Getting to Gould: What You Need to Know Now from USC

ORIENTATION STATION 4

November 30, 2022

We look forward to seeing you online tomorrow, Thursday, December 1, starting at 9:00 AM PST for our compulsory Orientation session followed by our Registration Information Session! If you haven’t registered, do so immediately – see “Upcoming Events” section below.

Also, if you haven’t yet completed our brief Arrival Survey please do so immediately today. If your plans change after completing our survey please inform us via email at gipadmissions@law.usc.edu (in subject line, type “Arrival”).

This week’s e-bulletin also provides information about the visa check process (“Passport Verification”) which is important for our international students.

Passport Verification

If you will be studying at USC on an F-1 or J-1 visa, please review this Passport Verification (PPV) information carefully. PPV is a process conducted by our Office of International Services (OIS) to verify a student’s immigration status.

All students who arrive in the U.S. for the first time in fall 2022 or transfer their SEVIS record from another U.S. institution (and have not left the U.S.) must complete PPV. If you are in the process of applying for your U.S. permanent residence, you are still required to complete PPV. U.S. citizens do not need to complete PPV.

Please note that if PPV is required for you, you must complete it upon arrival to the U.S. before you may register for fall classes. Once you have completed PPV, OIS will remove your PPV hold (STU60/STU50/OIS70) within 3 business days of the submission date so that you may register for classes.

OIS Passport Verification Instructions

----STEP 1. Activate your USC NetID Account Services.

----STEP 2. Watch the New Student Information Session video and review the PowerPoint Version.

----STEP 3. Login to the PPV Document Submission System.

F-1 Students – Required Documents

USC I-20 pages 1 and 2 (sample document)
Passport photo ID page (sample document)
I-94 (Visit this website & click Get Most Recent I-94)

If the website does not load your I-94, take a photo of your visa stamp in your passport (example) and upload it to PPV.

-----4. Travel History (Visit this website & click View Travel History)

If the website does not load your Travel History, complete this form and upload it to PPV.

-----5. F-1 student visa ID page (Canadian citizens exempt) (sample document)

J-1 Students – Required Documents

1. USC DS-2019 page 1

2. Passport photo page with expiration date and passport number (sample document)

3. I-94 (Visit this website & click Get Most Recent I-94)

If the website does not load your I-94, take a photo of your visa stamp in your passport (example) and upload it to PPV.

4. Travel History (Visit this website & click View Travel History)

If the website does not load your Travel History, complete this form and upload it to PPV.

5. J-1 student visa (Canadian citizens exempt) (sample document)

Maintaining Immigration Status

F-1 and J-1 international students must comply with immigration regulations in order to maintain their student status.

For questions regarding your I-20 or visa, please email OIS at ois@usc.edu.

If you do not plan to study at USC in person in Fall 2022, please notify us immediately at gipadmissions@law.usc.edu to get an updated I-20 for your future entry.

Important Dates

November 28

Student Profile due via Admitted Students Portal

November 30

Deadline for completing our Arrival Survey (see above)

December 1

Orientation – Admitted Students Portal Review & Registration Info Session (compulsory – see below)

December 1-2

Tech Orientation & Registration Drop-In (strongly recommended - see below)

December 9

Law School 101 and Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, Professionalism & Academic Support Presentation (details will be shared in the next ebulletin)

December 10

Date by which we recommend international students on visas enter the U.S. to complete visa check and register for Spring 2023 classes*

December 12

Registration deadline for Harvard Zero-L

December 15

Date by which we recommend that you set up all of your USC accounts so that you may register for classes (watch for email informing of your lawmail account around December 9)

December 16

Web Registration opens on a first come, first served basis*

December 17- January 2

USC Gould (including our office) closed for Winter Recess - during Winter Recess we will not be able to answer any emails

January 3

USC Gould (including our office) reopens after Winter Recess

January 5

USC Housing opens for students to move in

January 6-7

Orientation (compulsory) – schedule will be provided in mid-December

January 6

Deadline for tuition payment

January 9

First Day of Classes

*International Students: If you are entering the U.S. on an F-1 visa, we strongly recommend that you enter the U.S. by December 10, as you must complete passport/visa verification upon arrival to the U.S. before you can register for classes. Plan for at least 3 business days between passport verification and clearance for registration.

Upcoming Events

Orientation – Admitted Students Portal Review & Registration Info Session (compulsory)

These virtual sessions via Zoom will review our Admitted Students Portal and what you need to know to register for your classes. Your attendance is required – you must register for both in advance:

December 1, 2022, 09:00 – 11:30 AM Pacific Time

Click here to register for Admitted Students Portal Review

Click here to register for Registration Info Session

Tech Orientation (strongly recommended)

Become tech ready by understanding student technology requirements and learning how to set up and activate all of your USC accounts. No registration is required but your attendance is strongly recommended. You can choose one of the two offered sessions (join via link with passcode):

December 1, 2022, 05:00 PM Pacific Time

Meeting ID: 989 3737 9732

Passcode: techtastic

December 2, 2022, 08:00 AM Pacific Time

Meeting ID: 974 1719 9841

Passcode: techtastic