New Students

Fall 2008


Dear New International Student,

Congratulations on your admission to California State University, Northridge. Our staff wishes to welcome you and to offer you special assistance throughout your stay here. To ensure your success on campus, we will provide you with immigration, academic and personal advisement, and a variety of social, educational, and cross-cultural programs.

Your First Step

Call the International and Exchange Student Center (IESC) at (818) 677-3053 to set up your mandatory appointment for group advisement as soon as possible after your acceptance or arrival in the United States. At this appointment you will be meeting with an International Student Advisor, who will process your I-20 or DS 2019 and immigration documents, give you important information on how to maintain correct student status in the U.S. and help you with immigration advisement and the registration process.

If you are currently in your home country, you may E-mail your advisor.

  • If your last name begins with A-M, your advisor is Brenda Acosta.
    E-mail: brenda.acosta@csun.edu
  • If your last name begins with N-Z, your advisor is Roopa Rawjee.
    E-mail: roopa.rawjee@csun.edu
  • If you are an exchange student on a J-1 visa, your advisor is Marta Lopez.
    E-mail: marta.lopez@csun.edu
    • If you are transferring from a U.S. school or if you are already in the United States, your Form I-20 or DS-2019 will be held for you at IESC. If you leave the U.S., please contact IESC and have your new I-20 mailed to your home country address.
    • If you are a current CSUN student and are changing programs, your I-20 will be held at IESC.
    • If you are outside the United States or planning to travel and re-enter the U.S, the LAST DATE for you to enter this country is January 13, 2009.

Important: Under SEVIS immigration regulations, students transferring in to CSUN are required to show proof of full time enrollment and pick up their new I-20 no later than the 15th day of classes. Students who change their minds about attending CSUN and intend to transfer out to another school must request and process their transfer out no later than the first day of classes.

Failure to meet these deadlines could result in a lapse of your status.

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Documents Needed for Appointment

At your initial appointment, please be prepared to submit photocopies of the following documents and health insurance:

HEALTH and ACCIDENT INSURANCE POLICY offering at least U.S. $100,000.00 in major medical and hospital coverage plus $30,000.00 in repatriation and evacuation coverage through the end of the academic year.

A policy may be purchased online at www.csuhealthlink.com or by mail through IESC here on campus, and must be paid separately from your tuition.

  • If the policy is purchased elsewhere, bring a receipt showing proof of expiration date as well as the policy, or a letter from the insurance company with your full name verifying that your current insurance meets the above requirements.
  • Policies purchased in countries other than the United States must be officially translated in English and all relevant amounts must be in US dollars.

Immigration Documents

- Valid passport pages showing name, photo, number and expiration, AND

  • New F-1 Student arriving from overseas: Front and back of Form I-94 (White Card), SEVIS I-20 Copy
  • New J-1 Exchange Student arriving from overseas: Front and back of Form I-94 (White Card), DS-2019
  • Transferring F-1 Student from another U.S. school: Front and back of Form I-94 (White Card) and a copy of I-20 of last authorized school.
  • Transferring J-1 Exchange Student from another U.S. school: Front and back of Form I-94 (White Card) and Form DS-2019 with section eight (8) signed by the last authorized school.
  • Other Non-Immigrant visa holder: Front and back of Form I-94 (White Card)

Note: Students who have applied to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for permanent U.S. residence must show an official letter to clarify their status.

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Registering for Classes

Registration is done via the Internet at www.csun.edu/portal.

  • The Spring 2009 Schedule of Classes will be available online only at http://www.csun.edu/anr/soc/. You are strongly urged to read all instructions carefully and to make an appointment with your academic advisor in your major department prior to registering.
  • The Registration Access Mailer will be mailed/E-mailed to students the week of Oct 27, 2008. The packet may indicate a Priority Registration Date between November 03, 2008 and December 10, 2008. Registration on that date will give you the best selection of classes and class times. However, you may continue to access the system as often as you like from your priority date through January 19, 2009.
  • Nonrestrictive Registration begins on December 11 and continues until January 19, 2009.
  • Classes begin on January 20, 2009.
  • Current registration fees are U.S. $1,851.00 for undergraduates and U.S. $2205.00 for graduates, plus tuition U.S. $339 per semester unit. The minimum load for international undergraduates is twelve (12) units, and international graduates, eight (8) units per semester.
  • Tuition and fees must be paid by the due date. Please refer to your Registration Access Mailer or the Schedule of Classes for the fee payment schedule.
  • NOTE: Tuition and fees are subject to change without prior notice.
  • We strongly recommend that you visit www.csun.edu/international immediately to review important information regarding your foreign student status.
  • First time transfer students are encouraged to visit www.csun.edu/anr/applied/appliedtrf.html and First time freshmen are encouraged to visit www.csun.edu/anr/applied/appliedftf.html to obtain important information.

NOTE: Those students who are required to take the English Placement Test (EPT) and/or the Entry Level Math Exam (ELM) may not register at all until test results are available. Therefore, these students must arrive soon enough to take the exam(s) in order to fulfill mandatory enrollment in the appropriate level English or math course during your first semester. An enclosed "Testing Invitation" will notify you of the testing dates and whether the exams are required.

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Orientation

You will be required to participate in a one day International Student Orientation. Detailed information will soon be available at www.csun.edu/nso.

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Again, congratulations on your admission to California State University, Northridge! We are very much looking forward to helping you and meeting with you soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marta Rezvani -Lopez
Assistant Director/DSO

RR 07/28/08

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