Please review all of the following information before you sign up for the International Student Orientation. If you have any questions about International Student Orientation, you can e-mail our office at International@txstate.edu or call our office at (512) 245-7966.
Click on topics for more information
When you recieve your I-20 from Texas State and have made the decision to attend...you must pay the SEVIS fee to activate your SEVIS record for our school.
You may pay the SEVIS fee of $200 using a credit or debit card here: www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.jsp
After you make the payment, you should print the receipt and take it to your visa appointment with the U.S. Consulate as proof that you have paid the SEVIS fee.
Below are some helpful links for information and tips on how to apply for a U.S. visa and where to pay your SEVIS fee.
You will be given an I-94 form to fill out on the plane. Please use the following information to make sure you complete the I-94 correctly, and keep the bottom of for the duration of your stay in the US.
Every foreign student, upon each arrival to the US, has to fill in an I-94 form. A sample of the form is shown in the image below. The Form I-94 holds important information about you such as your name, the class of admission, the date of your admittance and the authorized period of stay. It is extremely important that you fill out this form accurately. Please visit the following link for complete instructions on filling out the Form I-94 http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/i-94_instructions/filling_out_i94.xml.
If you are an International Student transferring from another US Institution, you must complete a SEVIS TRANFSER IN REQUEST FORM and have your former school complete it and return it to our office. Without doing this, Texas State will not be able to register your SEVIS record for the semester and you could fall out of status. For more information go to our Sevis Record Transfer Page.
Housing comparisons:
Please review the following information if you have questions about what kind of housing options you have in San Marcos.
Click here to download a comparison of your 3 different housing options
Additional information about housing can be found here: http://www.txstate.edu/internationalminds/preparations/housing.html
THE FOLLOWING ARE TIPS TO HELP YOU ARRANGE TO HAVE A PLACE TO STAY IMMEDIATELY UPON YOUR ARRIVAL:
For those living in a Residence Hall: Residence Halls allow students to move in a few days before the first day of classes...if you arrive before the halls officially open and you have a contract with Residence Life already, you may request temporary housing in one of the halls that stay open during the breaks, for just $20 per night by emailing reslife@txstate.edu
Hotels: If you cannot find temporary housing before orientation you may stay in a hotel, however this is not ideal because the hotels are not located within walking distance from the campus and are expensive. Rates for local hotels/motels can be found here
For those living in On-Campus Apartments:
When you request an on-campus apartment through CCCRAPTS@txstate.edu, also let them know that you will be arriving before school starts and will arrive early for New International Student Orientation. Ask them to help make sure the apartment is ready for you by at least August 19th.
For those living in Off-Campus Apartments:
Off-campus apartments are all going to function differently. You should let them know that you need to be able to move in before or on August 19th so that you will have a place to stay already during orientation. It may be possible to find an off-campus apartment that will let you move in the same day you find it, such as the day of orientation, at our housing fair but we recommend we research the apartment complexes and try to make arrangements for one before you arrive.
Texas State has partnered with local apartment property owners/managers to provide students with reputable housing locations that promote a student-centered community and also meet Texas State standards of housing and residential life. For more information on the Achieving Community Together (ACT) Ally Program, please visit their website here. You may also check out the Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) page here.
Need help finding a good apartment? Below, you will find some local businesses that are willing to assist your hunt for the perfect place to live. Students should schedule an appointment with these companies in order to find out more information about a student's housing possibilities.
Apartment Locator Company | Website | Phone Number |
Hot Spots | http://www.hotspotslocating.com/
| (512)-468-7768 |
Apartments To Go | http://www.apartmentstogo.com/
| (512)-353-3733 |
Vance J. Elliot Realty | http://www.vancejelliottrealty.com/
| (512)-353-3002 |
Great Locations | http://www.glsanmarcos.com/offices/1478/great-locations---san-marcos.aspx
| (512)-878-2233 |
Apartment Experts | http://www.apartmentexperts.com/san_marcos_apartments.html
| (512)-805-0123 |
Academic Advisors –You should meet with an Academic Advisor before registering for classes.
As an F-1 Student you must do an International Office Check-In or a hold will be placed on your record and you may fall out of F1 status. Remember that you are required to report to the International Office within 15 days of the program start date on your I-20.
Check-In is a three part process:
We have scheduled the first day of International Student Orientation (August 19th, 2013) to be a Check-in day for all F-1 students. If you cannot make it to Check-in you MUST contact our office to check-in as soon as you arrive in the U.S. Call our office at 512-245-7966 to make an appointment or come by our office
Location: Thornton International House
Directions: 344 W. Woods Street, San Marcos, TX 78666
Map: http://www.maps.txstate.edu/campus/buildings/thor.html
You must attend a mandatory New International Student Orientation given by the International Office for all new international students at Texas State University-San Marcos. This orientation helps you to successfully adjust to living in the United States and covers topics such as immigration laws and regulations, international student employment, tax issues for international students, transportation around San Marcos and more. Complimentary meals and snacks will be served. Please sign up for New International Student Orientation as soon as you can.
Orientation is a key part of a student’s success, especially international students who are being introduced to many things for the very first time. The Texas State International Office wants to equip you with the information that you need to succeed at Texas State about everything from Immigration requirements to knowing where the local grocery store is.
Extended Orientation Activities: Some orientation activities will extend several weeks into your first semseter, one of the main events is the International Welcome Social.
New Student Orientation (for *Undergraduates) / Graduate Orientation: Undergraduate Students must attend a NSO orientation through the admissions and will receive some advising there before the first day of class.
For Graduate Students, it is important to set up a meeting with your departments' academic advisor about what classes to register for.
*Exchange Students should follow all directions regarding arrival that they are given by the Study Abroad Office, exchange students are exempt from some orientation activities such as *NSO, however they should still attend all mandatory orientation events the International Office sponsors for F1 students.
Join us at the International Welcome Social, an event in honor of our new international students. Enjoy refreshments, international games, special performances, and more. This event is free of charge and open to the Texas State University community. So, bring a friend!
| Fall Welcome Social | Friday, August 30th, 2013 | 3pm-5pm | LBJ Ballroom |
International Student Orientation Sign-Up
Fall Dates: August 19th-20th, 2013
Summer I (May 29th) OR Summer II (July 2nd)