Graduate Student Arrival Guide

Immigration Document

Your immigration document, Form I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1), has been sent to your email. Please read Immigration Requirements for Entry to the United States for information about the visa application process and arrival to the US. Begin going through our Checklist for New Students. We recommend scheduling a visa appointment as soon as possible, as it can be difficult to secure a timely appointment at some consulates.

Plan Your Travel

You can enter the United States as early as 30 days before your program start date. The start date is indicated on the Program of Study section on page 1 of the Form I-20 or section 3 of the Form DS-2019. Learn what documents to carry and what to expect when you arrive in the US. Make sure you have a plan for where you will be staying upon arrival if you are not able to move into your on- or off-campus housing immediately. Be prepared for your trip from Logan Airport to Tufts.

Please review our Getting Started Resource Guide for useful information on a variety of topics.

Tuition and Fee Payments

Financing your education can be complicated. Please remember that in order to obtain your immigration document, you demonstrated that you (or your sponsor) are able to finance your entire education and living expenses while studying at Tufts University. You should, therefore, come to Tufts University fully expecting to personally finance your education, with the exception of any scholarship or assistantship funds that you may have been granted. Be sure you are also prepared to cover living expenses in the US or travel costs for summer and winter breaks. The University provides practically no loans to international students, and part-time jobs on campus are limited. The US Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) regulations also severely limit off-campus employment, especially during the first nine months of school.

Housing

Medford Campus

There are very limited housing spaces available on-campus for graduate students. Review the Residential Life and Learning website to determine the availability of any on-campus housing for your school. Other housing resources can be found on the International Center website. You should plan to arrive 2-3 weeks before classes begin to settle yourself in and secure off-campus housing.

Boston Health Sciences Campus

There are limited dorm spaces available on-campus for MD, MBS, and Public Health graduate programs at the Posner Hall Dormitory. Students in the MBS and PHPD program may visit the Posner Hall dormitory website or contact med-osa@tufts.edu for more information. Other housing resources can be found on the School of Medicine’s website, the Friedman School’s website, and on the International Center website under Housing Resources. You should plan to arrive 2-3 weeks before classes begin in order to settle yourself in and secure off-campus housing.

Grafton Campus

There is no on-campus housing at the Cummings Veterinary School. To learn about housing options, please visit the Cummings Campus Resources website.

Money

We recommend that you carry sufficient small amounts of cash and credit/debit cards to cover your expenses for the first few weeks of your stay here, until you can open a US bank account or receive funds from abroad. Initial start-up expenses (not including tuition and fees) for graduate students include apartment deposits, food, rent, and some miscellaneous expenses. Total estimated start-up figures will range from $2,500 to $6,000.

A deposit of three months' rent may be required to secure an apartment. An individual's rent averages $800 to $2,500 per month, depending upon whether one shares an apartment.

If you will be funded by a teaching or research assistantship, you may not receive your first paycheck until one month after the start of school, so be prepared to cover all costs until that time.

All international students must complete health requirements and review insurance information before arriving at Tufts University. All students must be enrolled in an approved health insurance plan and pay the student health services fee each semester. Please direct all questions regarding health insurance and immunizations to the appropriate office below.

Health Insurance & Immunizations

Students of Health Sciences Campus and Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

If you have any questions about health insurance or immunizations, contact Student Advisory and Health Administration Office (SAHA).

Students of Arts, Sciences & Engineering, SMFA, and Fletcher

If you have any questions about health insurance or immunizations, contact Tufts Health Service.