If you are not a citizen of the United States, you must have the proper visa (normally an F-1 Visa)to enter the United States, and the correct documents (the I-20 form) to remain here as a student. Obtaining this visa takes several weeks or months, so it is important to begin the process early.

The Putney School is required to follow all United States government laws when we issue the I-20 form. We at Putney will help you understand your rights and responsibilities when you are at our school on a student visa. If you follow basic steps with your I-20 and visa, you will likely have no problems getting your visa and then traveling to and from the United States.

You must be accepted by an American school before you can apply for an F-1 visa. After acceptance, there are several steps to obtaining this visa:

1. You must decide which school you will attend, and commit to that school by signing the enrollment contract and making a deposit. At Putney, this deposit is usually 5% of the total tuition. (The deposit amount is subtracted from the total due in later payments.)
2. You must send financial documentation that demonstrates your family's ability to pay the costs of your US education. A bank letter is the best documentation, showing that sufficient funds are in the account to support you. A bank statement is also acceptable. Conversion to US dollars is very helpful.
3. Return to us the completed I-20 Information Form and a photocopy of your passport.
4. We will issue you an I-20 form, a US government form. You will use the I-20 form when you apply for your visa at the United States Consulate or Embassy in your country.
5. You must make an appointment to apply for the visa at the United States consulate nearest to you. There is an application form, a fee, and an interview as part of this process. For more information to help you prepare for the interview, please follow this link.
6. If for some reason your visa application is denied, please contact us immediately. We can often provide additional documentation or support when you re-apply.

When you arrive at Putney at the beginning of your studies here, we'll make sure your immigration documents are stored in a safe place, and that we keep copies of them in case they are ever lost or damaged.