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| Registration Guide for New International Students |
| On behalf of the University of Washington community, I want to welcome you and thank you for accepting
our offer of admission. I hope that you will find your studies successful and fulfilling. Below you will find information necessary to proceed with your admission and enrollment and summarizes campus services. I wish you the best in your educational endeavors. Joan Abe Director, Office of Graduate Admissions The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran in accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations. |
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| New Visa |
Transfer to the University of Washington from Another School within the U.S. Enrollment Confirmation Acknowledgement Form | Accessing University Resources Online Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) | Registration The General Catalog | Tuition and Fees | Orientation English as a Second Language Requirement | Teaching Assistants | Student ID Card Information Student Directory Information | Health Insurance | Immunization | Initial Expenses Disability Resources for Students | Student Housing | Child Care | Additional Information |
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| NEW VISA |
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| Your visa materials will be sent to you by the Office of Graduate Admissions in a separate mailing. Students residing
outside of the U.S. must obtain a valid passport from their home government. In addition, you must take your student visa application,
supporting financial documentation and Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) payment receipt to the nearest U.S. embassy or
consulate to apply for F-1/J-1 student visa status. If you have been accepted by several U.S. schools, DO NOT apply for your F-1 student visa until you have decided which school you will be attending. You may only use the University of Washington Graduate School “I-20 Certificate of Eligibility Form” to apply for a visa and enter the U.S. if you will be attending this University. |
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| TRANSFER to the UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON from ANOTHER SCHOOL within the U.S. |
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| If you decide to attend the University of Washington from another school in the U.S., including attendance in an
English language program or summer institute, you need to complete the "UW-Office of Graduate Admissions Transfer SEVIS Release Form." Send an e-mail request to: gradvisa@u.washington.edu (include your UW-student number in your e-mail message). This form will be completed by you and the International Student Advisor at the U.S. school you are currently attending with your intention to transfer to the University of Washington. |
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| ENROLLMENT CONFIRMATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM | Back To The Top |
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| Your Enrollment Confirmation Acknowledgement Form and registration instructions will be mailed to you by the Registrar’s
Office under separate cover. Please note the class and department to which you are assigned. If either is incorrect, you should contact
the Office of Graduate Admissions at (206)
543-5929. The Enrollment Confirmation Acknowledgement Form also includes your initial Private Access Code (PAC) and student number. If you haven't already done so, you will need this information to establish your own unique UW NetID and password as well as your UW e-mail account. |
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| ACCESSING UNIVERSITY RESOURCES ON-LINE |
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| Students attending the University of Washington for the first time need a UW NetID to access computing resources at
the University. These resources include a UW supported e-mail account and access to your personal records. If you haven't already done so,
you may create your UW NetID at: http://www.washington.edu/computing/uwnetid
. Once you have created your UW NetID, you can register (beginning the first day of registration period 2), check your schedule and tuition statement, arrange to pay your tuition, and change your address through the MyUW site at: http://myuw. washington.edu that is your access point for this information. Your UW NetID is also your UW email address and will be used by University offices to contact you with important information. Students returning to the University after an absence may use their former UWNetID to access these services. If you did not have a UW NetID or have forgotten your password, go to http://www.washington.edu/ computing/uwnetid and follow the instructions. |
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| STUDENT and EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM (SEVIS) | Back To The Top |
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| SEVIS is an internet-based system that allows schools and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(CIS) to exchange data on the visa status of international students. Accurate and current information is transmitted
electronically throughout an F-1 or J-1 student's academic career in the United States. U.S. embassies and consulates also
have access to SEVIS. After your arrival at the University of Washington, all F-1 and J-1 visa holders must report in person to the International Students and Scholars (ISS) in room 459, Schmitz Hall. You must bring your passport, I-94 card and I-20/ DS-2019 visa application with you. You will not be able to register for any classes until you report in-person. The ISS will then be able to confirm your enrollment through SEVIS and will continue to provide regular electronic reports to CIS throughout your academic career at the University of Washington. Please refer to: http: //iss.washington.edu/stu/ns.html for check-in times. |
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| REGISTRATION |
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| International students must be registered full-time (10 or more credits per quarter) for 3 consecutive quarters.
ESL credits will count toward the full-time requirement for immigration purposes. You will not be able to register for fewer than 10 credits or
withdraw from any or all of your classes without permission from the ISS. Students who fail to maintain 10 or more credits will lose the privileges
of their student visa status and become subject to deportation. If you register for classes and find that you are unable to attend the University, it is your responsibility to withdraw completely. You must do so by MyUW, in person, or by mail no later than the fifth day of the quarter in order to avoid additional fees. Withdrawal requests may be sent to: Registration Office, Box 355850, 225 Schmitz Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5850, and are effective on the date of the postmark. Once enrolled, if you do not maintain continuous enrollment by either being registered or on official leave for each quarter (excepting Summer), you will lose student status and will be out of compliance with your visa status and subject to deportation. To re-enroll, you will need to reapply for admission. It is important to note that the quarter-off option is not available to graduate students. See your Graduate Program Coordinator for continuous registration instructions. |
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| THE GENERAL CATALOG |
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| The General Catalog is an essential source of information about University and Graduate School policies. It is your responsibility to know and comply with these regulations and requirements. The catalog is available at: http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat . Specific Graduate School policies are also available at: http://www.grad.washington.edu . |
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| TUITION and FEES | Back To The Top |
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| Current tuition and fees schedules are available at: http://www.
washington.edu/students/#Finances. These figures are subject to change without notice. For a breakdown of anticipated additional costs
for a full-time graduate student for one academic year (excluding tuition and fees), go to:
http://www.grad.washington.edu/admissions/adminfo.html#international
. Early in the quarter you will receive an e-mail message on your UW account directing you to MyUW (Student Personal Services) for the balance due on your tuition and fees. Payment will be due on Friday of the third week of the quarter. There will be a financial penalty if payment is not received by the due date. You should contact the Office of Student Fiscal Services at (206) 543-4694 if you need advice on payment. |
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| ORIENTATION |
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| The Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS) and the International Students and Scholars Office
schedule an extensive student orientation called Opening Day for international students during September. If you have not been in the U.S.
previously as a student and are beginning studies at the University of Washington either Summer or Autumn Quarter, you are urged to attend
this program. Regardless of participation, students attending school in the U.S. for the first time, including Canadians, will be
charged a one-time Orientation fee of $65 on their first tuition bill. Orientations are also conducted for international students entering Winter, Spring or Summer Quarters. Contact the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students at: http://www.fiuts.washington.edu or (206) 543-0735 for more information. NOTE: On-campus housing will probably not be available during the orientation. Please make arrangements for hotel or other accomodations. If you have not already done so, you may contact the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS) regarding a host family. They may be reached:
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| ENGLISH as a SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) REQUIREMENT |
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| If you have been notified that your English proficiency score requires completion of English as a Second Language courses, you must enroll in at least one such course each quarter until the requirement has been fulfilled. Your registration will be delayed and your degree will not be granted if you have not met this obligation. If you would like to take a diagnostic test to possibly reduce or eliminate the requirement, you may contact the UW Testing Office, 440 Schmitz Hall, (206) 543-1170. |
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| TEACHING ASSISTANTS | Back To The Top |
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International Teaching Assistants whose native language is other than English must accomplish the following before being assigned
teaching duties:
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| STUDENT ID CARD INFORMATION |
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| The University of Washington issues each student a permanent ID card. This will be issued in-person only at the Student ID Card Center, located on the ground floor of the Odegaard Undergraduate Library (room 14) next to the By George Cafe, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekedays. You will need to present photo identification to claim your card. |
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| STUDENT DIRECTORY INFORMATION |
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| The University will routinely release student directory information unless the student requests otherwise. Directory information is
defined as student's name, telephone number, e-mail address, major field of studies, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received and, for members
of athletic teams, place and date of birth, weight and height. Students who do not wish to authorize directory release may use MyUW at
http://myuw.washington.edu to restrict access to this information. (Select the "Change of Address" option under
"Student Personal Service"). In such cases, the University will release no information, including dates of attendance and degrees granted, without a written release from the student. Students who wish to change their authorization and allow release may do so using MyUW. |
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| HEALTH INSURANCE | Back To The Top |
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| The University of Washington requires international students to have and maintain accidental injury and illness
insurance. You must purchase the Accident and Sickness Plan designed for the University of Washington students and their dependents. There are few exceptions to the University of Washington's insurance requirement. If you have comparable insurance that is valid in the U.S. and meet one or more of the eligibility requirements, this requirement may be waived. Your waiver request and original insurance letter must be delivered in person along with your I-20 or DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility form to the International Students and Scholars Office, 459 Schmitz Hall, no later than 1:00 p.m. on the 7th calender day after the start of the quarter. Contact the International Students and Scholars Office at http://iss.washington.edu/stu/hi.html or at (206) 221-7857 for further information. A separate plan of coverage is available as a benefit for graduate students who are awarded an eligible graduate appointment by their department. Your department will give you further information when you arrive. However, the entire text of the Graduate Appointee Insurance Plan (GAIP) booklet is available at: http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/benefits/gaip/index.html . |
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| IMMUNIZATION |
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| All enrolled matriculated students and all students living in UW residence halls or single-student
apartments must provide proof of measles (rubeola) immunity. Students will not be allowed to register for any classes until
the Hall Health Primary Care Center confirms that they have satisfied this requirement. Students born before January 1, 1957, are
considered to be immune to measles and therefore do not need to submit proof of immunity. If you have previously satisfied this
requirement, no further action on your part is required. The Enrollment Confirmation Acknowledgement Form indicates if the requirements list on the Measles Immunity Verification Form have not been met. Once you have submitted this form, you may check your registration status at http://www.myuw.washington.edu within the Self-Service Enrollment Verification area of the Student Personal Services section. Please allow up to one week AFTER this documentation is received by Hall Health Primary Care Center for complete processing. If you decide to accept this offer of admission, please use the enclosed Measles Immunity Verification Form to meet this requirement. Additional forms are available via the Hall Health Primary Care Center website at http://www.hallhealthcenter.com under "Download Forms" (Measles Immunity Verification). |
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| INITIAL EXPENSES | Back To The Top |
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| Upon arrival in Seattle from overseas, you will immediately have many expenses such as tuition, housing, books, and personal items. Carry a small amount of cash and at least $5,000 in traveler's checks or international bank drafts. Learn the procedures for transferring funds from your home country. Foreign chekcs will be held in U.S. banks for a minimum of two weeks. Immigration regulations prohibit employment except in very limited situations. Do not anticipate financial assistance unless it has already been arranged. |
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| DISABILITY RESOURCES for STUDENTS |
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| The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activites, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. For information or to request disability accommodation, go to http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/front/Disabled_Student.html or contact: Disability Resources for Students at (206) 543-8924/V, (206) 543-8925/TTY, (206) 616-8379 (FAX), or e-mail uwdss@u.washington.edu. |
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| STUDENT HOUSING |
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The University maintains excellent residence halls for men and women on or near the campus. Also available are University-owned apartments for married
couples, registered same-sex domestic partners, and students with children. There are waiting lists for housing so you should apply as soon as possible. For specific
information:
You may need to make hotel or other arrangements until permanent housing is available. If you have a confirmed reservation to live in a University residence hall and your program requires you to arrive on campus early, you may be eligible for early arrival housing. You will receive information about early arrival housing in the check-in information provided by Housing and Food Services. Contact the Housing Assignments Office at (206) 543-4059 if you have further questions. |
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| CHILD CARE | Back To The Top |
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| The Childcare Program (466 Schmitz Hall, 206-543-1041) provides eligible student-parents with direct financial assistance in purchasing services at licensed childcare facilities in the Seattle / King County area. to apply, student-parents must submit the Financial Aid Form to the College Scholarship Service and a Childcare Request Application to the Childcare Office by the Financial Aid Priority filing date (usually March 1). |
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| ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
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| If you have any questions, please contact your academic program, the Registration Office (206) 543-8580, or the Office of
Graduate Admissions by e-mail at
uwgrad@u.washington.edu . Your Safety . . . Your Health - A Student Guide to Campus Safety and Substance Awareness, a brochure published by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, provides students with important information on campus safety and policies on controlled substances. The information is online at http://depts.washington.edu/ovpsl. A copy may also be obtained by writing to the Office of Admissions, Box 355952, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5852. |
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| February 2009 |