Obtaining a Visa
Admitted international applicants and students with international coursework must provide a visa after they are offered admission.
If you are holding F-1 Student or J-1 Exchange Visitor status in the United States, you need to submit a photocopy of your I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, visa stamp and current I-20 or DS2019 form along with your Financial Certification.
If you have another type of nonimmigrant status, you need to submit a photocopy of your I-94 Arrival/Departure Record and visa stamp, and must indicate if you intend to change to F-1 Student or J-1 Exchange Visitor status. Upon admission and submission of the appropriate financial support documentation, the university will issue you the appropriate Certificate of Eligibility form (I-20 or DS2019).
To enter the United States, international students residing abroad need a passport from their government and a visa from the U.S. Consulate. To obtain a visa for the purposes of studying in the United States, the applicant must present a Certificate of Eligibility form I-20 to the U.S. Consulate. The university’s Office of International Student & Scholar Services will issue this form to admitted students who have:
- Confirmed their enrollment online.
- Submitted the Certification of Finances to provide proof of having sufficient funds to cover the cost of a program of study.
Your admission to the university may be cancelled if all required materials are not received.
Admitted students who are sponsored by agencies, foundations or their home government, or are participating in an established exchange program may be issued the Certificate of Eligibility form (DS2019) in order to obtain the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa.
If you are a Canadian citizen who has been admitted to the university, have confirmed your enrollment and have completed the Certification of Finances, you don’t need a visa. Instead, you are required at the port of entry to present your passport or proof of Canadian citizenship, a certificate of eligibility for nonimmigrant status (the I-20 or DS-2019 form that the University of Maryland provides) and evidence of adequate funding for your proposed program of study. You will then be issued an I-94 card indicating your student visa status.
