I am interested in attending NC State.  What should I do?

The first thing you must do is apply academically.  Applications are available  online.  Applications for graduate level study are available on the Graduate Admissions website.  Applications for undergraduate study are available via Undergraduate Admissions. You should submit only academic materials with your application.  Financial materials that are submitted with the application will be regarded as unsolicted and will generally be considered invalid.  If you are accepted academically, you will be prompted to send in financial documentation.

I just received a letter from my department (or the admissions office) saying I have been accepted.  Does this mean I have been officially admitted to the University at this point?

All international applicants are not officially and fully admitted to the university until they have been cleared by OIS (or the Graduate School ONLY if applicant is overseas planning to apply for an initial F-1 visa). Until you have been cleared by OIS (or the Graduate School ONLY if applicant is overseas planning to apply for an initial F-1 visa), you are considered provisionally accepted to the university.  Please see the Admissions Process section for further details.

I just received the Certificate of Financial Responsibility.  I am currently in the United States on a non-immigrant visa.  Do I need to send in these financial forms?

Applicants already in the United States who are not currently in either F-1 or J-1 student status (and who do not intend to change to F-1 status) do not have to submit the Certificate of Financial Responsibility.  You will, however, need to submit the Visa Clearance Form and attach copies of your current visa documents, including your I-94 card.  There are employment restrictions on various other visa classes, so if you would like to work while attending NC State, you should speak with an OIS advisor.  If you receive an assistantship from your department, you will have to change to F-1 status in order to utilize the assistantship and work on campus.

Applicants already in the United States who are already in F-1 or J-1 status will have to submit both the Certificate of Financial Responsibility and the Visa Clearance Form.

I am a Permanent Resident.  Do I need to complete the Certificate of Financial Responsibility and the Visa Clearance Form?

Permanent Residents do not need to complete the Certificate of Financial Responsibility or provide documentation of their financial situation/support.  They will, however, need to provide OIS with a copy of their Green Cards or approval notices, so that we can properly indicate their status in our databases.  Once we receive proof of permanent residency, we notify the appropriate admissions office. OIS does not retain files on Permanent Residents.

I have applied for Permanent Resident status.  What forms should I submit?

Pending Permanent Residents should complete the Visa Clearance Form and provide proof that they  have applied for Permanent Resident status.  Proof can be provided by submitting copies of the application materials or a copy of the receipt notice from USCIS stating that the application has been received. Employment authorization cards are also helpful (in addition to the other documents mentioned) as proof of your pending application.

I have been awarded an assistantship by my department.  Do I still need to submit the Certificate of Financial Responsibility?

OIS can approve assistantship offer letters in place of the Certificate of Financial Responsibility.  You should make sure that your department sends us a copy of your offer letter.  You can also attach a copy of your offer letter to the Certificate of Financial Responsibility and send them in together.  (Please retain the original offer letter for your files.) Often, assistantships provide enough funding to support a student during the period of study.  If additional funds are required, OIS will contact you directly upon receipt of the assistantship letter.

If I get a letter from the bank showing the amount on deposit, do I still need to submit the Certificate of Financial Responsibility?

You still need to complete the Certificate of Financial Responsibility and sign it.  You do not, however, need to have a bank official complete Section II, A of the Certificate of Financial Responsibility.  For further information on how to complete the Certificate of Financial Responsibility, please see the CFR Instruction Page.

I sent in my Certificate of Financial Responsibility last week.  How long will it take before I receive my admissions documents and I-20?

Once we receive  and approve your Certificate of Financial Responsibility (and if necessary, Visa Clearance Form), it takes 1 1/2 - 2 weeks before your documents are mailed to you.  We generally review Certificates of Financial Responsibility and Visa Clearance Forms within 24-48 hours of receipt.  Once we receive your admissions materials from the appropriate admissions office (Graduate or Undergraduate), we process your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 within 24 - 48 hours. We then mail the packet to you.

I really  need to get my documents as soon as possible.  Can you express mail my I-20 and admissions packet?

OIS will mail your Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 for F-1 students; Form DS-2019 for J-1 students) and other admissions materials (letter of official admission to the university and important pre-arrival information) to the address that you provided on your application. OIS cannot send your documents via Express Mail. Documents are sent via international air mail, which may take several weeks to reach its destination. However, if you have a friend or relative here in the United States, OIS is willing to send your admissions packet to that person, who can it turn send it to you via Express Mail. Many students do this as a means of obtaining their admissions packets faster than normal. In order to do this, however, you must submit written authorization to OIS (OIS@ncsu.edu) concerning to whom (and to where) to send your documents. OIS can do nothing without written authorization from you, please keep that in mind.

I received admission to NC State, but due to circumstances, I will not be able to attend this semester.  Is there any way to defer my admission?

Admission can be deferred for a period of up to one academic year.  Thus, if you initially applied for Fall 2006, you can defer your admission to either Spring 2007 or Fall 2007.  You would not be able to defer to Spring 2008 or later. 

Graduate applicants who wish to defer will have to submit a deferment request to their individual departments.  (For a listing of the Graduate Program Directors, please visit http://www.grad.ncsu.edu/Labels/dgplist.htm.) Only the department can approve/deny a deferment request.  If the department approves your request, it will notify the Graduate School on your behalf.  OIS will then ask you to submit a new Certificate of Financial Responsibility and/or Visa Clearance Form.  You will not have to submit new academic materials.

Undergraduate applicants who wish to defer should contact Undergraduate Admissions (undergrad_admissions@ncsu.edu).  If Undergraduate Admissions approves your request, OIS will send you a new Certificate of Financial Responsibility and/or Visa Clearance Form to complete.

If you were issued a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 by OIS before you decided to defer, you should return this form to OIS.

I have decided not to attend NC State.  Do I need to notify anyone of this?

If you decide not to attend NC State after you have been accepted, you should notify OIS of your decision.  If you received a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, you should return this document to OIS. 

If you are a Graduate applicant, you should also notify your department.  Undergraduate applicants should notify Undergraduate Admissions (undergrad_admissions@ncsu.edu).