Do I need to obtain an I-20 form to attend a U.S.-based residency?

All students who are not U.S. citizens and plan to enter the United States for an academic residency are required to obtain an I-20 form.

Do I need to obtain an F-1 student visa to attend a residency?

Only students from Canada and Bermuda do not need to obtain an F-1 visa to attend a U.S.-based residency. Students from all other countries are required to obtain their F-1 visa using the I-20 form they received from Academic Residencies.

Students should not attempt to enter the United States for an academic residency using any visa other than the required F-1 visa.

Will I be allowed to attend a residency if I enter the United States on a different type of visa or without the Form I-20?

You will be denied entry to the residency if you fail to comply with the Walden policy and attempt to attend a U.S. residency without the proper documentation.

When can I apply for my I-20?

You may apply for your I-20 after you have been registered for your U.S.-based residency. There will be a link to the I-20 application in your confirmation email sent to you by the Academic Residencies department. The I-20 application will require you to provide documentation to support your financial ability to attend the Walden residency as required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

All non-U.S. citizen students will have to be the SEVIS fee, though students from Bermuda and Canada do not need to apply for the F-1 visa.

How do I apply for an F-1 student visa?

For more information about Walden’s I-20 and F-1 Student Visa policies and process, please visit the Academic Residency department’s website.

For more information about the United States’ Student Visa policy, including information on waiver countries and ESTA, please visit the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website.

Walden can provide non-U.S. citizen students attending Commencement with up to six letters of invitation (for the student and up to five guests). To request these letters, please go to the Commencement page and select the International page from the links menu. Once at the International Graduates page, locate the link for the “International Guest Embassy Letter Form”.

At this time, Walden cannot provide an I-20 or similar document for travel related to practicum, field experience, internships, or other course-related purposes. I-20s are only issued to those students who are registered for an academic residency.

If you require a letter confirming your status as a Walden student, you can request an Enrollment Verification letter from enrollmentverifi@waldenu.edu.