International Check-in and Orientation

All F-1 new arrivals, travel reinstatement students, and students with change-of-status approval to F1/F2 must  complete the mandatory Virtual New Student Check-in. 

Prepare copies of the following documents in .PDF format and email them to oiss.international@hccs.edu. Include your HCC ID and "Check-in" in the subject line of the email.

F-1 New arrival & Travel Reinstatement- immediately after arriving in the U.S.A.

1. Completed International Student Check-In Form
2. Form I-20* 
3. Passport (photo page)* 
4. F-1 Visa page*/** 
5. I-94* - you can print your Most Recent I-94 at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov.  If you receive an error that your I-94 was "Not Found", follow the directions in this document to request a correction to your I-94 record: I-94 Correction Instructions
6. Receipt of online payment for the $50.00 orientation fee – you can pay this with a credit card online through the PeopleSoft / Student Account sign-in . For more information, see International Payment Tutorial
7. Receipt of SEVIS fee I-901. You can retrieve the receipt from http://www.fmjfee.com/.

 **Citizens of Canada and Bermuda should provide copy of the passport entry stamp indicating D/S.

 Change-of-Status Approved

1. Completed International Student Check-In Form
2. Form I-20* 
3. Copy of the COS Approval Notice  I-797A*
4. Receipt of online payment for the $50.00 orientation fee – you can pay this with a credit card online through the PeopleSoft / Student Account sign-in . For more information, see 

*Provide this document for all dependents (spouse/ children) on F-2 visa

Once you submit all required documents, our office will remove the International Advisement Required Hold from your account. Please review and follow the Next Steps for New F-1 Students

To complete the F-1 onboarding process, connect with the Enrollment Services staff located on the HCC campuses  or via HCC Virtual Lobby.

 

The International Student Orientation is mandatory for all incoming New, Change-of-Status, Transfer and Reinstatement international F-1 students. If you do not attend the International Student Orientation, you will be blocked from enrolling at HCC for the next semester until you have met the orientation requirement. 

Mandatory International Student Orientations | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (You are required to attend only ONE orientation.)

• Virtual: December 14: Register Here
• Face-to-Face: Saturday, January 6 at HCC Alief Hayes Auditorium, 2811 Hayes Rd, Houston, TX 77082:Registration TBA
• Face-to-Face: January 11 at HCC Central Campus Auditorium, 1300 Holman St, Houston, TX 77004: Registration TBA

 

International Student Orientation will cover SEVIS, Health Insurance, ESOL, Advising, Academic Integration, Title IX and student engagement.

The Virtual orientation will take place through Webex. An invitation will be sent to your primary email to complete the registration form which will be included in the invite. It is advisable to download and install the Webex application in advance of the orientation day.

To register, you only need to provide your last and first names, a valid email address, and your HCC ID number on the left side of the registration form. After you complete the registration process, you will receive an email confirming your registration. It is important to note that you will only be able to join the session 15 minutes before the start time. It is important to ensure that your calendar is configured to use the Central Time (CT) zone. Please make sure to check your primary email in your HCC student account regularly to ensure that you receive all communications from our office.

You are welcome to take classes at any of the HCC campuses. However, we kindly ask you to choose your preferred HCC campus, which is either closer to your home or where you plan to take most of the classes. This helps us to improve your HCC experience and assign you an academic advisor.

If you choose the face-to-face orientation, arrive earlier to park and bring your registration form.