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New Student Intake Forms: Instructions & Required Information

As a new international student to the University of Rochester, the ISO is prepared to assist you in obtaining immigration permission for full-time study and preparing for your arrival in Rochester. Our office will issue your Form I-20 (F-1 students) or Form DS-2019 (J-1 students), certifying your eligibility to study at UR under the University's immigration sponsorship. If you are planning to study under sponsorship from another organization, or are not eligible for the F-1 or J-1 category, please find more information on Students in Non-UR Sponsored Categories. Otherwise, follow the instructions below to request your new immigration document from ISO.

 

New Student Intake Forms (NSIF)

ISO uses our online client portal, URcompass, to collect required information and electronic document copies through the New Student Intake Forms (NSIF). This process is initiated by your UR admitting department, once they have confirmed your acceptance and intent to enroll. After your admitting department has completed the NSIF Department Section in order to provide the necessary academic and financial details related to your program of study, you will receive an email from our system inviting you to complete the NSIF Student Section. (See more on the NSIF Program of Study Details completed by your school or admitting department.)


Systems Access

Since the ISO client portal is integrated within the University's network, you will use your NetID to login securely to URcompassIn preparation to submit the NSIF, please be sure to initialize your account in advance, using your unique 8-digit URID.


Preparing Required NSIF Materials

Again, please keep in mind you will only have access to the NSIF Student Section after your admitting department has submitted the NSIF Department Section. Following receipt of your email invitation to complete the NSIF Student Section, you will be able to access your electronic NSIF in URcompass in order to complete a short series of e-forms. Detailed guidance for completing each form is provided below. Please access our Frequently Asked Questions on the NSIF for more guidance!

  • Instructions

    Review the basic information needed by ISO and confirm the email address we should use throughout the NSIF process. You will be able to change your preferred personal email upon arrival and submission of the Immigration Check-In.

  • Immigration Information

    Indicate your request for either the F-1 I-20 or J-1 DS-2019. While the F-1 category is strongly recommended for most students, please review additional details on the F-1 vs. J-1 Comparison. You may also indicate 'No UR document needed' if you will study under another organization's immigration sponsorship.

    Select the SEVIS Category that best fits your current US immigration situation: Initial Attendance; Immigration Transfer; Change of Education Level; Return from Absence; Change of Immigration Status; Non-UR Immigration Sponsorship. This is in reference to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), used to manage all F-1 and J-1 student records. Based on your selection, you will be prompted to provide additional information related to your current and/or previous US immigration status, as relevant.

  • Personal Information

    List your name, date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy), and citizenship exactly as they appear in your passport. Your US immigration records should match official identification records from your home country, both for security and to avoid potential errors or delays. You will also be prompted to enter details related to your birth and residency status outside the US.

    Upload a copy of the photo identification page of your passport for verification purposes. If you have a student visa in your passport, either current or expired, you will be asked to upload a copy of that as well.

    Enter home country academic and occupation details (for students requesting a J-1 DS-2019 only).

    Please review additional guidance related to  NSIF Biographical Details.

  • Contact Information

    Enter your Home Country Permanent Residential Address. This  must be a physical address location outside the United States; a post office box is not acceptable. This should be the long-term address that you would return to for breaks and/or after completion of your studies, such as your parent’s home. 

    Provide your current US Residential Address, or last known US address, if you recently departed the country. Any US address must adhere to the correct  US Postal Service format. Note: You will only be prompted for this information if your SEVIS Category is Immigration Transfer, Change of Education Level, or Change of Status.

    List contact information for a family member or friend you would want to be contacted in the event of an emergency while you are in the US. This person could be located abroad or in the United States.

  • Financial Support Information

    Based on information from your department, the NSIF will display the estimated expenses for your program of study and annual UR funding support. Based on information you provide, it also calculates dependent family expenses, as needed, and the sum of any funding amount(s) you report. You may submit the form once 'Remaining Funding Required' displays $0 or a negative number. 

    Select the total number of dependent family members who will accompany you in Rochester. The form will calculate the additional funding you need to document to cover dependent expenses, at $7000 per person. If you have no family members requiring F-2 or J-2 sponsorship, select 'No' or zero.

    Enter the funding amount(s) from external sources that will be used to meet your educational expenses at UR. When appropriate, the NSIF prompts you to list separately your personal funds, approved loans, family support, or other funding. Amounts must be listed in US Dollars on the NSIF; please use a currency converter as needed.

    Upload supporting documentation for all funding amounts listed, including recent account statements, letters of financial support from any family or private sponsor, award letters, and/or English translation, as needed. All funds must be easily accessible as liquid assets and documentation should be recently issued/less than 6 months old.

    Please review additional guidance related to documenting  NSIF Financial SupportISO staff will follow up with you in detail if there are any concerns during our review process.  As long as you follow these instructions and are able to submit the form successfully, you do NOT need to verify in advance whether your funding information is sufficient.

  • Dependent Information

    Complete a separate form for EACH dependent family member, either your spouse or child. You will list their name, date of birth, citizenship, and other biographical details for each person. Be sure you have

    Upload a copy of their passport. If they are already in the United States, you will also be asked to upload copies of their other US immigration documents. 

    Please review additional guidance related to NSIF Dependent Information.

 

Submission & Processing Times

ISO will only be able to start the review and SEVIS processing needed to issue your I-20 or DS-2019 after you have submitted the NSIF Student Section. If our staff determines that information is incomplete or inaccurate, the relevant form(s) will be reset to a draft status and you will be notified by email to edit the system accordingly.

Most requests can be processed within 2 weeks of accurate submission to ISO. Some requests cannot be processed in this timeframe, due to SEVIS coordination for certain Immigration Transfer or Change of Education Level records. Additionally, with high volumes across all University programs in the spring and summer, our staff will may need to prioritize document issuance according to the start date of the student's UR program or the likelihood of a visa delay. Please do NOT contact ISO to ask about the processing time for your documents, as all requests are completed as quickly as possible and these discussions take time that should be available for processing. Once the I-20 or DS-2019 is available, it will be distributed to you electronically as a PDF attachment in email.

If you have specific immigration questions about your eligibility for F-1 or J-1 student status, please contact the ISO at admitquestions@iso.rochester.edu. For questions related to your academics, funding support, University requirements, or arrival programming, please contact your admitting department directly.