Immigration Guide
This guide will help you learn more about the process for getting your F-1 visa and arriving in Columbia, South Carolina.
THINGS TO DO
- Students will receive a confirmation email with a link to request a ride within 24 hours of their arrival date.
Required Immunizations for USC Registration
There are many things to consider when preparing for university, let alone moving to a new country! To make your transition to the US easier, we’ve put together a list of everyday necessities.
We’ve partnered with campusSIMS to help connect you with mobile phone service. Get your US phone number in your home country and have service that’s ready to use as soon as you land. Click here to get your free SIM card.
campusSIMS helps international students get connected with mobile phone service in the US. Through campusSIMS’ exclusive partner Mint Mobile, students can sign up and get their US phone number while in their home country, and have mobile phone service ready to use as soon as they land.
Students can get low-cost, reliable mobile phone service starting at as low as $15 per month that includes:
- A free SIM card
- Unlimited talk and text
- High speed data
- Nationwide coverage on the fastest, most advanced network
For more information, visit campussims.com.
International Student Loans
Embarking on your educational journey in the United States shouldn’t come with the roadblock of finding a co-signer for financial aid. Shorelight recognizes this hurdle and has proactively partnered with premier financing organizations such as Fly Finance, MPower Financing, and Prodigy Finance. This strategic collaboration eliminates the traditional barriers international students face, such as the need for a co-signer, collateral, or an established US credit history, streamlining your path to securing educational funding.
Find the right loan organization for you on Shorelight.com.
Easy Flight Bookings and Travel Discounts
StudentUniverse in collaboration with Shorelight, provides exclusive student-only discounts on flights around the world. StudentUniverse has exclusive deals with airlines to get the lowest-possible airfare for international students. If your travel plans change, don’t worry – all purchases have 24-hour risk-free cancellation.
StudentUniverse can be used to book not only your flight to campus, but also provides the best deals for Spring break and other travel. Use it to explore new cities like San Francisco or NYC, or book through them to go hiking in Yosemite National Park, or even when you fly home to visit family.
Center for Academic Success
A website with access to virtual tutors, career advisors, and online resources to help you throughout your university studies.
Getting ready to study abroad can be challenging! Would you like some help with that? Shorelight’s Center for Academic Success (CAS) has many free resources for you! For example, you can watch a quick webinar on Culture Shock and Mental Health or take a short eLearning course on Obtaining Your Visa, Understanding Health Insurance, Major & Career Exploration, and so much more.
If you wish you could just ask a real person a question, you can also use the Live Chat button to reach one of our highly-trained support staff, or you can schedule a Zoom session with one of our friendly Student Success Coaches, Professional Tutors, or Career Services staff—all of whom are experts at helping international students with anything from pre-arrival support and campus life to academic subject areas and career guidance.
Don’t wait to activate your free account at CAS—you are eligible as soon as you pay your university deposit.
How to register:
1. Click here or scan the QR code to find our Home page
2. Click the orange “Sign up now” button to request access.
3. On the sign up form, type your given name and family name as you are registered at your university.
4. Type any email address (personal or university, etc.). You will need to access your email to verify your address.
5. Create a password with at least one special character and 6-50 characters total.
6. Type your password again. Write it down or save it in your browser.
7. Type the full name of your university, not just the abbreviation. Your status must be checked.
8. Check the box to accept the Terms & Conditions (feel free to read those first).
9. Optional: Sign up for our newsletter by checking the last box.
10. Click the large orange button that says, “Start your learning journey.”
11. You’ll be asked to verify your email address next. In your inbox, you’ll see two emails from us. Open them and click the link to verify your email address. Check your spam folder if you don’t see the two emails.
12. You’ll receive an email within two business days to let you know that your account is approved (or if not, how to fix the problem).
13. Return to the Home page linked above (or in the email) to log in when your account access has been approved.
If you encounter any technical trouble, just use the Live Chat button at the bottom of our Home page.
THINGS TO KNOW
To help avoid delays with enrollment, make your tuition and fees payment in full two weeks before you arrive.
When you begin, have your acceptance letter in front of you, as you will need to refer to the information in the letter.
Submit payment for your tuition and fees via Flywire:
Flywire by Peer Transfer: To submit international and domestic ACH payments via USC’s Flywire portal
- Flywire payment options include international wires, international credit cards,
and other country specific payment options.
- Flywire guarantees the best exchange rates, offers 24/7 multilingual customer service,
and provides payment tracking and an instant payment receipt.
- Flywire will be accepting U.S. bank accounts.
Make Payment through Flywire
This program helps international students apply for remote internships and gain real-life work experience to boost their resumes.
- Certificates and training: Attend online professional bootcamps before your virtual internship starts. Gain hands-on experience once you officially begin by contributing to projects alongside industry experts. If you are interested in certifications, Career Premium now offers unlimited access to training courses that lead to certification in Amazon Web Services, Java, Microsoft Azure, and Python, among many other in-demand skills.
- Coaching and mentorship: Receive direct guidance from career coaches and industry experts on career exploration, skill training, and professional development.
- Applying: Work on real-life projects for leading employers and build your portfolio. We work with more than 12,000 multinational companies that have unique projects for you to leverage your new skills, experience, and professional network to land your dream job.
“The tutors are resourceful, and they really helped me while I was applying for internships. I certainly believe I will find a job after graduation.”—Shelley, hired at Tesla
Sign up
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Pre-Arrival Checklist - Undergraduate
Check off everything on this list to ensure you have completed all the steps before you arrive and bring everything you need to the University of South Carolina campus.
Chinese translation of the Pre-Arrival Checklist - Undergraduate
This is the Chinese translation of the undergraduate pre-arrival checklist.
Pre-Arrival Checklist - Graduate
Check off everything on this list to ensure you have completed all the steps before you arrive and bring everything you need to the University of South Carolina campus.
Orientation Schedule
Here’s an example of what your orientation schedule might look like. During orientation, you will receive a full campus tour, see the sights around Columbia, South Carolina and get to know your fellow international students!
Academic Calendar
Plan ahead! This calendar tells you when class starts and ends, and when holidays and exams are happening.