Frequently Asked Questions
I’m a newly admitted international student to Caldwell University. Where is my I-20?
Caldwell does not automatically issue I-20s to its admitted students. You must apply for the document.
If your application for admission is successful, you will receive an email with instructions to apply for an I-20. We encourage you to apply for the I-20 as soon as you receive these instructions. If you did not receive the email or you do not have a 6-digit student ID, please notify your Caldwell admissions officer.
I am a current student in the U.S. How can I transfer my current F-1 record to Caldwell?
To complete the SEVIS transfer procedure: (1) You must contact your current school International Student Advisor to arrange to transfer your SEVIS record to Caldwell University. (2) Complete our I-20 application and Transfer-In form, then send those with copies of your financial documentation and current immigration documents (passport, I-20, visa and front and back of I-94 if applicable). (3) OISS will create an I-20 for you once we receive this online application and once the transfer release date issued by your current school has been reached. (4) After you arrive on campus, you must attend ISS’s international student orientation. Failure to complete the transfer process as described will jeopardize your immigration status in the U.S.
Attention Current F-1 Students at Another U.S. Institution
Caldwell University does not issue F-1 I-20s for all programs. Thus, please do NOT request your current F-1 school to transfer your SEVIS record to Caldwell until OISS approves your SEVIS/school transfer. Please note that any premature/unapproved transfer may result in jeopardizing your immigration status in the US.
I’m returning from a leave of absence. How do I apply for a new I-20?
Please contact your school to get permission to return to the program. Then contact OISS regarding next steps in enrollment.
I am currently studying at Caldwell and I was admitted to a new program. How do I apply for a new I-20?
If you are an F-1 student admitted to the same or different education level, consult with OISS if there are OPT or travel-related concerns.
What types of documents qualify for Financial Certification?
Your funds must be liquid. This means that they are cash that can be immediately accessed. Long-term savings accounts that may not be accessed for two years do not qualify. Checking accounts or savings accounts without withdrawal prohibitions do qualify. An assessment of the value of your assets (home, car, property, jewelry) does not qualify. A report on your stock portfolio does not qualify.
What information should my Financial Certification contain?
- Pages 9 through 12 of the I-20 application must be properly filled out and sent to OISS.
- You must have liquid assets to cover the first year of expenses at Caldwell University. You must also show financial support from one or more sources that reflect full financial support for four years of expenses. You can find more information on what is accepted by downloading the I-20 application.
- If your documentation is not written in English, you must include a notarized translation into English
- Showing your funds converted into US dollars is preferable. If this is not possible, please make sure that the quantity and type of currency are clearly written.
Which of my funding sources goes into which category?
Personal Funds:
- Bank account in your name
- Pre-approved student loan (with loan amount) taken out in your name
School Funding:
- Fellowship, Scholarship, Assistantship or Grant money awarded to you by Caldwell University
Other Funding:
- Scholarship or grant from a non-Caldwell source (example: your home government, your current employer)
- Bank account in your mother’s or father’s name
- If a person other than your mother or father is supporting all or a portion of your study, please include a letter from that person stating their relationship to you and their intention to support your studies for the amount of $XXX.
Caldwell University’s financial aid office is taking a long time to make a decision about my award. Do I have to wait for them to apply for the I-20?
If you want to use your award letter as part of your financial proof to obtain the I-20, you have to wait. You can still submit the rest of your application, however, your application will be put on hold until you send us a copy of the award letter.
Once you receive the I-20, you have to schedule a visa interview with the US embassy/consulate. It is difficult for you to plan your trip without having the I-20 and the visa. Kindly ask the financial aid office to make a decision at their earliest convenience so you can attend Caldwell.
What is the normal processing time for OISS to issue an I-20?
The processing time may take up to 2 weeks after we receive your complete application with all financial documents. If we have not received all your financial documents, we cannot start the process.
I-20 documents are processed in the order we receive your documents. Regretfully, we cannot expedite your request due to the high volume of applications. We advise you do not set up your visa interview until you receive an I-20.
How do I check the status of my I-20 application?
You can communicate with the Director of International Student Services at jjiras@caldwell.edu
Please do not send multiple emails over a short period regarding your I-20 application. There is an expectation that all emails regarding I-20 documents will be responded to with 2 business days of the request.
How should I send application documents to OISS?
- You can scan your documents and save as PDF format. (JPG also available)
- Then you can send them to international@caldwell.edu or jjiras@caldwell.edu.
- Please do not send multiple copies of a single document.
- If you are unable to scan and email documents, you can also fax your documents to OISS at 973-618-3444.
What general advice do you have for me when faxing documents to OISS?
- Fax required documents only to the designated fax number.
- Please fax OISS required documents together to the designated fax number. Please do not fax us things such as your tuition and housing deposit. We are not responsible for forwarding them to other offices.
- Please do not fax the same document again. Faxing again will slow down the process because of confusion and extra work involved.
- Write your full name and Student ID on the first page of each fax. If the document does not have your full name and college ID number, we may be unable to match it to your application.
- Get a confirmation from the fax machine to confirm your fax went through successfully.
I already received my own I-20 from Caldwell. How do I request an I-20 for my dependent?
Dependent(s) is defined by US Immigration as “spouse and/or children under 21 years old only.” If your spouse and/or children are US citizens or permanent residents of the US, they are not eligible for an I-20.
Caldwell asks that you submit each dependent’s I-20 application together with your application.
Where can I find more information (such as housing and airport information) that will help me prepare my arrival to the US?
- Information for on-campus housing is here: https://www.caldwell.edu/residence-life/.
- For those traveling from the airport, you will receive further information with your I-20 welcome packet.
Can I bring money to the US?
You may choose to bring large sums of money with you in the form of cash, money order, or traveler’s checks when entering the US. You may bring as much money as you wish into the US, however, any amounts of money exceeding the allowed $10,000 (US dollars) maximum must be declared in advance.
When you arrive in the US, you are required to declare all monies that you are bringing into the country. You will receive Form 6059B Customs Declaration, which must be filled in completely and truthfully. If you do not declare your money, the penalties for noncompliance can be severe. Your money might be taken away, you will be required to provide a written explanation of your failure to comply, your case will be evaluated, and you might have to pay a considerable fine.
For more information, visit Money and Other Monetary Instruments at the US Customs and Border Protection Agency web site. OISS recommends traveler’s checks issued by your local bank, which you can then use to open a new account here in the US.
My visa application was rejected or delayed. Where can I find information that will help me prepare my visa interview?
We are very sorry to hear that your visa application was rejected. Please email us at jjiras@caldwell.edu to let us know any relevant details.
Before you go back to the US embassy/consulate, please review the following information from the US State Department and OISS web sites to help you prepare your next visa interview: