Navigating the I-20 and Visa Process Webinar
- March 18, 2024, 12pm-1pm ET: REGISTER HERE
- April 22, 2024, 8am-9am ET: REGISTER HERE
KEY DATES & DEADLINES
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Griffin Lawler
Assistant Director, Graduate Admissions
International Graduate Student Representative
Boston University
Questrom School of Business
questromi20@bu.edu
Schedule a 15-minute Advising Session with me here
DEAN FOURNIER’S MESSAGE TO OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
The fundamental values of Boston University Questrom School of Business include a focus on diversity and inclusion. We will always seek to add students to our community who bring unique backgrounds and individual experiences. We celebrate our students who come to Questrom from over 80 countries across the globe. Read more…
Congratulations on your acceptance to the Boston University, Questrom School of Business! Admitted international graduate students to Boston University’s Questrom School of Business must provide documentation for the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) to issue you appropriate immigration documentation.
Submission Procedure
Please carefully read the information below about the student visa and I-20 process.
All the required documents (listed in the section below) are to be submitted electronically through our online gateway. For those students enrolling in a program that will begin in fall 2024 (PhD, MBA, MSMS, MSBA & MSMFT), materials are to be submitted no later than June 21, 2024. If the gateway does not work or you run into issues submitting your materials, please email questromi20@bu.edu.
Students who do not submit all the required materials by the designated deadlines, may be at risk of losing their seat in the class.
Please plan accordingly: ISSO recommends that all students have their I-20 in hand 120 days prior to the start of their program to allow time to successfully apply for a visa.
Once you have submitted all the required forms, we will email you a confirmation that your documents have been delivered to the ISSO. The ISSO will be evaluating your required documents and creating your I-20 document. If you are transferring your SEVIS code from a US institution, ISSO will contact you directly with the necessary steps for the transfer process. In the meantime, we ask for your patience as we are trying to process several hundred documents for many different programs. Again, we strongly recommend submitting your materials in a timely manner, as the I-20 turnaround takes approximately 2 weeks (14-business days) once your materials are confirmed by ISSO.
To ensure that you have all of the correct documents collected and ready to go for submission, we highly recommend that you go through the I-20 Required Documents/Materials checklist. This will allow for faster processing times once your documents are submitted.
Required Documents
International Student Data Form (ISDF)
Fill out the International Student Data Form following information completely and accurately:
- Fill out this form entirely, print out the form, sign and date the bottom in ink, scan as a PDF, and upload via the Applicant Gateway
- PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU:
- Enter your name exactly as it appears on your passport
-
- Enter your date of birth in the American format: month, day, and year (MM/DD/YYYY). For example, May 12, 1978, should be written 05/12/1978
*Note: You will need to complete the interactive or fillable PDF, print it out, sign the form in ink, and then scan as a PDF. If you upload an interactive or fillable PDF to the Applicant Gateway without printing it out, signing in ink, and then scanning as a PDF, it will delete all your information and appear blank to us
Immigration Documents
Financial Documents
Estimate of Expenses
Estimate for Dependents
Official TOEFL/IELTS Score Reports*
Acceptance Letter
Transferring your F-1 SEVIS Record
Additional Resources
FAQs
I have received a scholarship from Questrom to cover part of my program costs and will be sponsored for the rest of the expenses. What would need to be completed on my end for sponsorship of funds?
You will need to complete a sponsorship form and submit a copy of your sponsor’s bank account showing that the remaining funds are fully covered (tuition minus scholarship.)
I am an incoming MBA student who will be pursuing the Management Science Major. Will my I-20 list the STEM-designation?
Because this new major will not formally launch until the Fall 2023 semester, students will not declare the new major until they arrive on campus. As such, no I-20s issued for students beginning in fall 2023 will list the Management Science Major. Once you arrive on campus, you will work with the MBA Center to declare the major. From there, you will work directly with ISSO for an updated I-20 that correctly reflects the addition of this major.
Do financial documents need to be notarized?
No. We would just need to see a copy of an actual bank statement of you or your sponsors showing sufficient funds for the program. We will also accept a letter from the bank stating the amount of money that you have available.
What are some common problems students face during the I-20 Process?
- Not submitting all materials.
- Make sure everything is submitted together and nothing is missing. This saves time from going back and forth to hunt down missing materials.
- Not showing sufficient funds.
- You will need to make sure you cover all expenses stated in the estimated expenses section. All tuition (minus any scholarship if awarded), room and board and fees and any costs of dependents if someone else is traveling with you.
What is the process if I have a current F-1 student visa from a previous institution? Do I need a new visa or SEVIS number?
You will need to submit all the required I-20 materials, including your current and past visa documents. Once ISSO has your completed file, they will work with you to transfer your SEVIS code and information to your BU program.
How long does the I-20 process take?
Documents are first processed by the International Student Representative at Questrom. Typically it takes 5-10 business days for your materials to be processed by the Questrom representative. Once the documents have been processed, you will receive an email either requesting additional materials (if you are missing materials or submitted incorrect materials) or informing you that your complete documents have been sent to ISSO. ISSO then typically takes 10-14 business days to provide the I-20. All I-20s are issued electronically to your BU email.
I am an MSBA student pursuing the 16-month track. Will my I-20 list the entire program?
I-20’s for all MSBA students are provided for 12 months. If you will be pursuing the 16-month track, you will work with your ISSO advisor to request an extension on your I-20 once you have started the program. The extension must be requested at least one month prior to the end date listed on the I-20.
I am required to submit my official acceptance letter and TOEFL score but I do not see spots for those. What should I do?
If you do not see an upload spot for your required materials, you can upload them in any other available spot. You should try your best to upload documents in the corresponding spots. We will be able to reclassify your materials once they are submitted.
I received my electronic I-20. Do I need to wait for anything else before scheduling a visa appointment?
ISSO sends all official I-20’s electronically. You will not be sent a physical copy from ISSO via mail. Once you receive your electronic I-20, you can begin scheduling your visa appointment. Please note that you will need to print your I-20 and sign it in ink to bring to your visa appointment.
The old version is below. It’s invisible and does not appear on the live site, neither does this message. I wanted to keep it so that we can reinstate any parts should I have missed something by accident.
For most of you, the present is defined by COVID-19. But it is also important to look ahead. So, please enjoy this brief look at the graduate school experience at Boston University. We hope to see you on campus soon. Until then, stay well.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
NICK IS HERE TO HELP.
Nick San Angelo
Assistant Director
Boston University
Questrom School of Business
questromi20@bu.edu
Still have questions? Sign-up here for a 20-minute advising session
KEY DATES & DEADLINES
March 29, 2021* –
Tentative start of I-20 processing
March 31, 2021 –
Navigating the I-20 and Visa Process Webinar
May 28, 2021-
Last day for MSBA students to submit I-20 materials
June 18, 2020 –
Last day for MBA, MSMS, MSMFT, and PhD students to submit I-20 materials
*subject to change depending on the release of 2021-2022 tuition costs
DEAN FOURNIER’S MESSAGE TO OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
The fundamental values of Boston University Questrom School of Business include a focus on diversity and inclusion. We will always seek to add students to our community who bring unique backgrounds and individual experiences. We celebrate our students who come to Questrom from over 80 countries across the globe. Read more…
Check out the video below to hear from our international graduate students about their experiences here at Questrom.
Submission Procedure
Congratulations on your acceptance to the Boston University, Questrom School of Business!
Please carefully read the information below about the student visa and I-20 process
The student visa process will begin in March 2021 – once the 2021-2022 tuition and fees are finalized.
In order to start the I-20 process, you must confirm your attendance to Boston University by submitting your Declaration of Intent and your tuition deposit (if applicable). Once tuition and fees are finalized for the upcoming academic year and you have successfully confirmed your attendance, you will receive an email that includes your access link to the documents gateway.
All the required documents (listed below) are to be submitted electronically through our online gateway. Students who are enrolling in the MSBA program beginning summer 2021, materials are to be submitted no later than May 28, 2021. For those students enrolling in a program that will begin in fall 2021 (PhD, MBA, MSMS & MSMFT), materials are to be submitted no later than June 18, 2021. If the gateway does not work or you run into issues submitting your materials, please email questromi20@bu.edu.
Students who do not submit all the required materials by the designated deadlines, may be at risk of losing their seat in the class.
IMPORTANT NOTE: ISSO recommends that all students have their I-20 in hand 120 days prior to the start of their program to allow time to successfully apply for a visa.
Once you have submitted all the required forms, we will email you a confirmation that your documents have been delivered to the ISSO. The ISSO will be evaluating your required documents. If you are transferring your SEVIS code from a US institution, ISSO will contact you directly with the necessary steps for the transfer process. In the meantime, we ask for your patience as we are trying to process several hundred documents for many different programs. Again, we strongly recommend submitting your materials in a timely manner, as the I20 turnaround takes appropriately 2 weeks once confirmed by ISSO. Also, please keep in mind that embassy interviews tend to fill up fast.
Required Documents
FAQs
Do I need a new visa or SEVIS number if I am currently a valid F-1 student visa from previous institution?
We would need to transfer your SEVIS code and information to our program. You will need to submit all required materials to do so. Especially all past visa information.
What is the length of time (9, 12 or 17 months) that my bank statement should show sufficient funds for?
MSMF/MSMS – 9 months
MBA – 9 month, unless doing MSDi summer program than 12 months
How long does it take for Embassies to give appointments?
Hard to say. Typically you would schedule your interview a few weeks to a month or so in advance. As soon as you get your SEVIS code you may schedule an appointment to interview.
I have received a scholarship from Questrom to cover part of my program costs and will be sponsored for the rest of the expenses. What would need to be completed on my end for sponsorship of funds?
You will need to complete a sponsorship form and submit a copy of your sponsor’s bank account showing that the remaining funds are fully covered (tuition minus scholarship.)
When can I start submitting my materials for processing?
As soon as you submit your first tuition deposit and declaration of intent, you will receive a link to a document gateway where you can being submitting required materials.
Do financial documents need to be notarized?
No. We would just need to see a copy of an actual bank statement of you or your sponsors showing sufficient funds for the program. We will also accept a letter from the bank stating the amount of money that you have available.
What are some common problems students face during the I-20 Process?
- Not submitting all materials.
- Make sure everything is submitted together and nothing is missing. This saves time from going back and forth to hunt down missing materials.
- Not showing sufficient funds.
- You will need to make sure you cover all expenses stated on ISSO’s site. All tuition (minus any scholarship if awarded), room and board and fees and any costs of dependents if someone else is traveling with you.