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Home International Student Services Arrival and Orientation Arriving in the US

Late arrival and Deferral

For your success as a new F-1 international student, you are required to be physically present for mandatory international student orientation. We understand that some students may experience delays in obtaining a visa.  If you are not able to arrive before the start of the semester, you may still continue to attend that semester ONLY IF ALL of the following conditions are met:

Undergraduate Students

  • You have registered for at least 12 credit hours to meet the F-1 enrollment requirement. (only one online class will be counted toward this requirement.) You can contact your academic advisor for course registration by email at acc@memphis.edu.
  • Email your late arrival reason and expected arrival date to theworld@memphis.edu before the start of the semester.
  • Depending on your arrival date and whether you have registered to meet the F-1 enrollment requirement, you may be given a written confirmation of late arrival. You must carry it when entering the US, as you may be asked by the CBP officers at the port of entry to present proof that the university is accepting your late arrival.
  • Arrive in Memphis no later than one week after the start of the semester. If you are not able to arrive before then, please see the deferral process below. 

Graduate Students

  • Successfully receive a written confirmation from your UofM academic advisor guaranteeing full-time enrollment to meet the F-1 enrollment requirements when you arrive. Please use the following links to identify your academic advisor: HERE.
  • Forward a copy of the confirmation to theworld@memphis.edu before the start of the semester. 
  • Carry the written confirmation from your academic advisor when entering the US, as you may be asked by the CBP officers at the port of entry to present proof that the university is accepting your late arrival.
  • Arrive in Memphis no later than one week after the start of the semester. If you are not able to arrive before then, please see the deferral process below. 

Arriving Late and Maintaining Status

We want you to be well informed of the risks associated with late arrival.

  • If you arrive late, you are at your own risk of not having enough classes to meet the F-1 requirements.
  • Failure to enroll in the required number of credit hours to meet the F-1 requirements may cause you to be out of F-1 status, which may require that you return to your home country immediately.
  • We want you to be successful academically and maintain the F-1 status. If you are not able to obtain a late arrival permission from your academic department, you should defer your admission to a later semester.
  • Late registration may result in additional fees. 

Deferral Process

If you are not able to arrive on time, you will need to defer to a later semester. Here are the steps of the deferral:

Graduate

  1. Navigate to www.memphis.edu/graduateadmissions/future/apply_grad.php.
  2. Scroll down to the section “Change Your Starting Semester” and follow the instructions.
  3. Your previous I-20 application will not be valid. You must submit a new I-20 application for the new semester HERE.

Undergraduate

  1. Submit a new application for undergraduate admission at www.memphis.edu/admissions/basics/international.php if you want to apply for a future term.
  2. Your previous I-20 application will not be valid. You must submit a new I-20 application for the new semester HERE.