Before You Start: International Accelerator and American Collegiate, DC Programs

Soon you’ll be on campus. How exciting! There is a lot to consider before you arrive. While moving to a new country can be intimidating, we’re here for you. Follow the steps below to make sure you have everything in place before you board the plane.

Confused or worried about any of the steps? Email a student ambassador by choosing your region below and we will answer any questions you have!

Before you start on any of the steps below, contact your local enrollment advisor. Simply select your region of the world below, and send your advisor an email, Skype, WhatsApp, or WeChat message. We look forward to meeting you very soon!

After you receive your I-20, complete the following steps before booking your visa appointment:

1. Schedule a free visa information and preparation session with your personal Enrollment Advisor.
2. Check that the details on your I-20 are correct (including your date of birth) and make sure your name is the same as it appears on your passport.
3. Prepare the documents you will need to take to the embassy when attending your visa interview.

After you complete the above steps, you should apply for your visa as soon as possible. It requires an interview with the U.S. Embassy and can sometimes take several weeks to schedule.

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Other links that international students find useful:

• Visa appointment and processing wait time
• Visa photo requirements
• Studying in the US

All American University students, staff, and faculty may upload a photo on the One Card Photo Submission page on their myAU Portal.

Please follow these steps to submit your One Card photo:

• Visit the on your myAU Portal. You will need to log in using your AU credentials.
• Alternatively, log onto your myAU Portal using your AU credentials.
• Navigate to Personalized Links, Life@AU, One Card Photo Submission.
• Click “One Card Photo Submission.”
• Follow the instructions to upload your photo.
• Submit by the deadline to avoid lines!

One Card Photo Submission page online photo submissions will continue to be received on a rolling basis following the add/drop periods in Fall and Spring semester. If you receive errors uploading your photo, contact the IT Help Desk for 24/7 support at 202-885-2550.

Please see One Card policies for photo-related permissions.

Undergraduate Non-US High Schools

Please request from your high school counselor(s) all final official transcripts from Grade 9 to Grade 12 in sealed and stamped school envelopes, and a copy of your original certificate of high school graduation/diploma along with certified or notarized English translations. Once you collect all documents, please notify your enrollment counselor for next steps.

If the English translation of the high school diploma is not provided by any of your schools, a notary attesting the English translation that matches exactly the original high school diploma in original language is required. Note: For countries other than China, a Certified English translation suffices.

Undergraduate US High Schools

Please request that your high school counselors email scanned final official transcripts to jmiles@american.edu cc finalofficials@auaccelerator.com.

A-Level or IB official results (if applicable) must be sent to American University directly by the testing agency.
If you attended multiple high schools, the original transcripts with translation (if applicable) will need to be submitted individually following the above-mentioned ways.

If you have any transcripts from post-secondary institute(s), original college transcript(s) will also need to be submitted following the above-mentioned ways – non-US scanned copies of official transcripts and of the school’s sealed envelopes (front and back) and US schools’ transcripts should be submitted to via email to jmiles@american.edu cc finalofficials@auaccelerator.com directly by the school counselor.

Graduate (MAP) students must provide their enrollment counselor with scanned copies of their official academic transcripts of undergraduate studies (bachelor’s degree) and certificate/diploma of graduation (both original certificate and a certified English translation if applicable).

When purchasing your ticket to Washington, DC, plan to arrive on or before your scheduled move-in day.

Once you book your travel, visit accelerator.american.edu/arrival/ to enter your travel itinerary and confirm your free airport pickup if required. Airport transfer is available at both Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Reagan National Airport (DCA) airports. These important details will help the campus team prepare for your arrival and make your big day go as smoothly as possible.

For all application and payment deadlines as well as move-in and program start dates, Please visit our profile on Shorelight.com for important dates.

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.

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 signup form, type your given name and family name as you are registered at your university.
4. Type any email address that your university has on file for you (it can be a personal or university email).
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 the abbreviation. Your status must be checked.
8. Check the first box to accept the Terms & Conditions (feel free to read those first).
9. Check the last box if you wish to receive emails from us.
10. Click the large orange button that says, “Start your learning journey.”

• After self-registering, 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). Just follow the link to log in!
• Check your spam folder if you don’t see our email within two days—or just return to the Home page linked above to try logging in with your email and password. If you encounter any trouble, just use the Live Chat button at the bottom of our Home page.

If you were pre-registered:

• Some students may be admin-registered at the request of their university to save you the trouble of signing up.
• If you get an email from Shorelight’s Center for Academic Success saying that your account has been created, just follow the link to complete your registration. You only need to create your password and check the boxes (Steps 5-10 above).
• If you are told that you were admin-registered, but you can’t find our welcome email, just go to our Home page, click “Sign up now” and complete Steps 3-10. If you can’t guess the right email or how your name was entered, use our LiveChat to get help.

Making your payment in full two weeks before you arrive will help avoid delays with enrollment.

Before you begin, please make sure you have your offer letter in front of you, as you will need to refer to the information in the letter.

• Flywire by Peer Transfer: To submit international and domestic ACH payments via American University’s Flywire portal: or via American Collegiate DC at American University’s 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.

• Please be aware that if you do not pay your balance as indicated on your statement of fees by the payment deadline, the following may occur:
  • Late payment fees may be charged.
  • You may have your scholarship and/or waivers rescinded. In such cases, you will be responsible for the full cost of your program.
  • You may encounter delays or other issues enrolling and registering for classes.

Please visit the Create MyAU Account page to claim your MyAU account. Accessing your MyAU Portal will allow you to complete the remaining steps on this list, including submitting your immunization forms and submitting your photo ID.

You will need to complete and submit the following forms before your arrival.

Submit your proof of vaccination by following these instructions. Upload your documentation as soon as you receive your final dose. Please remember that it takes two weeks after the final dose to be fully immunized. Receiving your final dose and uploading documentation by August 1 ensures that you will be in compliance by August 15 and approved for campus presence.

• • Immunization Form
  • FERPA Disclosure Form (Optional)
  • AMU Liability Waiver

Upload your Visa

After you obtain your F-1 visa, please submit a copy to ISSS through iEagle > New Student > IAP & MAP Program > Submit a copy of your visa and passport. This will ensure that ISSS can reach out to you regarding the post-arrival process that you must complete as an F-1 student.

*Students who are on different visa types than F-1 do not need to submit a copy of their visa.

Get Your I-20

Review your conditional offer letter and make sure that you have submitted all documents listed as missing.

Once all your documents are submitted, please submit your I-20 Request Form along with your financial statements as outlined in the Certificate of Finances.

• • Certificate of Finances

The university will process your I-20 and email it to you as soon as possible – please expect a minimum of 10 business days.

As soon as you have your I-20, please Apply for Your Visa.