What are the visa steps for an international student applying to the University of Hawaii?

For most international students enrolling full time at the University of Hawaiʻi, the visa is an F-1 student visa. The usual sequence is: apply and get admitted, submit financial documentation to the university, receive your Form I-20 from UH, pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 visa application, and attend a visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate before traveling.

At the university stage, UH will typically ask you to confirm your intent to enroll and provide proof that you can cover tuition and living expenses for at least your first year. After that is approved, the university issues the I-20, which is the key immigration document you need to apply for the F-1 visa.

Once you have the I-20, you pay the SEVIS I-901 fee and complete the DS-160 online nonimmigrant visa application. Then you schedule your F-1 visa appointment, where you generally bring your passport, I-20, admission letter, financial documents, DS-160 confirmation, SEVIS fee receipt, and any embassy-specific required items.

If the visa is approved, you can travel to the U.S. up to 30 days before the program start date listed on your I-20. When you arrive, you should carry your passport, F-1 visa, I-20, and school contact information in your carry-on, not checked luggage.

After arrival, UH will usually require immigration check-in with the international student office and may ask for copies of your entry documents, such as your I-94 arrival record. You also need to stay enrolled full time and follow F-1 rules to keep your status valid.

If you are instead coming for a short exchange program, UH might use a J-1 visa rather than F-1, but degree-seeking students are most often F-1.