Post-Admit Steps For International Students (Bachelor & Master Degree Seeking)

Congratulations! You've been admitted to Cal Poly Humboldt. Please complete the following post-admission steps, by the published deadline, to secure your acceptance and prepare for your successful transition to Humboldt.

1. Complete your Immigration Checklist (Deadline:  Fall - April 15; Spring - October 15).  You must submit all required supporting immigration documents (Certificate of Finance Form, Evidence of Funding, and Passport Copy) no later than the deadline listed so that we can prepare your immigration form I-20 in time for you to apply for your visa.  Failure to meet the deadline may result in the inability to secure a visa appointment in time to attend by the start of school.  
2. Accept Your Admission/Confirm Enrollment (Deadline: Fall - May 15; Spring - November 15). To finalize your admission and to help staff and departments prepare for your arrival, please accept your offer and pay the $50 enrollment deposit to reserve your admission, confirming your intent to enroll.  If you no longer plan to attend you can decline your offer. To accept/decline your offer, log into your Applicant Portal and follow instructions.
3. Complete the Pre-Arrival International Online Orientation Course (Deadline: Fall - May 15; Spring - November 15). You must complete the International Online Orientation Course, IHOOP, before you will be allowed to register for classes. This program will help you prepare by addressing important topics like culture, immigration and international health insurance.  Instructions on how to access the course can be found HERE.  To jump straight into the course, click HERE.
4. Apply for F1 Student Visa. If you are not already inside the U.S. on a valid I-20 and F1 visa status (transfer student), you will need to apply for your F1 visa to enter the U.S. for study. You will not be able to apply for your F1 visa until you get your immigration form I-20 from us. The immigration form I-20 will be emailed to all admitted students outside the U.S. who have completed their immigration checklist (Certification of Finance Form, Evidence of Funding, Copy of Passport Photo Page) by the deadline.  Once you have your I-20 in hand, you can begin the visa application process. For detailed information on how to apply for your visa, please visit our website HERE.
5. Apply for Housing. Information about on-campus housing may be found on the Housing & Residence Life website. Effective Fall 2025 all first-year students will be required to live on campus for two years unless you qualify for exemption to the policy. Providing sufficient campus housing reduces the anxiety associated with finding housing when moving to a rural, small-town area, while providing an on-ramp to student success that helps students to remain engaged with their campus community. First- and second-year student residents are proven to academically outperform their peers who live off campus. Research shows that the average GPA is 11% higher for residential students and 13% higher for students living in learning communities. Transfer & Graduate students are also welcome to apply to live on-campus, but are not required to do so. Off-Campus Housing resources can be found here.
6. Submit Official Transcripts (Deadline: Fall - July 15; but we encourage you to send as soon as possible):  You will not be allowed to enroll in the mandatory Registration Tutorial until you have submitted all required, official transcripts.  Official transcripts are transcripts send directly from your school to our school.  They are not passed through the student, or student copies.  Please visit our website here on How to Send Official Transcripts.  
7. Complete the Mandatory Registration Tutorial. Only after you have submitted official transcripts - You will be sent an invitation and instructions via email about the required Registration Tutorial. During this tutorial you will learn how to navigate our campus technology, connect with academic advising, and register for classes. This is a required step and class registration happens BEFORE your planned arrival, and may even need to take place before you have secured your visa.
8. Plan to Participate in On-Campus Orientation. Our on-campus orientation is a fun way to learn about campus resources, meet new students and get acquainted with your new campus community. You will be emailed information about the on-campus orientation program and encouraged to register for the event.
9. Send a copy of your issued F1 or J1 visa to international@humboldt.edu

In addition to the steps above, please continue to monitor your Applicant Portal and prepare to send all final, official test results and transcripts.

Make sure to read all emails from Cal Poly Humboldt as information about class registration and on-campus orientation events will be sent soon.

Please continue to explore our website resources under "Admitted Students" in the menu at the top of this page.  Click on those + signs! Specifically, Pre-Arrival Information.

Monitor Dates & Deadlines: Fall Admits; Spring Admits

If you have any questions about your acceptance or transition to Cal Poly Humboldt, please email: international@humboldt.edu 

EXCHANGE STUDENTS:

Once you are accepted to participate in a semester or academic year-long exchange, you will be emailed with instructions on how to accept your offer, and a link to a special online orientation course. If you have any questions about your acceptance or transition to Cal Poly Humboldt, please email international@humboldt.edu.