I-20 Application

Before you submit the electronic I-20 application, please prepare supporting documents from the checklist below in PDF or JPG format. You will need to upload them with the I-20 application.

Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

Click on the I-20 application link below for the program you have been admitted to >> Fill out the I-20 application >> Upload supporting documents >> E-Sign the application >> Click the blue button that says “Click to Sign” >> After the application is e-signed, you will receive a verification email within a few seconds to your email account. You must click on the verification link in the email that you received, so this application will be verified and submitted to LIM College.

I-20 Application for Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

Transfer

Download LIM College’s I-20 application below >> Fill out the I-20 application >> Upload the Completed Transfer pdf to the Electronic I-20 application.

I-20 Application for Transfer (PDF)

1. A copy of your passport’s biographic page (required).

2. Proof of financial funding (required). Refer to LIM College’s annual estimated expenses and financial funding checklist or page 2 of the I-20 application to check the amount of money you will need to have and the list of acceptable and unacceptable financial documents.

3. Sponsor’s affidavit of financial support (required). Print a blank affidavit of financial support and give it to your sponsor to sign in ink. The affidavit is required if a sponsor will be covering your educational and living expenses.

If applicable, you may also have to prepare and attach the following documents:

4. SEVIS I-20 Transfer Form. Print a blank LIM College transfer form and provide it to your current international student advisor to sign. The transfer form is only for students who have a valid F-1 student status at another U.S. school/college. 

5. Copy of valid F-1 student visa. Required only for students who have a valid F-1 student status at another U.S. school/college.

6. Affidavit of support from a room and board sponsor. Print a blank affidavit of free room and board and give it to your sponsor to sign in ink. The affidavit is required if you will live with a sponsor in the U.S. who will provide you with free room and meals.

7. Proof of a room and board sponsor’s address. A copy of your sponsor’s deed, or lease, and current rent receipts or bills to prove that they are the person who owns or rents the property.

After you receive your new Form I-20, you will need to complete the steps below.

After you’ve received your Form I-20, you will need to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The SEVIS fee must be paid at least three business days prior to a visa interview or the filing of the change of status application in the U.S. Currently, the SEVIS fee is $350 for F-1 students.

The I-901 SEVIS Fee can be paid online or by mail. Please refer to the official I-901 SEVIS Fee website for details.

Note for transfer students: If you transferred your SEVIS record to LIM College from another U.S. institution and your SEVIS ID remains the same, you will not have to pay the fee.

Use Form I-20, issued by LIM College, to apply for an F-1 student visa at a U.S. consulate in your country of citizenship or country of permanent residence. The F-1 visa application process includes an interview in English, the application Form DS-160, and the application fee.

F-1 visa Application Resources:

Tips to Apply for an F-1 Visa
How to Schedule an F-1 Visa Appointment
Visa Appointment Wait Times

If your F-1 visa is delayed due to administrative processing or denied, please notify the Office of International Student Services at LIM College as soon as possible. Learn more about visa denials.

After you receive your F-1 student visa, you can enter the U.S. with your Form I-20 and valid F-1 visa.

IMPORTANT: Remember that you can enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days before the program start date printed on your Form I-20.

When you arrive in the United States, you must have the following:

1. Valid Passport (at least 6 months into the future)
2. Valid F-1 student visa (Canadians are exempt from this visa requirement)
3. I-20 issued by LIM College
4. I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt
5. Financial support documents used for I-20 application

When you arrive in the United States, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will review your documents and ask you a few questions about the purpose of your travel in the U.S. If the documents are in order, the officer will admit you to the U.S. and stamp your passport. The CBP officer will also create an electronic record of your arrival “I-94 Arrival/Departure Record.” You can check your I-94 record online approximately 24 hours after entry into the U.S.