New Student Information

The information here is for accepted and enrolled International Students.
A group of students outside near the UTA water fountain

Welcome to UTA!

Congratulations on your acceptance to The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). In order to begin your college life successfully, please review all the information on this page carefully. It contains information about required New International Student Orientation, arrival, housing, monetary needs and more. An entry to the U.S. as a new student is allowed no earlier than 30 days from the program start date on your I-20. Please read the following two links for more information.  

Applying for the F-1 Visa

Click here for important information about the visa application process for F-1 students.

Procedures

  • All international students are required to attend orientation before registering for classes for the first semester at UTA.
  • Do not make any appointments during the orientation. You must stay for the entire time.
  • If you arrive late, you will be required to attend the next scheduled orientation before you may register for classes.
  • Orientation topics include: cultural adjustment, immigration regulations, employment, campus resources, academic regulations, class registration, health services and health insurance.
  • Undergraduates are required to take the TSI THEA prior to enrollment, unless otherwise exempt. Please click the UTA Testing button below for more information.

UTA Testing

 

REQUIRED NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION

You may find information about International Student Orientation here: 

International Student Orientation

 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

After completing the Office of International Education’s Pre-Orientation course in Canvas and earning a 10/10 on the quiz, you will finish the modules by uploading these two eforms

 
  • Emergency Contact Form

  • Statement of Understanding

 

You may access the Canvas course and enroll using your UTA login information at this link: https://uta.instructure.com/enroll/DTTBBT

You will not have access to these eforms until after you complete the Office of International Education’s Pre-Orientation modules in Canvas. Please note that your emergency contact must be a parent, sibling, or spouse. The statement of understanding contains important immigration regulations. Checking the box for each statement means you are responsible for understanding the F-1 rules and how to maintain status. Please read each statement carefully.

Your INT hold will be removed within 2 business days of submitting the eforms. After entering the U.S., you are required to submit copies of your immigration documents to complete the document check in process. When you have completed the Office of International Education’s Canvas Course and submitted the initial forms, you will receive a link to upload the following documents in our Global Mavs webpage. Under "General Student Services" on the left side menu, you will find “Orientation Immigration Documents”. Click the link and upload the following documents:

  • Copy of your passport/ID page
  • Copy of your student Visa page
  • Copy of your entry stamp or I-94 copy

You may submit color copies, black and white copies, or photos if the images are clear. All documents must be uploaded as a pdf or jpeg file.

 

FEDERAL IMMIGRATION STATUS REQUIREMENTS

Even if you pay in-state tuition and are considered a domestic student for tuition purposes, federal immigration status determines which requirements you must satisfy 

  Required International Student Orientation(NOT the same as department or New Maverick Orientation)

Health Insurance Requirement

Tuberculosis Test Requirement Performed by Health Services

F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2 (Including transfer students)    YES YES    YES
A-1, A-2, E-1, E-2, H-1, H-4, L-1, J-2, L-2, O-3, NATO, R-1,R-2, TD, TN, I-485 Filers,I-130 Petitioners,I-140 Petitioner Dependent,Transient Students(Including those on F-1 visas from other universities)

 NO NO    YES
K-1, K-3, TPS (Applicants for Asylum/Asylees/Refugees)

 NO NO    NO

Office of International Education, INT Hold Removal: New UTA international students must complete the Office of International Education’s Pre-Orientation Canvas course. After completing all of the course requirements, the INT Hold will be removed within two business days. Using your UTA login information, you may enroll in the course using this link: https://uta.instructure.com/enroll/DTTBBT

For information about other Holds: Visit MyMav to see the name of the department that placed the Hold and how to get it removed.

This information will also be covered as part of your New Maverick Orientation, which you can register for here if you haven’t already: https://www.uta.edu/student-affairs/orientation/register

 

Housing

Finding housing is an important step in getting settled at UTA. Due to the large volume of incoming students, the Office of International Education does not directly assist with securing housing. To ensure a successful campus housing experience, please consider carefully the important information noted below.

  • Secure your housing accommodations before you arrive in the U.S.
  • University Housing offers both residence hall and apartment accommodations.

University Apartments:

  • Apartments remain open year-round and do not close for break periods.
  • Apartments options are available in 1/1, 2/1, 2/2, and 4/2 bedroom/bath configurations.
  • Selected apartment communities offer furnished accommodations.
  • Selected apartment communities lease by the bed and other apartment communities lease by the unit.
  • Apartment residents may purchase a meal plan, but it is not required.

For more information on University Apartments, visit:

UTA HOUSING

Residence Halls: 

  • Residence halls are fully furnished and offer both private and double-occupancy accommodations.
  • Meal plans are required in all residence halls.

For more information on University Residence Halls, visit:

UTA HOUSING

  • University Housing fills up fast. Apply without delay. University Housing allows new students to apply for housing as soon as they apply to the university. There is no application fee, and you will only be offered housing if you have been admitted to the university. Typically, University Housing sells out of rentable beds months in advance of the semester start. Late applicants typically must seek housing in the private apartment market around campus. Students who know they will be attending UTA should apply for University Housing as soon as possible to have the best chance of guaranteeing housing.
  • Check your UTA email often for important information from University Housing. Lease offers and other important student housing information will be sent to your UTA email account.
  • Housing is not guaranteed until you have signed a lease agreement and paid on-line.
  • Limited temporary housing accommodations may be available if you arrive before your lease start date.
  • Meningitis vaccinations are required at least 10 days prior to moving into University Housing. All incoming students below age 22 are required to submit proof of meningitis vaccination before living on campus.

For more information, please visit:

MENINGITIS REQUIREMENTS

For more information on Alternate Housing Accommodations, visit:

If you cannot arrive at UTA by the date indicated on your immigration documents, you must request a late arrival letter from the Office of International Education (OIE) at least two (2) weeks before you leave for the U.S. To request a late arrival letter, please click on the "Late Arrival Request eForm in GlobalMavs" button below and fill out and submit the form completely.

 

  • Undergraduate late arrivals for Spring 2025 must report to campus no later than 5:00PM CST on Thursday, January 16, 2025. If you are unable to report to the UT Arlington campus by that date, please contact utaadmission@uta.edu to defer your admission to another semester.

  • Graduate late arrivals for Spring 2025 must report to campus no later than 5:00PM CST on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. If you are unable to report to the UT Arlington campus on that date, contact graduate admissions at https://www.uta.edu/admissions/contact/ to defer your admission to another semester.

  • Students under 22 years old who are arriving late are also responsible for completing the bacterial meningitis vaccination requirement by the deadline and will not be able to register for classes until after they have reported to the campus.

Late Arrival Request eForm in GlobalMavs 

All incoming international students who are new to UTA are required to complete Tuberculosis (TB) screening. Health Services accepts both T-Spot and Quantiferon Gold blood tests completed in the United States within the last 12 months. Mantoux/PPD/Tuberculin (TB) skin test results are not accepted. 

 

For more information about the TB Screening Requirement, please visit the Health Services website below:

 

Health Services website

There are a variety of transportation options students can use to get from DFW Airport to campus. UTA is located about 25 minutes from the airport, and most transportation can be arranged for less than $35.00.

  • A list of authorized taxi services you can use upon arrival can be found at this link: https://www.dfwairport.com/guide/transportation/. Do not accept a ride from an unlicensed taxi driver. They typically approach people inside the airport or shortly after you exit, and charge more money than an authorized taxi service.
  • On-demand transportation from Lyft and Uber is also readily available at the airport.
UTA Schedule 
Go to: www.uta.edu/students and under Academic Resources click “Class Schedule” 

DFW Airport Information 
www.dfwairport.com 

Undergraduate Financial Aid 
www.uta.edu/fao 

Graduate Financial Aid 
http://www.uta.edu/fao/apply/graduate-aid.php 

UTA University Catalog 
http://catalog.uta.edu

Nationality Organizations at UTA 
(contact your nationality organization 
for arrival assistance) 
http://mavorgs.collegiatelink.net

TSI Test 
(test for undergraduates) 
Texas Success Initiative Assessment - Division of Student Success - The University of Texas at Arlington (uta.edu) 

Computer Help Desk 
uta.edu/oit/clientservices