Before
You Arrive
Welcome to UMass Boston!
Soon you’ll be on the exciting UMass Boston campus in Boston, Massachusetts. Before you arrive, complete the steps below to avoid common issues or delays for international students.
Contact Your Advisor
We have a team of dedicated personal advisors whose job it is to make sure that all your questions are answered and to ensure that you have a smooth transition to the university.
Before you start on any of the steps below and contact your local personal advisor. Simply select your region of the world below, and send your advisor an email, Skype, WhatsApp, or WeChat message. We look forward to meeting you very soon!
Africa
China
Latin America
Middle East/
North Africa
North America
North Asia
Russia/Central Asia
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Complete Your Pre-Arrival Checklist
AFTER YOU RECEIVE THE ELECTRONIC COPY OF YOUR I-20, COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STEPS BEFORE BOOKING YOUR VISA APPOINTMENT:
- Schedule a free visa information and preparation session with your personal Enrollment Advisor.
- Check that the details on your I-20 are correct (including your date of birth), and make sure that your name is the same as it appears on your passport.
- Prepare the documents that you will need to take to the embassy when attending your visa interview.
AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE ABOVE STEPS, YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR YOUR VISA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT REQUIRES AN INTERVIEW WITH THE U.S. EMBASSY AND SOMETIMES CAN TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS TO SCHEDULE.
- Complete your visa application.
- Pay your I-90 (SEVIS) fee.
- Visit usembassy.gov to learn more about scheduling your visa appointment, what to expect when you arrive and the documentation that you need to take with you.
- Notify your personal Enrollment Advisor of the date and Embassy where you have scheduled your visa appointment.
- Watch these videos to help you apply for your visa and prepare for your interview:
Other links that international students find useful:
DEADLINE TO COMPLETE: TWO WEEKS BEFORE PROGRAM START DATE
Once you book your travel, visit umbinternationaldirect.org/arrival to enter your travel itinerary and confirm your free airport pickup if required. Airport transfer is available at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). These important details will help the campus team prepare for your arrival and make your big day go as smoothly as possible.
MOVE-IN DATE
| Program Name | Spring 2020 |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate International Direct | January 22, 2020 |
| ESL | January 22, 2020 |
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT DATES
PROGRAM START DATE
| Program Name | Spring 2020 | Summer 2020 | Fall 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate International Direct | January 27, 2020 | N/A | TBD |
| Graduate International Direct | January 27, 2020 | May 26, 2020 | TBD |
| ESL | January 27, 2020 | N/A | TBD |
ORIENTATION DATES
| Program Name | Spring 2020 |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate International Direct | January 23, 2020 |
| Graduate International Direct | January 23, 2020 |
Students will pay tuition, health insurance and other expenses upon registration. Registration for courses will happen during Mandatory Orientation.
The Bursar’s Office issues online bills for tuition and fees and collects the payments to apply into the student accounts.
Payments Accepted by the Bursar’s office:
Check
Money Order
Debit/Credit Cars
Wire Transfer
BURSAR’S OFFICE
Campus Center, 4th Floor
Phone 617.287.5350
bursar@umb.edu
Fax 617.287.3923
www.umb.edu/bursar
Access your UMB Student Portal
Access UMB Student Portal
Undergraduate International Direct students ONLY: You will need to access your Student Portal in order to complete your required pre-arrival assessments. You should receive an email titled “Welcome to UMass Boston”.
NOTE: Undergraduate International Direct students should gain access to their portal 2-5 days after I-20 has been issued.
Please email us at studentservices@umbinternationaldirect.org if you do not receive your student portal email within the time lines listed above
Please see Student Portal access guide “here”
PLEASE FILL OUT AND SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FORMS:
Please access your Student Portal to upload your immunization forms and records.
Under the “Admission Status” tab, please follow the link for “Health Services”
UNDERGRADUATE ONLY
DEADLINE TO COMPLETE: TWO WEEKS BEFORE PROGRAM START DATE
All first-year students are required to complete a pre-arrival math assessment and a writing assessment pre-arrival. These are very important to ensure that students are placed in the appropriate-level class.
To access both assessments:
- Log into your Student Portal
- Click the “Admission Status” tab
- Find the following links:
- Writing Assessment
- ALEKS Math Placement test
UNDERGRADUATE ONLY - DEADLINE TO COMPLETE: TWO WEEKS BEFORE PROGRAM START DATE
Please sign up for orientation by accessing your Student Portal.
Under the “Admission Status” tab please find the “Register for New Student Orientation” Option.
On-campus housing is available for International Direct and ESL students. Students need to access the Student Portal to submit their housing confirmation. Graduate students can utilize the resources below to secure off-campus housing.
Some good resources:
Please be sure to book short-term housing for when you first arrive if you are not able to move into your apartment/home immediately. Boston hotels are very strict about ages.
Most hotels in Boston will not permit a student under the age of 21 to check into a room without a parent/guardian (even if the student is over 18 and someone over 21 made the reservation) and virtually no hotel will allow someone under the age of 18 to check into a hotel alone (even if the parent made the reservation, or if a member of our staff is with them when they check in).
If you are 16-17 years old: Contact the International Guest House to see if they have vacancies and are able to accommodate you based on your age.
If you are 18-21 years old: Contact HI Boston Hotel to see if they have vacancies and are able to accommodate you based on your age. Information about their age restrictions.
Tab: Download and Login to Year.One App on Phone
Details within tab:
- Open your App store on your phone
- Search “Year.One”
- Download Year.One app
- “Register” on application home page.
- Enter your “Deposit ID/Student ID”. For Undergraduate students – this number is located on your Conditional Offer Letter. For Postgraduate students – this number is located on the Post-Acceptance Letter. If you had trouble find this number, reach out to your Enrollment Advisor!
- After entering your Deposit ID/Student ID, you will be prompted to enter a User ID and new password. Write these down somewhere so you can log on in the future!
Helpful Resources
Immigration Guide
This guide will help you learn more about the process for getting your F-1 visa and arriving in Boston.
Pre-Arrival Checklist
Check off everything on this list to ensure that you have completed all the steps before you arrive and bring everything you need to the UMass Boston campus.
Orientation Information
Here’s where you can find all orientation information. During orientation, you will receive a full campus tour, see the sights around Boston, and get to know your fellow international students!
Academic Calendar
Plan ahead! This calendar tells you when classes start and end, and when holidays and exams are happening.