Now that you are admitted, you will need either an I-20 or DS-2019 immigration document to obtain your student visa. After your admission notification, you will receive a series of emails with step-by-step instructions on how to move forward and how to obtain your immigration document. Admitted students must provide several financial documents (see below) showing that sufficient funds are available to cover at least one academic year of study (2 semesters), with the expectation that sufficient funds are available to cover the full duration of your studies.
All documents (1-4) listed below are required in order to obtain your immigration document.
For I-20 questions, please contact i20@kent.edu.
For DS-2019 questions, please contact isss@kent.edu.
If you are transferring into Kent from a U.S. high school or university with a current valid SEVIS ID (N00XXXXXXXX), then please review our Transfer In Guide or contact i20@kent.edu for further instructions on transferring your SEVIS record to Kent State University.
If you are already on a U.S. visa (not F or J), then please contact isss@kent.edu for more information on your next steps.
First-year international students who are not transferring from another institution in the U.S. may be eligible for a scholarship. You must be admitted by the following date(s) to be eligible for the Global Scholarship:
Any scholarships awarded will be listed in your FlashLine checklist.
It may take time for awards to show in FlashLine, so we recommend checking often because it is important to accept any scholarships that may be awarded as soon as they are made available.
The Estimated Cost of Attendance for one Academic Year, based on education level, is estimated to cover tuition/fees, living expenses, medical insurance, and books/supplies for one academic year of study. Please add $4,500 for the first dependent and $2,500 for each additional dependent, if any will accompany you.
International Undergraduate (12-18 credit hours)
International Graduate (9 credit hours)
ESL (tuition is based on the ESL website)
American Academy
Tuition and Fees (1 academic year or 2 semesters)
Living Expenses*
Other Costs such as Medical Insurance and Books/Supplies**
Total Estimate:
*Aeronautics with Flight Technology majors, please add approximately $20,000 in tuition costs.
**The Master of Architecture, Construction Management, Architecture & Environmental Design, Landscape & Architecture, Urban Design, and Healthcare Design programs typically add around $1,500 extra in tuition costs.
Living expenses are based on the housing and meal costs for on-campus living. Although this amount is required for the purpose of your I-20 or DS-2019, your actual costs may vary.
Medical insurance is required for all international students and is included in your fees when you register for classes.
If you are a new or currently active student who has set-up your International Student & Scholar Services account (see isss.kent.edu) and you want to add a dependent (spouse, child, or both) to your I-20, please visit the request center in your ISSS account, then select and complete the Dependent Information Create form.
Additional funding is required for each dependent as follows:
If the proof of funds you submit for your I-20 request are not sufficient to cover the addition of a dependent(s) then additional financial documents showing proof of available funding is required.
If you are a new student who has not yet received instructions on how to set-up your ISSS account, please check your email for instructions on how to proceed with your account set-up and I-20 request.
DS-2019 Documents
Once all required documents have been received and verified with the banking institution, processing will begin. You will be notified by email when processing is fully complete and the document has been mailed.
Documents are mailed internationally using DHL, but (depending on where you live) it may take two to three weeks for your DS-2019 to arrive. Please be patient during this time, as we have no control over the international mailing system.
If you have not received your DS-2019 within four weeks after you were notified that your DS-2019 was mailed, please contact isss@kent.edu.
Are you from Iran?
We are currently unable to ship to Iran. Please let us know where you would like your DS-2019 shipped by contacting isss@kent.edu.
Should you have received your package already?
Your local DHL Center may try to contact you by phone when your DS-2019 arrives. If you have not received a call, check with your local DHL Center to see if your packet has arrived.
I-20 Documents for New or Transfer in Students
Once all required documents have been received and verified with the banking institution, processing will begin. You will be notified by email when processing is fully complete, along with instructions on how to print the I-20 document. For any questions, please contact i20@kent.edu.