Visa Information
To enter the United States to study, you’ll need a visa—usually an F-1 Student Visa. To apply for it, you must submit to the United States Embassy or Consulate in your own country:
- A valid Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility
- A passport
- Evidence of financial support
Boston University will send you a Form I-20 after you’ve been admitted and have submitted evidence of financial support. To prepare your form, we need the following information:
- Name (first and last, exactly as it appears on your passport)
- Address (foreign home address)
- Mailing address (if different from home address)
- Country of citizenship
- Country of birth
- A copy of your passport (pages with biographical information only)
- SEVIS number (if currently studying in the United States)
- A copy of any existing I-20 form (if currently studying in the United States)
If you enter the United States on a visitor’s visa (B-2) without the “Prospective Student” classification (issued only in exceptional circumstances), you will not be able to change to a student classification and may not be permitted to continue in school. In this case, you risk forfeiting your tuition. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper visa classification.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 617-353-4492 or intadmis@bu.edu.