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Now that you have officially been accepted to John Carroll University as an F-1 or J-1 international student, please use the below steps to prepare. If you have any questions at all during your preparations, please do not hesitate to email us at global@jcu.edu.

Once you have received your Form I-20 or DS-2019 and official JCU acceptance letter, you should pay your I-901 SEVIS Fee then make an appointment with the nearest US Consulate for your visa interview. To help you prepare, please visit the following links:

F-1 Visa: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html#:~:text=SEVP%2Dcertified%20schools.-,How%20To%20Apply,-There%20are%20several

J-1 Visa:https://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/interviews-documents/

Once you have received your visa, please email global@jcu.edu to confirm.

All communication from the University, including your semester bill and emails from your John Carroll academic advisor, will come to your JCU Gmail account. You will use Banner Web to check your account balances and other student account information. It is important that you check your JCU email and log in to Bannerweb as soon as you get your log-in information.

To log in, use the information that you received in your official acceptance packet from the University along with your I-20 or DS2019 Form. If you are unable to log in to either account, please email us at global@jcu.edu as soon as possible.

Your welcome letter to the University included the name and email address of your John Carroll academic advisor. You will work with this advisor to set your course schedule.

Search through the list of Fall 2024 courses available by subject. Send a list of the courses you would like to take to your JCU academic advisor. Your advisor should check to confirm that you have the correct pre-requisite courses, and that there are no scheduling conflicts. You are allowed to choose courses in any academic department, not just your major. Even if the course schedule indicates that the course you desire is not available, please let your advisor know of your interest.

Be sure to communicate to your JCU academic advisor any requirements that your home University has set for the courses that you take here, such as the number of credits or types of courses. You will be able to make changes to your course schedule until the end of the first week of the semester.

All exchange students are guaranteed housing on-campus and will choose a meal plan option when completing the housing application through the housing portal.

The housing and meal plan registration will open in November. You will need to be able to log in to Bannerweb to complete the housing and meal plan process. To choose your housing and meal plan, please follow these instructions. The Office of Residence Life will make housing placements on a rolling basis from the time that the registration opens. The housing and meal plan registration will close, and we kindly request that you register by June 1 to ensure accurate billing.

By May 15, all students must complete the Student Health Form, TB Screening Questionnaire, and Meningococcal, COVID-19, and Hepatitis B Vaccination Status Form; you can find these at forms at this link. Please submit questions to Janet Krevh, Director of Health Services, at jkrevh@jcu.edu.

You are required to have health insurance for the entire duration of your  program as a condition of your status. We recommend the plan offered by Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI).

If you choose to purchase or use another type of insurance, the insurance must have these coverage limits in the US:

  • Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness;

  • Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000;

  • Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000; and

  • A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.

You will need to provide a proof of coverage letter in English if you choose a health insurance plan that is not CISI. You must provide the John Carroll’s Center for Global Education proof of insurance before you arrive, and you may be asked to show this at the U.S. Consulate or at U.S. customs when you arrive at the airport. Please send proof of insurance to global@jcu.edu.

F-1 Visa Students:

You will be able to move in to your housing on Monday, August 12, 2024, between 10 am and 11:30am. Due to check-in protocols, this is the only time you will be able to move into your residence hall. Please keep the following dates in mind:

  • Required orientation takes place on Tuesday, August 13 - Friday, August 16, 2024

  • Classes start on Monday, August 19, 2024

  • Fall 2024 semester ends on Friday, December 13, 2024.

  • Residence Halls close to students at noon on Saturday, December 14, 2024

By July 1, you must communicate to the Center for Global Education all of your flight information, including the flight numbers and dates for all flights that you will take to arrive at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Please complete this form with your flight details.

As an Exchange Visitor on an F-1 visa, you can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the start of the program and remain in the U.S. up to 30 days after the program end date, as written on your I-20 Form.

J-1 Visa Students

You will be able to move into your housing on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, between 10 am and 11:30am. Due to check-in protocols, this is the only time you will be able to move into your residence hall. Please keep the following dates in mind:

  • Required orientation takes place on Wednesday, August 14 - Friday, August 16, 2024

  • Classes start on Monday, August 19, 2024

  • Fall 2024 semester ends on Friday, December 13, 2024.

  • Residence Halls close to students at noon on Saturday, December 14, 2024

By July 1, you must communicate to the Center for Global Education all of your flight information, including the flight numbers and dates for all flights that you will take to arrive at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Please complete this form with your flight details.

As an Exchange Visitor on an J-1 visa, you are able to enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the start of program and remain in the U.S. up to 30 days after the program end date as written on your DS-2019 Form.

The following breaks and holidays occur during the Academic Year:

  • Labor Day - Monday, September 2 No classes; University housing and dining are open.

  • Fall Break - Saturday, October 5 to Tuesday, October 8 No classes; University housing and dining are open.

  • Thanksgiving Break - Wednesday, November 27 to Sunday, December 1 No classes; students may remain in University housing at no cost but must register one week in advance. University dining is closed.

  • Winter Break - Monday, December 16 - Sunday, January 12 No classes, and the University residence halls and dining are closed.

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Monday, January 20 No classes; University housing and dining are open.

  • Spring Break -  Saturday, March 1 to Sunday, March 9 No classes; students may remain in University housing at no cost but must register one week in advance. University dining is closed.

  • Easter Break - Thursday, April 17 to Monday, April 21 No classes; students may remain in University housing at no cost but must register one week in advance. University dining is closed.

Find more information on our Academic Calendar.

Although the rooms in the residence halls are furnished, you must provide your own linens, such as towels, sheets, blankets, and pillows for your room. For use throughout your time at JCU, you may:

  • purchase linens during the Target shopping trip the day you arrive on campus; or

  • order linens online ahead of time - order early to allow ample time for delivery Note around the holidays shipping will be delayed so please order and ship early. We recommend you ship these right away. They can be stored in my office until you arrive so please don't hold off on shipping. 

You can have packages delivered to the Center for Global Education, and we will hold them until you arrive. Please have any packages sent to:

YOUR NAME c/o Center for Global Education John Carroll University 1 John Carroll Blvd. University Heights, Ohio 44118 USA

The Center for Global Education allows international students to borrow other residence hall essentials, such as hangers, lamps, and kettles, at no charge on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be able to select these items the day before mandatory on-campus orientation. 

Invoices will be sent to your JCU e-mail address for your housing, meal plan, and mandatory fees around August 1. If you have not signed up for 12 or more credits, and your housing, before July 15, the invoice will not be correct. If you have any questions about the total on the invoice, please contact us at global@jcu.edu as soon as possible. Invoices may be paid through your My Student Account using either a US bank account, US credit card, or bank wire through Western Union or using the international payment system, Transfer Mate.  A link can be found at the lower left-hand corner of the Student Account payment page.