New Students

Who is a New Student?

A new student is either one who may attend Texas A&M University in the future or one who is already admitted and preparing to begin their first term of enrollment at Texas A&M University. Students returning after a leave of absence will also find the content on this page relevant. International Student Services (ISS) represents a piece of the process for new students after they have been admitted (or re-admitted) to the University. We assist students in several ways:

Issuing the necessary certificate of eligibility documents for students to obtain F-1 or J-1 status
Assisting F-1 and J-1 students in transferring their SEVIS record from another U.S. institution to Texas A&M University
Updating the University record for students who will study in a status other than F-1 or J-1

It is important for students to realize that ISS is not admissions and we are not able to assist with admissions issues. We hope that this page can be a single place to answer most of your questions on what is needed in order to study with us here at Texas A&M University as an international student.

For additional information about arriving in the U.S., please visit the ISS COVID-19 Updates webpage.

Please click on the following icons to go to the associated pages.

Attending Texas A&M University
Steps to attending Texas A&M University as a new student.

STEP 1: Have you been officially admitted to Texas A&M University?

If you have not yet applied to A&M, please refer to the Office of Admissions website to start an application. If you have already applied and are pending a response, you may also contact the Office of Admissions to check the status of your application.

Once you are fully admitted and have an active student record for an upcoming term, follow the steps below to receive your immigration documents, check-in, and enroll for courses.
Welcome to the Aggie family!

STEP 2: You’re admitted, now what? Identify your immigration status.

Texas A&M University Definition of an International Student

Any Texas A&M University student who is not a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident is considered an international student. Students who are in the process of applying for U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident status but have not yet been approved are still considered international students and must follow the instructions on this page that apply to their current immigration status. Newly admitted students who already have U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Status are not considered international students. These students should provide evidence of their Lawful Permanent Resident status to the TAMU Office of Admissions so that their University record is updated accurately. If necessary, the Office of Admissions can remove the ISS Check-In registration hold for new students if the student was already a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident at the time of application.
Click on the section(s) that best pertains to your situation for detailed instructions on next steps to take.

F-1 Status

All students planning on entering F Status must apply for a Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status". The Form I-20 is necessary to obtain a F-1 visa at a U.S. Consulate outside of the U.S. prior to entering the United States. You must receive this document after being admitted to Texas A&M and before enrolling in classes.

To request a Form I-20 from International Student Services, international students must submit documentation and meet specific criteria to our online portal, Terra Dotta. Students who plan to study at Texas A&M University on F-1 status will fall into three categories, which are listed below:

Students who are currently outside the United States and are requesting a Form I-20 to apply for a visa. These students should complete the Initial I-20 request through the Terra Dotta System. Please see Step 3 to start your record in Terra Dotta.
Students who are currently inside the United States studying on F-1 status and will be transferring their current SEVIS record to Texas A&M University. These students should complete the Transfer I-20 request through the Terra Dotta System. Please see Step 3 to start your record in Terra Dotta.
Students currently in the U.S. on another non-immigrant status who wish to change their status to F-1 by application OR travel. Since each individual's immigration history is unique, ISS requires all students considering a Change of Non-Immigrant status to make an appointment with an ISS advisor by calling our office at 979-845-1824. You will also need to complete the Change of Nonimmigrant Status Intake Form prior to your appointment time and email it to iss@tamu.edu. More information about changing your status can be found on our website here.

J-1 Status

All students planning on entering J Status must apply for a Form DS-2019, "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status". The Form DS-2019 is necessary to obtain a J-1 visa at a U.S. Consulate outside of the U.S. prior to entering the United States. You must receive this document after being admitted to Texas A&M and before enrolling in classes.

To request a Form DS-2019 from International Student Services, international students must submit documentation and meet specific criteria to our online portal, Terra Dotta. Students who plan to study at Texas A&M University on J-1 status will fall into three categories, which are listed below:

Students who are currently outside the United States and are requesting a Form DS-2019 to apply for a visa. These students should complete the Initial DS-2019 request through the Terra Dotta System. Please see Step 3 to start your record in Terra Dotta.
Students who are currently in the United States studying on J-1 status and will be transferring their current SEVIS record to Texas A&M University. These students should complete the Transfer DS-2019 request through the Terra Dotta System. Please see Step 3 to start your record in Terra Dotta.
Students currently in the U.S. on another non-immigrant status who wish to change their status to J-1 by application OR travel. Since each individual's immigration history is unique, ISS requires all students considering a Change of Non-Immigrant status to make an appointment with an ISS advisor by calling our office at 979-845-1824. You will also need to complete the Change of Nonimmigrant Status Intake Form prior to your appointment time and email it to iss@tamu.edu.

New J-1 Students in a Reciprocal Exchange

Reciprocal Exchange students planning on entering J Status must apply for a Form DS-2019, "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status". The Form DS-2019 is necessary to obtain a J-1 visa at a U.S. Consulate outside of the U.S. prior to entering the United States. You must receive this document after being admitted to Texas A&M and prior to enrolling for classes.

Students who will be participating in a J-1 Reciprocal Exchange with Texas A&M University will receive an email with the direct link to the Terra Dotta Program where they can apply for their Form DS-2019. Please see Step 4 for instructions on reviewing your record in Terra Dotta.

New F-1 Students in a Reciprocal Education Exchange Program from Texas A&M University at Qatar

Reciprocal Exchange students planning on entering F Status must apply for a Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status”. The Form I-20 is necessary to obtain a F-1 visa at a U.S. Consulate outside of the U.S. prior to entering the United States. You must receive this document after being admitted to Texas A&M and prior to enrolling for classes.

Students who will be participating in an F-1 Reciprocal Exchange with Texas A&M University will receive an email with the direct link to the Terra Dotta Program where they can apply for their Form I-20. Please see Step 4 for instructions on reviewing your record in Terra Dotta.

Status Other than F or J

Some newly admitted international students will not need a Form I-20 or DS-2019 from ISS. These students will, however, still be required to complete an online Check-In with ISS on Terra Dotta in order to remove their registration holds.

In most cases, the following groups of students do not need an I-20 or DS-2019 issued by ISS:

Students who plan to enroll in any immigration status other than F-1 or J-1.
Students who are newly admitted to a Texas A&M University Co-Enrollment Partnership program (i.e. an Engineering Academy or TEAM). Visit Co-Enrollment Partnerships for more information.
J-1 students who will obtain their Form DS-2019 from another program sponsor, such as Fulbright.
Students who will fully complete their academic program from outside of the U.S.
Students who already have their I-20/DS-2019 issued by another U.S. institution and will be co-enrolling at Texas A&M University (i.e. NOT doing a SEVIS Transfer).

Please see Step 3 to start the approrpriate request in Terra Dotta.

STEP 3: Start your request in Terra Dotta.

ISS uses Terra Dotta software to manage international student requests and records. All international students at Texas A&M University will be able to use the software to initiate requests using their Net ID and password. Students can log-in to the Terra Dotta system after they have initiated a request. For most students, this request is one of the New F-1 Student Requests or New J-1 Student Requests, such as the Initial I-20 or Initial Ds-2019 request. Students in other visa statuses will most likely only need to submit the appropriate check-in found at Other Check-In Programs. Due to this limitation, students will not be able to directly log-in to the system until after they have started on of the requests available to them.

Once you begin a request in Terra Dotta and log-in using your NetID and password to begin your request, you will be able to visit the User Home Page, where you can:

View all your records (also known as requests) under the “Records” section.
Verify your personal information to ensure your documents are issued accurately under “Profile.”
View all messages from International Student Services that were sent through Terra Dotta. Please be advised that not all email correspondence from ISS is handled by Terra Dotta and sometimes ISS advisors will email you directly to your TAMU Gmail account.

For a full list of requests that are available within Terra Dotta and general information on how to use the system, you can visit our public site at https://tamu-iss.terradotta.com/.

STEP 4: Review the information in Terra Dotta.

Before you submit a request in Terra Dotta, it is essential that you review your Terra Dotta User Profile and confirm that all your personal information is accurate. Any errors may delay or cause an error in the issuance of your form I-20 or DS-2019 and should be corrected before you submit the request to ISS.

Most personal information in the Terra Dotta systems come from information stored in the university system. Some of this information, taken from your initial application to the university, may transfer over incorrectly. Personal information cannot be verified by an ISS advisor, so it is the student's responsibility to review their profile and ensure information is correct. Please read the information below on how to identify errors, determine whether they need to be corrected, and what steps are needed to correct them.

You can find a set of Name Standards by SEVP for all nonimmigrant names entered in SEVIS and the relationtionship to names written in passports in Study in the States' NAME STANDARDS link.

For F-1 and J-1 students, excluding those on a reciprocal exchange: We have created a detailed resource to explain all aspects of your Terra Dotta user profile that may contain an error that would impact our ability to process request. For information on reviewing your personal information and making corrections please visit https://tamu-iss.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=PublicDocuments.View&File_ID=43469.

For J-1 reciprocal exchange students: We have created a detailed resource to explain all aspects of your Terra Dotta user profile that may contain an error that would impact our ability to process request. For information on reviewing your personal information and making corrections please visit https://tamu-iss.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=PublicDocuments.View&File_ID=43476. If you notice information that is needed to be corrected, please contact the Education Abroad Office at:

979-845-0544
incoming@tamu.edu

For students in statuses other than F and J: We have created a detailed resource to explain all aspects of your Terra Dotta user profile that may contain an error that would impact our ability to process request. For information on reviewing your personal information and making corrections please visit https://tamu-iss.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=PublicDocuments.View&File_ID=43489.

For graduate students in Mays Business School: These students will not be in the Applicant Information System and should contact Peyton Bolls with any personal information correction requests. Students should be prepared to provide them with a copy of their passport and must include their UIN. Their contact information can be found below:

979-845-4714
pbolls@mays.tamu.edu

For students attending the School of Law: These students will not be in the Applicant Information System and should contact Jeff Green with any personal information correction requests. Students should be prepared to provide them a copy of their passport and must include their UIN. Their contact information can be found below:

817-212-4040
jeffgreen@law.tamu.edu

After a correction has been made in the University database system, please allow a minimum of one business day for the information to populate correctly on your Terra Dotta user profile.

If you have questions about content in your Terra Dotta User Profile not explained by the above information, please send an email with subject line "TDS Profile Information Error" including your full name, UIN, and specific question(s) to iss@tamu.edu.

STEP 5: Complete your Request in Terra Dotta

After you have confirmed that the information found in your User Profile in Terra Dotta is now correct, you should complete the request you began. You can find this request in two ways:

Once you log-in to Terra Dotta, you will see all requests under "Records" found on your User Home Page.
Once you log-in to Terra Dotta, you can select "My Records" under the User Menu found in the top navigation bar.

Most students who are applying for Initial or Transfer documents from ISS will need to show necessary funding. Detailed information can be found at our dedicated page for Estimated Cost of Attendance at http://iss.tamu.edu/Prospective-Students/Estimated-Cost-of-Attendance. The Estimated Cost of Attendance page details:

Estimated Cost of Attendance based on the admitted student's program and start of program
Acceptable Forms of Financial Documentation that can be used to submit initial and transfer immigration document requests within the Terra Dotta system.

STEP 6: Complete Necessary Pre-Arrival Requirements

Students who have completed their immigration document requests within Terra Dotta and have received their documents will need to take the necessary steps in order to enter the United States in the appropriate status.

First, students should verify the information on their immigration document(s) issued by ISS are correct using the following guides:

If you suspect that there is an error on your documentation, please log-in to Terra Dotta and find the request you submitted to ISS to receive your document. Post-Decision content is available for you to notify ISS of any potential update or error. This should be done prior to booking a visa appointment.

If no issue exists on your document, then students who are planning to travel to the United States should take the necessary steps to either:

Apply for a visa for the first time or
Apply to renew their visa if it has expired

ISS has a dedicated page on applying for a visa and the necessary steps required, which can be found at Applying for a Visa.

What if I am a Transfer Student within the United States?

Transfer students should still verify the information on their immigration document(s) issued by ISS are correct. If you suspect that there is an error on your documentation, please log-in to Terra Dotta and find the request you submitted to ISS to receive your document. Post-Decision content is available for you to notify ISS of any potential update or error. This should be completed prior to submitting their Transfer Check-In in Terra Dotta.

STEP 7: Preparing to travel to the U.S.

Once students have the necessary immigration documentation to enter the United States, they need to prepare to arrive. ISS has created a detailed page on arriving to the United States found at Arrival Information.

Students who will be studying at a campus outside of the Bryan/College Station area should familiarize themselves with their ISS liaisons. This information can be found at http://iss.tamu.edu/Resources/Campuses

Please check the Resource page for additional information upon arriving in Aggieland.

STEP 8: Complete your Required ISS Check-In

Checking in with the University:

Undergraduate students must attend a mandatory New Student Conference (NSC) to enroll in classes.
Graduate students may or may not have a mandatory orientation depending on your academic department and school.
- Contact your department to confirm your requirements.
- You are strongly encouraged to participate in the New Graduate Student Orientation coordinated by the Graduate and Professional School.

Checking in with ISS:

Who is required to do ISS Check-In? 

International students (any student who is not a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident) are required to complete a check-in with ISS in the following situations: 

Newly admitted to Texas A&M; or 
Will enroll in F-1 or J-1 student status for the first-time; or 
Will continue current academic program enrollment from outside of the U.S. due to visa or travel issues preventing the student from returning to the U.S.

How to Complete ISS Check-In

All ISS Check-In programs are available online through Terra Dotta. ISS no longer offers an in-person check-in option. 

F-1 Student Check-Ins: tamu-iss.terradotta.com/?go=F-1 Check-In  
- Initial F-1 students are required to enroll full-time before submitting their Check-In.
J-1 Student Check-Ins: tamu-iss.terradotta.com/?go=J-1 Check-In
Other Check-In Programs: tamu-iss.terradotta.com/?go=Check-In Other

What happens when ISS processes your Check-in? 

After you have submitted your check-in with ISS through Terra Dotta, the ISS advisor will: 

Verify that your immigration documentation is correct 
Confirm your U.S. address is in the Howdy Portal correctly 
Report to the U.S. government that you have arrived by activating your SEVIS record (if you are in F-1 or J-1 student status)

Why is ISS Check-In Important? 

If you do not complete the Check-In requirement, you will receive a registration hold from ISS that will not be removed until you meet the requirement. 
Incorrect fees may occur on your student account.
ISS will not process SEVIS Registration or Validation for new F-1/J-1 students until they have completed their check-in through Terra Dotta.  
New F-1/J-1 student cannot clear the I-9 employment eligibility verification process or work on-campus. 
New F-1/J-1 students who do not complete ISS check-in may lose their legal nonimmigrant status.

What if you will arrive late or cannot arrive to the U.S. as planned? 

If you are arriving late, need to change the program start date on your Form I-20 or DS-2019, or you can no longer enter the U.S. as planned, please visit the ISS COVID-19 Updates webpage for step-by-step instructions. 
If you have an assistantship/fellowship, please verify with your department regarding how your late arrival may affect your benefits. If you have not arrived in the U.S. and completed ISS Check-In by the 11th class day, you may not receive the assistantship/fellowship benefits, such as health insurance and/or tuition.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the different registration holds that could be on my account?

Each student admitted to Texas A&M University will have holds automatically applied to their account from various offices and departments on campus. While ISS cannot list every single possibility for all students, we have listed below the most common offices that may place a hold on a student's account and direct links to assist students in resolving these holds.

Office of Admissions
The Office of Admissions may place holds on students’ accounts if they have not submitted all required documentation necessary to be admitted to Texas A&M University. Students should provide or make arrangements to provide any missing documents to the Office of Admissions. More information can be found on their website at http://admissions.tamu.edu/.

English Language Proficiency Exam (ELPE)
International graduate students who wish to serve in teaching positions who have not met certification requirements prior to enrollment can certify by passing the English Language Proficiency Exam (ELPE) offered by Testing Services on the Texas A&M campus. If you have a hold associated with ELPE, you may need to arrange to take the ELPE. Please refer to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies website for more information found at http://ogaps.tamu.edu/English-Language-Proficiency-Exam.

Health Insurance
Students studying at Texas A&M University under J status and their dependents who have not provided proof of medical coverage may have holds on their account. To remove these holds, these students would have to submit proof of health insurance to ISS. More information about international student health insurance can be found at http://iss.tamu.edu/Health-Insurance.

Bacterial Meningitis
Texas Senate Bill 1107 (now TEC 51.9192) requires all students* entering an institution of higher education (public and private) to either receive a vaccination against bacterial meningitis or meet certain criteria for declining such a vaccination before the first day of the semester. For the most up-to-date and detailed information about this requirement, please visit the Office of Admissions’ Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination Requirement webpage at https://admissions.tamu.edu/apply/admitted-students/meningitis-vaccination-requirement.

Tuberculosis Screening
Many students are required to provide proof of Tuberculosis Screening results to the A.P. Beutel Health Center. Please refer to the Student Health Services Website at https://shs.tamu.edu/immunizations/ for more information.

Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor
If a new/transfer student will be under the age of 18 on the first day of university classes, a "Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor" is required in order to provide legal consent for any possible medical care should it be necessary. Please visit Student Health Service's website for the most up-to-date forms located at https://shs.tamu.edu/forms/. Once completed this form should be sent directly via email to patientservices@shs.tamu.edu.

In addition to the automatic holds detailed above, future holds may be placed on the students account based on certain case-by-case situations:

Distance Learner Check In

Students who submitted a Distance Learner Check In are given a future check in hold. These students will need to submit another ISS check in for the next semester to get the hold removed so they can register for classes. The type of check in needed depends on whether the student will enter the U.S. or continue classes from outside the U.S.

If I am enrolled at a Texas A&M Campus outside of College Station, do I still have to complete a check-in?

New international students admitted to Texas A&M University at Galveston, the Texas A&M University School of Law, or the Texas A&M Health Science Center are still required to complete the applicable ISS programs in Terra Dotta per their immigration status. Please refer to the relevant sections on this webpage for details about the specific requirements.

Newly admitted international students who will be attending Texas A&M University at Galveston, the Texas A&M University School of Law, or the Texas A&M Health Science Center should visit http://iss.tamu.edu/Resources/Campuses for additional resources and information, including the contact information for your campus ISS liaison. You should contact your campus liaison to determine whether you are required to meet with them in person upon your arrival to campus. However, please note that the ISS programs in Terra Dotta do not require that you meet with your campus liaison for a complete check-in submission.

If I am applying for U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Status or I already have said status, do I still need to complete an ISS check-in?

Students who are in the process of applying for U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident status but have not yet received approval are considered to be international students and must follow the instructions on this page that apply to their current immigration status. Newly admitted students who already have U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Status are NOT considered international students. These students should provide evidence of their Lawful Permanent Resident status to the Office of Admissions so that their University record is updated accurately. If necessary, the Office of Admissions can remove the ISS Check-In registration hold if the student is already a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident.

What if I am a new J-1 student not needing a DS-2019 from ISS?

New international students who will enroll in J-1 status with a DS-2019 issued by a program sponsor other than ISS at Texas A&M University do not need to request a Form DS-2019 from ISS. Examples of this type of student include those who are sponsored by Fulbright or LASPAU. After arriving in the U.S., J-1 students with a DS-2019 issued by another program sponsor are then required to complete the Other Immigration Status Check-In through Terra Dotta.

What if I am a student co-enrolling at Texas A&M from another U.S. instituation?

New international students who are inside the U.S. and primarily enrolled at another U.S. institution, will be enrolling at Texas A&M University on a part-time and temporary basis, and will not need to receive a Form I-20 or DS-2019 from ISS should complete the Other Immigration Status Check-In through Terra Dotta.

What if I am a Distance Education student?

International students who will be enrolling fully as distance education students should submit one of the following Check-In programs:

If you will be OUTSIDE the United States, submit the Distance Learner Check-In.
If you will be INSIDE the United States, submit the Other Immigration Status Check-In.