Admitted International Students

International Student Visa Requirement

Most international students who wish to enter the United States for educational purposes will need to apply for a student visa. Degree seeking international students at Illinois Tech will receive a Form I-20 to apply for an F-1 student visa, whereas non-degree seeking international students (Visiting and Exchange students) will receive a Form DS-2019 to apply for a J-1 student visa.

Students must complete the following steps to receive their immigration documents and receive a visa to study at Illinois Tech.

Please note: Canadian citizens have a different process outlined below.

1. Submit Your Required Documentation
All students must submit a copy of their passport, Proof of Funds and a Financial Affidavit of Responsibility  Form in order to receive an I-20 or DS-2019. You may upload a copy of your passport and financial documentation in the ISSS Portal. Upon admission and submission of required documents, I-20s and DS-2019’s are generally processed within five business days.

Students who are currently studying in the United States will need to request a SEVIS transfer release from their current institution before we are able to issue an I-20. SEVIS records can only be available to one school at a time, so students must end  their studies at their current institution or end their OPT/STEM OPT time before being eligible to transfer their SEVIS record and receive an I-20 from Illinois Tech.

2. Obtain a Form I-20-DS-2019
Please make sure that your name, biographical information, and program information are all listed correctly on your I-20 or DS-2019, as this information will be used for the visa stamp in your passport.

3. Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee
All new students must pay a SEVIS fee before the U.S. Department of State will issue a visa. We recommend paying this fee as soon as you receive your immigration documents to allow sufficient time for the fee payment to be updated in your SEVIS record. Upon payment, you will be issued a receipt which you must bring to your visa appointment.

4. Schedule a Visa Interview
We recommend applying for your visa as early as possible, as interview appointments and visa processing wait times vary by country. The steps of applying for a visa and scheduling an interview vary based on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you apply. You will need the following information to schedule your interview:

Full university name: Illinois Institute of Technology
University address: 10 W. 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60616
School Code (for I-20’s): CHI214F00379000
Program Number (for DS-2019’s): P-1-00266

5. Attend a Visa Interview
The documents you are required to bring to your visa interview will depend on your location, so you should confirm with your local embassy or consulate what documentation is required. In general, you should prepare to bring the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least six months into the future
• Original Illinois Tech I-20 or DS-2019
• Official Illinois Tech admission letter (included in your I-20 or DS-2019 package)
• Completed and signed visa application forms
• Photograph(s) in the required format
• Receipt of SEVIS I-901 fee payment
• Proof of funding sufficient to cover your tuition and living expenses during the first year of your program. You may demonstrate this by providing the original versions of the financial documentation you submitted to receive your immigration documents.

For more visa tips, please visit NAFSA for points to remember when applying for a student visa.

6. Arrive in the United States
You are allowed to enter the U.S. up to 30 days prior to the start date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019. Make sure to carry your immigration documents (passport with visa, I-20 or DS-2019, financial documents) with you in your carry-on luggage. You are required  to complete the new International Student Check-In process with Illinois Tech’s Office of Global Services within two days of arriving in Chicago. If you have an F-1 visa, you will have a “grace period” of 60 days following your program end date to leave the U.S. If you are a J-1 student, you will be required to leave the U.S. within 30 days of your program completion date.

Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens do not need student visas to study in the U.S.; however, you do need to obtain an I-20 or DS-2019 from Illinois Tech. As soon as you receive your immigration documents you should pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.

When you cross the border to study in the U.S. you will need to provide the Officer at the port of entry:

• Valid passport
• Original Illinois Tech I-20 or DS-2019
• Receipt of SEVIS I-901 fee payment
• Proof of funding sufficient to cover your tuition and living expenses during the first year of your program. You may demonstrate this by providing the original versions of the Financial Affidavit of Support form and bank statement you submitted to receive your immigration documents.
• Proof of your ties to Canada
  
  For additional information please contact the Office of Global Services: global@iit.edu

Once you submit your enrollment deposit and confirm your attendance at Illinois Tech, you will be assigned an academic advisor. Your academic advisor will be a faculty member in your major who is responsible for helping you register for courses each semester. You should receive your advisor assignment beginning in April via email a few weeks after you submit your deposit.

Once you receive your advisor assignment, you must complete the following steps before you can register for classes:

1. Complete academic placement assessments.
2. Check out the Illinois Tech Undergraduate Catalog and find your particular degree program.
3. Once you have completed any necessary placement assessment(s) and reviewed your degree program, you may contact your advisor via email or phone to begin your advising conversation. Your advisor will provide you with an alternate pin, which allows you to register.
4. Officially register for your courses using Banner Student Self Service.
5. Throughout your time at Illinois Tech, your advisor will be your go-to person for all your questions about which classes to take and how to best align your course schedule in order to make sure you’re on track to graduate on time. Academic advisors can also assist with questions about choosing a specialization, adding a minor, or applying for one of Illinois Tech’s special degree programs (these, for example, allow you to complete a B.S. and master’s degree in as few as five years).

If you are required to take the English Language Assessment, you should have received information about the exam in your I-20 packet. We will email you with additional information regarding the English Language Assessment in August.

Learn more

Due to ongoing administrative development, we will be closed from 2–3 p.m. every Tuesday.

What are the Immunization Requirements students are required to provide proof of: 

• (3) total doses of DTP, DTaP, DT, Td, or Tdap, with one dose being Tdap and one dose (any combination DTP, DTaP, DT, Td, or Tdap) having been administered within the past 10 years
• (2) dose of MMR (measles-mumps-rubella combined)
• (1) Meningococcal vaccine (if you are between the ages of 16-22)
• International students only (1) QuantiFERON or T-SPOT - (IL Tech requirement) - must be within 4 weeks of arrival to campus
   

Submitting My Immunization Records

Dear Students:

We are pleased to announce Med + Proctor, an electronic medical clearance platform, as our new innovative strategy to monitor and collect your immunization information. As you know, IL State law requires documentation of childhood vaccines when entering a secondary institution. Med + Proctor is HIPAA and FERPA compliant. 

This new strategy of monitoring immunization compliance will streamline your clearance and help you avoid unnecessary holds that prevent registration. This will allow you to focus on other important matters as you prepare for your successful tenure here at Illinois Tech. 

How do I use Med +Proctor? 

First, you will need to set up your iit.edu email account. Then register within the Med + Proctor site by visiting Med + Proctor; click “register” to start a new account. The website is user friendly and instructions are easy to follow. Simply complete the required information, ensure your immunization forms are fully completed, stamped and signed by your medical provider. Then simply upload your forms to the Med + Proctor site. 

*There are no fees associated with obtaining a Med+Proctor.

Do not bring or email your completed forms to the Student Health and Wellness Center. You must upload ALL forms to the Med + Proctor site.

Once you have submitted your immunization records to Med + Proctor , we will review them for compliance and communicate a successful approval or any needed action items through your Illinois Tech Portal email. It is important that you are checking your Illinois Tech Portal for communication should you be out of compliance and need to submit any additional forms . You can also check the status of your account by clicking on the STATUS or MESSAGE tab at the top of your Med + Proctor  page. We encourage you to submit your information as soon as possible. It takes 5-7 business days to be verified after you have completed this process.

If you have difficulty using Med + Proctor, you may contact them by:

• Browsing the help topics under Student Help
• Using the chat feature on the lower right side of the screen Emailing help@medproctor.com

Please remember that an immunization HOLD will be placed on your account, preventing registration. Please start this process as soon as possible to ensure there is no delay in registration. Thank you!

Student Health and Wellness Team

Print Your Insurance Card

If your insurance card is not available you will need to wait until it is available to come in for your any vaccines.

In the Patient Portal please complete the 4 compliance FORMS:

1. Consent for services
2. Privacy practice
3. Demographic
4. Health History

Update your PROFILE:

1. Local Address
2. Local Phone Number
3. Emergency Contact (in the United States)

Immunization Policy

1. Students are expected to update their immunization records in MedProctor no later than the first week of classes.
2. A registration hold will be placed on your account if there is not a valid or updated Immunization Verification Form on file for you and/or if you have been deemed "Non-Compliant." The hold will be active on the last date of the Add/Drop period.
3. Registration holds will be lifted once you are determined to be in compliance with Illinois State Law and the Illinois Tech immunization requirements.

Immunization-Related Forms

If you have religious and/or medical exemptions, please submit the appropriate exemption form along with proper documentation to MedProctor. Remember to include your student CWID# on every attached document. Please click here for information regarding the exemption process.

All Illinois Tech students, including continuing and new international students, both graduate and undergraduate, are required to show proof of health insurance that complies with the U.S. Department of State guidelines.  Additionally, Illinois Tech requires all international students to purchase Illinois Tech's health insurance, provided through Aetna Student Health. Waivers for comparable health insurance plans may apply. Please review our waiver policy. Please direct questions to student.health@iit.edu.

New international students that begin online in Fall 2020 do not need to purchase Illinois Tech’s insurance plan until they arrive on campus in January. They will be able to purchase the insurance at a reduced rate due to the shorter coverage period.

Mark your calendars–Move-in Day is August 17!

Students who need to obtain their HawkCard IDs should do so FIRST prior to checking in for housing.

Late Arrivals
Residents who do not arrive by the first day of classes, on August 24, risk having their contracts cancelled and being billed for the full academic-year cancellation fees. If you plan to arrive after August 24 at 5 p.m., please complete the Late Arrival Form found at housing.iit.edu.

Shipping Packages/Mailbox Key
If you are shipping personal belongings, please have them arrive after August 17. Illinois Tech is unable to accept resident packages prior to August 17. All packages are delivered to the MTCC post office. MSV/SSV/CA/GU mailing address* 3201 South State Street, Box # ____ Chicago, IL 60616 You can find your mailing address and mailbox number in your profile in MyRoom, viewable at myroom.iit.edu. You will be able to pick up your mailbox key beginning August 17 at the MTCC post office.

*The MTCC post office may convert to a key-free pick-up system, in which case all residents will pick up their mail in the MTCC. The mailing address will remain the same.

International Student Orientation, Assessment, and Registration is on August 18.

Learn more