Admitted International Students

Complete and Submit a WES Course-by-Course Evaluation to UC San Diego

Beginning with the Fall 2023 admissions cycle, admitted international students are required to submit a WES Course-by-Course Evaluation to UC San Diego in order to have their admission finalized. If you have been admitted for Fall 2022, this requirement does not apply to you. Do not send your official materials directly to UC San Diego. They must be uploaded to your WES account for further evaluation. Additional details around the WES Course-by-Course evaluation can be found here. 

Apply for Form I-20 or Form DS-2019

Please wait at least 48 hours after accepting admission to complete this step.

International students requiring an F-1 or J-1 visa to study in the USA must request a form I-20 (certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant F-1 students) or form DS-2019 (certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant J-1 exchange visitors). The I-20 or DS-2019 is required to apply for the F-1 or J-1 visa from abroad. International students who are currently in the U.S. in F-1 or J-1 status and plan to transfer their SEVIS record to UC San Diego are also required to submit the I-20 or DS-2019 request. 

• Submit the I-20 or DS-2019 request through iPortal. To access iPortal, you must first Set up password for your UCSD Personal ID (PID). Please allow at least 24 hours after submitting your Statement of Intent to Register and creating your account and password to access the iPortal. The International Students & Programs Office will begin reviewing I-20 requests on March 1, 2021.
• International students must demonstrate financial ability to support studies in the United States. Please refer to this link for required funding for your program and acceptable financial documents to submit: https://ispo.ucsd.edu/submit-request/i20-ds2019-funding.html#Graduate:-Ph.D.-and-Master's-Pr
• Review the Pre-Arrival Checklist and make plans to attend the International Student Orientation in September.

For questions regarding your I-20/DS-2019 or F-1/J-1 Visa, please visit here: https://ispo.ucsd.edu/submit-request/i20-ds2019-funding.html

Attend Graduate Student Orientation

International Graduate Students must attend the International Student Orientation.  This is in addition to the Graduate Division New Graduate Student Orientation. 

Meet the English Language Requirement

English Language Requirement for International Teaching Assistants (TA)

International graduate students who are nonnative speakers of English must be certified as having requisite language skills before they can serve as teaching assistants (TAs; UC San Diego Graduate Division policy in compliance with Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 41).

ISPO Webinars and Events

The Graduate Division and International Students and Programs Office (ISPO) are offering a series of webinars this spring and summer to provide information to incoming international graduate students. Presentations will be posted here after the webinars have ended. 

Welcome to UCSD: First Steps - March 8 at 8:30am PT

Applying to your U.S. Visa - March 15 at 8:30am PT

Student Health: Insurance & Immunization Requirements - March 21 at 9:30m PT

Graduate Student Housing - March 29 at 8:30am PT

TAships and TOEFL Requirements - April 5 at 8:30am PT

Graduate Student Funding - May 3 at 8:30am PT

SEVIS Transfers Webinar - May 10 at 8:30am PT

Student Life/Getting Involved (Graduate) - May 12 at 8:30am PT

Campus Safety - May 17 at 8:30am PT

Finances & Student Accounts (Paying Fees & Financial Scams) - May 19 at 8:30am PT

Update: Travel & Immigration, Vaccination Requirements, Fall 2022 Course Instruction - June 2 at 8:30am PT