Chatham University

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Immigration Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Click on any of the questions below. If you have any other questions please call an admissions counselor.

Prospective/Admitted Student FAQs

 

Immigration Information
Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Q: What financial information I need to submit as part of the application process?

    A: U.S. government regulations require students to show that they have enough money to support their study in the U.S. for at least one year.  To satisfy this requirement, students will need to submit the following:

    1. Certification of Finances/Financial Documents

       

      All applicants must complete and return the International Student Certification of Finances Form. The certificate can be completed in ONE of two ways:

      a.  Fill out the certificate completely, take it to your bank or financial institution, have a bank official sign the  certificate, and place the bank seal on it.

      OR

      b.  Completely fill out the certificate and ask your bank or financial institution to write a statement letter of verification indicating that the person financially responsible for the student has the funding necessary for one year's tuition.

    2. A letter from the student's sponsor indicating ensured support for the remaining years at Chatham University may also be submitted.
    3. Original bank statements

 

 

Immigration Information
Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Q. What do I need to know now that I have been admitted to Chatham University as an international student?

    A: After admission, students must submit the following:

    1. Tuition and room deposit (if applicable).
      1. The undergraduate tuition and housing deposit is $300 ($150 tuition and $150 room).
      2. Deposits for the graduate program vary and are indicated on your admission letter.
    2. Certificate of Finances and financial documentation
    3. Any other condition outlined in your admission letter

    Once the admissions office receives this information, we will send you an I-20 and you’ll be able to make an appointment with your consulate or embassy to apply for a visa. 

 

 

Immigration Information
Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Q.  How Do I Apply for a Visa?

    A: Upon receipt of your Form I-20 (F-1 students) from Chatham University, you must make an appointment at the nearest United States embassy or consulate and apply for a visa.

    To find the US Embassy or Consulate that is most convenient for you please visit http://www.usembassy.gov

    You may enter the US no more than 30 days in advance of the start date indicated on your I-20. 

    The US Department of State has an excellent website that outlines the process of obtaining a student visa for studying in the USA. (http://www.educationusa.info/pages/students/visa.php)

Immigration Information
Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Q.  How do I pay the required SEVIS Fee?

    A:  As of September 1, 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires that each new student issued an initial I-20 pay a $200 SEVIS fee before his or her consular interview. YOU ONLY NEED TO PAY THIS FEE ONCE! You may only pay this SEVIS fee after the initial I-20 has been issued by the school you wish to attend.

    FORM I-901 is used to pay the SEVIS fee and is available here https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/students/formSelection.htm. 

    • If you choose to pay your fee online, please be sure to have a printer ready, since you will have only one opportunity to print the receipt.  
    • You may also pay with a check or bank draft drawn on a U.S. bank sent via mail or courier with your completed Form I-901. This method is acceptable, but is not recommended since it may take up to a month for processing.
    • If you are transferring schools, extending your program, applying for an F-2 dependent visa, or have paid this fee and been denied a visa within the last twelve months, you do not need to pay the $100 SEVIS fee.
    • The SEVIS fee receipt must be taken to the consulate interview and border crossing. To download the form or for more information on the SEVIS fee, please visit the US Customs and Immigration website www.ice.gov/sevis/.

    The telephone number for international I-901 SEVIS fee customers is +1 (212) 620-3418. International Students and Exchange Visitors may call the toll-free number for all questions regarding the I-901 SEVIS fee that cannot be answered after viewing the information available at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/index.htm. 

    Please note that the toll-free number is for international callers only and is available during the following business hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Immigration Information
Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Q.  What do I need to know when applying for a visa?

    A: Before you apply for the visa, you should understand the process and the rules governing visas. Some students are unsuccessful in applying for a student visa.

    Please read the following information carefully in order to have a better chance for success in the visa application process and contact us if you have any questions.

    1. The consular officer who makes the decision on your visa application is required to think of you as someone who plans to come to the U.S. permanently and YOU must prove that you intend to return to your home country after completing your studies. U.S. law clearly states that F and J visas may be given only to persons who intend to remain in the United States temporarily.
      • Failure to prove that you intend to return to your home country after completing your studies is the number one reason for denials of visa applications. 
    2. You must have a definite academic or professional objective. You must know what you are going to study or the professional purpose of your trip and how it will benefit your future.
    3. You must be qualified for the program of study (for example, you be admitted to Chatham University, or accepted to participate in one of our exchange programs).
    4. You must be definite about your choice of school.
    5. You must be adequately financed and have documents to prove it.
    6. U.S. government officials are much more easily convinced by documents than by spoken statements. When possible, have papers to show your connections to your home country. The consular officer will take a very impersonal view on administering U.S. laws. This may be considered rude in many countries, but not in the U.S., where the ideal is to apply laws equally to all regardless of status or gender. Do not try to negotiate with the officer or discuss personal matters.
    7. Be prepared
      • Make sure that your passport is valid at least 6 months into the future.
      • Be clear and definite about your purpose for coming to the United States. Be ready to explain how your study at Chatham University will benefit your career in your home country. Be prepared to explain why it is better for you to study in the United States than in your home country. If you need more information on the program to which you have been accepted, request it from us before you apply for a visa.
      • With documentation, show ties to your home country. If your family owns a business, take letters from a bank describing the business to the visa interview with you. If your family owns property, take the deeds. If you have a brother or sister who studied in the U.S. and then returned home, take a copy of the brother's or sister's diploma and a statement from an employer showing that they have returned home. If possible, show that an individual or company in your home country will give you a job when you return. If you cannot get the promise of a job, try to get a letter saying that you will be considered for a job, or that the company needs people with the kind of education and experience you are coming to the U.S. to receive.
      • Do NOT emphasize any ties that you may have to the United States or to family members in the United States. Your visa application is stronger if at least part of your financial support comes from your home country, even if most of it comes from the U.S.
      • Do NOT speak of working in the United States Read your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Some of the rules you must obey are printed on page 2 of the I-20 or DS-2019. Be aware of these rules as you are responsible to follow them in order to maintain legal status while in the USA.  F-1 students should be aware of the requirement for full-time study.
      • You must apply for your visa in time to arrive at Chatham University by the date listed in item #5 of your I-20 or item #3 of your DS-2019. You may obtain the visa up to 120 days before that date, and enter the  United States up to 30 days before that date.

 

Immigration Information
Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Q:  What do I need to do as a Canadian citizen wanting to study in the US?

    A:  Canadian citizens are not required to have a U.S. visa to enter the United States. You must present your I-20 form, your SEVIS fee receipt, and proof of financial support at the U.S. port of entry. The CBP officer will stamp your I-20 (or DS-2019) and issue you an I-94 card that indicates that you are in F-1 (or J-1) status. It is critical that you enter the U.S. in student status to be eligible for the benefits of that status, including on-campus work permission, optional practical training etc. If you enter the U.S. without any documentation, you are assumed to be in tourist/visitor status and you would not be allowed to study.

 

Immigration Information
Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Q:  Can my spouse and/or children join me at Chatham?

    A: If you are here as a student or scholar and your spouse and/or dependent children will join you in Pittsburgh, make sure they hold the appropriate non-immigrant status, e.g. F-2 for dependents of F-1 students and J- 2 for dependents of J-1 exchange visitors. OIA will give you the dependent I-20 or DS- 2019s

    Persons holding F-2 status cannot work in the U.S.; J-2 dependents can work, but only with the authorization from the immigration service (USCIS). Please visit OIA for instructions on applying for J-2 work authorization. Other family members or friends will most likely need tourist status to visit you here. Only spouses and dependent children are eligible for F-2, J-2 or H-4 dependent status.