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I-20, DS-2019 and Transfer-In Requests

Admitted students to the Graduate School of Business, School of Medicine MD program, or Stanford Law School should contact their admissions office for the forms they are to use.

I-20 and DS-2019 Applications

Incoming international students submit I-20 and DS-2019 requests through an online process. We do not accept paper, fax, or email submissions.

After accepting your offer of admission:

  •  Make sure your computer operating language and keyboard are set to English (United States); choose Firefox as the browser (making sure you have the latest version) and also set its language to English (US); clear the browser's cache.
  • Log into your Axess account.
  • Scroll to the bottom and choose “Initiate I-20 or DS-2019 Request”.

Required Documents

You will need to upload the following, as PDFs:

  • Legible copy of your passport page(s): photo page with machine-readable strip. Also include page with current expiration date, if not on the same page.
  • Financial documents from all funding sources: letter of funding from your department and/or your bank statement and/or bank statement of whomever will provide funding.
  • Letter of Support: required only if financial support will be provided by an entity other than your department or yourself.
  • If you will be transferring your SEVIS record to Stanford from another U.S. institution, also upload the SEVIS transfer in form (below), copy of current I-20 or DS-2019, and I-94.

For technical assistance with submitting your I-20 or DS-2019 application, please submit a help ticket to Graduate Admissions.

I-20/DS-2019 approval is dependent upon the verification of University admission requirements (such as degree conferral, academic transcripts, receipt of official test scores and English proficiency) by Graduate Admissions, Office of the University Registrar.

EFS/Summer Session:

An incoming graduate student who has applied for the summer EFS intensive English program or any other summer Stanford program must first be approved by EFS or Summer Session before the I-20 or DS-2019 can be issued.

SEVIS Transfer-In Form

If you are currently an international student in the U.S. at another academic institution on an F-1 or J-1 visa (including going from an English language institute to an academic program) and you want to transfer your SEVIS record from that institution to Stanford then you will need to upload a completed SEVIS Transfer-In form, copy of your current I-20 or DS-2019,  and I-94 when submitting your I-20 or DS-2019 application.