International students: your first 30 days in the U.S.

Step 1 — Land with your documents in your hand luggage

Study in the States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website for international students, says to carry these with you, not in checked bags, which you only get after you’re admitted (Study in the States — Form I-515A):

• a valid passport;
• your signed Form I-20 or Form DS-2019;
• evidence of financial support;
• if you have them, your I-901 SEVIS fee receipt and your DSO’s contact details, including the school’s 24-hour emergency phone number.

If the officer gives you a Form I-515A. This “Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor” can be issued when something is missing, such as a signature or the SEVIS fee payment, and it allows temporary admission for 30 days (Study in the States — Form I-515A). Tell your DSO as soon as you arrive on campus and send the required documents within 30 days of your entry date; otherwise your SEVIS record may be terminated (Study in the States — Form I-515A).

Step 2 — Contact your DSO and report to your school

Your DSO works at your school and uses SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, to report students’ addresses, courses, enrollment and employment to the government (Study in the States — About SEVIS).

Study in the States asks F and M students to (Study in the States — Maintaining Status):

1. contact the DSO immediately after entering the U.S.;
2. contact the DSO again when they arrive at school, no later than the program start date on the Form I-20.

Reporting by that date is one of the rules of your status; if you’ll be late, even by a few days, tell your DSO right away so they can update your SEVIS record (Study in the States — Getting to the United States).

Go to both orientations. EducationUSA, the State Department’s student advising network, says new students should attend both the international student orientation and the regular one; the international one is where you check in with your DSO (EducationUSA). DSOs must register students in SEVIS no later than 30 days after the session starts (Study in the States — Back-to-School), so don’t skip check-in.

J-1 exchange visitors: contact your program sponsor, whose name and phone number are on your Form DS-2019; it advises you on all matters about your program, including SEVIS registration (J1Visa.state.gov).

Step 3 — Check your I-94 record

Your Form I-94, the Arrival/Departure Record, shows that you were legally admitted, your class of admission and your authorized period of stay (Study in the States — Getting to the United States). Differences between your I-94 and your SEVIS record can cause problems later, for example when your status is checked for a Social Security number (Study in the States — Getting to the United States). Our guide to the I-94 arrival record shows how to download and check yours, and who fixes mistakes.

Rules about how long you may stay have been changing. On July 17, 2026, DHS published a final rule on how long F students and some other groups are admitted for (Study in the States — Final Rule). On September 14, 2026, a federal court postponed it, and USCIS says it is following “the previous regulatory provisions” until further notice (USCIS — I-765). Don’t rely on summaries, including this one, for your own dates: check Study in the States and talk to your DSO, as DHS advises (Study in the States — Final Rule), or to your J-1 sponsor.

Step 4 — Keep your documents safe and your details current

• Keep your passport, Form I-20 and visa valid, store them securely and make copies (Study in the States — Back-to-School).
• You’ll need your Form I-20 throughout your studies, for example to apply for a driver’s license or a Social Security number (Study in the States — Form I-20). Your DSO may issue a new one if yours is lost, or when your SEVIS status changes from “Initial” to “Active” (Study in the States — Form I-20). Keep every signed version; the DMV asks for all of them (Study in the States — Driving).
• Give your DSO an email address you check often, and report any change to your email address, phone number, or physical or mailing address as soon as possible (Study in the States — Back-to-School). Our guide to changing your address covers the deadlines for students.
• Before any trip outside the U.S., ask your DSO for a travel signature on your Form I-20 at least two to four weeks ahead (Study in the States — Back-to-School).

Step 5 — Start classes the right way

• Enroll in a full course of study every term. The required credits or hours depend on your status and your program, and there are limits on online courses (Study in the States — Fall Refresher). If you’re not sure your schedule counts, ask your DSO.
• Attend all your classes. If school gets too difficult, talk to your DSO right away (Study in the States — Maintaining Status).
• Never drop below full time on your own. Only your DSO can authorize a reduced course load; your academic advisor’s approval isn’t enough (Study in the States — Fall Refresher). Dropping without DSO approval can lead to your SEVIS record being terminated (Study in the States — Fall Refresher).

Step 6 — Before any job, talk to your DSO

The U.S. government takes working illegally very seriously, and work options for F-1 students are limited (Study in the States — Working). An F student may work only with authorization, from the DSO in some cases and from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in others; working without it can mean being forced to leave the U.S. immediately and not being able to return later (Study in the States — Maintaining Status). Talk to your DSO and get authorization before accepting any job (Study in the States — Back-to-School), even one that seems small or informal.

J-1 exchange visitors may only do the activity on their DS-2019, or what their program category allows, with their sponsor’s approval (J1Visa.state.gov).

Step 7 — Set up the basics: SSN, license, bank, phone, health

A Social Security number (SSN) comes with a job, not with enrollment. The Social Security Administration (SSA) generally assigns SSNs to people authorized to work and won’t issue one just because you enrolled; if your school asks for an SSN, it should be able to give you a different ID number (SSA).

If you do get an authorized job, don’t rush to SSA on day one. SSA suggests waiting 48 hours after you report to your school (SSA); Study in the States says to wait 10 days after you arrive, with your SEVIS record “Active” for at least two days, and to talk to your DSO first (Study in the States — SSN). See our Social Security number guide. Students who can’t get an SSN but receive non-wage income, such as a scholarship, need an ITIN (Study in the States — SSN); see our ITIN guide.

Driver’s license. Study in the States suggests waiting 10 days after arrival and confirming your SEVIS record is Active before you apply (Study in the States — Driving). Many states require an SSN, or an SSA letter refusing one (Form SSA-L676), first (Study in the States — SSN). See driver’s licenses and state IDs.

Bank, phone and health. See opening a bank account and setting up phone and internet. Campus student health centers provide basic medical services (EducationUSA — Living on Campus). Ask your international student office about your school’s health insurance rules, and read health insurance for newcomers.

If your family came with you. F-2 and M-2 spouses and children may not work or get SSNs, but may study part time at an SEVP-certified school (Study in the States — Dependents). For children, see enrolling your child in school.

Step 8 — Put Form 8843 on your calendar

For a U.S. tax rule called the substantial presence test, students on F, J, M or Q visas who substantially comply with their visa’s requirements are “exempt individuals” (IRS — Substantial presence test). That doesn’t mean exempt from tax; it means some of your days in the U.S. don’t count (IRS — Substantial presence test). If you leave out those days, you must include Form 8843 (IRS — Form 8843) with your tax return, or, if you don’t have to file a return, send it on its own by the return’s due date (IRS — Substantial presence test). Our guide to tax residency for newcomers explains the rest.