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Washington State University
International On Campus

New Graduate Students

Congratulations on your acceptance to Washington State University. We welcome you to the WSU family and look forward to assisting you.

Required Tutorial for International Students

All incoming graduate students (first year and transfer) must complete a tutorial orientation program and an immigration check-in. During the required WSU orientation and the International Graduate Student Tutorial, you will have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the WSU campus, identify academic resources, and complete immigration requirements. To maintain your F-1/J-1 nonimmigrant status, you must complete our 2-part check-in process.
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Register and attend the required International Student Tutorial to meet the physical presence check-in requirement.

New students will receive a link to the two-part International Graduate Student Tutorial hosted on Canvas and in-person via email. If you cannot find the email, please email ip.intlservices@wsu.edu.

The Online International Graduate Student Tutorial will include immigration regulations, cultural adjustment, plagiarism/academic integrity rules, and more. It has 2 required parts.

The virtual Canvas course

You will be enrolled in and take a self-paced WSU Canvas course before the start of the term. You will need to watch several short, required videos and complete quizzes as you prepare to join WSU. This information will help you prepare for the face-to-face tutorial and New Coug Orientation when you get here. Log in to WSU Canvas here to get started: login.wsu.edu.

The face-to-face tutorial when you arrive at WSU that is designed just for you

The schedule will indicate the date of your tutorial. Plan your arrival time to attend the required tutorial. The tutorial will provide you with important information about meeting your basic needs such as housing, help you make connections and build friends, and teach you more about academic preparedness, social identity, campus engagement, how WSU can support you, and more!

This Tutorial is in ADDITION to the WSU Graduate Student Orientation. New international graduate students will also be expected to attend the in-person portion of the International Graduate Student Tutorial the week before classes start in August (fall) and January (spring).

All international graduate students will be charged a nonrefundable $50 international student orientation fee after course registration. The fee will be charged to your WSU account and can be paid along with your tuition through myWSU.

Tutorial Schedule

2

Once you arrive on campus, our immigration session during the International Student Tutorial will provide instructions to upload your immigration documents to myPassport.

You should upload these documents within 7 days of your orientation check-in.

  • I-20/DS-2019 (previous I-20/DS-2019 if you are a transfer student)
  • Biographical passport page (and extension, if applicable)
  • F-1/J-1 visa
  • Port of entry stamp from most recent entry into the United States
  • I-94 document

If you are a graduate student with an assistantship, you will need to obtain a Social Security card to receive your stipend. An essential part of the process will require that you meet the physical presence check-in requirement, upload your immigration documents to myPassport, and obtain a Social Security letter from your department. The letter then needs to be signed by the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) department. If you need to complete the immigration check-in process prior to the Graduate School orientation, visit ISSS (Bryan Hall, room 206) to request early activation of your SEVIS record. Completion of the International Graduate Student Tutorial is required. 

Tutorial Checklist

Complete the remaining items on your checklist located in myPassport.

  • Make an appointment with the International Programs fiscal team (sponsored students only)
  • Visit Coug Health to provide your immunization record for the Measles Hold (if applicable)
  • Meet with your graduate coordinator in your department to plan your schedule
  • Obtain a Cougar Card at the Compton Union Building (CUB)
  • Provide emergency contact information

Pre-arrival Information

  1. Questions about vaccinations? We’ll take care of you!
    A. You do not have to be vaccinated to come to WSU. You do not have to quarantine upon arrival. You do need to get vaccinated after you arrive or apply for a personal exception to vaccination. If you have been vaccinated in your country, WSU will review that vaccination and determine whether or not you should be vaccinated in the U.S.
  2. Do you want to get picked up from the Pullman, Washington, airport? We can’t wait to see you!
    A. Be sure to let us know when to pick you up from the airport!
  3. Get ready to live where you study. Need help with housing?
    A. We will inform you of the date and time student housing will open for move-in.
  4. Ready to get involved and make friends who become family?
    A. We encourage you to consider joining the Graduate and Professional Student Association.

 

On-Campus Resources for New International Students

International Programs – International Student and Scholar Services

Our department, located in Bryan Hall room 206,  assists international students through knowledge and expertise in immigration advising and cross-cultural programming.

International Center

The International Center, located in CUB L46, is your campus living room—a comfortable place where international students and friends gather to relax, socialize, and study.

Graduate School

Located in the French Administration building, the WSU Graduate School staff is there to assist you throughout your academic program.

International Programs