The Office of International Programs along with the international students and entire college community, want to congratulate you on your admission to Saint Anselm College. You made a great choice and we look forward to you joining and contributing to our campus community here at Saint Anselm! We hope that this website will help you navigate through the initial process of obtaining a U.S. visa, arriving here on campus, and any questions you may have during the academic year.

International students must have a visa to attend school in the United States. All international students are required by law to be full-time students in order to get a student visa. For full-time status, Saint Anselm College students enroll in a minimum of 12 credits. In order to graduate within four years all student should enroll in 16 credits each semester.

What is SEVIS?

SEVIS is the web-based tracking system that is used by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to monitor all non-immigrants. SEVIS stands for the "Student and Exchange Visitor Information System." The I-20 form that you received is a SEVIS-issued I-20, and has a bar code for scanning at all U.S ports of entry. You must first pay a I-901 SEVIS fee before your consulate appointment.

Please check that all information on the I-20 is accurate, sign on the designated line, and have it with you whenever you enter or leave the United States.

F-1 Visa

An F-1 visa allows you to enter the United States as a non-immigrant international student to attend school. Prospective F-1 students will receive an I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant Student Status) form from Saint Anselm College. Take all pages of this form to your nearest U.S. Consulate to apply for a student visa. The name on the I-20 should match the name on your passport. Note the financial portion of the I-20 that indicates the amount of money you (or your parents) are expected to contribute at Saint Anselm under Personal Funds. Strictly speaking, the U.S. Embassy will require you to provide documents that prove you have personal funds for your entire program in the U.S. Each U.S. Embassy will require different documentation based on the location.

Learn More

  • Applying for Your F-1 Visa

    Pre-Application Checklist

    Before you begin the visa application process, you must have the following documents:

    1. Form I-20
    This will be sent to you in the mail from Saint Anselm College after you have been admitted. Your I-20 is required when applying for an F-1 student visa at an American embassy or consulate and for entry into the United States. This I-20 has been produced by Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and is an acknowledgement that your record is in the SEVIS system. The form includes your SEVIS ID number, which is the number in the upper corner above the bar code, (usually starts with an N).

    2. SEVIS Fee Receipt
    All new students coming in F-1 status must pay a one-time $200 SEVIS fee prior to applying for your visa. You can find instructions about paying the fee on this page. If you are renewing your F-1 visa it is recommended that you have proof of SEVIS fee payment, even though it does not have to be paid again. You can reprint the receipt from this page.

    The Application Process

    You must apply for your visa well in advance of your arrival, as it can in some instances take several weeks and occasionally longer, to obtain the student visa. You can find the visa wait times at your local consulate on the U.S. Department of State Website.

    To apply for a U.S. visa you will need to present the following documents at the U.S. embassy or consulate nearest to you:

    • Your form I-20
    • The SEVIS fee receipt
    • A copy of your financial support documents, i.e. evidence that you have sufficient funds to meet the expenses of studying at Saint Anselm College, e.g. bank statement or your scholarship or financial aid award letter.

    In addition, the application for a U.S. visa requires you to present:

    • A valid passport
    • Passport-size photographs
    • Completed visa applications forms (visa application forms are available on the U.S. Consular Websites.)

    An application fee and an interview will also be required. There have been (and continue to be) changes in the visa application process and these changes are usually reflected on the U.S. Consular Websites.

    Please Note

    When applying for your student visa, pay careful attention to the following:

    • The U.S. Department of State has instructed U.S. consulates that they may issue an F-1 visa no more than 120 days in advance of the program start date. However, an application for an F-1 visa can be submitted more than 120 days in advance of the I-20 start date in order to accommodate long processing times but the visa validity will never be before the 120 day mark. Check the website of the consulate where you will apply for a visa for detailed instructions.
    • You may enter the U.S. no more than 30 days prior to the starting date noted on the I-20 form. If you try to enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the start date on your I-20, you may not be permitted to enter the U.S.
    • You must pay particular attention to the starting date noted on your I-20 form, as you must enter the U.S. by this date. If you cannot enter the U.S. by this date, please get in touch with OIP about the process for changing your start date.

    Please Note: The expiration date on your visa may not match the end date of your degree program. If your visa expires before you complete your degree program, you will apply for a new visa on your first trip outside the U.S. after your current visa expires.

  • Paying the SEVIS Fee

    Before applying for your visa

    All new F-1 students must pay a one-time $200 SEVIS fee prior to applying for a U.S. visa. F-2 dependents do not have to pay the SEVIS fee.

    When to pay the fee

    The SEVIS fee must be paid at least three days prior to submitting the application for a U.S. visa. Canadian citizens, who are exempt from the visa requirement, must pay the SEVIS fee at least three days prior to requesting for admission to the U.S. at a U.S. port of entry.

    Forms of payment

    You may pay this fee online with a credit card or by mail in the form of a check or money order to DHS. Third party payment is permitted. To pay the fee online, go to www.fmjfee.com. Complete the form supplying the necessary information. Be certain that your name appears exactly as it appears on the I-20 form. The SEVIS ID# is the number which begins with N000 located in the upper corner of the I-20 form.

    Print out the receipt

    You may also check the status of your SEVIS fee payment or reprint your receipt on the SEVIS fee Web site . The receipt is proof you have paid the fee. You will need to present the fee receipt with your application for a visa. (Canadians will need to present the fee receipt at the U.S. port of entry).

    For more information, visit the SEVIS fee Web site.

  • When Should You Arrive?

    All students must arrive in time to participate in the Transitions Pre-Orientation Program. If this is not possible, contact the Office of International Programs.

    International students are always assigned on campus housing, since Saint Anselm College believes that the inclusion of its international students in residence halls accelerates the adaptation of the international students and promotes active engagement in campus activities. Note that the Office of International Programs has made arrangements for you to move in to your housing the day before the Transitions Pre-Orientation Program begins.

    You will be instructed via email exactly what day and time to arrive at the Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). The Office of International Programs will make travel arrangements for you from Boston Logan Airport to the Saint Anselm campus on the specified arrival date.