Admitted International Students

Form I-20

As an international student, you will need Form I-20 from Baylor's International Student and Scholar Services Office. 

• Once you have been offered admission and accepted your offer from Baylor Graduate School, you will receive an email in your Baylor email account from the International Student and Scholar Services Office with directions to log in and request your I-20 using the Bear ID and password that you created to activate your Baylor email account.  If you have not set-up your Baylor email account, you must do that in order to receive and complete the I-20 request.  You should receive an email from Baylor’s IT department at the personal email account that you used to apply to Baylor.  It will provide instructions for setting up your Baylor email account.  If you do not receive an email from Baylor about setting up your Baylor email account, then you may email Helpdesk@Baylor.edu directly to get assistance with that process.

• If you have not heard from ISSS within five days of accepting your admission you should email ISSS directly at ISSS_support@baylor.edu about your I-20.

• An information packet will be sent with your I-20.  
• You are responsible for reading your I-20 and any other information carefully and following instructions.
• International students who are Canadian citizens do not need an F-1 visa but they do need an I-20.  They must also pay the SEVIS fee. Instructions are included in the information packet sent with the I-20.
• Please read carefully the important information from The Center for Global Engagement-International Student and Scholar Services Office about the F1 visa, the I-20 and SEVIS, F1 Student Guidelines, and the Programs & Activities available to you.
• Click here for Tuition and Fees and click here for an Estimated Cost of Living Calculator.
• You must arrive by the Program Start Date (Arrival Day) on your I-20, and you should plan to check in with the Center for Global Engagement on that day.

If you are coming from your home country for the first time, you will need the I-20 from Baylor in order to obtain an F-1 entry visa from the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate in your country.

If you are transferring from another institution in the U.S., you still need the I-20 from Baylor, but you do not need a new visa if you are still in the U.S.

Social Security Number

Students receiving assistantships must have a Social Security number.
Information about applying for a Social Security number can be found HERE.

Health Insurance

All graduate students are required to enroll in health insurance.

• International students should register via Baylor's Health Services. Click here for more information. 
• Health Insurance is mandatory for all international students.  Insurance for dependents is no longer required but is highly recommended.
• The cost of the coverage will be automatically charged to your account upon registration.
• If you already have health insurance you must contact the Health Center Insurance Office regarding a waiver before the beginning of the semester.
• For further information regarding the Health Form or Insurance call the Health Center at (254) 710-1010.

Funding

International students are not eligible to apply for any U.S. government funding programs.  This includes FAFSA funding and the Texas Tuition Equalization Grant (TTEG).

Immunization

As of January 1, 2012, all new, entering college students in the state of Texas who are under the age of 22 need to have had a bacterial meningitis vaccine within the last 5 years in order to attend class.  Click here for more information.

Housing

It is very important that you make your housing arrangements prior to your arrival on campus; you will have many tasks upon arrival, leaving you very little time to look for housing. Also, as the fall semester approaches, housing options will become more limited since there will be many students searching for accommodations.  See Support Resources | Center for Global Engagement | Baylor University which provides information on housing as well as other practical considerations.

English

If English is not your native language, please see Teaching in English for International Teaching Assistants.