New Student Checklist

Have you paid your nonrefundable US$500 enrollment fee?

1. Get your student visa

1. Submit your Certificate of Finances fo1. Submit your Certificate of Finances form. 2. Submit the supporting bank statement or government sponsorship letter. 3. Pay your enrollment fee if you have not already paid. 4. Receive your I-20!

*Start the process by submitting your Certificate of Finances form.

Use the I-20 to schedule your visa interview at a U.S. Embassy. Make sure to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee before your appointment.

Prepare for your interview using these 10 tips for a successful interview. We also encourage you to book a 1-to-1 meeting on Zoom with your New Student Coordinator to go over the visa interview process, then inform your New Student Coordinator about the outcome of your visa appointment.

Get complete information on U.S. visa regulations and processes.

Transfer students

International students transferring to WSU from another school within the United States should follow these steps to get their WSU I-20.

International Master’s program students

Do you have questions about your International Master’s program I-20? Please note that our International Master’s program is a bridge program, also known as a pathway program, and requires a pathway I-20. Watch this video.

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2. myWSU account

WSU uses multi-factor authentication (MFA), a multi-step account login process that requires users to enter more information than just a password. After your admission is confirmed, you will receive an email with instructions to set up your MFA and student accounts. It is essential that you know your WSU username and password for your WSU student (myWSU) account before you arrive to campus. For additional information, please check the SSO Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) page.

myWSU

WSU email

We know there are many forms of communication in the world. However, at WSU, your WSU email account is the ONLY way to communicate with important offices on campus such as Housing, Bursar’s Office, professors, and more.

If you are having trouble with your login information, please contact your International New Student Coordinator, who will connect you with the appropriate IT person.

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3. Submit your syllabi: For transfer students only

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4. Have your final official transcripts sent

As soon as they become available, you will need to submit final, official transcripts showing graduation date and/or degree earned. Ask each school to send official transcripts directly to International Programs. Transcripts sent by you will not be accepted as official.

Read this page to learn specific details about how to send your final, official transcripts.

Transfer credits from another university or Cambridge Exam

You must submit your official transcripts so that we can conduct a transfer credit report. Once your transfer credit report is complete, your academic advisor will be able to help you select appropriate classes during your first term at WSU.

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5. Upload your vaccination records

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6. Secure housing

Pullman campus is our residential campus. All other campuses require you to live in off-campus housing. At the Pullman campus, all unmarried first-year students under 20 years of age are required to live in a university residence hall for 1 academic year. (Students who completed college-level work in high school are considered first-year students for housing purposes).

Explore the WSU on-campus residence hall and apartment options available!

WSU housing

Apply for Housing

Explore off-campus, non-WSU housing

Explore Off-campus Housing

If you are admitted to the Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Everett, or Spokane campus, contact your International New Student Coordinator for more details.

Important!

Fall 2024 on-campus housing contracts begin on Aug. 9, 2024. If you plan to arrive before that date, you will need to submit a separate application for summer housing in Northside Hall. You will stay there until your fall 2024 room is available on Aug. 9.

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7. New Coug Orientation, International Student Tutorial, and placement exams

Event	Bachelor’s Degree (direct entry)	Bachelor’s Degree (Foundation program)	International Master’s Program	Academic English
New Coug Orientation	Yes	Yes	No	No
International Student Tutorial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Placement exams	Yes	Math only	No	No

Determine which event(s) you need to attend.

New Coug Orientation

International Student Tutorial

Find out when your International Student Tutorial is scheduled.

All international students are required to attend the International Student Tutorial and will be automatically registered. You will complete the Canvas course online before you arrive and attend the in-person Tutorial upon arrival.

Placement assessments

The university requires new bachelor’s degree students to take placement assessments in mathematics and writing. You will need to take these assessments online before meeting with an academic advisor to enroll in classes on Zoom or at the in-person orientation. These placement scores are needed to place you in first-semester classes accurately.

Transfer students may be exempted from these placement exams. Please contact your New Student Coordinator if you believe you qualify.

Math Placement

Writing Placement

If you are admitted to the Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Everett, or Spokane campus, contact your International New Student Coordinator for more details.

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8. Enroll in classes: Steps for bachelor’s degree students only*

1. Register for New Coug Orientation. 2. Complete the pre-orientation modules online. 3. Submit official transcripts. 4. Complete your math and writing placement exams online. 5. Meet with your academic advisor to register for classes.

*Undergraduate Foundation students must complete steps 1 through 4.

Note

If you are in the Academic English, Undergraduate Foundation, or International Master’s programs, you will be enrolled automatically in classes a few weeks before they start. There is nothing you as the student need to do. At that point, your classes and tuition bill will be available for you to pay on your myWSU account.

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9. Pay your tuition

All new students are not required to pay tuition fees until the first day of classes!

You will not receive your tuition bill until you are enrolled in classes. When your bill is available on your myWSU account, you can pay your bill by a variety of methods.

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10. Tell us your arrival details

IMPORTANT

All international students must comply with SEVIS guidelines, which are enforced by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). When arriving in the U.S., please follow Steps 4-6 on the ICE web page. Students who are not physically on campus and enrolled in classes by the end of the first week of classes will have their SEVIS record terminated and will fall out of F-1 visa status.

Important dates: Fall 2024

Arrive on campus	On-campus housing contracts begin	New Coug Orientation (bachelor’s only)	International Student Tutorial	Classes begin
August 9	August 9	August 11-12	TBA	August 19

When should you be on campus?

Tell us exactly when you will arrive

Fall: Tell Us When You Are Arriving!

Pullman campus

You will need to first fly to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), which will be your port of entry to the United States. From there, campus is just a short 45-minute flight away.

We highly recommend you fly directly into the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW). It is just about 3 kilometres away from campus. Airport pick-up services are available for free from PUW to campus.

Another option is the Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is around 125 kilometres from Pullman campus. We do not suggest this, but if you fly to GEG, you will need to find your own transportation from GEG to Pullman. Rental cars are also available at the airport. Greyhound Express and Starline (Wheatland) Express provide transportation between Spokane and Pullman.

Spokane campus

Students admitted to nursing, medical, or pharmacy school on WSU’s Spokane campus should fly into Spokane International Airport (GEG). The airport is approximately 14.5 kilometres from campus. You can find Spokane ground transportation services here.

Tri-Cities campus

We recommend flying into Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in Pasco, Washington. It is about 22 kilometres from campus. You can find Tri-Cities ground transportation services here.

Vancouver campus

We recommend flying into Portland International Airport (PDX). It is about 26 kilometres from campus. You can find Vancouver ground transportation services here.

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11. Prepare for travel

Packing your essentials

Travel documents and items include:

Passport with visa inside
Form I-20 (please print a hard copy of all pages of your I-20 for travel and immigration purposes)
WSU confirmation letter
Proof of financial ability

It is important to travel with money! This includes a bank card that is ready to use for international travel or physical money that can be used in the countries you travel through. U.S. dollars are highly preferred, especially upon arrival to the U.S., in case of emergency.

It is important to travel with all the chargers for your electronic devices including cell/mobile phone, laptop, and more. Also, the U.S. uses Type B electrical plugs, so we suggest you buy the appropriate adapter for your devices upon arrival.

WSU offers a free SIM card for your arrival on campus. You can choose to have the free SIM card mailed to your physical address in your home country before you leave, or receive a SIM card upon arrival. The 2 companies we collaborate with are studentSIMS and campusSIMS (please click on each link to learn more about these options). If you are bringing your own phone, please read about the compatibility of your phone. (Please note that WSU does not endorse any wireless carrier.)

Go to the Traveling to Campus page for more details.

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Have questions?

Your International New Student Coordinator and current international students are ready to help!

Meet Your International Student Ambassadors