If you plan to fly, your final flight destination should be to John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. The airport code is CMH.
Traveling to Campus
Traveling to Campus
Congratulations on your admission to OHIO! Now your real journey begins as you prepare for and travel to campus.
Learn more about the documents you’ll need to carry with you to travel to the U.S., entering through the U.S. Port of Entry and making the trip to campus once you are in the U.S.
Preparing For Departure
Please be aware that students may not enter the U.S. any earlier than 30 days prior to the start date on their I-20 or DS-2019.
You should be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry to the United States. The Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has authority to deny admission at the US port-of-entry.
Students should carry all essential documents with them in their carry on luggage.
Essential Documents To Pack In Your Carry-on Luggage
Double check that you have all of your essential documents in your carry-on luggage:
- Valid Passport
- Valid Visa (Canadians are exempt from visa requirement)
- I-20 (F-1 Students) / DS-2019 (J-1 Students)
- SEVIS fee receipt
- Financial documents (used for your I-20 application)
Entering the U.S.
When making travel arrangements to the U.S., you should plan to enter the U.S. through a port of entry by air, land or sea. A port of entry is a place where one may lawfully enter a country, and it typically has security staff and facilities to check passports and visas.
Examples of arriving by air to a U.S. port of entry include airports such as O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois; JFK International Airport in New York City, New York; or Port of Washington-Dulles in Sterling, Virginia.
You can locate a port of entry, check border wait times and learn more about required entry forms on the Homeland Security website.
First Stop: U.S. Port of Entry
Once you arrive at the the U.S. Port of Entry, there may be two lines of entry: one for U.S. citizens and one for international visitors. A Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) inspector will review your documents and ask you a few questions about the purpose of your travel to the U.S.
Entry With Correct Documents
The CBP inspector will verify your travel documents, may stamp your passport with an official entry to the U.S. and record and issue an electronic I-94. If all is in order, the CBP inspector will:
Stamp Your Passport
If all is in order, the officer will admit you to the U.S. and will stamp your passport with:
- date and place of arrival
- immigration status
- expiration of your stay in status
It is unlikely that your form I-20 or DS-2019 will be stamped. They will return to you your passport and the Form I-20 or the DS-2019.
Issue Form I-94 Electronically
The Form I-94, "Arrival/Departure Record" is a critical record. It shows that you have been legally admitted to the United States, the class of admission, and the authorized period of stay. It is very important that the information on the record is correct.
Inconsistencies between the information on the Form I-94 and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records can reduce the chances of a successful systems interface. In particular, this can cause issues with status verification for Social Security numbers. The ISSS office will review your I-94 record during the arrival/orientation period and will take care of any discrepancies with Customs and Border Protection.
When you arrive at the port of entry by air, land or sea, an automated Form I-94 record will automatically be generated for you by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. You may access your arrival/departure information through the CBP I-94 website or the CBP One™ mobile app.
Report Your Arrival To SEVIS Electronically
The officer at the port of entry will report your arrival to SEVIS electronically. Ohio University will receive that report. You should plan to report to Ohio University by the arrival date on your Form I-20 or DS-2019 and attend international student orientation to register for classes.
It is essential that you report to Ohio University following the guidelines on this page. We are required to report this information to federal immigration officials if you do not.
You can learn more about reporting your arrival on the Maintaining F-1/J-1 Student Status pages.
Entry Without Correct Documents
If you try to enter the U.S. without all your required documents or with unsigned or missing information, the CBP officer may deny your entry into the U.S.
Alternatively, the officer might:
Issue a Form I-515
A Form I-515A, or "Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor," is a checklist that tells you what information is missing or incomplete and what your next steps should be. It is essential that you let the ISSS office know if you were issued a Form I-515 as we will help you with next steps.
The Study in the States website offers a more in-depth explanation of what a Form I-515 is and what you should do if you receive one.
Send You For Secondary Inspection
Sometimes students are sent to secondary inspection for additional questioning by an officer to verify their status.
If you are in need of support during arrival time for Ohio University, you can call our arrival and orientation line at 740.593.4339.
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Flying To the State of Ohio
Traveling to Ohio University
Once you have made it to the Columbus airport or into the state, there are multiple options for traveling to campus.
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GoBus
GoBus is public bus service that offers three daily trips to the Ohio University campus. Read the bus schedule carefully to confirm that a GoBus departure from John Glenn International Airport is available close to your expected arrival time. You should plan to debark from the GoBus at the Baker University Center stop. If your arrival is after the last GoBus trip for the day, plan to stay in a hotel stay in Columbus, Ohio for the night.
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Taxis and the University Shuttle
There are taxis and a university shuttle as travel options. If you are staying off-campus, you may need to call a taxi to take you from the GoBus Baker University Center bus stop to your final destination.
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Driving Directions
If you or your family is driving to the Ohio University campus, please see our driving directions.
What's Next?
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Report Your Arrival
It is essential that you let Ohio University know that you have arrived in the U.S.
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Update Your 'SEVIS US' Address and Phone Number
Once you arrive to campus, update your address and phone number in the Go OHIO app. ISSS is unable to report your arrival to the U.S. until you have confirmed your arrival by completing the 'Confirm Arrival' e-form and updated your SEVIS US address.