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Pre-Departure Checklist for International Students

Now that you’ve been accepted to Idaho State University, there are a few more things you’ll need to do before your arrival.

  1. Pay SEVIS Fee
  2. Apply for your Visa
  3. Arrange Housing
  4. Arrange Travel
  5. Attend New Student Orientation (Online or In-Person)
  6. Register for Classes
  7. Register for International Student Welcome Session
  8. Tuberculosis Screening Requirement
  9. Update your Address
  10. Check-In with IPO

Pay Your Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee

Paying the SEVIS fee is required for your visa interview and for entry into the U.S. Go to https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/ to pay the fee. If you do not have a credit card, it can also be paid using Western Union's "Quick Pay" service.

  • You will be asked for your SEVIS number which is in the upper left corner of your I-20 and begins with N00. 
  • You will be asked for our School Code which is HEL214F00125000.
  • Please print the receipt provided at the time of payment.  The receipt must be presented to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview and to an immigration officer at the port of entry into the U.S.
  • It is NOT possible to pay the SEVIS fee at the embassy or consulate or at a U.S. port of entry.  It must be paid electronically.

Apply for a Student Visa

Apply for your F-1 or J-1 visa.

The Department of State outlines the steps to apply for F-1 or J-1 visas.

You can also take a look at our tips on How to Apply for a Student Visa and take note of the locations of your nearest embassy/consulate and visa wait-times so you can plan accordingly.

Please let us know the results of your visa interview within 3 days of your interview by sending an email to ipomail@isu.edu.

Note: Students from Canada are not required to appear for a visa interview and may skip this step.

Arrange Housing

Make your arrangements for housing by doing one of the following:

  • Register for on-campus housing and send your $150.00 reservation fee by visiting ISU Housing.
  • Search for off-campus housing, prior to arrival, using your own resources.

Travel Information

Please submit the Travel Details Form as soon as you have made your travel arrangements.  Please note that we are not able to pick students up from the Pocatello Airport or Salt Lake Express bus station upon arrival, so you'll need to arrange for an Uber or taxi.  For more information about how to get to Pocatello, taxi and shuttle information, and hotel information, go to our Transportation Page.  

Attend New Student Orientation (Online or In-Person)

Incoming undergraduate students must complete the following steps before they can register for their classes.  

Step 1: Pre Orientation- complete the two courses (ISU Module and Safe Colleges).
Step 2: Registration for an NSO Session - sign up for one of the general New Student Orientation (general NSO) sessions at Pocatello Campus. Several in-person and vinrtual sessions (US Mountain Time zone) are available.
Step 3: Attendance at the NSO Session - please attend the registered session (either online or in-person- whichever you selected).

If you are a first-time freshman, please complete the above steps by clicking on this page.

Register for Classes

If you are a graduate student, please get in touch with your Graduate Advisor for class registration. If you are an exchange student, please get in touch with your exchange coordinator (Michelle Farrer at michellefarrer@isu.edu).

For undergraduate students, once you have attended New Student Orientation as outlined above, you will be contacted by your undergraduate academic advisor to help you with class registration.

Please contact your Academic Advisor if you have any questions related to course registration.

Register for International Student Welcome Session

Complete and submit the online International Student Welcome Session Registration Form.

Tuberculosis Screening Requirement

Students from countries identified as high TB risk are required to complete TB screening.  Go to our Health Center's TB Screening Requirement page for more information.

Update your Address

Once you know what your local address will be in the U.S., log into your MyISU portal and add your address.  This is critical for us to register your SEVIS record.  Go to our Address Reporting page for details on how to add your address.

Check-In with IPO

Once you arrive in Pocatello, you will need to Check-In promptly at the International Programs Office.

Please have all of the following documents with you when you check in:

  • I-20 or DS-2019
  • Passport
  • Visa
  • I-94 card
  • Complete our Check-In form or the Check-In Form included in your admissions packet. This form must be completed in its entirety and submitted in person to the International Programs Office upon arrival.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office at (208) 282-4320 or email us at ipomail@isu.edu.