A student must first be accepted by Georgia State University before he or she can apply for a Form I-20 to process his or her student visa. Please refer to the International Student & Scholar Services Applying to Georgia State area for detailed procedures.
You should always use your legal name as written in your passport when filling out your admissions application or other GSU documents. Your I-20 will be issued according to the name in your passport. Inconsistency regarding your name can cause confusion and possible problems securing your visa.
From an immigration perspective, you are not considered an international student as you are a U.S. permanent resident and do not need a student visa. However, you may be classified an “international applicant” because of your overseas educational background. For details, please contact the appropriate admissions office.
H-4 visa holders are eligible to study without changing status to F-1. However, you are not eligible for any employment such as a Graduate Assistantship. If you plan to change your visa status to F-1, please talk to our international advisor.
For other visa holders, please refer to the chart below for study eligibility. If your current visa status is not listed in the chart, please contact ISSS at isss@gsu.edu for more information.
| Visa Category | B-1/ B-2 | F-2 | J-2 | H-1 | H4 | L-1 | L-2 | No Visa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Eligibility | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| GRA Eligibility | No | No | Yes, EAD required |
No | No | No | Yes, EAD required |
No |
We strongly recommend that you submit financial documents together with your admissions application. However, financial documentation is only required for Georgia State to process your immigration paperwork (Form I-20), not for your academic admission. The two processes are separate, but if you are admitted to Georgia State you will need to submit financial documents as soon as you can if you wish to receive a student visa.
Yes. Your financial documents will be forwarded to ISSS after if and when you are accepted to the University.
No. ISSS requires original bank documents in order to process your I-20 or DS-2019 form.
Yes. If you are awarded an assistantship, you can use proof of the award as part of your financial documentation.
First, the admissions office will review your academic documents for acceptance. Once you are accepted, your financial documents will then be forwarded to ISSS for I-20 issuance. Usually, your I-20 will be issued within five business days after your financial documents are approved.
Yes. New financial documents are required for ISSS to issue you an I-20 from Georgia State University. You will need to follow the SEVIS transfer process to complete your I-20 transfer before you can receive a new I-20 from Georgia State.
Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, Georgia State does offer possible scholarships and graduate assistantships to help with your financial needs. If you are an undergraduate student, you can contact the Scholarship Office for more information. If you are a graduate student, you may contact your department for information regarding available graduate assistantship opportunities.
Deferring your admission is sometimes possible, but you should contact the admissions office for details on the appropriate procedures.
Along with your I-20 or DS-2019 form, you should have received a welcome packet from ISSS with information regarding visa application procedures and International Student Orientation. If you have not yet received it, please contact isss@gsu.edu. Only after you have received your F-1 or J-1 visa should you schedule your international travel. For more information regarding next steps for admitted students and the mandatory international student orientation, please see the ISSS website.