ELP Fees and Tuition

The following fees and tuition will be due the university on or before registration day:

All amounts are in USD and all are subject to change without notice

Title	costs
Application fee	$150
ELP Tuition*	$2750
Health Center Fee (per quarter) (this is not insurance)	$55

* Tuition Amount is valid for the Academic Year 2010-2011; For the Academic Year 2011-2012, the tuition amount will be $2750 USD

In addition, F1 students must buy mandatory Health Insurance as a condition of maintaining their status as F-1 students, and prior to attending any classes in the ELP.  All F1 students must pay the premium to purchase health insurance from one of the following providers currently approved by the University: 

• Renaissance Agencies, Inc.,  phone:  (800) 535-1777; or visit:http://www.renstudent.com/laelp
• United Health Care, Student Resources, phone: (800) 237-0903, and also available online at: https://www.uhcsr.com

The premium for International Student Health Insurance is due directly to the insurance company that you choose.  These premiums range from $150 to $200 per quarter to cover the student.   Coverage for a dependents spouse or children of the student, costs an additional premium, and is entirely optional.  Students must present Proof of Insurance prior to receiving their course schedules or attending classes.  We cannot make exceptions!

[continue with Sevis Fee, and Sevis Fee Q & A, approx. 4 pages, but end with “What if my F-1 visa application is denied,” p. 5 of 7; and delete “Preparing for Your F-1 Visa Interview.”]

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The SEVIS fee

The SEVIS fee is required of all foreign nationals who come to the United States for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study in institutions such as colleges, universities, and language training programs - generally, all F-1 and F-3 students from overseas need to pay the SEVIS fee.

The most popular example to pay the SEVIS fee

• The student is granted F-1 or F-3 status
• The student falls out of status, changes status and requires a new I-20 with a new SEVIS number.
• The student leaves the U.S. for an extended period of time. whereby the I-20 is no longer valid. The student will need to re-apply for a new I-20 with a new SEVIS ID number.

SEVIS = Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a computer system tracking international students and exchange visitors during their stays in the United States.

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SEVIS Fee Q & A

What is the SEVIS fee?

This SEVIS fee is required of all foreign nationals who come to the United States for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study in institutions such as colleges, universities, and language training programs. It is payable one time for each single educational program in which an F-1 or F-3 student participates, extending from the time the student is granted F-1 or F-3 status to the time the student falls out of status, changes status, or departs the U.S. for an extended period of time.

SEVIS fee payments will be used by the United States Department of Homeland Security to fund the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. This program makes it possible for international students and exchange visitors to attend schools in the United States. The fee also funds the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a computer system employed to track international students and exchange visitors during their stays in the United States.

Who must pay the SEVIS fee and when?

You will need to pay the SEVIS fee if you were issued a Form I-20 on or after September 1, 2004 AND one of the following conditions applies:

1. You are seeking an F-1 or F-3 visa from a United States embassy or consulate for first-time attendance in a language training program. In this case, the SEVIS fee must be paid BEFORE visa issuance.
2. You hold a valid F-1 or F-3 visa, have been absent from the United States for a period of more than 5 months (not working on your studies during this time with the prior approval of your school), and will re-enter the U.S. for a new program of study. In this case, the SEVIS fee must be paid BEFORE re-entry to the U.S.
3. As a resident of a contiguous territory or adjacent island, you are exempt from the visa requirement (for example, you are a citizen of Canada or Bermuda), and will apply for admission at port-of-entry to begin initial attendance at a U.S. school. In this case, the SEVIS fee must be paid BEFORE entry to the U.S.

F-2 visa holders, the spouse and dependents of the F-1 visa holder, are not required to pay the SEVIS fee. See the section entitled “A Note About Processing Times” for further important fee payment considerations.

How much is the SEVIS fee and how do I pay it?

The SEVIS fee is currently US $200. This fee is separate from and in addition to the visa application fee. The SEVIS fee must be paid by the Internet or by mail. It cannot be paid at a U.S. embassy or consulate and it cannot be paid at the port of entry.

The fee can be paid by one of two means:

1. Electronically, by completing a form I-901 through the Internet and using a Visa, MasterCard, or American Express credit card.
2. By mail, by submitting Form I-901, Fee remittance for Certain F, J, and M Nonimmigrants, together with a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. currency. Sources for such checks and money orders include banks chartered or operated in the U.S., foreign subsidiaries of U.S. banks, or foreign banks that have an arrangement with a U.S. bank to issue a check, money order, or foreign draft that is drawn on a U.S. bank.

A third party such as a friend, family member, or other interested party can pay the fee on your behalf through the same means described above.

A Note About Processing Times and Payment Verification

If you pay the SEVIS fee by Internet, your payment is processed immediately and, at the time you make payment, you can print a receipt directly from your computer. This computer-generated receipt can be used to verify you have paid the fee at an embassy, consular post, or port-of-entry. Mailing the SEVIS fee does not constitute payment. The fee is processed when it is received by DHS. If you mail your payment rather than pay on the Internet, it can take a considerable amount of time for payment to be received and for you to receive a receipt by return mail.

Whether you choose to pay the fee by the Internet or by mail, a paper receipt will be mailed to the address you provide on Form I-901. You may choose to have this receipt sent to you either by regular mail or, at an additional charge, by express delivery.

A paper receipt is not required in order for you to be issued a visa or to be admitted at the port of entry. Embassies and consular posts will be able to verify your fee payment without a receipt in most circumstances if you pay the fee far enough in advance of your visa interview. Electronic payments must be submitted at least 3 business days in advance of the interview if you will rely on electronic fee verification at the consulate. Mailed payments must be sent in a manner that assures arrival at the DHS address listed on the I-901 at least 3 business days before the scheduled interview.

If I have already paid the SEVIS fee for one school, and then decide to attend another, do I have to pay the fee again?

If you have been accepted to more than one institution and paid the fee using the SEVIS ID number of an institution you will not be attending, you will not have to pay the fee again. Bring the I-20s of both the school for which you paid the fee and the school you will be attending, as well as your SEVIS fee payment receipt, to the consulate or port-of-entry (if you are applying for a visa, you should bring both of the I-20s back to the consulate)

Is the SEVIS fee refundable if I am denied a visa?

Once paid, the SEVIS fee is non-refundable, unless paid by mistake, even if your visa is denied or, subsequent to issuance of the visa, you choose not to come to the United States.

If you applied for an F-1 or F-3 visa and paid the SEVIS fee within the last year but were denied a visa, you do not have to pay the SEVIS fee again as long as you re-apply for the same kind of program with 12 months of the initial denial.

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SEVIS Fee Requirement: F-1 Students

http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/faq3.htm

Beginning September 1, 2004, a new United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule goes into effect. This rule requires F-1 and J-1 visa applicants to pay a one-time fee of $100 to supplement the administration and maintenance costs of the Student and Exchange Information System (SEVIS). The following information specifically addresses fee issues for F-1 students.

Who pays the SEVIS fee?

• Prospective students with "initial attendance" I-20s dated on or after 9/1/2004 who are applying for an "initial" F-1 visa from outside the US
• Prospective students with "initial attendance" I-20s dated on or after 9/1/2004 who are applying for a change to F-1 status from another visa category
• Current F-1 students in the US filing for reinstatement after being out of status more than 5 months, and who are issued an I-20 issued for reinstatement that is dated on or after 9/1/04

Will other F-1 students in the US have to pay?

No, unless the student’s circumstances change so that he or she fits one of the categories mentioned above.

What about my F-2 dependents?

F-2 dependents do not have to pay the fee, even if the I-20 that the F-2 dependents use is issued on or after 9/1/2004

Do I have to pay if I transfer to another school, travel outside the US or renew my visa?

The SEVIS fee is not required when transferring schools, changing to another degree program or level, requesting a program extension, renewing an F-1 visa or using F-1 program benefits such as practical training. If you are in status when you travel internationally and are not physically outside of the U.S. for more than five months, you will not be required to pay the fee.

When do I pay the SEVIS fee?

The fee must be paid at least 3 business days prior to applying for your visa, or applying for admission at a US port-of-entry for those exempt from the visa requirement. The fee must be paid prior to submission of a change of status petition or reinstatement application.

Can I pay the SEVIS fee at a university, consulate or port of entry?

No. At this time the SEVIS fee can only be processed by the Department of Homeland Security via mail or the Internet.

How do I pay the fee?

The fee can be paid to the DHS by mail or online and must be accompanied by a Form I-901. It can be paid by you or by a third party, inside or outside the US.

To Pay By Mail

1. Obtain a Form I-901 "Fee Remittance for Certain F, J, and M Nonimmigrants."
   * Download the form from www.FMJfee.com
   * Request the form by phone at 1-800-870-3676 (inside the US)
2. Complete the Form I-901. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form.
3. Prepare a check, international money order or foreign draft (drawn on US banks only1) in the amount of $100 USD, made payable to "The Department of Homeland Security"
4. Mail the completed I-901 and payment to the address listed on Form I-901).
5. A Form I-797 receipt notice should be mailed within 3 days of processing the fee. Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep it with your other important immigration documents.

To Pay Online

1. Find the Form I-901 at www.FMJfee.com.
2. Complete the form online and supply the necessary Visa, MasterCard or American Express information. *Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form.
3. Print a copy of the online receipt.
4. Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep it with your other important immigration documents.

Will the DHS keep a record of my payment on file?

Fee payments should be entered into your permanent immigration (SEVIS) record but it is strongly recommended that you retain a copy of your fee receipt (form I-797) to use as needed.

I applied to more than one school, and have more than one I-20 form. What happens if I pay the SEVIS fee for one school, and then I change my mind and decide that I want to attend the other school? Is my paid SEVIS fee transferable?
Yes. But you must submit the I-20 form with the SEVIS ID number that you listed on the I-901 form with you to the U.S. consulate/embassy. For change of status or reinstatement applications, please see next question.

What do I need to do to apply for an F-1 visa, change of status or reinstatement?

• Obtain the appropriate Form I-20 from a DHS-approved school.
• Pay the SEVIS fee by mail or online.
• Make a copy of the I-797 (mail) or computer receipt (online) for your records.
• Submit a copy of the I-797 or computer receipt with your visa, change of status or reinstatement application OR
• Students who are exempt from visa requirements, such as Canadians, should take a copy of the SEVIS fee receipt to present at the port of entry with the appropriate I-20. It will not be possible to pay the fee at the port of entry.
• For change of status or reinstatement applications, if you previously paid the SEVIS fee while attending a different school, you should submit a copy of that school’s I-20 form with your application.

What if my F-1 visa application is denied?

The SEVIS fee will not be refunded. However, if you reapply for a new F-1 visa within 12 months of the denial, you will not have to pay the fee again.

Many foreign banks are able to issue checks or money orders drawn on a U.S. bank. You may therefore obtain a check from: 1) a bank chartered or operated in the United States; b) a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. bank, or c) a foreign bank that has an arrangement with a U.S. bank to issue a check, money order, or foreign draft that is drawn on a U.S. bank.