Arrival and Orientation

International students entering from outside the United States need to apply for a U.S. visa at the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate. Degree-seeking students need to apply for an F-1 (Student) visa; exchange students need to apply for the J-1 (Exchange) Visa. After acceptance to GCSU, you should make an appointment for the visa interview as soon as possible.

Before your visa appointment, you need to pay a SEVIS fee that supports the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (this is in addition to the visa application fee). This fee must be paid BEFORE a visa can be issued and can NOT be paid at the U.S. embassy/consulate.  The fee can be paid online at SEVIS fee, or by mailing a check, international money order or bank draft drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars to an address in the United States (see detailed information in your acceptance packet), or paid in local currency at a Western Union through the  Quick Pay Service.

Applicants must file the Form I-901 with their payment.  The form will ask for an address where a receipt of payment can be mailed, your School Code for F visa applicants [ATL214F00313000] or Program Number for J visa applicants [P105349] and your SEVIS Identification Number that is located at the top right-hand corner above the bar code on your I-20 or DS-2019 form.  Please note that you will not be refunded the SEVIS fee if your visa is denied, but you do not need to repay the SEVIS fee if you reapply for a student visa within 12 months of the denial.

More information about U.S. visas can be obtained at the following Web sites:

• U.S. Embassies and Consulates Abroad: http://www.usembassy.gov/
• U.S. Visas: http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html
• U.S. Visa Processing Times: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html
• SEVIS Fee: http://www.fmjfee.com

Inspection at the U.S. Port of Entry

Please note that you cannot enter the U.S. prior to 30 days from the start date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019 form. On route to the U.S., you will be asked to complete a Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) on the airplane to be given to the immigration inspection officer at the airport. It is very important to complete this form accurately. Your name should be listed exactly as it is on your passport (spelling, spacing must be consistent). Your date of birth should be listed in the day/month/year format, which is different than is listed on your I-20 or DS-2019. If known, you should list the address where you will actually reside in the U.S. (residence hall room or apartment) on the form. If you do not know your physical address yet, you can provide the general university address: 

Georgia College & State University, 231 W Hancock St, Milledgeville, GA 31061.

At the U.S. Port of Entry, all international visitors to the U.S. have fingerprints scanned by an ink free device and a digital photograph taken when going through immigration. You will be requested to show your I-20 or DS-2019 form, financial documentation, and the I-94 card that you completed on the plane.  Be sure to show the I-20 (or DS-2019) issued by GCSU.  The inspection officer will stamp the appropriate forms, including the I-94 card, which may get stapled into your passport. Be sure you have the I-20 (or the DS-2019), as well as the I-94.  Keep them with your passport.  Do not lose them!  The International Center will need to review and make copies of your documents after you arrive on campus.

If the inspector has questions that you cannot provide answers to, the officer may wish to contact a school officer for verification. In that case, you should provide the names of the appropriate School Officials (Jason Wynn or Susie Ramage) and the International Center phone number (478-445-4789). During weekend or evenings if no one is available at the office number, inspectors should phone Public Safety at 478-445-4400.

Students Currently in the U.S.

If you have attended (or are attending) another institution in the U.S. or are currently pursuing practical training, you must notify your current institution of your intent to transfer to GCSU.  Your current school must release your SEVIS immigration records to Georgia College, and you will be issued a new I-20 to attend GCSU.  Your documents must meet Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations regarding student status, and you must report to the International Center to complete the immigration transfer process by the start of your first semester of enrollment.  If you are currently in an immigration status other than F-1, please submit proof of your current immigration status as soon as possible.  In most cases, you will probably need to change to F-1 status, and we can assist you with the paperwork to apply for a change of status.

Dependents

If you are bringing a spouse or a child to the U.S. while you are studying at GCSU, please notify the International Center with your family's information.  We will issue your spouse and/or child a separate I-20 (or DS-2019) for them to use to apply for an F-2 or J-2 dependent visa. F-2 and J-2 dependents are not required to pay the SEVIS fee, but are required to pay visa application fees.  We do not require the spouse or child of an F-1 student to enroll in the GCSU group health insurance plan, but we strongly suggest they obtain adequate coverage.  They may elect to enroll in the GCSU group health insurance plan, but must enroll within 31 days of arriving in the U.S.  J-2 spouse/children are required by the U.S. Department of State to be insured during their entire stay in the U.S.

Dependents must follow immigration regulations that are different from those in F-1/J-1 status.  F-2 spouses may NOT pursue full-time study in the U.S., but can only engage in study that is avocational or recreational in nature.  F-2 children may only engage in full-time study if the study is in an elementary or secondary school.  F-2s can NOT work in the U.S.; J-2s must apply for special permission from U.S. Immigration to receive work authorization.

Georgia State law requires that all students complete and submit the Immunization Form and the Emergency Contact Information prior to registration. Please have these forms completed, along with the proper proof of immunizations, in your home country where your medical records are kept. Students enrolling at Georgia College & State University must document the following immunizations: two MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubela), Varicella (Chicken Pox), Tetanus, and Hepatitis B (Hepatitis B is required if you are 18 years of age or under and strongly recommended if you are over 18). In addition, students living in University Housing are strongly recommended to receive an immunization for Meningitis and should inform themselves about the risks of the disease at The Center for Disease Control - Meningitis. 

While in some countries, only one MMR vaccination dose is given, in the U.S. health care system, a series of two doses is given, and students need to document two MMR vaccinations. It is much easier if you can obtain the necessary immunizations in your home country prior to your arrival in Georgia. Be sure to have the appropriate documentation on the Certificate of Immunization form enclosed in your acceptance package. If you have further medical attention (after you have submitted your forms, but prior to arrival on campus), bring documentation to that effect with you to the International Center. If necessary, you can receive the appropriate immunizations in Milledgeville for a fee.

Because of the high cost of medical care in the U.S., having your teeth and eyes examined before leaving home is advisable. If possible, have dental work done at home, because insurance does not cover the costs for this work in the U.S. Moreover, insurance does not cover vision examinations and eyewear. You may purchase both contact lenses and glasses in the U.S., at a reasonable cost, to replace lost or broken lenses. If you have a recent (less than one-year old) prescription from your optometrist with you, you will probably not need to have your eyes re-examined should you need to replace broken or lost corrective eye-wear.

The University System of Georgia has a mandatory health insurance plan for all international students enrolled at Georgia's public colleges and universities. The insurance fee must be paid each semester along with your tuition. Coverage for students entering in the fall semester will begin August 1, and for those entering in spring semester will be January 1. More information is available at https://www.uhcsr.com/gcsu. 

Degree-seeking students should carefully review the course requirements for their major in the online course catalog. You can find available course offerings at PAWS. After clicking on "Student Services," click on "Registration". Then select the specific term and the course subjects for which you are searching (for example, economics or biology). Please note that some students are not able to access this site from abroad due to Internet firewalls. When you arrive on campus, you will meet with your academic adviser who will assist you with registration.

Students with TOEFL scores below 79 (Internet-based), or 550 (paper-based) are required to enroll in ESLG 1001 American Language & Culture during their first semester. Students who also score a 6 on the IELTS are required to take this course during their first semester. 

A battery-operated alarm clock. Any prescription medication you are currently using, but be sure to have the medical doctor's prescription in your possession should U.S. Customs ask for it; have an English translation available. A good book to read while waiting for flight, buses, etc., along with these information sheets you are now reading, and a sweater or a light jacket to ward off chills. Carry your passport and other documents, as well as your money, well protected on your person.

The climate in Georgia is relatively mild. During the summer, it is hot and humid with temperatures ranging from 27C (80F) to 40C (104F), and in winter between 16C (60F) to -3C (28F). Be prepared for both cold and hot weather. Students dress informally on campus. Both men and women often wear slacks, shorts, blue jeans, and t-shirts or shirts. There are events such as a formal, conference, or interview that call for more professional clothing, with men wearing suits and ties, and women wearing skirts or dresses.

Bring an outfit representative of your country to wear for special events, such as the International Fest, which is a highlight of the year at Georgia College and will be held in October, and to show to people as you share information about your home. Also, bring along brochures and other information to use during International Week (October), and you will be glad you have photos of your family and friends to share with new friends in Georgia. In addition, you should remember that those who receive International Student Scholarships are expected to assist with university and Milledgeville community activities, such as speaking to classes and community organizations about their countries, and assisting with International Week.

If you have an emergency and cannot reach us by telephone at USA + 478-445-4789, you may call GCSU Public Safety at USA 478-445-4054. Neither the International Center nor Public Safety can accept collect calls. If you cannot contact the International Center, please explain your problem to Public Safety and indicate an e-mail or telephone where we can reach you. You may also e-mail us at jason.wynn@gcsu.edu or intladm@gcsu.edu.

Please note that this office cannot accept collect (or reverse charge) calls nor are we able to allow you to make personal telephone calls or send personal faxes from our office. Under normal circumstances, our limited budget does not even allow us to return long-distance telephone calls. For those purposes, you can use public telephones or fax machines, to which the International Center can refer you.

NOTE: On weekends, holidays and Christmas week, no one will be available to check telephone messages, faxes or e-mails. If you have an emergency during those times, contact Public Safety at + 478-445-4400.