Welcome New Warriors! Congratulations to our newly admitted international students! We are so excited to welcome you onto our campus as a Wayne State Warrior! Now that you are admitted, it's time to focus on preparing for your arrival to Detroit, getting orientated to Wayne State, and registering for your first semester classes! The Office of International Students and Scholars is here to support you through your next steps as you prepare for your first semester at Wayne State. 

You cannot enter the U.S. more than 30 days prior to the start date listed on your I-20.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requirements for new international students have returned to pre-pandemic regulations. Keep in mind that F-1 immigration status is independent from the ability to study at WSU. 

As an international student:

• You must enroll full-time in courses: undergraduates must take at least 12 credit hours per term; graduate students must take at least 8 credit hours per term or the number of credit hours required by the department for all graduate students enrolled in your same academic program.
• No more than the equivalent of one online class or 3 credits per session may count toward the "full course of study" requirement if the online course does not require your physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes integral to completion of the class. These courses appear in the schedule of classes as Instructional Method: Online - No Scheduled Meetings. If you are in a language study program, no online classes count toward the full course of study requirement.
• A course listed as hybrid can be counted as a traditional/face-to-face course if it meets more than half of the time in the traditional/face-to-face format. All of the class meeting times and locations must be listed in the Schedule of Classes used when registering for classes. Information found on the course syllabus cannot replace the information found in the Schedule of Classes used when registering for classes. If the information is not listed in the Schedule of Classes or the class fails to meet more than half of the time in the traditional/face-to-face format, the class will be considered as an online course.
• If you are in an academic program where all or a majority of your classes are online, and you are in possession of an I-20, you must notify OISS immediately. You cannot enter the US and enroll in an academic program that is entirely online or requires you to take more than 1 online course or 3 credits per session unless you have enough traditional face to face/hybrid courses that will allow you to meet the full-time “full course of study” credit requirement. There is no exception to this federal regulation.
• All English language training students must enroll in either 18 clock hours per week if the majority of the program consists of classroom instruction or 22 clock hours per week if the majority of the program consists of lab instruction.
• You must maintain normal full-time enrollment status and make normal progress toward completing your degree.
• If you already have your I-20, you will not need a new one for your visa appointment.
• If you have registered for Fall classes, take a copy of your class schedule with you to your visa appointment.

Note: Your eligibility for a visa and the issuance is at the discretion of the U.S. Department of State.

If you are a newly admitted student planning to study online (remotely) outside of the United States: 

• New students who plan to study remotely outside the U.S. can do so and take as many or as few credit hours as you wish.
• New students who want to pursue this option must contact OISS at oissmail@wayne.edu and let us know. You will remain in initial F-1 status and the start date on your I-20 will be changed to reflect the term you will be arriving in the U.S. You will receive an updated I-20 via email.

If you are a newly admitted student who is unable to get an F-1 visa and/or travel to the United States: 

• If you can't get an F-1 visa or will not enter the U.S. and do not want to take all classes online while outside of the U.S., you can reapply for admission in a future semester.
• Graduate students intending to reapply for admission should e-mail their department adviser for the next steps. Undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for assistance. 
• You will receive an updated I-20 to support your arrival for the future term.

If you are a newly admitted Canadian student who is planning to commute to WSU:

• New students who plan to study in the U.S. must choose some in-person or hybrid classes. You are not limited to a specific number of online credits, but you cannot take a completely online course load.
• Unless you have been issued a part-time commuting I-20, you must maintain normal full-time enrollment and make normal progress towards completing your degree.
• A resource from the Government of Canada is available online.