Accepted International Students – Undergraduate

Admitted first-year international students are required to submit a $200 enrollment deposit to reserve their place to start the registration process. The deposit is applied to your first-semester tuition at Concordia and is not a separate fee.

• Login to your application portal to pay your deposit OR mail a check to Concordia University, Office of Admissions

The deposit is non-refundable after May 1 for Fall starts and December 1 for Spring starts.

Once you have completed your acknowledgment of acceptance and paid your $200 deposit, an electronic I-20 will be processed and emailed to you. Processing of your I-20 can take up to four business days. Please print your e-copy and bring it with you to your Visa interview.

Information for transferring your SEVIS record to CSP can be found here: Transfer Information Form (PDF)

• Go to the website for your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate and follow the instructions on how to obtain a non-immigrant F-1 student visa.

• Sign the front page of your I-20 in blue ink and schedule your F-1 visa appointment by following the instructions on your local Embassy/Consulate website.

• Pay the SEVIS 1-901 fee here

• Pay the visa application fee by following the instructions on your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate website.

• Obtain and complete a student visa application form DS-160. View the DS-160 form here.

• Prepare the following items and bring them to your visa interview:
  • Completed visa application
  • Original I-20 form and the admission letter sent by Concordia University, St. Paul
  • SEVIS 1-901 fee payment receipt
  • Nonrefundable visa application fee
  • Passport valid for at least six months beyond the expiration of your I-20
  • Two identical color photographs. (2×2 inches or 5×5 cm)
  • Original school transcripts and public examination certificates, including a student copy of your TOEFL, IETLS, GMAT, or GRE score report if applicable
  • Medical examination results in an envelope sealed by the medical office
  • Official documentation to prove your financial support
  • Any evidence that demonstrates strong ties to your country or any other residence outside of the USA
  • All other documents listed on the visa application specific to your country

All students are required to submit a transcript evaluation for each international degree earned at your previous level. (ie: Bachelor’s students must complete a high school transcript evaluation, Master’s students must complete a bachelor’s transcript evaluation, etc.)

The transcript evaluation must be ordered from a company who is a member of NACES. To find a list of NACES members, click here.

Students should order a “general analysis” transcript evaluation. You do not need to order the “course analysis” transcript evaluation unless you wish to transfer in international credits to Concordia.

Students who do not turn in a transcript evaluation will have a hold placed on their account in the first semester.

While students may choose to order from any NACES member they wish, Concordia has a partnership with SpanTran: The Evaluation Company. Their online application form can be found below for your convenience.

• SpanTran Application – Concordia University, St. Paul

The following students qualify for a transcript evaluation waiver and are exempt from this requirement:

• SACM-sponsored students who are not transferring credits from schools outside the US
• Soonchunhyang University exchange students
• United International College (UIC) exchange students

Your CSP Network Account will be created approximately one week after you are admitted. At that time, you will be emailed more information to help you get started (subject line: CSP Network Account Information).

Your network account allows you access to Blackboard (our learning portal) and your CSP email (Gmail) and will be used throughout your time as a Golden Bear.

Follow our step-by-step tutorial to set up your network account:

• Mobile Device Instructions
• Computer Instructions

SPRING 2023 STUDENTS:

The class registration form is used to determine your class schedule. Follow the steps below to get placed in classes:

1. Complete the Registration Form (CSP application login required)

2. Submit the $200 Enrollment Deposit through your application portal (you will not be registered for classes without your deposit).

Your schedule will be created and emailed to you approximately two weeks after both this form and the $200 enrollment deposit have been received.

FALL 2023 STUDENTS

Registration for Fall 2023 students will open March 2023.

Students Living On Campus

Undergraduate international students are encouraged, but not required, to live on campus. To be placed in an on campus residence hall, please complete and submit the housing application.

• Complete the Housing Application

Helpful Info:

• First-year students must also submit the $200 enrollment deposit in order to receive a housing assignment
• The first round of housing assignments will be made in June (for the fall term). You will receive an email from Residence Life with your assignment, as well as more details about living on campus at that time
• View the Residence Life website to learn more about our residence halls, campus housing details, and more

Students Living Off Campus

Planning to live off campus? Learn about all of the resources available to you as part of our thriving commuter community!

Students Requiring Housing Accommodations

Students requiring any accommodations should complete the housing accommodation form and contact Student Accessibility Services at sas@csp.edu as soon as possible when applying for housing.

The deadline for accommodation requests is May 1 for fall term and December 1 for spring term.

Off Campus Housing

There are multiple organizations in Minneapolis and St. Paul offering host families (homestays) for short-term and long-term housing while you are here studying in Minnesota. Some of these organizations are faith-based and others are not. You should do your research online and/or by contact other international students who have stayed with host families in the past before committing to an organization or family.

Additionally, there are several resources available to help in your search to secure rental off-campus housing once you arrive on campus. Concordia University’s convenient location offers students a wide variety of housing locations. There are several on campus options to consider prior to looking off campus. However, if you are interested in living off campus, the resources listed below are to help you find an ideal location.

• Once you identify a home or an apartment that seems suitable, you should schedule a visit to walk through the unit and discuss several items. Each property handles fees differently. Fees to discuss with the property owner include but are not limited to, utilities, water, gas, Internet, cable, and garbage removal, as well as on street or off street parking should you decide to own a car.
• When you decide on a suitable property you will be required to sign a lease, which is a binding legal document. It is important to read very carefully over the lease agreement and to make sure that anything that you discussed with the property owner is stated clearly in the lease agreement. Typically lease agreements are in twelve-month intervals, but can vary so be sure to find out the duration of your lease agreement.

Neighborhoods to consider: Midway, Thomas-Dale, Summit University, Macalester Groveland, Como, Longfellow

Students on an F-1 visa are required by the U.S. government to attend  new student orientation which includes important information about visa status. Concordia University offers an in-person orientation for students approximately one week prior to the start of classes.

Additional information about the orientation, what to expect, and where to log in can be found on CSP’s International Student Services website.

Prior to International Admitted Student Day orientation, we do ask you to complete our initial online orientation, which should be reviewed prior to the start of your classes. There is valuable information within this orientation that will be essential throughout your time at CSP.

Students need to be physically present in St. Paul, Minnesota for International Admitted Student Day. Please make the necessary arrangements in your travel plans to accommodate in-person orientation.

Review this important information at your own pace before classes begin.  Once you complete it, you can refer back to it anytime.

• View the Online Orientation
  *Login to the orientation using your full CSP email address and password

Minnesota State law requires proof of immunization. Please complete the Immunization Form prior to attending orientation.

• Immunization Form

Please note: Immunizations submitted in any format other than the online form cannot be accepted

All F-1 international students will be enrolled in health insurance through the university. Health insurance is required for all F-1 international students.

• Learn more about health insurance at CSP

The following F-1 students are eligible for a health insurance waiver:

• Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) students
• Students with employer-provided health insurance (CPT)
• Exchange students from SoonChunHyang University, United International College and InfoLink
• Student athletes

All students must have a laptop computer to use in and out of the classroom. Feel free to select the device that is best for your learning style and career goals.

Each incoming student must submit a photo to Card Services to be used for their CSP ID.

• Learn more and submit your photo on the Card Services website

ID cards will be available for pickup at Card Services (Meyer Hall 124) during the first week of classes.

If you plan to park on campus or commute to your classes, you must register any vehicles with CSP Security.

To register your vehicle(s) online please go to our parking permit registration site.

Ensure you have the following information available:

• Your name, phone number and address
• Your student ID number
• Your vehicle make, model, VIN number and license plate

Once you register online, you can pickup your permit from our CSP Security office (Meyer Hall 124) during the first week of classes.

We know that most of you are new to CSP, and as you prepare for your first day of class, you may be wondering how you will navigate around campus. We want to help!

To view your class schedule:

• Login to Blackboard using your CSP network account credentials
• Click on “Student Page” found under the University Links section
• In the “Registration Tools” drop-down, select “Class Schedules”
• At the next screen, choose the semester you’d like to see and click “Submit”
• Prior to the first day of classes your schedule will be updated with the classroom building code and room number your class will be held in

To find your classrooms on campus, please reference this map.

Still not sure where to go? Feel free to stop by the Office of Admissions (LMC 100) or the Office of International Student Services (Luther 116) and we will be happy to help.

Concordia is one of the first universities to partner with Microsoft to license Microsoft Office for all students. This software is available at no cost to students and the license allows installation on up to five devices owned by the student.

Questions about technology? View the CSP Help Desk website or contact them at helpdesk@csp.edu or 651-641-8866.

Determine the accommodations that may be available to you at Concordia by contacting Student Accessibility Services at sas@csp.edu.

Visit Concordia’s Student Accessibility Services webpage for more information.