Once You Have Been Accepted

Congratulations on your acceptance to Luther!

Once you have made the decision to attend Luther, here are the next steps:

1. Submit a $300 non-refundable enrollment deposit. The enrollment deposit secures your place in the entering class and confirms your acceptance of the financial aid awarded to you. *If you are a U.S. abroad student, the remaining steps are not applicable.
2. Obtain your document I-20 Certificate of Eligibility: We will prepare your I-20, which is necessary for your visa application. Once ready your I-20 will be accessed through your applicant portal. We will also mail the I-20 to you, along with a comprehensive Pre-Arrival Guide, via express mail. International students inside US: Work with your current institution to have your SEVIS record transferred to Luther and then we will create an updated I-20.
3. Pay I901 SEVIS Fee: After you receive your I-20, you must pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee ($350) to the U.S. government based on your I-20 SEVIS ID number. You are required to pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee before you apply for your F-1 visa. Please print a copy of your payment confirmation and keep it with your I-20.
4. Schedule F-1 Visa Appointment: After you have paid the SEVIS fee and completed the DS-160, you can schedule your visa appointment at the nearest US embassy or consulate in your home country. You can schedule the appointment within 365 days before your program start date listed on your I-20. You will use the SEVIS ID to schedule the interview and you must present the printed, signed & dated I-20 to the consular officer when you attend your visa interview. Learn how to schedule your visa interview and apply for your visa via student visas page on travel.state.gov as well as the instructions at the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply for a visa. Canadian Citizens: You do not apply for an F-1 visa in advance of your arrival to the U.S., but you are required to pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee (see above).
5. Prepare for your Visa Interview: DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR VISA INTERVIEW (BUT NOT LIMITED TO):
   • Document I-20, issued by Luther College
   • Confirmation Page of Form DS-160
   • Valid Passport
   • 2” x 2” photo of yourself (see requirements)
   • Visa application fee payment receipt
   • SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt (fmjfee.com)
   • Financial evidence proving you and/or your sponsor have sufficient funds to cover your studies. Evidence should match the ‘Financials’ section on your I-20
   • Academic records, transcripts and/or diplomas from previous schools attended
   • Standardized test scores such as Duolingo, SAT (if available)

Many of the steps you need to follow as an international student from initial acceptance to arrival on campus and enrollment in courses are different from the process for U.S. students. It’s best for you to follow the process outlined in the Pre-Arrival Guide.