Coming to Park

RECEIVE THE I-20 FORM

Congratulations on your admission to Park University! Now you must receive your I-20 which is a government form that tells the U.S. government that you are eligible for F-1 Student Status.  Once you are admitted to Park University, you will receive an email notification with your SEVIS ID number. Your admission packet along with your original I-20 form was emailed to you.  Study in the States is a helpful international student resource site.

COMPLETE DS-160 FORM and PAY SEVIS FEE

After receiving the I-20, fill out the DS-160 form and then pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee. The I-901 SEVIS fee is a fee of $350 implemented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) used for maintaining your Student and Exchange Student Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record/I-20. This fee must be paid before you are allowed an appointment at the U.S. Embassy.

There are several ways to pay your SEVIS I-901 fee. The preferred method is to pay online. This immediately provides you with a receipt, printable from your computer. Proof of the I-901 SEVIS fee payment is necessary to bring to the U.S. Embassy for your visa appointment.

ATTEND THE EMBASSY INTERVIEW

After you receive an I-20, admission letter from Park, fill out the DS-160 and pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee you can schedule your Embassy Appointment with a U.S. Embassy.

During your appointment you will present the required documents along with a valid passport and proof of financial support. The consular officer will stamp the Visa (F-1) in your passport and return the I-20 to you.

Please view these important visa interview tips.

SUBMIT ARRIVAL INFORMATION

Submit the International Arrival Form as soon as possible. When you use an I-20 issued by Park University to secure an F-1 Visa, you must report to Park for initial registration by the report dated listed on the I-20.

ATTEND GET ON BOARD DAY

We will be holding a virtual Get on Board Day in late June for students to attend to receive further information prior to arrival into the US. Please monitor your email for details once we get closer to the event!

MAKING THE PAYMENT DEPOSIT

International students are required to pay $2000 toward their first semester’s tuition before the beginning of classes.

Payment Options:

1. Log into your MyPark Student Account and click on the “Student Billing” icon, which is in the third row of icons.  Your ID and password are emailed to you during admission.
2. On the list of student account tools, click on the “Account History” link.
3. A new page will open showing your account.  If you look to the righthand side, you will see an area where you can put in an amount to pay and “pay online” (secure).  Put in the amount you want to pay and follow the prompts.

The receipt for your payment will then be emailed to you.

Alternatively, you can do a wire transfer with this tool.  If you choose this option make sure your name and student ID is clear in the notes attached to the wire transfer.

To receive a payment receipt, contact stuaccounts@park.edu.

Once you have completed the arrival form and the deposit, an advisor will reach out to you about enrolling in classes.

ARRANGE HOUSING

You must complete the housing application, sign a contract and submit your housing deposit in order to receive a room in the dormitories! More information is available here.

If you are under 21 and an undergraduate student, you must live on campus. You are eligible to live off campus if you are living with parents, legal guardians, dependent children, or if you have 58 or more credit hours prior to the first semester of attendance.

If you are a graduate student or transfer student with 58 or more credits, you may elect to live on campus OR in an off campus housing location. We can email you suggestions for off campus options available upon request.

CONSIDER EARLY REGISTRATION

Park University offers admitted international students the opportunity to register for classes in advance of their arrival in the USA!

You will take the English and Math virtual placement tests online if you are an undergraduate student who has not taken the SAT or ACT. Instructions will be sent to you by email. This is not required for graduate students.

A Park University student advisor will then contact you to set up a virtual advising appointment.

ARRANGE TRAVEL TO CAMPUS

The Kansas City International Airport (KCI) is located approximately a 17-minute drive from Park University.

To request a free pickup from KCI to campus, you may fill out the Airport Pick-Up Form.

ACCESS YOUR STUDENT EMAIL

After being admitted to Park University, you will be assigned a Park student email account. The login and password information will be sent to the personal email address supplied on your application. You can access your email at https://my.park.edu, after logging into your account you will see the email tile in the middle of your browser window.

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT

After Orientation with International Education, if you have not enrolled, you will meet your Success Coach (Academic Advisor) and select your classes.

COMPASS PLACEMENT TESTS

During the week of orientation/registration, you may have to take placement tests in English and Math.

ATTEND ORIENTATION

Orientation is mandatory. International Student Orientation for the Spring 2025 semester is Friday, January 10, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the Alumni Hall on campus.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION/STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE

All new international students are charged a $20/credit hour fee, which goes towards special events and services offered for international students. This fee will be automatically charged to your student account.

HEALTH CARE AND INSURANCE

All students are required to purchase medical insurance upon enrollment which is automatically billed to your student account. The estimated insurance charges for each semester are $1,105 for athletes and $812 for non-athletes. Park uses LewerMark Student Insurance which provides insurance to international and study abroad students across the nation. Should you believe that you qualify to waive Park’s health insurance, you must contact International Education and submit the appropriate paperwork within the first two weeks of the semester.

Ways to Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved with events and activities at Park University. Here are three main ways we suggest:

1. Learn more about our International Student Fellowship program, where you can meet with American Families and participate in weekly events.
2. Join one of many student organizations listed here! Contact: studentlife@park.edu
3.  Contact our Park International Club that is dedicated to making Park University a welcoming environment for international students. Contact information will be shared during Orientation.