Obtaining Your Form I-20
A Form I-20 is the Certificate of Eligibility that the Wesleyan Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) will create for you in the U.S. government's Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). You will need your I-20 with SEVIS ID number to apply for your F-1 visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate abroad.
Requesting Your I-20
Undergraduate Students: After you have been admitted to Wesleyan, the Office of Admission will contact you via email and request that you submit your Certification of Finances (COF) form to show proof of funding for your full program of study at the University. After your have submitted your COF and it has been approved by Admissions, OISA will create your Form I-20, upload a copy for you to access via the International Student and Scholar (ISS) Portal, and send you a confirmation email to your @wesleyan.edu address.
Graduate Students: After you receive your admission letter and your Wesleyan Credentials (Wesleyan ID number and Wesleyan email address) you will use your Wesleyan credentials to log-in to the International Student and Scholar (ISS) Portal to submit your Graduate Initial I-20 Request.
Before starting your request, please gather the following documents/information:
- Passport Photo Page (Required)
- Dependent Documentation (if applicable)
- Completed Certification of Finances (if applicable; you will be contacted to submit your Certification of Finances)
ISS Portal Steps for Submitting Graduate Initial I-20 Request (graduate students only)
1. Log in to your ISS Portal account by clicking on "LOG-IN TO ISS PORTAL" at the top right corner of the OISA website homepage. Use your Wesleyan credentials to log in to the portal.
2. Once logged in, click on the gray house icon located at the left side of the black navigation bar.
3. Select Site Home from the drop-down menu. You will be redirected to the ISS Portal main page.
4. Select F-1 Student Requests from the menu on the left side of the page
5. On the F-1 Student Requests Page, click on Graduate Initial I-20 Request from the menu choices.
6. On the next screen, select the term that you intend to start your program of study at Wesleyan.
7. On the Graduate Initial I-20 Request page, start by carefully reviewing the Announcements and Instructions sections.
8. Complete the following sections of the request to provide OISA with the information needed to create your immigration record in SEVIS:
- Attached Documents: You will be asked to attach a scan of your Passport Photo Page. If you will be bringing dependents with you to Wesleyan, please upload a copy of each dependent’s Passport Photo Page. Please upload your dependent(s) documentation in one file.
- Signature Documents: This section will ask you to review and digitally sign documents with important information that indicate your understanding. Please be aware that these are legal documents. Please contact OISA if you have any questions before clicking the buttons to digitally sign these documents.
You can click the "Save" button at the bottom of each questionnaire to save your responses as you go along; make sure you click the "Submit" button to add each completed section to your request.
When you have completed each section of the Graduate Initial I-20 Request, click the red "Submit" button at the top of the page.
If you start a request in the ISS Portal but are unable to complete it, you may return to it at a later time. Do not start a new one. To return to an existing request, please go to your ISS Portal User Home Page.
After receiving your request, OISA will issue your I-20. This process generally takes up to two weeks. The Office of Admissions will mail this document to you via courier service with a tracking number to the address listed on your application. If you do not receive your I-20 or have not been contacted by OISA by June 15, please contact OISA via email at oisa@wesleyan.edu.
Receiving Your I-20
Once OISA creates your I-20, we will upload an electronic copy for you in the ISS Portal and send you a confirmation email to your Wesleyan email address with instructions on how to access it. Please review your I-20 carefully to ensure that the information is correct. If it is correct, print a copy of your I-20 and sign and date it in blue ink in the "Student Attestation" section on page 1. Contact OISA via email at oisa@wesleyan.edu if any corrections are needed on your form.
U.S. federal guidance permits SEVP-certified colleges and universities such as Wesleyan to issue Form I-20s electronically. You are allowed to print out the copy of your I-20 we upload for you in the ISS Portal, sign and date it, and use it for your visa interview and entry to the U.S.
If you would like OISA to mail you a printed copy of your original I-20, you must use University Express Mail Service (UEMS)/eShipGlobal to pay to have your document shipped to your address. Please follow these instructions to create your eShipGlobal account and pay for shipping of your I-20:
- Register for an eShipGlobal (“UEMS”) student/scholar account.
- Activate your account by clicking the link sent to your email address, then log in to your account.
- Click the “I-20” icon.
- Enter and select “Wesleyan University” in the search box.
- Confirm or update your complete delivery address and current contact information.
- Select your preferred carrier (FedEx or UPS) from the options provided.
Once you reach the “Shipment Summary” page your request is complete, and OISA will automatically be sent a notification and your shipping label. You will automatically receive a confirmation email with your shipment and order details from eShipGlobal, and once OISA has processed and shipped your document, you will receive a notification via email with your tracking information.
You may also track or check the current status of your shipment at any time (real-time tracking is available 24/7) by logging into your eShipGlobal account, downloading the “UEMS” mobile app (iOS & Google), or by contacting eShipGlobal Customer Service.
If you encounter difficulties or have questions, please contact eShipGlobal Customer Service directly. eShipGlobal student support representatives are available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (CST) via email, phone, or chat online with a live representative.
- Customer Service Email: studentsupport@eshipglobal.com
- Customer Service Phone: 800-816-1615 or 972-518-1775 (U.S./Canada), or 001-972-518-1775 (International)
You can chat online with a live representative (log in to your account and click the blue tab labeled “Online”). You can also refer to eShipGlobal’s FAQ page for a list of frequently asked questions and answers.
Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee
After receiving your I-20, you will need to pay the $350 Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) I-901 SEVIS Fee. It is important to print out and keep the receipt for this payment; we recommend you have it with you with your other immigration documents when you enter the U.S. at a port of entry.
Submitting Form DS-160 and Scheduling Your Visa Appointment
After paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee, you should complete a Form DS-160 online and schedule a visa appointment at a U.S. consulate/embassy abroad, ideally in your passport country, using your SEVIS ID number and school code (both found on your I-20). Unless you are a citizen of Canada or Bermuda, you will need a valid F-1 visa issued by an American embassy/consulate for entry to the U.S. Please use this U.S. Department of State page to locate your nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and confirm requirments for obtaining your visa. More information regarding the visa process is available on the F-1 Visa Interview page.