After Acceptance & Before Arrival

Please review your Certificate of Eligibility, also known as Form I-20, to be sure that all information is correct and up to date.

To validate the record of an F-1 student in a database called the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the U.S. government requires the payment of the SEVIS Fee.

If you will be a first-time F-1 student and applying for an F-1 visa, the SEVIS Fee must be submitted before your visa interview.

If you are a current F-1 student transferring to Ozarks Tech from another U.S. institution, it is likely that you have already paid the SEVIS Fee; however, it is recommended that you verify receipt of payment, as having paid the SEVIS Fee is a requirement to be able to transfer your F-1 SEVIS record from one U.S. institution to another.

For instructions on completing and submitting Form I-901 to pay the SEVIS Fee, please visit this site.

If you are an F-1 visa applicant, you must apply at a US Embassy or Consulate at which you are eligible to schedule an F-1 visa interview.

* Ozarks Tech does not have a student health center

Health insurance is mandatory for all F-1 and M-1 international students attending Ozarks Tech; while you are here, you will need to have year-round insurance coverage. Additionally, to be administratively eligible for registration, advance proof of health insurance coverage (which must include full medical, repatriation, and evacuation services) is required. We recommend having your insurance coverage begin on the date you travel to the U.S.

We recommend using the pre-approved health insurance plan available to Ozarks Tech students, and you may register and pay for it here.

First-time F-1 students: Once you have been officially approved for your F-1 visa or change of status to F-1 and have provided proof of health insurance coverage to [email protected], you are eligible to register for classes. Please contact [email protected] to request a registration meeting.

F-1 students transferring from another U.S. institution: Once your SEVIS record/I-20 has been officially transferred to Ozarks Tech and you have provided proof of health insurance coverage to [email protected], you are eligible to register for classes. Please contact [email protected] to request a registration meeting.

Your requirement to provide a negative tuberculosis (TB) test to Ozarks Tech is determined by your responses to pertinent questions in your application. TB skin tests are valid for exactly 12 months. TB chest X-rays are valid for five years. If expired, you must retest before enrolling.

For more information on the TB testing requirements at Ozarks Tech, please visit this site.

Ozarks Tech does not have dorms, so it is your responsibility to make housing arrangements either before or after you arrive in Springfield.

Fortunately, there is an abundance of apartments and living accommodations in the Springfield community.

Learn more about housing in Springfield

You will need to arrange your own flight and transportation to Ozarks Tech. Be sure to arrive in time for International Student Orientation. Please refer to the communication from the International Programs Office (IPO) at Ozarks Tech to verify the date of International Student Orientation.

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