Global Education Office

The first step to studying at VCU is to apply to one of our degree or certificate programs. 

If you have not already done so, click the link below to apply to study at VCU.

• Undergraduate Degree and Certificate Programs
• Graduate Degree and Certificate Programs
• English Language Program (ELP)
• Exchange Student*

For F-1 visa compliance with the programs above you must enroll in a full course of study (FCS) and observe the restriction on online study.  

View information about the FCS requirement and online study restrictions.

 

* = Exchange Student means a student who is enrolled in a degree program with one of VCU’s partner universities abroad and who will be coming to VCU for 1-2 semesters of full-time study (enrolling in VCU classes) under a partnership agreement between VCU and their home university.   To apply to VCU as an exchange student, please contact Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

After you are accepted for study at VCU you will receive a written official acceptance letter. 

You will need that acceptance letter to request an I-20 for F-1 visa sponsorship or a DS-2019 for J-1 visa sponsorship.

Undergraduate	International Admissions will email your official acceptance letter to you.
Graduate	International Admissions will email your official acceptance letter to you.
ELP	ELP will email your official acceptance letter to you.
Exchange Student	Global Learning will email your official acceptance letter to you.

The Global Education Office (GEO) is VCU’s centralized international unit.  We are dedicated to supporting the university in increasing the global impact of research, teaching and service and in expanding the role of VCU on the world stage. 

We take a holistic and integrated approach to high-impact global programming to grow international student enrollment and to enhance international partnerships and collaborations to increase opportunities for students, faculty and staff.  

A unit of GEO, Immigration Services provides timely and reliable U.S. visa and related employment authorization compliance support and direct services to VCU’s international students, scholars, employees, and visitors.

If you have (or need) a visa sponsored by VCU, please consider Immigration Services your primary point of contact for all matters relating to the visa.   To contact us, please send an email to GEOIS@vcu.edu

A unit of GEO, Global Learning provides intercultural community engagement opportunities for VCU students.   We also provide orientation, housing, academic guidance, and intercultural adjustment support to international students, scholars, and short-term visitors.   

After you have been accepted for study at VCU, you may request an I-20 for F-1 visa sponsorship.

Undergraduate	Request your I-20 from Immigration Services
Graduate	Request your I-20 from Immigration Services
ELP	Request your I-20 from ELP
Exchange Student	Exchange Students are sponsored for J-1 visas.  Request your DS-2019 from Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

• To request an I-20 from Immigration Services, please send an email to GEOIS@vcu.edu (Subject Line: Request for an I-20)
• To request an I-20 from ELP, please send an email to GEO-ELP@vcu.edu (Subject Line: Request for an I-20)
  
  

Under U.S. government guidelines, all of VCU’s I-20s and DS-2019s are provided to students via email only.  

This means you can receive your I-20 or DS-2019 quickly and without worrying about delivery by regular mail or courier service.

Your I-20 is a critical U.S. immigration document.   You will use your I-20 to…

1. Apply for an F-1 visa stamp from a U.S. consulate, and
2. Request admission to the U.S. in F-1 status, and
3. Confirm employment authorization in the U.S., and
4. Apply for a Social Security Number (SSN), and
5. Apply for a Virginia driver’s license.

When you receive your VCU I-20, take a few minutes to get familiar with the document.   Make sure the biographical information about you in the top box is correct.  

If you have any questions or concerns about your I-20, please send an email to GEO Immigration Services: GEOIS@vcu.edu

After you receive your VCU I-20, you can apply for an F-1 visa at a U.S. consulate.  You will need the visa in order to travel to the U.S. and ask Customs and Border Protection to admit you in F-1 status.

Apply for an F-1 Visa

Citizens of Canada are exempt from the requirement to obtain an F-1 visa from a U.S. consulate.   Canadian citizens do need an I-20, however, in order to ask CBP for admission to the U.S. in F-1 status.

VCU students live either in on-campus housing owned and managed by VCU or off campus in apartments or houses that are not affiliated with VCU. 

Here are some things to know about on campus housing:

• For information about on-campus housing, please contact Residential Life and Housing.
• VCU cannot guarantee the availability of on campus housing for any students, including international students.
• On-campus housing is assigned in the order that your application was received by Residential Life and Housing.
• Demand for on-campus housing is high but the supply is limited.
• Almost all of VCU’s on-campus housing is for undergraduate students.
• VCU does not have family housing for undergraduates or graduates.
• If you will be accompanied by family members, you need to seek off-campus housing.
  
  

ELP Students: You are eligible to apply for on-campus housing but the on-campus housing contract is available only in English. If you need support with understanding the on-campus housing contract, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

VCU students live either in on-campus housing owned and managed by VCU or off-campus in apartments or houses that are not affiliated with VCU. 

Here are some things to know about off-campus housing:

• Demand for off-campus housing is high but the supply is limited.
• Many students live in property that is technically off-campus (privately owned and managed with no affiliation with VCU) but that is adjacent to, and within easy walking distance of, campus. Some off-campus housing is actually closer to campus than some on campus housing.
• The average cost of a one-bedroom off-campus apartment in the Richmond area is $1,500-$2,000 per month. This amount does not include utilities (water, electricity, or heat).  
• Property managers in the U.S. do not readily accept payment in cash or by check. Increasingly, payment is accepted only by debit or credit card.
• Furnished apartments are rare in the U.S. and especially so in Richmond. If you live off-campus, plan to buy furniture, dishes, cooking utensils, bed linens, towels, etc.   Furniture rental is possible but it is usually more expensive than buying the furniture.
• You should expect to sign a contract (called a lease) with the property manager before moving into the property.  
• A lease is a legally binding document. When you sign the lease, you are committing to residing in the property for the duration of the lease, and to paying the stated rent on time each month.
• Most leases are for 12 months, but some property managers offer shorter leases. Shorter leases tend to be more expensive than 12 month leases.
• Since the lease is a legally binding document, quitting the lease (sometimes called breaking the lease) is difficult. Some property managers will only allow you to break the lease if you pay a penalty of several months’ rent.
• Do not expect to break the lease for free just because you decide to live elsewhere or are dissatisfied with your choice of property.
• If you are electing to live off campus, we strongly recommend that you review the additional resources available on our forthcoming Canvas website prior to beginning your search. These resources will include information about how to find housing, rent differences by housing type, utility costs, and neighborhoods within the VCU area.
  We DO NOT recommend that you sign a lease before seeing photos of the property, reading any available online reviews of its condition, taking a virtual tour (if possible), and getting answers to your questions from the landlord upfront in writing. After you sign an apartment lease, you are legally committed for the entire contract period and will not be released if you change your mind after arriving here. If you wish to secure your housing prior to your arrival, please contact Off-Campus Student Services with any questions you may have before you sign a lease.
• U.S. Credit Background Check. The property manager will probably perform a U.S. credit background check to determine if you have a good U.S. credit rating and therefore can be trusted to pay the rent when it is due.
• Security Deposit. Regardless of your credit background check, you will probably need to pay a security deposit at the time you sign the lease.   The typical security deposit is equal to 2 months’ rent.  However, if you do not have a good U.S. credit rating (or if you have no U.S. credit history), the property manager may ask that you pay the entire lease amount (example: 12 months) rent in advance.
• Co-Signer. Regardless of your credit background check, the property manager may ask you to obtain a co-signer for your lease.    A co-signer is someone who will be responsible for paying your rent in the event that you are unable to do so for any reason.   No VCU department or employees can serve as co-signers on leases.
• Criminal Background Check. The property manage will probably perform a criminal background check to determine if you have a U.S. or foreign police record.

For information about off-campus housing please check out VCU’s Off-campus Housing website.  Before searching for off-campus housing, please check out VCU’s Leasing Presentation Video (leasing is another word for renting).

International students often live in roommate situations where two or more students share a property and divide the costs among them.

Here are some things to know about roommate situations:

• Property managers do not usually provide references for roommate situations.
• This is because if you are a roommate, the property manager expects you to be on the lease, too, and legally responsible for complying with the terms of the lease and paying the rent.
• Being a roommate, even with a good friend, is ultimately a business decision on your part.
• If you are going to be someone’s roommate, we recommend that you be on the lease. Most leases forbid the lease holder from having roommates who are not on the lease.  If you are not on the lease, you have no legal right to the property no matter what your roommate tells you.  
• When property managers find out that a lease-holder has a roommate who is not on the lease, they can fine the lease-holder or terminate the contract (but require the lease-holder to pay the rent anyway).

VCU does not have guest accommodations or temporary housing of any kind.  

If you have not secured housing before you depart for the U.S. you should plan on one of the following options for your first 2 weeks in Richmond.

Friends or family in the Richmond area	If you have friends or family in the Richmond area, ask if they can host you.
RamsConnect	Visit Rams Connect for access to VCU’s many student organizations.   Someone from your home country may be a member of a student organization, and they might be able to provide temporary housing to you, or refer you to someone who is looking for a roommate.
Hotel or Airbnb	Stay at a hotel or Airbnb within walking distance to VCU.   Hotel and Airbnb costs in the area start at $150-$250 per night and do not include meals.  Some hotels offer discount rates to VCU students and families.  You would request a VCU rate when booking the hotel room or checking into the hotel.   No Airbnb hosts offer VCU discounts.   The hotels within walking distance to VCU are: The Graduate Hotel(expensive), The Jefferson Hotel(expensive), Linden Row Inn(moderately priced), Holiday Inn Express Downtown (lower priced).   Other hotels in the area are not within easy walking distance to VCU.
Hostel	There is currently no hostel in the Richmond area.

If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

 

All VCU students, including international students, are required to submit immunization records to University Student Health Services (USHS) prior to starting classes.  

Submit Your Immunization Records to USHS

If you do not submit your immunization records to USHS in a timely way, a hold will be placed on your VCU account, which will prevent you from enrolling in classes.

If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

Most international students are required to take a tuberculosis (TB) screening test administered by USHS during your first week at VCU.  

USHS does not accept the results of TB tests taken outside the U.S.  

The USHS TB test costs $25, which you must pay at the time of the test.  

Additional information about the USHS TB test requirement will be provided to you closer to the time that you arrive at VCU.

If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

Healthcare refers to the system of doctors, clinics, hospitals, dentists, psychologists, nurses, and other providers of health care.  

Accessing healthcare in the U.S. may differ dramatically from the way it is accessed in your home country.

Here are some things to know about U.S. healthcare.

• The U.S. does not have universal or socialized healthcare.
• Except for critical, life-saving care, there is no guaranteed access to healthcare in the U.S.
• Healthcare is always fee-for-service. This means that you or your health insurance company (see below) must pay at the time service is provided.
• Healthcare is regulated by the government but, except for critical, life-saving care, access to healthcare is not legally guaranteed to anyone.
• Healthcare is mostly private and for-profit. It is a business like any other private business. 
• Even healthcare that is government or charitable is run like a business and fee-for-service.
• Government and charitable healthcare is not free and is rarely lower-priced than private healthcare.
  
  

Healthcare is Very Expensive

U.S. healthcare is very expensive. Here are some random, sample costs—actual costs could be higher:

Procedure	Possible Cost
Physician visit for routine physical examination	$350 not including any tests
Physician visit for the flu or Covid	$500 not including any tests
Treatment for a broken arm	$3,000
Delivery of a baby	$25,000
Hospital stay (3 days)	$50,000
Counseling session with a psychologist	$200
Routine dental examination	$250
Dental filling (cavity)	$350

Healthcare providers do not negotiate the price of healthcare with patients. The costs are the costs no matter who you are or what your economic status is.

Except for critical, life-saving care, if you cannot pay for healthcare in the U.S. you will not have access to healthcare in the U.S. It is that simple.

Due to the lack of guaranteed access plus the high cost of healthcare, most Americans have health insurance.

Health insurance is a way to pay for your U.S. healthcare.   

If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

 

There are two ways to pay for U.S. healthcare:

1. Out-of-pocket, meaning that you pay 100% of the cost at the time of service, usually by credit or debit card.
2. Health insurance, which is a way of paying for some or most healthcare costs.
   
   

Here is how health insurance works:

You sign up for (enroll in) health insurance with a specific health insurance company.   The insurance company will provide you with an insurance card.

You pay a monthly fee (called a premium) to the health insurance company.   If you do not pay the monthly fee, the insurance company will cancel your health insurance.

In exchange for your paying the premium, the health insurance company agrees to pay some or all of your healthcare costs.

When you need healthcare, you go to a health care provider (example: a physician or a clinic). 

At the time of your visit to the health care provider, you will be asked to present your insurance card.

Often, you will be asked by the provider to pay them a co-pay.       

• For example, if the charge for the healthcare visit is $350, you may be asked to pay a $40 co-pay to the provider.
• The healthcare provider will send the bill for the remaining $310 charge to the insurance company, and the insurance company will pay the $310.
  
  

Here are some other things to know about health insurance:

• You need to enroll in health insurance, and pay the premium, while you are well so that when you need healthcare, the insurance company will help pay the costs.
• If you are not already enrolled in health insurance when you need health care, the insurance company will not pay any of the costs of the health care.
• In that case, you would need to pay for your health care 100% out-of-pocket.
• This means that not having health insurance is a risk to your health (no insurance? no access to healthcare) and your finances (the costs add up!).
• Most Americans enroll in health insurance through a private health insurance company, such as Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, etc.
• Many Americans’ enroll in health insurance through their employer—but millions more enroll in health insurance on their own.
• Most Americans are so concerned about the cost of even routine healthcare that they cannot imagine not enrolling in health insurance.
• Health insurance may be unknown or a luxury in your home country—but it is an absolute necessity in the U.S.
• Do not think that you can do without health insurance in the U.S.—or that you can just buy the least expensive health insurance. You cannot.
• Paying for health insurance is a fact of life in the U.S. You must accept this.
• The estimated cost of health insurance is factored into the estimated costs of attending VCU as indicated on your I-20 or DS-2019.
• You are personally responsible for enrolling in, and paying for, health insurance—or paying the costs of your healthcare 100% out-of-pocket from personal funds.
• Do not assume that VCU can pay for your healthcare. VCU cannot pay for your healthcare.
  
  

Premium Amounts

Premium amounts vary by the types of health care situations or procedures that are covered by the insurance plan—and by the amount of coverage provided (how much the insurance company will pay) for the situation or procedure.

• The higher the premium, the more health care situations and procedures are covered—and the higher the amount of money the insurance company will pay.
• The lower the premium, the fewer health care situations and procedures are covered—and the less the amount of money the insurance company will pay.

VCU does not have funds to help students pay for healthcare or health insurance. 

Primary Care Provider

If you have health insurance, your basic healthcare is provided by a Primary Care Provider (PCP), such as a physician or nurse with general training in medicine and healthcare. 

If you need specialist care, your PCP will refer you to a specialist.

You need to select a PCP from a list of providers who are part of the insurance company’s network of providers.

Not all PCPs belong to every insurance company’s network of providers.

Insurance companies have online resources to help you select a PCP from their network.

Health Insurance Terms

U.S. healthcare uses a variety of terms that you may not be familiar with, such as deductible and co-pay; qualifying life event; and so on.

These terms are technical and have legal implications.   

View an overview of healthcare terms and their definitions.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

These programs are for use by Americans who are older (age 65+) or who lack the financial resources to buy medical insurance.  

If you are on an F-1, F-2, J-1, or J-2 visa you are not legally permitted to rely on Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP for your health insurance.

If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

All students in F-1 and J-1 status are required to have health insurance. There is no exception to the requirement.

Type of Student	To Comply with the VCU Health Insurance Requirement…
Academic (Degree or Certificate Program)	Please see below.
English Language Program (ELP) only	Send an email to GEO-ELP@vcu.edu (Subject Line: Health Insurance Requirement)
Student Athlete	Please contact Athletics.

 

Academic Students

All academic students in F-1 and J-1 status are required to enroll in the VCU-related United Healthcare (UHC) health insurance plan while they are enrolled as students at VCU.

If you do not comply with VCU’s health insurance requirement, you will have a hold placed on your account.  

That hold will prevent you from enrolling in classes. If you cannot enroll in classes, you will lose your F-1 or J-1 status.

What is UHC?

United Healthcare (UHC) is an insurance company that VCU has partnered with to provide health insurance to students in F-1 and J-1 status.   The name of the VCU-related health insurance program is United Healthcare (UHC). 

Cost

For 2023-2024, the cost of the UHC plan is $2,654 per calendar (12-month) year.  The cost of the plan will be billed to your VCU account in two installments of $1,327 each in the Fall semester and then again in the Spring semester. 

The cost of the UHC plan has already been included as an estimated expense on your I-20 or DS-2019.

You must pay your UHP program fee according to the Student Financial Services (SFS) billing schedule.  

• If you do not pay the UHC fee according to the schedule, a late fee will be charged.
• If you want to pay your UHP program fee in installments, you may enroll in the SFS installment plan.

Enrollment

The process of signing up for the UHC plan is called enrollment.  Visit the following webpage to enroll in the UHP program, and scroll down to Access Open Enrollment Portal.

Since you are the person who will be covered by the UHC plan, you need to complete the UHC enrollment process on your own. No one at VCU can legally complete the enrollment process for you.

A waiver (exemption) from the requirement to enroll in the UHC plan is available only under the following two circumstances:

Government Funded Studies

Alternative Health Insurance Plan

All of the costs of your VCU studies are paid for by your home country government and the covered costs include all of your healthcare in the U.S.   If this is true for you, please email Global Learning at global@vcu.edu for guidance about obtaining a waiver from the UHC plan.

You obtain non-UHC insurance on your own that meets or exceeds VCU’s the coverage minimum in the university’s health insurance requirement.   VCU requires that any non-UHC plan be compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).   If your plan is not compliant with the ACA, then you are not eligible for a waiver from the UHC plan.  No one at VCU is authorized to help you identify an alternative plan or to confirm or deny that an alternative plan is ACA-compliant.   If you choose this option, it is your responsibility to select a plan that is ACA compliant on your own.

If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

University Student Health Services (USHS) is the name of VCU’s student health clinic.   Only students currently enrolled at VCU can use USHS services.   

Although USHS is part of VCU, only some of its services are included in your tuition and fees.   

Some USHS services are fee-based, meaning that you should expect to pay for some visits or procedure—or have insurance to cover the costs.

University Student Health Services

University Counseling Services provides a range of psychological and mental health counseling and services to currently enrolled VCU students.

University Counseling Services

VCU Health System is the name of the hospitals, clinics, and physician group practices connected with VCU.  

VCU Health System is affiliated with VCU but it is legally separate from it (VCU and VCU Health are separate companies, in other words.)   

VCU Health System services are not free or discounted for VCU students.  

VCU Health System services are fee-based, meaning that you should expect to pay for some visits or procedure—or have insurance to cover the costs.

VCU Health System

If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please email Global Learning: global@vcu.edu

International students in F-1 or J-1 status are required by law to enroll in a full course of study (FCS) while they are in the U.S.  

Enrolling in an FCS is probably the most important F-1 and J-1 student visa regulation that you must comply with.

If you cannot comply with the FCS requirement, then you cannot remain in the U.S. in F-1 status.
Full Course of Study (FCS) Requirement

Under limited conditions, you may be authorized for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) or Full Time Equivalent (FTE).

Reduced Course Load (RCL) and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

Receiving RCL or FTE authorization is a way to comply with the FCS requirement.   RCL and FTE are the only ways to drop below FCS and still retain your F-1 status.

To ensure access to the most classes, international students should enroll in an FCS as soon as possible after acceptance.

Enroll in VCU Classes

By Air

Most VCU international students travel to the U.S. by air, landing first at a major international airport and then transferring to a domestic non-stop flight to Richmond International Airport (RIC).

(Despite its name, RIC does not have regularly scheduled international arrivals or departures.   RIC does have about 150 non-stop domestic flights daily to and from major U.S. international airports.)

The nearest major international airport to VCU is Dulles International Airport (IAD), outside of Washington, DC, about 100 miles north of Richmond.  

Ground Transportation

For travel to VCU from RIC or IAD:

Shuttle Service	Virginia AirLink. Book your seat ahead of time.      The fare from RIC is about $35.  The fare from IAD is about  $200.
Taxi, Uber, or Lift	There are taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts ready at both RIC and IAD, no reservation needed.  The fare from RIC is about $35.   The fare from IAD is about $300.
Bus	Bus service from RIC to VCU is not convenient for most travelers.  For bus service from RIC, contact GRTC. There is no bus service from IAD to VCU.
Train	There is no train service from RIC or IAD to VCU.

 

By Land

The U.S. shares land border crossings with Canada and Mexico.  

Travel to the U.S. via the U.S-Canada land border is generally more convenient and comfortable than travel to the U.S. via the U.S.-Mexico land border.

If you want to drive to the U.S., we recommend using the U.S.-Canada land border crossing (any of the ports-of-entry are acceptable).  

We do not recommend using the U.S.-Mexico land border crossing unless you are a citizen of Mexico.

The U.S. air, land, and sea border is controlled by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  

After you deplane (if you arrive by air) or as you approach the U.S. border (if you arrive by car) you will be greeted by CBP officers.

Whether you arrive in the U.S. by air or land, you need to ask CBP to admit you to the U.S. in F-1 status.

To request admission to the U.S. in F-1 status, be prepared to present the following materials to CBP upon your arrival.

1. Passport valid for at least 6 months after your arrival
2. Unexpired F-1 visa in the passport
3. Unexpired Initial I-20 from VCU
4. VCU acceptance letter
5. Evidence that you have the funds necessary to pay for your studies
6. VCU course enrollment for the upcoming semester
   
   

Present items 1-3 in every case. Present items 4-6 as well but only if CBP asks to see them.

View an official CBP video about U.S. arrival procedures at airports.

During admissions processing, CBP may ask you to step aside briefly to answer additional questions. Do not take this personally. CBP is just doing its job.

Answer CBP’s questions clearly and truthfully.   

Do not engage CBP in idle conversation or offer more information or documents than they request. Doing so could delay CBP processing.

CBP is moving away from providing inked stamps in arrivals’ passports.  

The only evidence that you will have of your legal admission to the U.S. is an I-94 Admission record.

Except for some land-border crossings by citizens of Canada, CBP does not provide paper I-94 records.

Almost all I-94 records are digital only.

CBP will not “give” you an I-94 record.   They will record your I-94 admission to the U.S. in their digital system.

You then need to access your I-94 through the CBP system.

Please go to the CBP I-94 web site to access your I-94 record after arrival.

You can access your I-94 record within hours of your arrival in the U.S. Please do so as soon as possible.

Print out your I-94 record and save it as a digital (.pdf) file, as well.  

Check your I-94 record to ensure that the information is correct.  

Your I-94 record should be marked for F-1 admission and D/S.  

If any of the information on the I-94 record is incorrect—or if you are unable to locate your I-94 record—please contact Immigration Services (GEOIS@vcu.edu)

Carry the I-94 with you at all times while in the U.S. (either printed out or as a .pdf).