Returning to Rice After a Leave of Absence

Welcome back! OISS is happy to assist you in returning to Rice after a leave of absence.

While returning students will not need to attend I-PREP or Graduate International Orientation (GIO), they are still required to attend a mandatory Immigration Check-in at the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) upon arrival. For Immigration Check-in times, please call OISS at 713-348-6095 or email oiss@rice.edu. Failure to properly check in will result in termination of your immigration status. Please keep in mind that the check-in requirement also applies to students on a visa status other than F-1 or J-1.

All returning students will be given the first day of the academic semester as the start date on their new immigration documents. Students on the F-1 or J-1 visa can enter up to 30 days prior to the start date on their immigration documentation, but should not enter after the program start date. If living on-campus, please make sure to contact your College / Housing & Dining for move-in dates.

Upon receipt of the required documents outlined below, OISS will begin to process your I-20/DS-2019.

Process for obtaining an I-20/DS-2019 to apply for an F-1/J-1 visa

In order to obtain an I-20/DS-2019 to apply for an F-1/J-1 visa, you must submit the following to OISS:

Letter from Academic Department (graduate students) / Dean of Undergraduate's office (undergraduates) indicating readmission to the university
Copy of the passport identification page
Completed International Financial Declaration Form along with supporting documentation (select appropriate form below depending on your situation)
- Undergraduate Degree-Seeking Student
- Undergraduate Exchange Student - Full academic year
- Undergraduate Exchange Student - Fall semester only
- Undergraduate Exchange Student - Spring semester only
- Graduate Degree-Seeking Student
- Graduate Music Student
- Graduate Architecture Student
- Masters Students in Energy Economics
- Professional Masters Students in Natural Science
- Professional Masters Students in Engineering
- Professional Masters Students in Global Affairs
- MBA Student
- Masters in Accounting Program
- Graduate Exchange Student - Full academic year (coming soon!)
- Graduate Exchange Student - Fall semester only (coming soon!)
Foreign Student Transfer Release Form (if transferring from a U.S. institution) - The Release Form is required for all students coming to Rice University directly from another U.S. institution. Please ask the International Student Advisor at your current school to assist you in completing the form and to set a Transfer Release Date in SEVIS for your record to be transferred to Rice. Please note OISS may only prepare an I-20 after the SEVIS Release Date has passed.

Receiving Your Immigration Documents

Once your I-20/DS-2019 is ready, you will have the following options on how to receive your immigration documents:

You may authorize a friend to pick up your documents from OISS on your behalf.
You may email OISS a prepaid shipping label.
OISS can mail the documents to you by regular mail. This option is not recommended, as there will be no tracking available.

We are so excited that you are returning to Rice University! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the process or requirements, as we are here to help you. You may contact us by email at oiss@rice.edu or by phone at 713-348-6095.