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Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs Graduate Division
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Admitted International Students

Welcome to UC San Diego

Congratulations on your UC San Diego admission! As a newly admitted international student, please complete the additional steps listed below. 

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

All admitted students who have earned a degree from an institution outside of the U.S. are required to submit a WES Course-by-Course ICAP Evaluation to UC San Diego in order to have their admission finalized. 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. 

 

*Please note that a WES Course-by-Course Evaluation is not required to apply for an I-20 or DS-2019.

 

Apply for Form I-20 or Form DS-2019

Please wait until you have accepted your offer of admission and set up your UCSD password/PID to enable you to complete this step.

All newly admitted students to a UC San Diego degree program are REQUIRED to request and obtain 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) reflecting their intentions to enroll in a program of study with UC San Diego. This is true for all students who wish to study in the U.S. under the F-1 or J-1 visa status, even if they already hold a valid F-1 or J-1 visa stamp, or plan to transfer their SEVIS record from another U.S. Institution to UC San Diego.

Requests for the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 must be made to UC San Diego's International Services and Engagement Office (ISEO) through the following steps:

  1. Visit iNewStudent.ucsd.edu to understand eligibility requirements to request your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 from ISEO.
  2. Submit the I-20 or DS-2019 request through iServices.ucsd.edu, ISEO's document request system for F-1 and J-1 international students and scholars.
  • In order to access iServices, you must have accepted your offer of admission and set up password for your UCSD Personal ID (PID). Please wait at least 72 hours after accepting your offer of admission to set up your UCSD password/PID to enable you to access the iServices.
  • International students must demonstrate financial ability to support studies in the United States. Please refer to this link to review required funding for your program and acceptable financial documents to submit.
  • All necessary information and instructions to submit your I-20 or DS-2019 can be reviewed here (Step 1: Apply for F-1 or J-1 Certificate of Eligibility).
  • If you are experiencing difficulties with iServices or have questions, please email ISEO for assistance.

Visit ISEO's iNewStudent.ucsd.edu page to understand how to apply for your F-1 or J-1 visa, prepare for arrival to UC San Diego, International Student Orientation, and more! For questions regarding your I-20/DS-2019 or F-1/J-1 Visa, please visit iContact.ucsd.edu. 

Attend Graduate Student Orientation

International Graduate Students must attend the International Student Orientation.  This is in addition to the Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs New Graduate Student Orientation. 

Meet the English Language Requirement

English Language Requirement for International Teaching Assistants (TA)

In order to serve as a Teaching Assistant for the first time at UCSD, international graduate students whose first language is not English must be certified as having the requisite English language oral communication skills (regardless of year in the program). International graduate students who are appointed as a Teaching Assistant without being certified are subject to having their TA appointment rescinded by the hiring unit or the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs. This policy does not apply to students who serve as Teaching Assistants in courses conducted in a language other than English.

Please visit this website for detailed information around language proficiency requirements and scores needed to serve as a teaching assistant. 

ISPO Webinars and Events

The Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs 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.