Important: International Student Services for Summer Sessions provides visa services for visiting students only. If you are a current, future, or returning degree-seeking student at UC Berkeley and you have any questions about your visa status during the summer, please contact the Berkeley International Office (BIO) at internationaloffice.berkeley.edu
What is a Form I-20?
A Form I-20 is the certificate of eligibility issued by a Designated School Official (DSO) at the school where you wish to enroll. It shows that you have been admitted to an F-1 approved school and provides information about your program and dates of study.
Do I need an I-20?
You will need an I-20 from UC Berkeley if you plan to be enrolled full-time through Berkeley Summer Sessions and if during the semester prior to the summer you are ANY of the following:
- Outside the United States
- Attending another U.S. school as an F-1 or J-1 student, and you do not plan to resume your studies at that school or another U.S. school after Summer Sessions. (See our transfer page for more information);
- In the United States in a nonimmigrant status (e.g., J-1, F-2) and you want to change to F-1. (Contact visiting-intl@berkeley.edu immediately for instructions. This process will require travel outside the United States and re-entry with an appropriate visa.)
You will not need an I-20 from UC Berkeley if you are ANY of the following:
- Attending another U.S. school in F-1 or J-1 status and you plan to resume your studies at that school immediately after Summer Sessions. Your I-20/DS-2019 must have an end date after the end of Summer Sessions (August). If so, you are allowed to take classes part-time or full-time at UC Berkeley during Summer Sessions only;
- In the United States in a nonimmigrant status other than F-1 or J-1 and that status allows you to be a full-time or part-time student;
- A continuing F-1 or J-1 UC Berkeley degree-seeking student who was enrolled in the spring semester prior to Summer Sessions. You should already have an I-20 or DS-2019; check the expiration date to make sure it will remain valid for the summer. If you have any questions, please contact the Berkeley International Office (BIO).
UCEAP Spring semester students who want to extend their studies into summer. Please contact the Berkeley International Office (BIO) for instructions on extending your DS-2019 end date.
If you've determined that you need an I-20, please review Requesting an I-20.