International FAQs

The OISS has walk - in hours, Monday - Thursday, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM and Fridays, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM (with limited services available). We are CLOSED on Saturday and Sunday.

• Your valid passport
• Your most current visa
• Your I-20 (if you’re an F-1 student) or DS-2019 (if you’re a J-1 student)

I-20 applications take 7-10 days to process. They are reviewed by the admissions office first and then sent to us for issuance.

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Unfortunately, I-20 applications cannot be expedited. With that said, we do our best to ensure timely processing.

F-1 and J-1 students may be employed at most on-campus jobs, and you will find them listed on Handshake. On-campus employment must either be performed on the school's premises, (including on-location commercial firms that provide services for students on campus, such as the school bookstore/cafeteria), or at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated with Rutgers. Employment with on-site commercial firms (such as a construction company building a school building) that do not provide direct student services is not deemed on-campus employment.

International students are not eligible for a social security number unless you have been offered a job and have approved work eligibility. Most new students must be on-campus to find an on-campus job. For incoming TA’s or GA’s you can apply once you arrive on campus and complete the check-in process with OISS. If you have a job offer, go into RGlobal, under F-1 Student Services and fill out the Social Security Number/Payroll Request e-form.

You can pay your tuition via e-checks, credit card or bank wires. Please visit the International Payment Page for more information.

Many different bank branches can help you with this. Rutgers University–Newark cannot recommend a specific bank; however, you must talk to a bank personnel in person and let them know that you are on an F or J visa so they can review the requirements to open a bank account. Typically, these are your passport, visa, I-20 or DS-2019, proof of address and I-94. In addition, our international student orientation hosts different banks to help with this process.
*Note that you do not need a social security number to open a bank account.

Please visit the ID office website for more information: https://ipo.rutgers.edu/publicsafety/iam/student-id New students must upload their ID photo prior to their academic program orientation to receive your card. For more information, you can visit the ID Card Service Center at 175 University Avenue, Newark, 1st Floor - Conklin Hall.

You can get a cell phone plan at local branches of companies like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. They generally request a deposit to get a SIM card. The amount of this deposit will vary by company. Cell phone companies also offer prepaid plans that may be preferable. We typically invite a few of these companies to the OISS orientation.

Consult with your academic advisor about the class registration process. Remember that as an F-1 or J-1 student, you must register for a full-time in-person/hybrid course of study, which at Rutgers – Newark means 9 credits for graduate programs, RBS Master specialty programs (except PAMBA) and RBS doctoral programs, and 12 credits for undergraduate, Rutgers Newark – Law School and the RBS PAMBA master’s program.

Our office puts on a variety of events each school year. You can meet other international students at those events, or you can join other student organizations on campus.

No, new international students are not typically eligible for off-campus work, unless they receive prior work authorization from our office. New students however, can work on-campus, up to 20 hours a week during the school year. More information about off-campus work eligibility and the process to apply will be discussed at orientation.

Yes, orientation is mandatory and will provide important information about your time here and requirements and expectations to maintain your legal F1 or J1 status at Rutgers University – Newark.

Yes, you can waive Rutgers health insurance and use your own. However, it must meet Rutgers University's minimum standards of coverage. To check if your private insurance meets Rutgers requirements, please visit the student health insurance for information.

On-campus housing options can be found here. Rutgers does not have a list of off-campus housing options available; however, we caution you to be careful about scams and fraudulent companies. Do not send money ahead of time, unless you have checked physically if the apartment is available and spoken with landlord.

You can submit your student health and immunization forms in your MyRUN portal. For additional information on required vaccines, please visit the Student Health Office.