The questions below are frequently asked by international students who are newly admitted to OU or newly arrived on campus.
Have a question not listed here? Email us at iss@ou.edu.
If your primary purpose in the US is to study, then you must have a valid F-1 or J-1 visa to study at OU.
Some US visa classifications allow study and some do not (for example, tourist visa holders are not permitted to study). If you need more information, please email iss@ou.edu.
In general, we recommend that students starting in the Fall semester should arrive the Monday before classes start. Students starting in the Spring semester should arrive the Tuesday before classes start. This will give you plenty of time between your arrival and Crimson Connection, the mandatory in-person orientation.
You can enter the US earlier if necessary. US federal immigration regulations restrict new international students from entering the US more than 30 days before the program start date listed on the I-20 or DS-2019.
International Student Services does not enroll international students in classes. For information on enrolling, please speak with your academic advisor or department chair. See How to Get Advised (http://www.ou.edu/content/enrollment/how_to/get_advised.html).
Phone and banking services are available for set up before Crimson Connection each semester. If you need a local bank account or a local phone, please plan to arrive to Crimson Connection early to set up these services. Multiple choices will be provided but students must be in orientation by the beginning regardless if they have their services set up or not.
Beyond Crimson Connection, ISS does not assist with setting up any other banking or phone services.
Incoming F-1 freshman and transfer-in students are required to enroll in the international section of the University College's "Gateway to College Learning" class. This is a semester-long, 2 credit hour class that introduces students to the OU community and how to manage their college career at OU, but specifically designed for international students. This freshman level class covers topics such as the nature of higher education, library use, time management, essential academic skills (critical reading, writing, listening as well as test taking), campus policies, campus resources, and career education. This course does not count for major credit in any department. However, this course may count for elective credit as granted by a department.
Visit the Freshman Gateway Program page for more information.
If you have a valid license from your home country, you do not need an Oklahoma driver's license. You must carry your driver's license and passport with you whenever you drive.
