Accepted International Students

Congratulations on your acceptance to SUNY Oswego! The staff of the International Student and Scholar Services Office (ISSS) look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful campus. Please take a moment to review the information below, as this will help you to prepare for your arrival to SUNY Oswego.

Next Steps

Complete the Required Steps

Information about next steps for all incoming students can be found on the Orientation web page. International students will also receive reminders from ISSS regarding the completion of pre-registration steps. Please note that new students can start registering for classes only when they complete the pre-registration steps. Therefore, new students are highly encouraged to start completing the pre-registration steps as early as possible.

Schedule and Prepare Your Visa Interview

In most cases, you will need to schedule an interview with the United States Embassy or Consulate in order to be granted your F-1 or J-1 student visa. Please review the list of documents that you need to bring for your F-1/ J-1 visa interview.

For a comprehensive list of tips and advice, please review this information sheet, 10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa (PDF).

All undergraduate students have to be registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours (9 credit hours for graduate students) in order to maintain status as a full-time student. Once registering for classes, you are strongly advised NOT to drop below the minimum credit hours, EVEN if you drop one class because you plan on registering for another. General advice regarding course registration can be found at the Registrar's Office.

There are certain steps you will have to complete before being able to register for your classes. The course registration process is different for F-1 and J-1 students.

F-1 students

As an F-1 student (to include first-year and transfer students), you will be pre-registered for all of your classes by a team of advisors. You cannot be pre-registered until you have completed all the steps on the application portal. If you are not satisfied with your course schedule after you have been pre-registered, don't panic! You can meet with your advisor after your arrival to campus and he or she will help you adjust your schedule, if necessary.

J-1 students

J-1 students can register themselves for classes only after they have completed the steps in the application portal. As the last cohort of students to be able to register, it is especially important that J-1 students complete these steps as soon as possible so they are not locked out of any classes.
If you were unable to register for classes, learn how to resolve registration errors.
Visit Course Registration for J-1 Students for a list of tips and advice.

Prepare Your Arrival to the United States

The International Student and Scholar Services Office also holds live, virtual chats (called "webinars") on preparing for your arrival to the United States. These are held a few weeks prior to your arrival. So, be sure to check your email inbox for an invitation to an upcoming session!

Visit Residence Life and Housing for information on what items to bring with you. Personal items and room necessities can also be purchased at many nearby retail stores, such as Walmart. Clothing and other personal items that are recommended include:

Winter jacket or parka
Winter boots
Rain coat or windbreaker
Thick socks
Thermal innerwear
International or travel adaptor for electronics
Cash (be sure to check what the maximum is to carry out of your country)
Credit card
Personal medications
Personal hygiene products

Syracuse campus students, please refer to this guide to find off-campus housing.

Canadian students

According to the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Canada, Canadian citizens studying in the U.S. will need to provide the following documentation at the port of entry:

A Canadian passport
The original I-20 (or DS-2019) certificate
Proof that the SEVIS fee has been paid
Proof of ability to pay school fees and living expenses in the United States
Proof of ties to Canada

Arrive to Campus

The closest airport from the campus is Syracuse Hancock International Airport. When you purchase the flight ticket, be certain the airport code is "SYR". The Syracuse airport provides some recommendations for rideshare and taxi options to get to the Oswego campus.

We strongly suggest that you schedule your arrivals into Syracuse for no later than 8:00 PM on the arrival day. However, if you must arrive later than 8:00 PM, there are plenty of nearby hotel options.

Attend the International Student Orientation

All incoming international students are required to attend New International Student Orientation prior to the start of classes. Due to public safety issues, Online Orientation modules are provided to students which touch upon the following:

Immigration Regulations: Rights & Responsibilities
Residence Life and Housing Rules
Academic Rules and Regulations
Health Services
Law and Order

Pay Your Student Bill

Please note that student bills should be paid by January 16 for Spring terms and August 16 for Fall terms. F-1 visa holders are permitted to enroll in a payment plan. J-1 visa holders must pay their bills in full and are not eligible to enroll in a payment plan. Visit the Office of Student Accounts for more information. Email [email protected] if you have any questions about your student bill.

FAQs

Below are some of the most common questions our office receives about policies and guidelines for exchange students. Please read through the information carefully. If you have further questions, contact our office by emailing [email protected] or call us at 315.312.5775.

General Questions

How do I prove English proficiency?

TOEFL iBT minimum score of 71
IELTS minimum score of 6.0
Cambridge English Scale minimum score of C1

Additional scores may be considered on a case-by-case basis; please view the English Proficiency Requirements for a complete list of English proficiency scores that are currently accepted for admission to the university. Please note that conditional admissions is not available for exchange students.

What do I need to bring to campus?

Residence Life and Housing offers the list of Things for you to bring and Things for you and your roommate to discuss. ISSS also provides a Packing list for incoming international students. This list of retail stores and websites will guide you where to buy things.

How can I change my meal plan?

You need to fill out the form and submit it before the deadline.

How do I see my bill?

You should be able to see your bill online at Myoswego.
Please follow the steps in order to view/save your invoice.

Log in to Myoswego (click single sign-on)
Go to Financial Services tab
Click View/Pay Account
Click View or View all to pull up the invoice of your desired term

If you have any inquiry regarding your bill, contact [email protected].

What are acceptable forms of payment?

SUNY Oswego accepts Cash, Check, Credit Card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express) and international wire transfer. Check out the Payment Options page to see the entire list of available payment options.

If you have any inquiry regarding your payment options, contact [email protected].

I want to travel to Canada, what do I need to carry?

Find out if you need a visa page will help you to find out if you need a visa to enter Canada. Contact us at [email protected], if you are required to submit any document that needs to be issued by our office.

Classes and Registration

How do I register for classes?

Accepted exchange students will receive emails with instructions on how to register for classes once they are accepted.

When does the semester start and end?

Calendar dates for current and upcoming semesters can be found from the College calendar page. The semester begin date is written as Instruction Begins and the end date is End of Student Teaching.

Who are my advisors?

Exchange students study at SUNY Oswego as non-degree-seeking students meaning they are not tied to any specific major. For this reason, exchange students are not assigned to advisors but student buddies. Details about student buddies and how to reach them will be shared with accepted students only. Accepted exchange students will be able to work with student buddies to resolve class registration errors.

It is worth noting that student buddies cannot register for classes on behalf of exchange students. Exchange students who were able to resolve errors but register for classes by themselves following instructions that are provided to them.

Can I take different major classes?

Yes, exchange students study at SUNY Oswego as non-degree-seeking students meaning they are not tied to any specific major. For this reason, exchange students can take different major classes as long as the class is not closed and is not limited to certain major programs and students meet the pre-registration requirements. Instructions on resolving registration errors will be shared with accepted students only.

In the same light, graduate-level students can also take undergraduate-level classes as long as the class is not closed and is not limited to certain major programs and students meet the pre-registration requirements.

IMPORTANT: For successful completion of the exchange program, professors at SUNY Oswego advise exchange students to take 2 major-level classes and 2 general education-level classes. Students who need to take particular classes to meet the home university graduation requirement are not advised to apply for the SUNY Oswego exchange program as there's no guarantee that students can register for certain classes.

How do I resolve class registration errors?

Exchange students study at SUNY Oswego as non-degree-seeking students meaning they are not tied to any specific major. For this reason, exchange students may encounter multiple registration errors. To resolve the errors, accepted students are provided with the resource on how to resolve class registration errors. Students can follow the instruction and/or complete the J-1 Class Registration Worksheet which will notify your student buddy that you need further assistance.

J-1 Visa Holders

I’m a J-1 student, but can’t register for classes

For J-1 students, there can be instances where your account is on hold or you cannot register desired classes beacuse of pre-requisite courses. Don't worry, your academic advisor will assist you during the Orientation. What you need to do is bring a list of courses you would like to take including the course number, title and time.

What do I need for the J-1 Class Registration Worksheet?

J-1 Class Registration Worksheet is designed for exchange students to inform student buddies so they are not required to provide all of the 10 classes. IMPORTANT: For successful completion of the exchange program, professors at SUNY Oswego advise exchange students to take 2 major-level classes and 2 general education-level classes. Students who need to take particular classes to meet the home university graduation requirement are not advised to apply for the SUNY Oswego exchange program as there's no guarantee that students can register for certain classes.

Working on Campus

Can I work on campus?

Yes, you can work on-campus for up to 20 hours per week. Check out openings as well as application process.
Please note in order for you to be paid, you need a Social Security Number (SSN). Therefore, once you got a job, please bring an Employment Verification letter to our office, 102 Sheldon Hall during walk-in hours. We will assist you how to apply for SSN.

How do I apply for a SSN?

Once you are hired, ask your on-campus employer for the Employment Verification Letter. Bring the letter to our office at 102 Sheldon Hall during walk-in hours (Monday to Friday, 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM). You can also login to the Applicant Portal to upload your employment letter. We will provide you the ISSS Office letter as well as the instruction of applying for Social Security Number. Please note that you can work without SSN, but you will not be paid until you have SSN.

Contact ISSS

116 Sheldon Hall
315.312.5775
[email protected]