Salisbury University students on campus

Immigration & Arrival

After completing the admissions process and before making travel arrangements to come to the Salisbury University, as a foreign national, you will need to obtain an appropriate U.S. visa.

Applying for a US Visa

Whether you are applying for a F-1 or a J-1 visa, you must submit the necessary paperwork through your Future Sea Gull Portal. This includes:

  • Declaration of Finances form
  • Supporting financial documents (examples are bank statements, government loan or scholarship forms, letters of financial support)
  • Copy of your passport

Following the submission of all required documents, an international enrollment officer from Salisbury University will reach out to discuss next steps in applying for your student visa.

Salisbury University does not accept Change of Status (CoS) applications for ESL-only study. The English Language Institute (ELI) supports students who are conditionally admitted to undergraduate degree programs or participating in dual enrollment through the ELI Bridge Program. Form I-20s are issued only for degree-seeking students or those in approved dual enrollment programs.

Spring (January) 2026 Pre-Arrival Information

Once you’ve obtained your student visa, the next step is to plan for your arrival to Salisbury University! New students should plan to fly into the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) on Thursday, January 22. More details are in the sections below.

Arrival in the United States

If you are coming to the US in F or J status for the first time:

  • You may not enter the country more than 30 days prior to the start date listed on the I-20/DS-2019.
  • Academic program start dates are established by Salisbury University and cannot be changed; you are advised to plan your travel accordingly.

If you are already in the US in F or J status:

  • You are not bound to the 30-day rule.
  • However, F-1 students transferring to SU from another school in the U.S. must report to the International Enrollment Services Office within 15 days of the program start date listed on Penn’s I-20.
  • Individuals in all other immigration categories should contact international@salisbury.edu about how early they can arrive.

Note: Students should enter the US only in immigration statuses that permit full-time study, namely F-1 or J-1. For example, full-time study is not permitted for those in the B-1/B-2 and WB/WT visa categories. It is strongly advised that one not attempt to change status from visitor to student while in the US as it is both risky and time-consuming.

Before boarding an international flight:

  • You should be sure to hand-carry your passports, immigration documents, and other supporting documentation so that you can present them to an immigration officer upon arrival in the US.
  • At the Port of Entry, the admitting officer will inspect the documents and provide a US entry/admission stamp in your passport.

Traveling to Salisbury University

Salisbury University provides transportation for new students as part of the International Takeoff Week program. New students should plan to fly into the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) on Thursday, January 22. Transportation will depart BWI at 9:00 pm local time for Salisbury University.

Note: Students should be prepared for two hours or more to proceed through immigration at the airport. The shuttle will depart BWI at 9:00 pm. If a student is not on the shuttle when it departs, they will be responsible for their own transportation to campus.

Your First Night at Salisbury University

Students will arrive on campus at approximately 11:00 pm on January 22 if they take the SU transportation. They will be dropped off at their residence halls and check in with the Residence Life staff for their room assignments.

Your room assignment will be visible in your Future Sea Gull Portal, including room layout information.

Students are encouraged to ship bedding and other room materials ahead of arrival. The International Enrollment Services team will have your items for you when you check into your residence hall.

If you want to ship items to your room before you arrive, you should send them to:

International Enrollment Services
Salisbury University
1101 Camden Avenue
Salisbury, MD 21801-6860
United States

Items must arrive to campus by Tuesday, January 20 to ensure they are at your residence halls when you arrive.

International Takeoff Program at Salisbury University

The International Takeoff Program is a mandatory program (January 23) for all new international students. This program is designed to help you transition to SU and the U.S. and complete government check-in so you can be registered in SEVIS. This program will lead right into January Orientation, the new student orientation program for all SU students (January 24-25).

Additional information will be shared about the International Takeoff Program with students directly in January.