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International Student Services
Applying for Visa and Arrival

» Applying for Visa and Arrival

Congratulations on your decision to attend Chapman! On this page, you’ll find guidance for your visa application and arrival at Chapman, ensuring you're well-prepared every step of the way.

 

Visa steps

Your first step in preparing to study in the United States is to get your visa. Refer to the pages below for step-by-step instructions on applying for an F-1 or a J-1 visa. 

F-1 Visa Steps

J-1 Visa Steps

Traveling to the United States

Learn what you need to do to plan for arriving in the U.S., including securing airport transportation to Chapman.

Arrival in the United States
Cars driving from the airport

Airport Transportation

Immigration Check-In
Make sure to register for health insurance before you arrive!
All incoming international students must create an account on our Student Medical Portal and complete their to-do items in the Portal. Visit the Student Health Requirements page for more information about the process.
Student Health Requirements

Housing resources

glass hallIncoming first-year students

If you are coming to Chapman as a first-year student, you are required to live on campus and should apply for housing as soon as the application opens.

You will receive an email from the Office of Residence Life with further instructions on how to apply for on-campus housing. In the meantime, you can explore your potential options for housing on the First-Year Student Housing Options page.

 

Incoming transfer students, graduate students and scholarschapman grand

Living in Chapman housing is not mandatory for transfer students and there is very limited housing for graduate students. You can use the links below to apply for housing or explore off-campus housing options. You can use our off-campus housing site to find roommates or housing that’s close to either of our campuses:

Connect with a current Chapman student

Feel free to reach out and ask anything about studying at Chapman or living in Southern California. Selected students are below, but you can also visit our Ask a Student page to search students by major or country.

International Student Services provides general guidance. Any advice provided to you by the ISS should not be construed as legal advice.

Additionally, due to the fluid nature of governmental interpretation, government agencies such as USCIS/ICE/CBP may change their interpretation of immigration laws/regulations and eligibility requirements for benefits at any time. We will do our best to provide the most current guidance.

Each case is fact-specific and it is advised that you contact an experienced immigration attorney if you have questions regarding your situation.

 

Contact ISS

Visit our contact page to email us, call us or make an appointment with a team member.

Study in the States Guide

Check out this Study in the States Guide from the U.S. government regarding visas, arrival, and laws.