We are so excited to welcome you to the Garrett community and are here to help you as you begin your seminary journey. On this page you will find a variety of resources specifically for international students.
Primary Designated School Official (PDSO) and Dean of Students
Designated School Official (DSO) and Senior Director of Enrollment Management
Rev. Dr. Lisl Heymans Paul
Designated School Official (DSO) and Director of Contextual Education
If you are currently studying in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, you must submit the items listed above (Affidavits of Support, copies of bank statements or bank letters, and your International Student Enrollment Deposit) before submitting the SEVIS Transfer In Form.
Be sure to check out the Admitted Students webpage for more resources and information
CPT—Curricular Practical Training. This is a required component of many of Garrett’s degree programs. It usually takes the form of field education or an internship. You will work with the Field Education Office and the Office of Student Life to get CPT approved, but you do not need to apply with the government to be approved for CPT. Most PhD students and MTS students do not engage in CPT.
DSO—Designated School Official. This is a school staff person approved by the U.S. government to oversee and maintain international student records.
F-1 Visa—This is a particular class of visa for non-immigrant international students intending to study in the U.S. F-1 Visas are issued by the Department of Homeland Security and are required before starting studies in the U.S.
F-2 Visa—This class of visa is for dependents (spouse or children up to age 21) of F-1 students. Holders of F-2 visas are not permitted to work in the U.S.
I-20—also known as the Form I-20. This form is issued by the school you are attending and certifies your eligibility for F-1 Visa status. This form is required for applying for an F-1 visa, for entering the U.S., and for applying for any benefits. Each Form I-20 must be signed by a DSO/PDSO and the F-1 student, and all previous copies of your I-20 should be kept in a safe place.
I-901 Form—This is the form you use to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee required as part of the application process. You will receive instructions for paying this fee when we send you your first I-20.
I-94—also known as Form I-94. This is the form you receive when you enter or exit the U.S. You should keep these forms in a safe place with your I-20’s.
PDSO—Primary Designated School Official. This is a school staff person approved by the U.S. government to oversee and maintain international student records as well as attend to the school’s certification for admitting F-1 students. Rev. Becky Eberhart in Student Services is the current PDSO, and she can help with all F-1 student issues.
OPT—Optional Practical Training. During or after completing studies, an F-1 student may engage in a work/training experience that furthers their educational goals. Many Garrett students serve in ministry-related positions for a year after their graduation. An F-1 student must apply and be approved for OPT before starting, but they do not yet need to have a job. They are permitted 90 days of unemployment while on OPT. F-1 Students completing OPT will receive an OPT card showing their status. You can learn more about the process here: F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) | Study in the States (dhs.gov)
USCIS—United States Citizen and Immigration Services. This government agency oversees OPT approval and visa status changes to non-student categories.
Once you have been admitted to Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, you are ready to begin the process of obtaining your F-1 Visa. The first step is to complete the 1-20 Request Form and submit it to the Garrett Admissions Office, along with a copy of your passport, your financial information, and your affidavits of support. Once all this paperwork has been submitted, the Office of Student Life will enter your information into SEVIS, the Student & Exchange Visitor Information System. This is an online site used for storing and processing all F-1 student data.
The Office of Student Life will then send you an I-20, which is the document you will use to begin your visa application process. When you have received your I-20, you need to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee and schedule your embassy appointment.
F-1 students must meet the following requirements to maintain status while studying at Garrett:
F-1 Students may include dependents as F-2 visa holders either in their initial visa application or at a later application date. Only a spouse and dependent children up to age 21 are eligible to apply for F-2 visas. F-2 visa holders under the age of 18 are eligible to go to public school while in the US, but spouses are not permitted to work.
Once you have obtained your F-1 visa from your local embassy or consulate, you are eligible to enter the United States no more than 30 days prior to the program start date listed on your I-20.
If you would like someone to provide transportation assistance from the airport on the day of your arrival, please reach out to student.life@garrett.edu, at least two weeks before your arrival date.
You may fly into either of the area’s two major airports. For additional information about your arrival, visit their websites.
There are several options for getting from the airport to campus, depending on time, budget, and desired mode of transportation.
If you would like someone to provide transportation assistance from the airport on the day of your arrival, please reach out to student.life@garrett.edu, at least two weeks before your arrival date.
Taxi service is available to the city of Chicago and suburban destinations. Fares vary based on traffic conditions, but an average fare from O’Hare International Airport to the Evanston campus is $50-$75. All taxis should have a working meter to calculate the fare based on time and mileage. Some taxi companies have airport “flat” (fixed) rates. Be sure to ask.
Rideshares through the Uber and Lyft applications are widely available from both airports. Uber and Lyft drivers are authorized to pick up riders at O’Hare and Midway airports. Please open your app and follow the directions to the designated pickup zones. Both airports offer 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi, so you can use this to order an Uber/Lyft ride!
Some new students and their parents choose to rent cars. Please check individual car company websites for pricing, driver’s license requirements and additional information.
The following public transportation options are more economical but can be more complicated and will take longer to arrive.
F-1 students may take jobs on Garrett’s campus as long as the jobs require 20 or fewer hours a week during the school year.
All F-1 students at Garrett except for PhD and MTS students will engage in Curricular Practical Training (CPT). This is a training, internship, or field placement required to complete a particular degree program.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is available for a total of one year either during or following the completion of a student’s program. This training may be a more traditional job and may be full-time, but it must directly relate to the student’s program of study.
F-1 students need to speak with their DSO or PDSO before engaging in any of these employment opportunities. No other employment is permitted while on an F-1 visa.
Besides all the necessary paperwork for the I-20 and F-1 visa, these are the forms you will need to submit to the Office of Student Life:
These forms will be sent to you. If you do not receive the forms, please contact student.life@garrett.edu.
All Garrett students taking 5 or more credits must prove that they have hospitalization insurance. This can be a travel policy from your home country, an international student policy purchased in the U.S., or a policy through Garrett’s partnership with Northwestern University and Aetna. You can email student.life@garrett.edu with questions about insurance.
During the 2024/2025 academic year, students intending to participate in on-campus instruction must submit the COVID-19 Immunization Verification Form.
