.e. as long as you are attending school and in good F-1 status). 2. Please submit a copy of your F-1 student visa (only applicable for international students, not permanent residents or citizens of the United States) 3. Mail copies of your Passport and F-1 Student Visa to: Angélica Navarrete Office of International Affairs & Projects College of Business, CBC 223 Florida International University SW 8 th Street Miami, FL (305) Please note: Do not enter the U.S. on a B-1/B-2 (tourist) visa or visa waiver; students who enter this way are prohibited from enrolling in academic courses. Students will be required to leave the U.S. and reenter on the appropriate F-1 or J-1 visa at their own cost.

4 Mandatory Medical Insurance for International (F-1) Students UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 2 By Board of Trustees and FIU rule, all international students with F-1 visa status are required to have medical insurance prior to registration. Students will receive a health insurance hold on their student record in Panthersoft, and will NOT be cleared for registration for classes or continue enrollment without complying with the medical insurance requirement. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule. The medical insurance requirement can be met in one of two ways: Option 1) By purchasing the FIU Sponsored Health Insurance Plan. The FIU Sponsored Health Insurance Plan for the academic year is still being finalized. We will inform students immediately when student plans become available for purchase online or in person through FIU s University Health Services (UHS). For now, please view the table below, which summarizes the benefits and coverage of the Universityapproved policy from last year, so you have an idea of the costs: *Prices are subject to change. Option 2) By submitting an International Student Alternative Health Insurance Compliance Form completed by your current insurance company and approved by FIU s University Health Services. A. Download the Compliance Form, found by clicking on the following link: International Student Alternative Health Insurance Compliance Form. B. Have your insurance agent/company fill out the Compliance Form, which must verify the following: The coverage meets or exceeds the minimum FIU requirements The name, address, and telephone number of a claims agent in the United States You are covered under the policy Your insurance has been pre-paid through the current year C. UHS must receive the Compliance Form directly from your insurance company via fax: (305) or insurance@fiu.edu. Request a copy of the completed form for you to scan and to us at intldd@fiu.edu. D. Your policy will be reviewed, and if it complies with the guidelines, you will be notified directly from FIU s UHS office and be cleared to register. Please us at intldd@fiu.edu with UHS's approval of your insurance. E. However, if your policy does not comply with the guidelines, you will not be cleared until you submit an alternative insurance plan with coverage that meets FIU requirements or purchase the FIU Sponsored Health Insurance Plan (Option 1).

5 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 3 Immunizations Forms/Waivers As a pre-requisite to registration, FIU requires all students to comply with the following immunization policy regulations from the Florida Board of Governors regarding immunity of: Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR). Acceptable proof consists of: o two (2) doses of the MMR or o two (2) Measles and one (1) dose of Rubella o Proof of immunity by way of a blood test lab result (measles and rubella titer) Please submit the following document to fulfill these requirements: 1. Download the Immunization form, found in the following link: FIU Immunization form Students are also asked to provide proof of Hepatitis B and Meningitis. These vaccinations are strongly recommended but not mandatory. You may choose to decline the Hepatitis B and Meningitis vaccines. If you choose to decline both vaccines, please sign in to your student account on where you can waive the requirement online or you may submit the following documents: 2. Download and sign the immunization waiver form, found in Appendix C. 3. Please be advised that all documents must be signed and stamped by a health care provider. 4. Mail immunization forms and waivers to: Angélica Navarrete Office of International Affairs & Projects College of Business, CBC 223 Florida International University SW 8 th Street Miami, FL (305)

6 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 4 International Student Immigration Document Request Form As part of the application process international students should complete an International Student Immigration Document Request Form, which provides the information necessary to create a Certificate of Eligibility I-20 or DS Please download the form by clicking on the following link: International Student Immigration Document Request Form You must also provide a copy of your passport to ensure that the information entered into SEVIS and used to create your Form I-20 or DS-2019 is correct. Additionally, if you are currently on a visa please provide a copy of your current visa information. These copies should resemble the instructions given in the first step of this document called Passport & U.S. Visa. Kindly sign and the form along with your application information, Panther ID, and the copies of your passport and current U.S. visa to both addresses below: 1. IntlAdmiss@fiu.edu, Office of Undergraduate Admissions. 2. intldd@fiu.edu, Office of International Affairs and Projects (IAP) at the College of Business Note: Do not enter the U.S. on a B-1/B-2 (tourist) visa or visa waiver; students who enter this way are prohibited from enrolling in academic courses and must leave the U.S. to return on the appropriate F-1 or J- 1 visa.

7 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 5 Declaration and Certification of Finances Form (DCF) The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) require all students to show proof of financial support prior to the issuing of your SEVIS I-20 OR DS Therefore, please follow the steps below: 1. Download the DCF form by clicking on the following link: Declaration and Certification of Finances (DCF) form 2. Read all steps carefully, as this form is different than the ones provided by FIU before. The University is required by immigration authorities to carefully check the financial resources of each applicant prior to issuing the Form I-20/DS Therefore you will notice the form has a specific section allocated for the information of your sponsor (if you have one) and the financial information provided by the bank or entity which certifies the financial funds you will use throughout your time at FIU. 3. Once you fill out the form completely, including the information and original signatures of your sponsor(s) and bank(s), please scan and this form to the following two addresses: a. IntlAdmiss@fiu.edu, Office of Undergraduate Admissions. b. intldd@fiu.edu, Office of International Affairs and Projects (IAP) at the College of Business Please note: Banks sometimes prefer to write their own letters rather than filling out a form such as the new FIU DCF form. If that is the case, please scan any letter or additional document pertinent to your financial information with the DCF form that you will be ing to the addresses mentioned above. If this is the case, please keep the following details in mind: Must verify that the amount specified on your DCF for your annual estimated costs is available for your studies. Must be in English and figures must be stated in U.S. currency. Letters must be current. If older than six (6) months from the expected entry date (which is August 25, 2015), it will not be accepted. Please note: This means that if the letters submitted are dated earlier than February 25, 2015 they will not be accepted.

8 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 6 Cost of Attendance: The DCF must reflect the annual estimated cost of undergraduate attendance as stated below. Annual estimate of costs are based on the Financial Aid Student Budgets. Tuition and fees are subject to change. International students must be enrolled full-time to maintain their visa status. Full-time undergraduate enrollment is at least 12 credit hours per semester. Please note: As per FIU admissions students who physically transfer to FIU are only required to show in their DCF form the amount required for Fall and Spring semesters; according to the table above this amount is $37,688. Maintenance is estimated at $1, per month to cover room, clothing, public transportation and incidentals. Room costs are based on shared on-campus accommodations. Costs for private accommodations off-campus are significantly higher. Students should be aware that often the first month s rent is higher to fund security deposit, upfront rent, electricity, water and telephone. It is estimated that at least twice the normal monthly amount is needed for the first month to cover deposits and settling in expenses. Students who will be living with a parent or sponsor may calculate the cost of maintenance at $ per month to cover room & board, transportation and personal expenses. The cost of Fall and Spring is $8,992, while Summer is $2,997. The student must present a notarized, by U.S. Notary Public, a Room & Board Letter in order to provide a reduced DCF form. 4. The Form I-20 will be issued once the applicant has been admitted to the University and the DCF form with appropriate supporting documents has been approved. At this point our office will mail your original I-20 form to your home university. We will send you an communication regarding the expected date of arrival of the package in order for you to arrange to pick up the documents as soon as possible. 5. Since you are submitting all of your financial paper work and DCF form electronically, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS TO BRING THESE TO THE U.S. AMBASSY FO YOUR APPOINTMENT TO REQUEST AN F-1 VISA. Failure to do this may result in the denial of your visa.

9 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 7 Current F-1 or J-1 Student Visa Holders This information pertains only to students who currently hold an F-1 or J-1 Student Visa. If this is your case, please follow the steps below. 1. If you are currently holding an F-1 or J-1 student visa and plan to transfer from another U.S. institution to FIU you must also submit a DCF with supporting documents as indicated above. 2. Additionally your current institution must release your SEVIS record to FIU before your new Form I-20/DS-2019 will be issued. Therefore, you need to complete the top section of the F-1 Undergraduate Student Transfer Form and have the international student advisor at your current/previous school complete the bottom section. Please find the form by clicking on the following link: F-1 Undergraduate Student Transfer Form. 3. Once we have receive the form and your SEVIS record has been released, we will begin the process to issue a new Form I-20/DS Please be aware this process takes a few days; information in SEVIS must be electronically forwarded to FIU before issuance of the new Form I-20/DS-2019 will be possible. Your SEVIS record will only be released at the end of the term in which you are currently enrolled. Please do not plan any international travel without making appropriate arrangements for securing your new I-20/DS-2019 in advance. A minimum of one full week processing time is needed for your I-20/DS-2019 to be ready. Please note: Once your new documents are processed by FIU admissions, we will also mail them to your home institution and inform you via .

10 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 8 Final Official & Evaluated Transcripts Final Official Transcript Although we may have received an official transcript from your university, FIU still needs your final official transcripts, which shows the grades you received in your last semester at your home university. Therefore, please follow the steps below: 1. Request an official final transcript to be sent directly from your home university in a sealed envelope to FIU. Final Evaluated Transcript 2. Although we may have received an evaluation of your official transcript from Josef Silny (or other NACES organization), FIU still needs an evaluation of your final transcript which shows the grades you received in your last semester at your home university. Therefore, please follow the steps below: i. Request a course by course evaluation of your final transcript, including U.S. GPA, through a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization. 3. Request that the NACES organization send both the original evaluation and the original official transcript in a sealed envelope to FIU. 4. Request that all documents be mailed to the exact address below: Angélica Navarrete Office of International Affairs & Projects College of Business, CBC 223 Florida International University SW 8 th Street Miami, FL (305)

11 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 9 On Campus/Off Campus Housing On-Campus Housing: Our office can assist with on-campus housing arrangements. Please keep in mind that there is No Guarantee that you will receive a space, as assignments are done based upon availability. However, as an international student you will be placed in a priority list. Therefore, if you wish to seek on-campus housing, it is in your best interest to inform our office as soon as possible. To apply for on-campus housing, you should do the following: 1. Log into and select the Student Housing link under Campus Resources. 2. On the next page, select the Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 Housing agreement. 3. Follow the directions on the online application. You will need a credit or debit card to pay the $ processing fee. 4. You will receive an confirmation that your Housing Agreement has been submitted in your Panther . It is important to keep your information updated in my.fiu.edu. 5. Notification of room assignments for first-year students applying by May 1, 2015 will be sent to your Panther by June 1, All other students will be assigned throughout the summer. Room assignments are based on need and availability. Students are not guaranteed a sp ecific space on campus. You can be placed in any on-campus housing facility. 6. If you decide not to attend FIU, please notify us in writing.. For further information regarding on-campus housing, please visit

12 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 10 Off-campus Housing: FIU offers an Off-Campus Housing Service which lists privately rented apartments or rooms in the FIU surrounding area. To view these services, please visit Typically students can find their own accommodations off campus in the FIU surrounding area either on their own or by hiring a realtor. It usually takes about two weeks to find an apartment; however, if you intend to look for an apartment on your own, you should try to arrive more than two weeks before your FIU orientation date. IMPORTANT NOTE: FIU is not affiliated with the following websites below nor do we endorse them. Please use these sites at your own risk and liability. Apartmentguide.com, Rent.com, ForRent.com, Zillow.com, for further renting options near campus.

13 Payment Plan UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 11 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 1. What is the FIU Payment Plan? a. A: The Payment Plan will allow students to pay their tuition and fees for the term in two installments. 2. How much additional time do I get to pay my tuition when I enroll for the Payment Plan? a. 50% of the total tuition and fees is due on the Last Day to Pay and the balance is due by the end of the seventh week of the term. 3. Is there a Late Payment Fee if I enroll in the Payment Plan? a. No, as long as the two installment payments are made by the due dates you will not be charged a late Payment Fee. 4. Is there a cost to enrolling in the Payment Plan? a. Yes, there is a $15 service charge each term that you enroll in the Payment Plan. 5. How do I enroll in a Payment Plan? a. By going to the MyFIU portal ( and selecting Payment Plan in the Finances section. 6. Where can I get more information? a. The Student Financials office located at the Modesto Maidique Campus in PC 120. You can also your questions to stufinan@fiu.edu or call (305) IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that as of March 2015, there is no Payment Plan available for the summer 2015 semester. However, the university does expect to have this program available for the Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 semesters.

14 UDD Summer 2015; P a g e 12 Conclusion Once you successfully complete all of these steps by the appropriate deadlines, we will look forward to welcoming you to FIU! Should you have any questions during the process, please send an to intldd@fiu.edu or call us at +1 (305)