1. School application

1. Depending on your sport, you may have already started to apply, or have even been accepted to your school. The applications tend to be a lot of personal information such as details about you, your school history, parents’ information etc. The process of a school application can take a lot of time, so the sooner you complete your school application, the better. We have guidelines to help you with these applications. 
2. As part of your school application, you will be provided with information on the type of documentation you need to submit to be accepted. It is therefore important you keep us up to date by forwarding all the emails you receive from admissions. 
3. To accept you, admissions will require your transcripts (certificates). If you upload them yourself during the application process, these are usually deemed as “unofficial” and will need to also be submitted one of the following ways to become official. If you are asked to upload them, please still do this. There are usually two ways schools will need your transcripts submitting to be “official”, you will only need to do one, you will be provided with the appropriate guideline. If English is not your first language, your transcripts will need to be translated, stamped, signed and submitted in English. 
1. The first way is to have a teacher at your school email your transcripts to your US schools admissions department
2. The second is to complete a grade evaluation service such as InCred (required for all NAIA athletes), TEC or IEE. These evaluations incur a cost.
   
4. You may need to have your SAT score sent to your score (and possibly the NAIA).
   

2. I-20 and financial documents

Please do not submit financial documents without speaking to your operations person!

3. Visa application

You cannot apply for your visa until you have been admitted to the school and financial documents have been provided!

1. You will apply for an F1 student visa, these last for the duration of your studies in the US. Everyone applying must attend a visa appointment at the US Embassy in the country you reside in after completing an online application. We will provide you with extensive visa application guidelines once you inform us you have received your I-20. 
   
2. The embassy will keep your passport for up to 14 working days after your appointment. This is why we stress you do not book any international vacations for the summer before you depart for the US as it can interfere with your visa application process. 
   

4. Flights and first entry dates

We do not recommend you book your flight until you have your visa!

1. There is a first entry date on your I-20 and you cannot enter the US before this date. We also want to ensure there are no problems with your visa application.
2. Athletes cannot enter the US on an ESTA. If you are planning a vacation before the start of school, you need to plan it around the first date of entry and the start of pre-season/school. 
3. It is recommended that any family vacations occur in the second, third or fourth years as once the student visa is triggered, an athlete can enter or exit the US at any time.
4. Please see the Pre-Arrival Guide for more information on school start dates, pre-season etc. 
   

5. Remaining paperwork

1. Below is a list of other tasks and paperwork you may need to complete before you go. Each school has different requirements, you may not need to complete all so check with your school.
   
1. Player licence - if you are going to an NCAA or NAIA school you will need to apply for a player licence and have it granted before you go. We will guide you though the application. If you are going to a NJCAA (junior college) you do not need to apply for a player licence.
   
2. Insurance - you must have insurance.
   
3. Housing application
   
4. Vaccinations - some states also require a specific meningitis vaccine within a certain amount of time
   
5. Medicals
   
6. TB skin tests/sickle cell testing
   
2. You can find more information on all of the above in the Pre-Arrival Guide.