I-20 Application Information

Form I-20 is a government form on which Caldwell University certifies to the U.S. government that you are eligible for F-1 Student Status. It certifies that you: are or expect to be a “bona fide” student; meet our admissions requirements; will pursue a full course of study; have proven that you have enough money to study and live in the U.S. without working illegally or suffering from poverty.

You need a Form I-20 to obtain an F-1 student visa or status, or to maintain lawful F-1 status when transferring or changing schools within the U.S. We will send you our I-20 before you travel if you tell us that you are traveling outside the U.S. before classes begin.

No, some international students do not need an I-20. If you are maintaining another non-immigrant status in the U.S., you do not need an I-20 and may attend school full or part-time. Dependent children in E, F, H, I, J, L, M, N, O, P, R, or S status need to change their status after their 21st birthday or if they marry. If you have no legal status, you may attend school but you are not eligible to change status and do not need an I-20.

Yes. You cannot enter the U.S. with a B-1, B-2, OR B-1/2 Visa unless it is marked “Prospective Student”

If you use a B visa to enter the U.S., you could be found guilty of “fraudulent entry” and refused permission to stay longer than six months or to extend or change your status. Do not listen to people who say it is easy to enter the country as a visitor and change your status. It is not true!

You can’t enter the U.S. without a Visa (Unless you are Canadian)

If you are from a country eligible for legal visitor entry into the U.S. with a round-trip airline ticket, do not do this. If you enter without a visa, you will only be permitted to stay for 90 days. You will not be given more time or allowed to change to student status.

All international students entering the United States are required to have a student visa. The University’s Office of International Student Services (OISS) assists admitted international students with obtaining the necessary documents for visas for entry into the US. Working closely with University admissions, OISS facilitates the following steps in the immigration document process:

1. Once admitted to Caldwell University, you will receive instructions to make your enrollment deposit and to apply for your I-20 through admissions.
2. Submit your enrollment deposit and a completed I-20 application to OISS with financial certification and a copy of your passport.
3. OISS then prepares a U.S. Visa Eligibility Document (I-20).  Processing may take 2 – 3 weeks in peak season.
4. You will receive an I-20 Form via email from OISS.
5. International students must then pay the SEVIS fee and apply to obtain an F-1 student Visa.
   The information above is for international students entering the U.S. for the first time.