You can learn about getting a visa on our "Pre-Arrival" webpage. Please read below for an overview of different visas and documents:

F-1 student status:

You can apply for a F-1 visa if you plan to be a nonimmigrant student enrolling in academic programs at a university, college, high school, private elementary school, seminary, conservatory or another academic institution, including an English language program. More information about the government requirements is listed on their website.

J-1 Exchange Visitor visas:

This classification is for individuals approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs. All J-1 nonimmigrants must be sponsored by an organization that is designated by the Department of State.

WESLI can accept J-1 students part-time while fulfilling J-1 requirements, but we cannot process visa documentation for J-1 visas. 

An I-20:

An I-20 is a U.S. government document that allows you to study at WESLI. It lists your program start date and end date.

All the information on an I-20 needs to be up-to-date during your study at WESLI. It is a very important document, so please keep this form safe. Notify your school of any changes to your contact information, study dates, or travel plans.

It is possible to maintain your visa status by following the government rules. You must:

• have a valid I-20 from WESLI. If your I-20 is going to expire soon, talk to us.
• study full-time according to the US Government requirements.
• not accept off-campus employment.
• not let your passport expire.
• be in good standing with your school.

If you cannot keep your visa status, then you will need to leave the country.

Yes, you can transfer to another school. 

You must have both of these conditions:

• you are NOT out-of-status.
• another school in the U.S. has accepted you and you have a plan to study there, and you can provide documentation.

To prove this, show the new school’s acceptance letter to WESLI administrative staff. The new school will provide a transfer request form, and you need to sign it. Then, WESLI administrative staff will complete your transfer and send the form directly to the new school. WESLI doesn't complete the transfer. Contact your new school to check when you will be transferred.

Please note that there is only one I-20 record per student in the immigration system. Once your I-20 is transferred out of WESLI, it means you must report to the new school to study there. WESLI is no longer able to make any changes to your I-20 record. If you sign a transfer request form, but decide you don’t want to transfer to the new school, you must contact the new school immediately.

Submit an application on our website, including the required documents, and indicate that you are a transfer student.

We will send the necessary forms to you so you can transfer your SEVIS record from your other school to WESLI. One document will be a "Transfer In" document - you need to complete the top half and then give to your school so that they can submit the changes. Please note that you will need to start at our next available start date after you leave your previous school.

If you want to travel within the US, contact Student Services to get approved travel plans.

If you want to travel outside the U.S. and not return to the U.S., you don’t need to do anything.

If you want to travel outside the U.S. and return to the U.S., you must have WESLI administrative staff sign your I-20. You also must study full-time when you come back.

You cannot stay in the US on a F-1 student visa and not study full. There are limited situations where this is possible for students in crisis.

For students studying at least 10 months, you can take a 8-week session vacation (similar to a summer vacation) after studying for 8 months continuously. You must register before you leave for vacation for full-time classes for the session starting after your break.

For students transferring to the next school, you can transfer up to 5 months before the next available start date. During this time, you are not required to study.

If you finish your studies, you must leave the U.S. within 60 days of your last day of full-time study. Or you must transfer to another school within 60 days of your last day of full-time study.

Two Important Immigration Facts for F-1 Students:

• If you move, please email study@wesli.com with your address change within 10 days of your move.
• If you do not register for class and do not tell us your plans, your record in SEVIS (Immigration’s electronic record of students) will automatically be deleted. You will be out-of-status. This is a very big problem and part of your permanent immigration record.

Please talk to the administrative staff at WESLI if you have any questions about this information.

WESLI can issue the school documents you need to complete your change of status (COS). We recommend getting a lawyer to help you through the process.

To begin, complete the student application on our website and indicate that you are a change of status student. We will send you a confirmation email with next steps. Please note that there is an administrative COS fee of $200, as well as a nonrefundable tuition deposit of $2000, for this process.

Students may NOT enter the U.S. after the start date on the I-20. If you need to enter later, please tell us so that we can put that date on the I-20, allowing you to enter later.

Students may enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the date on the I-20. For example, if the start date on your I-20 is May 31, 2028, you may arrive in the U.S. between May 1, 2028 and May 31, 2028.

You must leave the country within 60 days of your last day of full-time study.