Required Steps
- F–1 (student) visa
- Mandatory information session
- Mandatory health insurance
- Required academic orientation (undergraduate students):
- Assessment
- Advising
- Registration
- Graduate student orientation: please visit your academic department.
Mandatory Information Session for International Students.
Attendance at this information session is required of all undergraduate and graduate international students by the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This session, generally held the Thursday before classes start, is when you are required to officially report to UMass Boston, pursuant to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
You must bring the original and one copy each of the following documents with you:
- UMass Boston I–20
- Previous school’s I–20 (if you’re transferring to UMass Boston from another institution)
- Passport (visa page and passport photo page)
- I–94 card (Arrival/Departure Record)
During this session, you’ll meet the International Student Services Office staff. We’ll discuss important changes in immigration regulations and how they affect you, and how to maintain your immigration status. You’ll also learn about how we can help you meet requirements for health insurance, work, and travel.
Finally, you’ll learn about integrating into student life, on and off campus. You’ll gain valuable cross–cultural tips and information on basic necessities of daily life, referral to appropriate university offices such as the Office of Student Housing, Student Life, etc…, as well as how to open a U.S. bank account.
Click here to download an informational flyer for the Mandatory Information Session.
You need to begin with Required Steps. These include gaining F–1 (student) visa status, attending the mandatory information session, obtaining mandatory health insurance, and attending academic orientation.
Follow the other links in this section for information that you will need to know as you live, study, work, and travel in the U.S.
Mandatory Health Insurance for International Students.
Massachusetts law requires every full-time and part-time student enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Massachusetts to participate in a qualifying student health insurance program or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage. All international students admitted to the degree and certificate programs at UMass Boston, regardless of the number of credits for which they registered, must participate in the university-sponsored health insurance plan.
This requirement can be waived if the student can demonstrate participation in comparable U.S.-based insurance coverage, such as that provided with a Fulbright Scholarship. But health insurance coverage that is not U.S.-based, including embassy- or U.N.-sponsored coverage, is not considered a qualifying student health insurance program.
Academic Orientation for All UMass Boston Students
Undergraduate Students: In order to choose your courses and register for classes, you will need to attend assessment and academic advising sessions. Visit the First Steps page to register for the appropriate sessions.
Graduate Students: You will need to consult your Graduate Program Office for details on academic orientation.