Pre-Arrival Information - Autumn Semester 2021 at Ohio State

OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

International Student
Check-In and Orientation

Autumn 2021

Dear Future Student

Greetings from the Office of International Affairs (OIA) at The Ohio State University. While information surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, please know that our highest priority is the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. We are monitoring the global outbreak and are taking appropriate steps to ensure the well-being of the campus community.

Ohio State is preparing to offer significantly more in-person classes and robust in-person experiences autumn semester. All decisions will be made in partnership with and approval of local, state and federal health authorities. Learn more about the university’s plan for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The Office of International Affairs will conduct International Student Orientation and Mandatory Immigration Check-In virtually. International Student Orientation and Mandatory Immigration Check-In are two separate processes, and students are required to complete both.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been adjustments by the Student and Visitor Exchange Program (SEVP) to the online credit maximum to allow for more flexibility. These adjustments will continue for the 2021-22 academic year.

Visit our Autumn 2021 Updates page for more information.

The Office of International Affairs encourages all students to arrive 2-3 weeks before the start of classes on August 24 in order to complete Mandatory Orientation and Immigration Check-In. We know students may face issues securing visa appointments as U.S. consulates work through significant backlogs, but it's important that students continue to try and schedule a visa appointment as soon as possible. We understand that this is a challenging time, but please know that the Office of International Affairs is here to assist you in any way possible.

Over the next few months we will send you weekly emails to help you plan for beginning your academic journey at Ohio State.

These emails are designed to:

Address the most important topics for incoming international students.
Prepare students for the transition to campus.
Introduce future Ohio State Buckeyes to what awaits them on campus!

We look forward to sending you more detailed information in our upcoming pre-arrival emails. In the meantime, please explore our website and answers to frequently asked questions, and you are always welcome to email us at iss@osu.edu.

Learn More

Reminder: Register for Mandatory Immigration Check-In

International students who arrive in the United States are required to attend Mandatory Immigration Check-in to complete your enrollment requirements. Mandatory Immigration Check-In is a separate process from Orientation. You will complete your Mandatory Immigration Check-In, after arriving in the United States.

You will register for a 30-minute immigration check-in virtual appointment. Appointments will take place from place August 2-23. Registration is now open. When registering, make sure to scroll the calendar forward to August to see available times, and remember, appointment times are in Eastern Time (EDT).

At the moment, we ask that you only register for an appointment if you have:

A valid visa or
A confirmed visa appointment with an embassy or consulate before August 24

We want to minimize the number of canceled immigration check-in appointments and allow students that have the required documents to find available appointments. Canadian students do not need a visa to make an appointment.

During your appointment, an immigration check-in staff member will assist you with reviewing your student record form and the uploaded copies of your immigration documents. They will also answer any questions you may have and discuss next steps before classes begin.

In order to make the process go smoother, please read through the directions and complete the Student Record eForm in advance. You will input your local address and emergency contact information through the eForm. If you have access to a scanner or camera phone, you can also upload your immigration documents.

Once you have filled your information, please save the student record form as a draft and an immigration check-in staff member will review the documents for accuracy with you before its official submission.

You will need to have the following documents uploaded BEFORE your immigration check-in appointment:

Current Passport
Current U.S. Visa
I-94 card (Print a copy at cbp.gov/i94)
Ohio State Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 (Note: if you have an active immigration record that is being transferred from another institution in the U.S. to Ohio State, please bring your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 from your previous school.)
Form I-20(s) or Form DS-2019(s) of your dependents (spouse and children), if applicable

Reach out to iss@osu.edu with any questions.

Update: Vaccination Information
(Sinovac added to accepted vaccine list)

VACCINATION REQUIREMENT

What is the Ohio State Vaccination Requirement?

As a part of the mandatory Vaccination Requirement, all students must have certain vaccines, and international students who arrive in Columbus and have the potential of visiting Ohio State’s campus must complete Tuberculosis (TB) testing to eliminate the possibility of active TB infections on campus.

The University's Vaccination Requirement does not include the COVID-19 vaccine.

For a full list of required vaccines, visit the Vaccination Requirement page.

COVID-19 VACCINATION

The university will not require the COVID-19 vaccine for autumn semester. However, everyone is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they are able to do so. The vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective. The university has and will always base decisions on evidence-based public health guidance and the state of the pandemic, and a high vaccination rate will only increase the chances of normality.

Students who have been vaccinated will also not be expected to test for COVID-19 as often once the semester starts. For the purposes of testing requirements, the university will accept international vaccines based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, which recognizes vaccines authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of May 13, 2021, those vaccines include the three approved for use in the United States — Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — as well as:

Astra-Zeneca
Serum Institute of India
Sinopharm
Sinovac

Once the semester begins, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated students will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through Ohio State.

If you are uncertain about the status of a particular vaccine, please contact Student Health Services at 614-292-4321 or shs@osu.edu.

For more information and guidance on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the CDC website and the Safe and Healthy website,

Packing Information

It is very important that you carry your immigration documents on your person when you travel to the United States. Do not pack them in your suitcase!

The documents you want to make sure to keep with you include:

Admission letter to Ohio State
Current passport
Current U.S. visa
Form I-20 or Form DS-2019
SEVIS fee payment receipt
Proof of funding (financial documentation as listed on your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019)

Do not pack fresh fruit, produce, meat, prepared food, spices or plants. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers will not allow you to bring these items into the country.

Do pack photos or items that remind you of home, but not those that are irreplaceable.

Do pack extra face masks as you are still required to wear a mask on all planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation traveling into and within the United States. At Ohio State, fully vaccinated people against COVID-19 do not need to wear masks indoors, except for in Wexner Medical Center facilities, Student Health facilities and on public transportation, in accordance with public health guidelines. Individuals who are not vaccinated are required to continue wearing masks indoors. Stay updated on safe and healthy protocols.

Weather in Columbus

Summer (June - August) high temperatures are usually between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 35 degrees Celsius). Winter (December - February) low temperatures usually range from 0 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 17 to 7 degrees Celsius). Spring (March - May) and fall (September - November) temperatures are in between. The summers tend to be humid with occasional thunderstorms. During the winter, Columbus can get a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain. Additional weather information is available from The Weather Channel. Enter "43210" into the search bar.

Entering the United States

Prior to traveling from your home country to the United States, it is important that you prepare for your inspection at the port of entry (first place of arrival in the United States).

Upon your arrival, an immigration official from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will review a variety of your immigration documents before allowing you to officially enter the United States. This official must be satisfied that you intend to attend the school specified on your F-1 or J-1 visa and/or Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. The immigration official will inspect the documents you present to ensure their authenticity.

Visit the Customs and Border Protection website for a complete overview of what you can expect upon arriving at a U.S. port of entry.

Some airports may require that your passport is stamped at the port of entry, showing the date and place of entry, non-immigrant status (F-1 or J-1) and the 'admitted to' notation (D/S). This information is recorded electronically by CBP, but instead of being given a paper I-94 at the time of entry, you will later be able to print the form yourself by visiting the CBP website at cbp.dhs.gov/I94. Please make sure that your passport is stamped appropriately if the airport requires stamping. You want to see "F-1 D/S" if you are an F-1 student, and "J-1 D/S" if you are a J-1 student. This is a necessary step to confirm your legal immigration status.

Secondary Inspection Requirements

If the inspector cannot automatically verify your information or you do not have all of the required documentation, you may be escorted to an interview area known as "secondary inspection." Secondary inspection allows inspectors to conduct additional research in order to verify information. Verifications are done apart from the primary inspection lines so that an individual case will not cause delays for other arriving passengers.

In the case your admission/participation needs to be verified, we strongly advise that you have readily available the contact information of the Office of International Affairs (OIA) at Ohio State. Immigration coordinators at OIA may be reached Monday through Friday at 614-292-6101 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., (Eastern Time), except during university holidays when our office is closed.

COVID-19 Testing

Before Travelling

Air passengers will need to take a viral test within three days of departing to the United States. In order to board an airplane, passengers will need to provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) indicating a NEGATIVE test result. Those who do not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, will be denied boarding by the airline.

Learn more about the required proof of negative COVID-19 test.

After Arriving on Campus

Ohio State is reducing the testing requirements for students who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. For vaccinated students attending our Columbus campus or living in university housing, testing will be required once a month or less, while unvaccinated students will be tested once a week or more. In addition, students who are vaccinated will usually not be required to quarantine if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Students who received the vaccine outside the state of Ohio will be asked to provide consent and upload the information directly through MyBuckMD. You may log in using your Ohio State username and password. Many international vaccines will be accepted based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which rely on World Health Organization assessments. A list of accepted vaccines is available above under Update: Vaccination Information.

Once required, students must schedule their COVID-19 test appointment in advance using MyChart.

An activation email has been sent to you from MyChart_DoNotReply@osumc.edu. If you have difficulties activating your account, call 1-614-366-6975 and press 3 to setup an account. For any questions related to testing, please email shs-covidtesting@osu.edu.

Testing Exemption

There are a few reasons you may be exempt from the testing program. If you qualify, you must fill out an exemption form. Failure to participate in the testing program or completing the exemption form may result in a directive to quarantine until testing can be completed, loss of access to non-residential spaces and a report to Student Conduct. There will be no direct costs to students participating in testing.

Additional Resources

Visit our website to review information from previous emails and/or answers to frequently asked questions. If you don't find what you're looking for, contact global-engagement@osu.edu.

Please allow us to join the other offices on campus in congratulating you on your acceptance to The Ohio State University.

Kind regards,
Office of International Affairs

2009 Millikin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210

oia@osu.edu

osu.edu

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