November 17, 2018

Dear:

Congratulations on your admission to the University of Nevada, Reno! We hope your plans for attending the University of Nevada, Reno are progressing smoothly. We advise that you arrive by the start date on your DS-2019 in order to get settled in Reno, attend orientations, and complete arrival checklist ( before the semester starts. When you arrive on campus, your first stop should be at the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) located in Fitzgerald Student Services Building, Room 120. We will collect copies of your immigration documents and have you fill out our Check-In form. Please bring your passport, visa, Form I-94 and Form DS-2019when you check in with us. We are open from 8a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday and closed on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

Graduate students with a Teaching Assistantship (TA) MUST attend the GRAD 701 TA training. Please contact the Graduate School or your department for more information.

If you are transferring from another U.S. institution, you can request your Form DS-2019 on the day that you have designated as your release date; please be sure to communicate with both institutions regarding your SEVIS release date.

Please take note of the following new student activities scheduled for FALL 2016:Dates subject to change.

Tuesdays and Thursdays (scheduled within first 2 weeks of the semester) / Check-in Meetings
August 19, 22, 24 (times TBA) / English Placement Tests
Wednesday, August 24 / International Student Orientation
Thursday, August 25 / Teaching Assistant Training
Thursday, August 25 / New Graduate Student Orientation/Reception
Thursday, August 25
Friday, August 26 / Residence halls open
Spring fees due; final day to pay without incurring late fees, and last day for initial registration
Saturday, August 27 / Late fees assessed
Monday, August 29 / FIRST DAY OF CLASSES
Thursday, September 1 / International Student Welcome Reception

SEVIS I-901 Fee ( - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires that all new J-1 students pay the $18000 SEVIS I-901 fee. Only J-1 students are required to pay the fee; J-2 dependents are exempt. This administrative fee is being collected to fund operation of SEVIS – the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. Please note: this fee must be paid prior to your visa appointment and you must present proof of payment at your visa appointment. It should be paid directly to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at least 3 days prior to applying for a visa. The SEVIS fee CANNOT be paid at the consulate. There are 3 ways to make the payment described below:

  1. Online submission of Form I-901 available at using a credit card (Visa, Master Card, or American Express accepted). You will be able to print out an electronic receipt immediately and use it as proof of your payment at the consulate.
  2. Mail-in submission of Form I-901 to DHS address on the form, along with the SEVIS fee paid by bank check, or money order drawn on a financial institution located in the U.S. and payable in U.S. currency. The payment confirmation can be printed from the SEVIS fee website ( after the payment has charged or within 2 weeks of mailing your payment.
  3. Western Union Quick Pay™ service is an acceptable payment method for the I-901 Fee and is accessible in over 130 countries. Payment will be linked to your Form I-901 and your online payment confirmation will be available immediately at will be able to go to your Visa Appointment 2-3 days after your payment has posted.

Please note: citizens of Canada are exempt from the visa requirement but they must pay the SEVIS fee prior to crossing the port of entry to the U.S. They apply for admission to the U.S. at the port of entry by presenting a Form DS-2019, proof of funding, payment of SEVIS I-901 fee, and passport or citizenship card to the CBP officer.

Visa Information -Please carefully review the enclosed Form DS-2019 and sign at the bottom of page 1. You will need to present this form along with the invitation letter from the academic department to the American Embassy or Consulate to apply for J-1 visa. If you have dependents who will accompany you, they will apply for J-2 visas based on their own DS-2019 forms. After granting the visa, the consular officer will return the form(s) to you and you should present them again to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the port of entry to the U.S. It is important that you keep these documents together with your passport and bring them to the check-in meeting with OISS once you arrive in Reno. More information on the visa process and consulates can be obtained at travel.state.gov/content/visas/english.html.

Please keep in mind that you can apply for a visa 120 days prior to the program start date on your Form DS-2019 and arrive to the U.S. up to 30 days prior to that date. Many students experience long delays in visa processing, therefore, it is important to apply ahead of time. Please contact the U.S. consulate nearest you for specific information regarding the scheduling of visa interviews, procedures, processing times, and visa fees. If you expect that you will not be able to arrive to the U.S. by the start date listed on your Form DS-2019, please contact OISS immediately.

Please be aware that some J-1 students may be subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement. More information on this requirement can be obtained at travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1296.html. Please also refer to the U.S. Department of State website atj1visa.state.govfor more information on the Exchange Visitor Program basic concepts, terminology, and conditions of stay.

Class Registration - International students may enroll in classes before they arrive and report to the University. Go to our website at get the requirements to enroll in classes before your arrival. Class registration and tuition payment can be done on MyNEVADA (my.nevada.unr.edu). To register for classes on MyNEVADA, all the holds on your MyNEVADA account must be removed. The holds to be removed include Admissions – Enrollment Hold from OISS, Enrollment Hold for Immunization, and Advising Hold (only for undergraduate students). There may be other holds to be removed; check your MyNEVADA account.

Travel Insurance - We strongly recommend you purchase travel health insurance for you and any dependents to cover any medical expenses you may incur before the insurance coverage from the University begins. All international students registered at the University are automatically enrolled in the health insurance plan provided by the University. Coverage begins 5 days before the beginning of the semester; you must be registered in classes to use the insurance. If you have dependents, you will have to purchase additional medical insurance coverage for them.

The material enclosed in this packet will give you some helpful information and suggestions to aid you in making plans for your arrival. Please read this packet carefully and be familiar with its contents. International students at this university are usually involved in sharing their culture with members of the campus and local community. To this end, we encourage you to bring along DVD’s, pictures, or traditional clothing about life in your country. We anticipate that you will add an important dimension to our increasingly international campus and local community.

For more information, please review the Already Admitted information on the OISS website at prepare for your arrival and answer questions you may have. Please feel free to contact OISS via email at f you have any additional questions.

We look forward to welcoming you to Reno, Nevada!

Sincerely,

P. Susie Askew, M.S., Director

Office of International Students and Scholars

University of Nevada, Reno