Information for International Students

International Students

Welcome!

Lakeside Lab welcomes international students and our staff will do everything we can to facilitate your study here.

Please register at least three months before your class starts.  If you are coming directly from your home country, you must apply for a student visa to study at Lakeside Lab.  If you are already in the US on a student visa, your current I-20 form should be valid for your summer study here (if it does not expire before your Lakeside course ends).

 

Procedure

1) Complete the online registration form and send in your application fee as soon as you can, preferably by 1 March.  If you are applying for a scholarship (financial aid), send that application by 1 March too.

 

If you don’t need the Lakeside course for a graduate degree, register as an undergraduate.  Undergraduate tuition is less expensive and undergraduate registration is simpler.  International students can not attend class on a non-credit basis.

If you register as a graduate student, you must provide evidence that you have earned a U.S. bachelor’s degree or the equivalent.  Please ask your university to send an official copy of your degree certificate and academic record to the University of Iowa International Admissions Office.  If your documents are not in English, please include an official translation.

2) Demonstrate that you have enough money to cover tuition, fees, and living expenses.  After you register, the International Admissions Office will send you an e-mail about the I-20 form.  Before we can send you the I-20, you will need to complete and return the Financial Statement for International Applicants.

3) Apply for a student visa.  When we send you your I-20 form, we will include instructions on how to apply for your visa.  You will need to pay the SEVIS fee on-line ($100-$200).  Take the receipt for your SEVIS payment and your I-20 form to your visa interview appointment.  You will also have to pay a visa application fee (currently $130).

4) Arrange health insurance. You are required to have health insurance while you are in the U.S., with a minimum coverage of $75,000 for hospitalization.  If you already have insurance, please send the following information to the University Benefits Office: Proof of Coverage Form (see below), a copy of your health insurance identification card, and one of the following: 1) a copy of your policy or 2) a descriptive brochure. If your documents are not in English you should obtain an official translation before leaving your country. If you do not have insurance, or do not provide proof of insurance by 5 June, the University of Iowa will bill you for a single student health insurance policy.  The cost is currently $113 per month. 

5) When you arrive at Lakeside, check in with the University of Iowa Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS). The Business Manager will help you do this. Please have the following documents ready: passport, visa, I-94 card (issued when you enter the US), and stamped I-20 form.

 

Resources for International Students

Immigration (visa) information booklet: http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/graduate/international/VisaImmigration07.pdf

Health insurance requirements and exemption guidelines (including Proof of Coverage Form):  http://www.uiowa.edu/hr/benefits/health/student/exempt.pdf

Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS): http://international.uiowa.edu/oiss/