Next Steps for New International Freshmen

Next Steps for New International Freshmen Take a deep breath. At this point you have probably been checking your myIllini account every 30 seconds for a decision. This may have been you: or maybe it was more like this: And then all of a sudden, BOOM it was there. The news you have been waiting for what seems like years to receive. First and foremost, congratulations, future Illini! We are so excited to welcome you all into the University of Illinois Class of 2023! Now that the big news is starting to settle in and your mind is still racing (and maybe your heart too), you are probably asking yourself, So what do I need to do now? What are my next steps? Here are some things you should make sure you do as you move through the next steps in the process: Share the news with your parents, family, and friends if you havent already. They will all be so excited for you! Do a little happy dance. Your hard work has paid off! Breathe and relax. Now, log back into your favorite place, your myIllini account, and review your Admitted Student Checklist. Visit the Illinois Admissions Admitted Students webpageand the International Admitted Student webpage. What is the Admitted Student Checklist? Your checklist, which you can access through your myIllini account, is meant to help keep you organized as you move through the admitted student process. New items that need to be completed will appear once you have accepted your offer to join the Illinois Class of 2023! When do I need to make a decision? You can accept or decline your offer right now if you are ready. However, we understand that it is a big decision, so we want to be sure you feel like you have enough time to make it. Even if you applied early action, you have until May 1to join the Class of 2023. Take the time to ask current students about their Illinois experience, visit campusif you are able (if you are unable, check out my last blog!), explore your majors website and the colleges website, and just take time to reflect on where you want to study next year. Do I get an acceptance letter? We do not mail you a copy of your acceptance letter (officially called your Notice of Admission, or NOA). However, you will be able to download a copy of it. We will add it to the Additional Information section of your Admitted Student Checklistin your myIllini account within two to three weeks following your decision release. When do I get a student visa? No worries! We are also here to guide you through that process as well. Once you accept your offer of admission, there will be a new item on your Admitted Student Checklist: the I-20 application. We will start issuing I-20s in March once we have your I-20 application. You can check out our Obtaining a Visa webpagefor some more information on this process. ____________________________________ We are here to help, and we want to be a resource throughout this entire process. Be sure to call us at +1 217-333-0302if you have questions about your admission decision. We are happy to chat with you about it. If you have questions about your next steps, first log in to myIllini to see if the answer is there. Parents, also be sure to check out Hannahs blog, Your Students Notice of Admission: A Parents Guide, for some helpful pro tips. If you are still confused, reach out to us! Now, time to celebrate! Welcome to the University of Illinois Class of 2023. We are excited to welcome so many new students from all over the world to our campus! Jess International Recruitment Coordinator, Undergraduate Admissions I work with international students throughout the admissions process. My biggest piece of advice for anyone going through the college search process is to ask questions. There are no questions too small. That’s why we're here! Next Steps for New International Freshmen Decisions have released and the wait is finally over. After being like this for a long time: It is finally time to be like this: Congratulations! We are excited to welcome you all into the Illini family! The next natural part of being admitted is the questions. Hopefully todays blog will help address some of those. What does my decision mean?   While some admissions decisions are pretty straightforward, there are others that might leave you with a few questions.   Luckily, Danny has your back. Check out his blog for more details on the different decisions you may have received. Additionally, if you have more questions our office is always here to help. When do I get my acceptance letter?   Illinois doesnt actually mail acceptance letters internationally. But we do make them available to all newly admitted students through their myIllini Admitted Student Checklist (you will notice this list is super important). Generally, the Notice of Admission (official name for acceptance letter) is available in the Additional Information section of the Admitted Student checklist 2 to 3 weeks after your decision is released. How soon can I accept my offer? Today if you want! But, we dont want you to rush it. Deciding where to go to school is a big thing. Take your time and ask lots of questions of us and others who have been to Illinois before you. All students (including early action) have until May 1 to make their final decision. What about my student visa? An excellent question. Illinois will start issuing I-20s in early March. You wont be able to submit your I-20 (the document you need to be able to apply for an F-1 visa interview) application until you accept your offer of admission, but after that is done you can submit the application whenever you are ready. Our Obtaining a Student Visa page gives a lot more information on this process, and I will be writing a blog specifically on I-20s and getting a student visa soon. How soon can I come to campus?   We know you are excited, because we are too!  International Student and Scholar Services will welcome international students to campus Monday, August 20 for the first day of International Student Orientation. We recommend students arrive the day before at the latest so there is time to get adjusted before programming starts. Anything else I need to know?   One of the most important things to remember is to keep using your myIllini account. Now that you are an admitted student, this is your hub to do things like register for housing (you have to wait until you accept your offer for this), sign-up for registration, know what transcripts to send, and more. These are all things to worry about later, for now, lets focus on more of this: Congratulations, University of Illinois Class of 2022!   Amber Admissions Counselor I've lived in South Korea, Turkey, Mexico, and Ohio. I focus on working with international undergraduate students and helping them through the admissions process.