New Students & Visas

Welcome

Congratulations on gaining admission to Lamar University! We look forward to you joining our 11,000 current students and more than 71,000 alumni. We know that along with your future classmates, our 1,200 faculty and staff will profoundly change your capacity of knowledge, ability to achieve your goals, and ultimately your life’s path. And we can’t wait to see what kind of impact your unique experiences will have on all of us.

Planning Your Departure

Perhaps the most important part of planning your departure is obtaining your visa; therefore, much of this page is dedicated to helping you understand the process and to guiding you through the necessary steps. Besides obtaining your visa, you should notify the international student services office when you plan to arrive or if you would like to defer to the following semester. You should also plan to book your travel well in advance, organize your personal affairs (such as banking, bills, health records and prescriptions), and make a detailed packing list to ensure you bring all necessary documents and important personal items. Click on the items below to aid in planning your departure.

Visa Information

Introduction

F-1 Status
Most students enter the United States in F-1 student status to be enrolled in a full-time degree program. A Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for an F-1 student visa) will be issued to students by Lamar University after they have been granted admission. Dependents of an F-1 visa holder are classified as F-2, and are not permitted employment in the U.S. Please note that in order for us to include dependent(s) information on the I-20 form, the student must inform the International Student Services (ISS) office at the time of application.

J-1 Status
Some students enter the U.S. in J-1 student status. The J-1 visa is administered by the Department of State and is used for a variety of educational purposes. The Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for a J-1 visa) may be issued to a student with a scholarship, either from a sponsoring organization or from Lamar University. Dependents of a J-1 visa holder are classified as J-2 and may apply for permission to work in the U.S.

Form I-20
After you have completed your application and been accepted, Lamar University will mail you the appropriate certificate of eligibility (Form I-20 or Form DS-2019). At this time you must pay the $100 SEVIS fee. The certificate of eligibility must be presented at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy when applying for your F-1 or J-1 student visa, along with your unexpired passport, evidence of financial support and SEVIS fee receipt.

If you do not receive the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, do not enter the U.S. on a B-1/B-2 tourist visa or the visa waiver program. Doing so may prevent you from beginning your academic program on time, or make it necessary for you to leave the U.S. to change to student status.

Preparing for your Visa Interview
Once you have been accepted to Lamar University and have received your form I-20 in the mail, you must apply for a student visa from the U.S. Government. Make an appointment at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate and be prepared to bring your valid passport (issued by your home country’s government), form I-20 or DS-2019, and evidence of adequate financial resources. You may also need to provide the consular officer with proof of ties to your home country such as job offers, evidence of ownership of residence or property, or copies of bank statements from a bank in your home country. Since visa application requirements vary from country to country please use the links below to obtain exact instructions.

Maintaining Your Visa Status
After arrival in the U.S. it is very important to maintain status, the Immigration and Naturalization Service can impose strict penalties for those who violate visa regulations, which may include deportation. Therefore, it is essential that students adhere to the following:

Keep I-20 ID with passport and update with any changes.
1. The I-20 ID (student copy) is a carbon copy of the Form I-20. It is a permanent record of F-1 status and is used to record work authorization, practical training, and transfer approval. Students should keep this important piece of paper with their passport.
2. The IAP-66 (copy 3, pink) must be kept with the passport for travel and re-entry to the U.S., for permission to work and for waiver application.
Ensure passport is valid for at least 6 months past the completion of studies.
Maintain full-time enrollment and normal progression towards degree (12 credit hours per semester for undergraduates and 9 for graduate students).
Do not work off-campus without authorization (see employment section).
Obtain extensions of stay as needed. Note the expiration date on the I-20 or DS-2019 and apply for an extension with International Student Services 30-45 days prior to expiration.

Form I-94 shows arrival date in the U.S. and should remain stapled to the passport. Form I-94 also indicates status (F-1, J-1, B-1, etc.) and expected departure date from the U.S. or Duration of Status (D/S). Students may remain in the U.S. until this date (item #5 on I-20 ID or item #3 on IAP-66) plus 30-60 days.

Notify the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) of a transfer to another school or a change in educational program. Students should see an ISS advisor if they plan to transfer to another school.
Do not travel outside of the U.S. without first visiting the ISS to endorse the I-20 ID.
1. F-1 Students need the following documents to re-enter the United States after a temporary absence:
  1. Form I-20 ID endorsed by ISS
  2. Valid passport
  3. Valid U.S. visa
2. J-1 students need the following documents to re-enter the United States after a temporary absence:
  1. Valid IAP-66 (pink copy) endorsed by ISS
  2. Valid passport
  3. Valid U.S. visa

Airport Pickup

Lamar University offers a free airport pick-up service for new international students arriving at Houston or Beaumont airports. Click here to schedule your pick-up.

Orientation

Orientation for new international students takes place a few days prior to registration and is mandatory – students should plan to arrive in time to attend. The day entails important information about maintaining your immigration status, achieving academic success and utilizing valuable on campus services. Orientation begins at 9am and includes breakfast, lunch and door prizes. Students will have a chance to meet other new internationals within their degree program, as well as their future professors and the dean of their academic department.

For Orientation details please view our Events Calendar on the Current Students page.

Placement Tests

Writing Test Scores. International students who do not score at least a 500 on the Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL will be required to take a placement exam upon arrival on campus before they will be allowed to register for classes. Undergraduate and graduate students who score below a 6.0 (6.5 for doctoral students) on the writing section of the IELTS will also be required to take the placement exam. Individuals will have a chance to raise their writing score, if they cannot meet the minimum score at the time of the on-campus exam they will be required to take English writing courses until they can produce a passing writing score. Students should see the Director of Lamar Language Institute at orientation to schedule their placement exam.

Higher Education Assessment. Undergraduate students who have not previously earned university credit must take the Texas Higher Education Assessment. This academic based placement test is not part of the application and can be taken upon arrival at Lamar University. For more information on scheduling this test please go to THEA (Texas High Education Assessment) web site.