Student Guide

Our pre-arrival webinar for international students is designed to prepare you for your upcoming journey to New York City. You can find out some of what we discuss in this webinar below and how to join.

Webinar Details 

In this live session, your Campus Team will provide you with guidance and advice as a newly-admitted international student. You’ll get to meet your Campus Team who will be on hand to help you as soon as you arrive in the US.

The webinar will cover a host of topics designed to help answer all your questions and learn about university accommodation, the advantages, and disadvantages of living in privately-owned housing and things to consider before booking. Topics will include

• Information and updates about applying for your visa
• Accommodation Options: On Campus, Off Campus, Homestay
  • Where should you live?
  • Why is it important to be close to campus?
  • Scam and Fraud Awareness
• Booking Accommodation Process
  • Deadlines
  • The Importance of Booking Early
  • Deposits and Payments
• The Cost of Living in the US

We will also cover very specific topics about your arrival on campus. You may also hear from current international students who joined the program within the last year!

Topics will include

• Fast Facts and Curriculum
• Immigration Reminders
• Health Services/Insurance/Banking
• Student Life: What to Expect and Bring
• Important Dates
• Your Journey from the Airport to the University
• Welcome Activities

Do you have questions? 
All our webinars have a LIVE question and answer session at the end! You will have the opportunity to ask our speakers questions during the meeting and get fast answers!

Missed a webinar? No problem — recordings will be available afterwards. If you still have questions, our team is here to help.

Upcoming Pre-Arrival Webinars:

Applying for your F-1 Visa

In order to avoid delays in getting your visa, it is very important to apply for your F-1 student visa at your nearest US embassy or consulate as soon as you have received your Admission Letter and I-20. You can locate a nearby embassy at this link: https://www.usa.gov/find-embassy. Any delays in receiving your visa will impact your ability to register for your classes and may delay your start term.

The general steps for applying for your F-1 Visa are below:

1. Complete the online visa application (form DS-160) You might need to pay the visa application fee of $185 at this time too.
2. Schedule a visa interview appointment. Visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will be interviewed for country-specific instructions. F-1 student visas can be issued up to 365 days before your program start date.
3. Prepare for interview
   1. Pay SEVIS I-901 fee at https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html# Current fee for F1 student visa is $350.  Your I-20 have your SEVIS ID number at the top (it starts with N and followed by 10 digits) and other information needed to pay the SEVIS fee.
   2. Gather necessary documents- valid passport, visa application (Form DS-160) confirmation page, application fee payment receipt, Form I-20, passport photo (if necessary). Additional documents may be required such as: academic transcript, test scores, proof of financial ability.
4. Attend visa interview

Our team can support you through this process. You can reach out by using this form: Admissions Contact Form

We will request updates on your visa application status. We’d like to know when you applied, when your interview is scheduled and, most importantly, if you were successful!  Once you’ve received your visa, please email Jamie Grafton – jgrafton@oxfordinternational.com.

US Visa Application Support

If you have any questions about the US visa application, we’d encourage you to talk to a professional immigration expert.

Oxford International has partnered with the Argo Visa Forge Dynamic. The company provides visa applicants with a one-to-one analysis of their case and then guides them with personalized visa interview strategies. If you need help preparing your visa interview, you can book a consultation with an Argo Visa Expert today.

You must book your accommodation before your arrival to the US. It is advisable to move into your private accommodation a day or two before your program start date, so that you are fully rested and ready to attend!

Accommodation options are linked below.
Homestay
YMCA West Side

For questions or assistance with securing housing accommodations, feel free to reach out to us at nyc@oxfordinternational.com 

We will request updates on your accommodation arrangements so we can promptly assist you.

When to Book Your Flight

Immediately after you’ve received your visa, book your flight. When booking your flight, please make sure you schedule to arrive on or before the Arrival / Move-in Date, so you have enough time to check-in to your accommodation and join your classes on time. When choosing your arrival airport, be sure to select John F. Kennedy International Aiport (JFK), La Guardia (LGA), or Newark Liberty International (EWR) as this is the most convenient option with ground connections to campus and the rest of New York.

We will request information and updates about your travel details, so please email nyc@oxfordinternational.com once you’ve booked your flight.

Airport Pickup

At Oxford, we want you to feel welcome and supported from the moment you arrive. Let us arrange an Airport Pickup Service to take the stress out of your travel so you can focus on your studies and new adventures. If you’d like to reserve our convenient airport pickup service, simply complete this form. All requests need to be made two weeks before arrival.  Any forms submitted after this date will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The airport pickup service pricing is a flat rate:

$230 from JFK, Newark, or LaGuardia airports

Your course registration will be assisted by our Campus Team.  Please refer to any instructions provided via email or during the pre-arrival webinar.

STAGE 1 – Class Registration 
The first step in getting registered for your English classes is to inform the school of receiving your visa.  Once we have this information, you will receive an email with a link to a placement test and a request for availability to arrange an online speaking test with a member of the academic team.
These tests allow us to ensure a smooth start to your first days in the ESL program.  Once you have completed the placement tests, you will receive a follow-up email from the center with details regarding your first week and class schedule.

STAGE 2 – Arrival Check-In 
Once the online registration is complete, you will need to come to the campus office for face-to-face check-in, usually during the arrival orientation.
You will need to bring: any remaining payment due, current, valid and in-date passport and relevant immigration document (e.g. stamped entry visa, current visa, I-94 arrival record).
You must check-in on arrival. If you don’t, you will be classed as non-arrival, reported to SEVIS, and dropped from your classes.
During the document check, you will also be asked to complete a form and have your photo taken so that we can have your student ID made.

Syracuse University will send an invoice to all iY-1 students in order to collect tuition fees. We strongly advise that you pay your remaining tuition from your home country as soon as you receive your visa and before you travel to the US. Settling all due payments prior to arrival will allow you to focus on your studies and to enjoy your student life. Without paying your tuition fees, you may not receive your schedule and may have restrictions applied to your university facilities.

You can easily pay your tuition and fees online via Flywire, Syracuse University’s preferred payment partner. Flywire provides a secure global payment network that simplifies paying your fees from your home country and countries around the world. Payment options can include bank transfers, credit cards, e-wallets and more, typically in your home currency for most countries.

Your invoice will include a unique Flywire link (or found in your offer letter).

Personal Finances

It’s important to contact your bank or credit card company to confirm whether or not you can use your cards in the United States. If you are carrying cash, be sure that you do not carry more than $10,000 USD, as you will need to declare this in customs and immigration.

Many students also opt to open US bank accounts. You should research options that may work best for you. We’ve partnered with Adro Bank to offer international students a simple, reliable, and convenient banking solution.  Adro Bank provides easy account setup from the US and abroad, a service tailored for international students, multilingual support, and easy access to your money. To learn more and open an account, simply visit Adro’s website through this link.

For more information about Adro accounts and sign up, feel free to explore the following links:

Adro Sign Up Walkthrough

Adro Account Comparison

Adro Help Center

We want you to have the best possible student experience: an arrival that answers your questions as well as events and activities that help you settle into your studies and make friends. We strongly advise that you attend lectures from day one in order to have the best possible academic outcome. To enjoy the full student experience, you need to arrive at the College no later than the program start date as stated in your offer letter and I-20.

If you believe you are going to enter the US beyond the program start date, you must request permission to arrive late by contacting Jamie Grafton at jgrafton@oxfordinternational.com. Be sure to provide the date you expect to arrive and the reason for the delay. These requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure you are fully registered once you arrive.

• I-20 & Visa: nyc@oxfordinternational.com
• Director of Campus Operations: Jamie Grafton: jgrafton@oxfordinternational.com