Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

International Student (F-1) Visa Information

Prospective students who wish to attend University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) on an F-1 visa should work directly with International Student Office to obtain the I-20 form necessary to apply for the visa.

I-20 forms (certificate of eligibility for nonimmigrant [F-1] student status) will not be issued before an individual is accepted into a degree seeking program, all TOFLE or IEFTS scores, the International Student Financial form with supporting documentation, and the Student Information Form and are received.

Prospective Student Requirements

In order to attend the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) on an F-1 Visa, you must follow the steps listed below.

Apply and be accepted as a degree-seeking student by one of the UTMB schools and submit all official credentials.
Submit an official score report providing evidence of a minimum score of 7.0 on the IELTS.
Submit a completed Financial Form, as well as all supporting documentation, to show satisfactory financial support for 12 months. International students attending on an F-1 visa are not eligible to pay in-state tuition unless otherwise determined by Admissions. To determine the amount of financial support documentation needed, see the Estimated Cost tab. If you have dependents that will be on an F-2 visa, you must show an additional $4,000 in financial support per dependent. Please note: these amounts are subject to change.
Submit a completed F-1 Student Information Form.

Out-of-State Estimated Costs

Tuition and fee calculations are based on the first-year curriculum for your program.

	Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Tuition and Fees	Tuition and fees are based on credit hour Please use this link and choose your program
Living Expenses	$25200
Personal Expenses	$9900

*If you have any dependents that will be here on an F-2 visa, you will have to show financial support of $4,000 per dependent.

How to Apply for a Visa

Once you have been accepted as a degree-seeking student at UTMB and have your I-20, you can apply for a student visa at the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy. You will need to do the following:

Set up an appointment/interview at the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy. New student visas can be issued up to 365 days prior to the start date for the student’s course of study. However, you will not be allowed to enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the start date. You can find a location near you at https://www.usembassy.gov/.
Pay your SEVIS I-901 fee at least 5 days prior to your scheduled appointment. You can make the payment in U.S. dollars at https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html by credit card or check. For more information, please visit Study in the States.
Complete the online nonimmigration visa application, DS-160, and print the application confirmation page and bring it to your interview. You will need to upload a photo to your application meeting certain requirements.
Pay the required application fee prior to your interview.

Preparing for your Interview

To prepare for your interview at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy, you will need to have the following documentation:

Passport – your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the U.S.
Nonimmigration Visa Application, Form DS-160, confirmation page.
Application fee payment receipt.
Photo – if your photo failed to upload completing Form DS-160. Your photo must meet the required format.
Certification of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status for Academic and Language Students, Form 1-20.

Additional documents may be required:

Your academic preparation: example: transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended and standardized test scores required by UTMB.
Your intent to depart the U.S. upon completion of the course of study.
How you will pay all educational, living and travel expenses.

Attending your Interview

During your interview it will be determined if you are qualified to receive a student visa by the consular officer.

You will be required to submit digital fingerprint scans during the application process.

It may be determined that your application requires further administrative processing, but you will be notified by consular officer if this is the case.

Make sure you review the instructions on how to apply on the U.S. Embassy and Consulate website for where you will apply.

You may be required to pay a visa issuance fee, but this will depend on your nationality. You may need to make arrangements for the return of your visa and passport as well. You can review the visa processing times for more information.

For more information about the visa application process, please refer to the following link:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

No less than 5 day prior to your appointment at the Consulate or Embassy, you must pay a SEVIS 1-901 Fee to the Department of Homeland Security. For more information, please refer to the following link: https://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901

Traveling to the United States

As an entering F-1 student, you cannot enter the U.S. more than 30 days prior to your program start date. Your program start date can be found on your I-20. When entering the U.S., you must have the following:

Certification of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status for Academic and Language Students, Form 1-20.
Passport – your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the U.S
Valid Nonimmigration Visa.

When you arrive at a U.S. port of entry, you are subject to inspection by U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) officers. CBP officers will conduct the Immigration, Customs and Agriculture components of the inspection process. A visa does not guarantee entry into the U.S. A visa only allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport) and request permission to enter the U.S. A CBP officer will have the authority to permit or deny admission. For more information about and frequently asked questions, please visit https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors

Checking in at UTMB

Once you have been permitted to enter the U.S., you are required to check in with the International Student Office at UTMB prior to the first day of class and after you are registered as a full-time student. You will need to schedule a face-to-face meeting with the International Student Office at internf1@utmb.edu. You must bring the following paperwork and information to your appointment:

Passport
Visa
Current U.S. Address
Current U.S. telephone number

During your appointment, the PDSO will go over how to maintain your F-1 status, insurance requirements, and provide you a new I-20 for your continued attendance.

If you have F-2 dependents, you must also bring their passport and visa.

Prospective Student Requirements

In order to attend the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) on an F-1 Visa, you must follow the steps listed below.

Apply and be accepted as a degree-seeking student by one of the UTMB schools and submit all official credentials.
Submit a completed and signed Transfer Form.
Submit a completed Financial Form, as well as all supporting documentation, to show satisfactory financial support for 12 months. International students attending on an F-1 visa are not eligible to pay in-state tuition unless otherwise determined by Admissions. To determine the amount of financial support documentation needed, see the Estimated Cost tab. If you have dependents on an F-2 visa, you must show an additional $4,000 in financial support per dependent. Please note: these amounts are subject to change.
Submit a completed F-1 Student Information Form.

Out-of-State Estimated Costs

Tuition and fee calculations are based on the first-year curriculum for your program.

	Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Tuition and Fees	Tuition and fees are based on credit hour Please use this link and choose your program
Living Expenses	$25200
Personal Expenses	$9900

*If you have any dependents that will be here on an F-2 visa, you will have to show financial support of $4,000 per dependent.

Traveling outside of The United States

If you plan on traveling outside of the U.S. prior to attending UTMB, communicate your plans to both your current institution and UTMB. Traveling during the transfer period could potentially cause you issues returning to the U.S.

Checking in at UTMB

You are required to check in with the International Student Office at UTMB prior to the first day of class and after you are registered as a full-time student. You will need to schedule a face-to-face meeting with the International Student Office at internf1@utmb.edu. You must bring the following paperwork and information to your appointment:

Passport
Visa
Current or updated U.S. Address
Current U.S. telephone number

During your appointment, the International Student Office will go over how to maintain your F-1 status, insurance requirements, and provide you a new I-20 for your continued attendance.

If you have F-2 dependents, you must also bring their passport and visa.

Maintaining your F-1 Visa Status
In order to maintain your F-1 visa status while a student at UTMB, you must adhere to the following:
1. You must be enrolled and complete a full-time academic load every semester, including summer. This is 12 hours for undergraduate students and 9 hours for graduate students.
2. You must inform the International Student Office at internf1@utmb.edu, within 10 days if you change your name or address.
3. You must inform the International Student Office at internf1@utmb.edu, prior to any of the following:
  Change in your course load
  Change in you expected graduation date
  Plans to change your visa status
  Plans to travel outside the US
  Purchase and maintain Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance
Traveling outside of the United States
If you plan on traveling outside of the U.S, you must do the following prior to leaving the country:
1. Inform the International Student Office at internf1@utmb.edu of your travel plans.
2. Complete and return the Travel Request Form.
3. Verify that you have a valid signature on your I-20 that will remain valid upon your return. Note: the signature is valid for 1 full year as a full-time student. If you do not have a current signature, bring your I-20 to the International Student Office to be signed.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
In order for the International Student Office to authorize a student for CPT, they must meet the following criteria:
- CPT must be an integral part or planned option in the student’s curriculum.
- The student must be academically eligible. This means the student must have been enrolled full-time, in valid status on the same SEVIS number for at least 1 academic year.
- The student must be enrolled in course credit hours during the semester in which the CPT will occur.
- The student must maintain full-time enrollment during the semester in which CPT will occur.
- The student will not be permitted to work on-campus in addition to working off-campus with a CPT authorization.
- The student can only be employed by a specific employer, between specific dates and at a specific location. Any changes to either of these requires a new CPT application.
- The student must complete and submit the following forms:
  CPT Student Request Form
  CPT Departmental Form
  CPT Employer Form
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
In order for the International Student Office to authorize a student for OPT, the student must meet the following criteria:
- The student must be completing their degree program within 90 days or less. Failure to do so will result in a denial of your OPT request.
- The student must complete and submit the following form:
  Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Application
Once the student meets all the criteria, the International Student Office will submit an OPT request within SEVIS and produce a new I-20. The student will then apply online within 30 days at I-765, Application for Employment Authorization and submit the following documentation.
- The required $410 fee – which can be paid with a personal check.
- The OPT endorsed I-20.
- A photocopy of your unexpired passport ID page, which must be valid 6 months into the future.
- A photocopy of your most recent F-1 entry visa.
- Documentation of your I-94. Visit the USCBP website to retrieve and print out a copy of your electronic Form I-94.
- Two U.S. passport style photos no more than 30 days old.
Approval of OPT requests can take up to 90 days, maybe longer. You will not be able to work until you have received both the approval and your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card, and your approved start date has arrived. Once you are clear to work and secure a position, you must notify the International Student Office of your employment by submitting the OPT Employer form to internf1@utmb.edu.
STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT)
If your degree program CIP code is STEM OPT eligible, you may apply for a 24-month extension of your OPT. In order to request authorization of your STEM OPT application, you must complete the following:
- Draft of Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization to the International Student Office at internf1@utmb.edu.
- Complete and submit the Form I-983 Training Plan for STEM OPT Students, along with the help of your employer, to the International Student Office at internf1@utmb.edu.
Once the International Student Office receives a copy of the draft I-765 and completed I-983, the International Student Office will submit an extension to the student’s current OPT in SEVIS and will produce a new I-20. The student will then apply online within 30 days at I-765, Application for Employment Authorization and submit the following documentation.
- The required $410 fee – which can be paid with a personal check.
- A photocopy of your STEM OPT recommendation and DSO endorsed I-20.
- A photocopy of your unexpired passport ID page, which must be valid 6 months into the future, with most recent entry stamp.
- A copy of your current EAD card – front and back.
- Documentation of your I-94. Visit the USCBP website to retrieve and print out a copy of your electronic Form I-94.
- A copy of your STEM degree (degree, certificate and/or transcript).
- Two U.S. passport style photos no more than 30 days old.
CPT Departmental Form
CPT Employer Form
CPT Student Request Form
F-1 Financial Form
F-1 Student Information Form
F-1 Transfer In Form
F-1 Travel Request
OPT Employer Form
Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Application
Pre-Completion OPT Checklist
Pre-Completion OPT Information Sheet
Pre-Completion OPT Student Form

Sanders Elisabeth

Elisabeth Sanders
Assistant Director
Scholarships &
Veterans Benefits
International Student DSO
easander@utmb.edu
409-772-9807

Hale Anne

Anne Hale
Director
Student Financial Services
International Student PDSO
aehale@utmb.edu
409-772-9796

All other visas

For all other visas: J-1, M-1, etc. please see The Office of International Affairs

International transcripts

For information on international transcripts when applying, please visit this page

Visiting Med Students

Visiting Med Students please visit this information page