International Student Visa Information
After admission, students will need to obtain an F-1 or J-1 student visa. F-1 visas are for students seeking to complete a degree program at SOU. J-1 visas are for students participating in an exchange with a SOU partner university or a government sponsored program.
Obtaining Your F-1 Visa
Upon receiving your initial Form I-20 from SOU, locate the US Consulate/Embassy nearest you and schedule an F-1 visa interview. Appointments can generally be made no more than 120 days before the program start date listed on your I-20 document.
Obtaining Your J-1 Visa
J-1 (Exchange Visitor) visas are intended for students participating in an official exchange program. J visas are issued for the purposes of increasing mutual understanding by means of educational and cultural exchanges.
Visa Document Definitions
International Students need to become familiar with some government and legal terms in order to navigate the visa regulations to which you must adhere. See brief descriptions of some of these important terms. Please contact the International Student Advisor for more information.