Getting Started: Admitted Degree-Seeking Students

Before you arrive, you will need to share some information with OISS so that we can issue the immigration document that will allow you to apply for a U.S. visa. In most cases, students will receive a Form I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa, but some students may receive a DS-2019 to apply for a J-1 visa.

After you are admitted to Lehigh and accept the offer of admission, we will contact you by email to explain your next steps. Until you accept the offer and pay any required deposit, we will not have a record for you and may not be able to answer specific questions. Initial correspondence from OISS will come from intnl@lehigh.edu. 

New Student Pre-Arrival Checklist

The first correspondence you receive from OISS is an email titled “Welcome to Lehigh University” that will ask you for some basic information so that we can add you to a Pre-Arrival Checklist. Once you are added to this checklist, you will receive instructions to complete several electronic forms in on online system called iHome.  These e-forms allow OISS to collect information and documents required to issue your Form I-20 or DS-2019. You will become very familiar with iHome during your time at Lehigh. Within the New Student Pre-Arrival Checklist, some steps require you to enter data or upload documents, while others are strictly informational. 

In order to receive your I-20 or DS-2019, you must complete each step of the New Student Pre-Arrival Checklist in iHome. 

To complete the checklist, please be prepared with the following information and documents:

• Your passport that is valid for at least six months into the future
  • If you have dependents (spouse/children): Passports for each that are valid for at least six  months into the future.
• Financial documents that show you can support tuition and living expenses for at least one academic year (refer to the Estimate of Expenses for more information)
  • If you have dependents: Additional financial support for each dependent
• If you are currently in the U.S. in F-1 status: Information from your current school’s international office, including the name and e-mail address of your International Student Advisor and the school’s SEVIS school code

If you are currently in the U.S. in J-1 status, please contact OISS at intnl@lehigh.edu for more information about the SEVIS transfer process.

I-20/DS-2019 document issuance timeline

Students admitted for the fall semester

OISS will begin issuing I-20s/DS-2019s in late February/early March. We strongly recommend that you submit all documentation through the checklist as soon as possible and no later than the end of June. Students who are in the U.S. transferring an active SEVIS record to Lehigh may be able to submit documents slightly later.

Students admitted for the spring semester

OISS will begin issuing I-20s/DS-2019s in late September/early October. We strongly recommend that you submit all documentation into the checklist by the end of November. Students who are in the U.S. transferring an active SEVIS record to Lehigh may be able to submit documents slightly later.

Students admitted for summer terms

OISS will begin issuing I-20s/DS-2019s in late January. We strongly recommend that you submit all documentation into the checklist by the end of March for Summer 1 starts and the first week of May for Summer 2 starts. Students who are in the U.S. transferring an active SEVIS record to Lehigh may be able to submit documents slightly later.