Pre-Orientation Information - Complete Steps for F-1 Student Visa

Oct 5, 2026

Uploaded by adawds

International Student Services provides a step-by-step pre-orientation checklist for newly accepted F-1 students at the College of Central Florida. It covers paying the SEVIS I-901 fee, scheduling a U.S. Embassy or Consulate visa interview and preparing supporting documents, applying for campus-adjacent housing with a refundable deposit, arranging travel to Ocala within the Form I-20 entry window, purchasing mandatory health insurance, and preparing for the PERT placement test. It also outlines required materials for orientation day and warns against final travel commitments until a visa is issued.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Pre-Orientation Steps

Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee

Apply for the F-1 Student Visa

Apply for Housing

Make Travel Arrangements

Purchase Insurance

Prepare for the PERT Placement Test

Attend Orientation

International Student Services CONGRATULATIONS! Now that you have been accepted to the College of Central Florida, you need to complete the following steps in order to obtain your F-1 student visa. 1. Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee Go to [www.fmjfee.com](www.fmjfee.com) and pay your SEVIS I-901 fee. The fee is $350 and you will need to print your receipt. 2. Apply for Your F-1 Student Visa Make an appointment for a visa interview by contacting the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Visa processing procedures can vary, depending on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Once you have scheduled an interview, gather all the required documents. This includes the receipt of the SEVIS I-901 fee, your original I-20, your original CF acceptance letter, photographs, financial support documents, high school transcripts, the visa application fee and your F-1 visa application form. Contact the Embassy or Consulate for detailed information on what documents to bring with you. Applicants must demonstrate that they properly meet student visa requirements including: Have a residence abroad, with no immediate intention of abandoning that residence, intend to depart from the United States upon completion of the course of study, and possess sufficient funds to pursue the proposed course of study. Applicants with dependents may be asked to provide additional information. As part of the visa application process, an interview atthe embassy consular section is required for visa applicants. Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant's interview. Also, because each student’s personal and academic situation is different; two students applying for same visa may be asked different questions and be required to submit different documents. No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore final travel plans or the purchase of non-refundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued. The College of Central Florida is not responsible for any travel expenses. List of Embassies and [Consulates:](Consulates: www.usembassy.gov)[ ](Consulates: www.usembassy.gov)[www.usembassy.gov](Consulates: www.usembassy.gov) Wait Times and Processing: [http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/general/wait-times.html](http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/general/wait-times.html) 3. Apply for Housing Housing is available adjacent to campus at College Square Apartments. To complete the housing application, go online [at](at www.cf.edu/intl-housing. When)[ ](at www.cf.edu/intl-housing. When)[www.cf.edu/intl-housing](at www.cf.edu/intl-housing. When)[. When](at www.cf.edu/intl-housing. When) your application is received, an online payment link will be sent to your email address for you to pay the application fee and deposit (equivalent to one-month rent) . International students are given priority; however, please make sure that you apply & pay fees by the deadline. Deposit is fully refundable. For questions, contact the College Square Manager at [collegesquare@cf.edu](collegesquare@cf.edu). 4. Make Travel Arrangements Once you have received your student visa, you will need to make arrangements to travel to Ocala, Florida. You may enter the United States 30 days before the start date on your Form I-20. You will need your passport, visa and I-20 to enter the U.S. The closest international airport is Orlando International (airport code: MCO) . It is recommended that you arrive between 8:00am and 1:00pm, Monday – Friday if possible. If you arrive at night or on the weekend, you will travel to Ocala, and then will need to stay a hotel until the office opens. To schedule your complimentary shuttle pick-up, email your airline, flight number, arrival date & time to [international@cf.edu](international@cf.edu). You must also bring with you sufficient funds to pay for expenses on your arrival. Expenses vary; however, you will need to have suffi

FAQs

What is the first step to obtain an F-1 student visa?

Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee at www.fmjfee.com and print the receipt for your visa documentation.

Which documents are needed for the visa interview?

Prepare the SEVIS I-901 fee receipt, original I-20, original CF acceptance letter, photographs, financial support documents, high school transcripts, the visa application fee, and your F-1 visa application form.

What should students do to prepare for the PERT placement test?

During orientation, take the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) for English and Math. Study using the provided PERT student study guide, and check with CF if you may be exempt for submitted official test results or transfer coursework.

Oct 5, 2026

Uploaded by adawds