Students admitted to a program of study at UTHealth must follow an established process and provide a set of forms and documents to the Office of International Affairs (OIA) to determine eligibility to obtain the SEVIS Form I-20.
For a complete list of documents required to receive a Form I-20, please contact OIA at 713-500-3176 or at [email protected].
Initial F-1 Visa Instructions and Forms
SEVIS I-901 Fee
Once the Form I-20 is issued, the student must pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee through the official government website. Visit the official website for details.
*Beware of I-901 fee scams. FMJfee.com is the only federal website certified to collect I-901 SEVIS Fee payments
Transferring To UTHealth
Students admitted to a program of study at the UTHealth who will be transferring from another institution must provide information required to confirm release of a SEVIS record from the current sponsoring program in addition to all the documentation required for New F-1 International Students
Transfer-In to UTHealth
F-2 Status for Dependents
An F-1 student that requires the addition of an F-2 dependent, which is defined as a spouse or unmarried minor child(ren) under the age of 21, while currently pursuing their academic program at UTHealth will need to submit documents to the Office of International Affairs in order for an International Visitor Advisor to process dependent Form(s) I-20.
Information about the additional financial resources required for F-2 dependents can be found on our Financial Resources Form for Tuition Residents and Financial Resources Form for Tuition Non-Residents.
F-2 dependents are issued a dependent Form I-20 in his/her own name but are not required to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. U.S. immigration regulations do not permit individuals in F-2 status to engage in employment under any circumstances. F-2 unmarried minor children may only engage in full-time study at the K-12 level. Federal immigration regulations also restrict F-2 spouses from engaging in full-time studies at the university level. Part-time study is permitted provided that the study is vocational or recreational, such as study to pursue a hobby or study of an occasional or casual nature.
Medical Elective Students
The University of Texas Medical School at Houston welcomes visiting senior medical students to its senior medical elective program. The electives are one-month in duration beginning on the first day of each calendar month and ending on the last day of that month. Visiting students are limited to no more than two (2) one-month electives. Interested students may only apply through the Office of Student Affairs. Approvals obtained directly from department coordinators will not be honored. Contact the Medical School Medical Elective Program web page, call 713-500-5167 or email Jamie Munsinger ([email protected])
Once approved by the Office of Student Affairs, foreign national students requiring visa sponsorship must be in contact with the Office of International Affairs for instructions on obtaining F-1 visa eligibility documents, including Form I-20, and proper clearance upon arrival on campus prior to beginning of the medical elective course.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to sponsor the "F" visa for eligible international students. The office of International Affairs is the sole designated office for the university to issue the Form I-20 for qualified international students; however, the Office of International Affairs has no involvement in the admission process. Prospective students should contact the Registrar’s Office and/or the school of interest regarding an admission application.
