Student Visa Overview
Congratulations on being admitted to UC Davis, we look forward to working with you. Most international students need either an I-20 Form or DS-2019 Form to apply for a student visa. You must be first admitted to UC Davis, and indicate that you plan to attend the University before SISS can prepare your I-20 or DS-2019 form. You will need to decide whether to apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa.
The information below should address many of your questions about preparing to come to Davis, including how to obtain your student visa. Also, browse through the International Guide, your guide to learning and living at UC Davis.
Choosing Between F-1 and J-1 Visa Types
Most students coming to UC Davis use the F-1 visa. This is the most common visa for international students studying in the United States. The J-1 visa is used by students participating in exchange programs.
| F-1 Status | J-1 Status |
|---|---|
| Most common visa for International Students studying in the United States | Known as the Exchange Visitor Visa. Used by students in educational exchange programs, which include the UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) and MBA exchange students in the GSM program. |
| Must show guaranteed funding for one academic year. Acceptable types of funding include personal and family funds and UC Davis guaranteed scholarships and fellowships. | Must show guaranteed funding for the duration of your academic program. Must have a majority of financial support from non-personal sources. Students with government funding are sometimes required by the government to use the J-1 visa. |
| Limited on-campus employment does not require work authorization. All off-campus employment requires authorization from SISS or USCIS. | All employment, both on-campus and off-campus work, requires work authorization from SISS. |
| Optional Practical Training (OPT) after program completion is available for 12 months, with a 24-month extension possible for STEM majors. A job offer is not required for initial OPT, but there is a limit to the amount of time that a student can remain unemployed. Students must apply to US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) for OPT work authorization. Approval can take several months, and there is a USCIS fee for submitting the I-765 form. | Academic Training (AT), a type of employment, is available for up to 18 months of AT. Non-degree students (i.e., EAP, Flossfeder) may be eligible for a maximum of 12 months or duration of program, whichever is shorter (i.e., 3 months of program = 3 months of Academic Training). You must have a job offer to apply for AT. Students apply to SISS for work authorization. There is no SISS fee for this service. |
| F-2 dependents are not allowed to work. An F-2 spouse may not engage in full-time study, and F-2 children may only attend Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade full-time. Study which is avocational or recreational is allowed | J-2 dependents may work after obtaining work authorization and may attend school full-time or part-time. |
| There is no 2-Year Foreign Residence Requirement | J-1 and J-2 dependents may be subject to the 2-Year Foreign Residence Requirement |
For Students Already in the United States, but Not in F-1 or J-1 Status
Some other visa categories allow for studying in the U.S. A tourist visa (such as B-2) is not one of them. Contact SISS with questions about whether or not you are allowed to study.
Applying for Your U.S. Visa
The only place to obtain a U.S. visa is at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Follow the instructions on the website for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will be applying. The general application process is listed below:
- Submit the DS-160 application and pay the application fee
- Print the DS-160 barcode page
- Schedule a Visa Interview Appointment
- Prepare the following documents for your visa interview appointment:
- Passport valid for at least 6 months
- UC Davis Admission Letter
- Form I-20 (for F-1 visa applications) or DS-2019 (for J-1 visa applications)
- Be sure to sign and date your document in ink
- SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
- Evidence of financial capability
- Evidence of ties to your home country
Canadian nationals do not need an F-1 student visa to enter in student status; however, a Canadian passport and a valid UC Davis I-20 are required.
Additional Visa Information
- Obtaining a U.S. Visa
- F-1 Student Visa
- J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa
- SEVIS Fee information
- U.S. Embassies & Consulates
- Visa Wait Times
- Customer Service Statement to Visa Applicants
- Student Process Steps: How to Navigate the U.S. Immigration System
- 10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Student Visa
When to Arrive
All students coming to the U.S. to study on an initial I-20 or DS-2019 can enter the United States up to 30 days before the program start date listed on these documents. We strongly recommend that students take advantage of this early arrival option to have enough time to recover from jet lag, become familiar with the campus and community, and finalize housing before beginning classes.
SEVIS transfer students may travel and re-enter the United States at any time while between school programs. However, transfer students must re-enter with their UC Davis I-20 or DS-2019, and not the previous school's document. They must also have a passport that is valid at least six months into the future, and a visa in their passport that is valid on the date of return to the United States.