New Student Arrival and Orientation

Prepare for your arrival to St. Louis by preparing to meet with immigration. You will go through immigration at the first U.S. airport you enter, or if you are a citizen of Canada you will speak with an agent at the Canadian/U.S. Border.  
 
You will be asked several questions, and we recommend you prepare to answer questions, as well as provide documentation. Please remember you will need to communicate your intent to enroll at Saint Louis University, and you should know Saint Louis University's campus address: 
 
1 North Grand Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63108 

Documents

You may be asked to provide the following documents, so do not pack them in your checked baggage:

•  I-20 or DS-2019 (It is strongly recommended you enter the U.S. with your Saint Louis University I-20. If you received a visa for another school and plan to attend SLU, you can use your SLU I-20 with the visa for the other school. Students entering the U.S. with a SLU I-20 with the intention of transferring to another university will encounter challenges. Best practice is to enter the United States with an I-20 matching your destination university.
• Passport 
• F-1 or J-1 student visa  
• SLU admission letter 
• Financial documents 
• Receipt for the SEVIS fee (Form I-797 or a printout of your receipt) 
• The name for our director of international student services, Rebecca Bahan (rebecca.bahan@slu.edu)  

Note: You may not arrive in the U.S. more than 30 days before the start date on the I-20. If you arrive early, you may be denied entry into the United States. Please plan your travel accordingly. 

Transferring Students 

If you have arrived on a Saint Louis University I-20, but plan to attend a different university, follow the transfer out procedure for new students. 

If you are transferring to Saint Louis University from another institution, please contact your current Designated School Official and request your SEVIS record to be transferred to Saint Louis University, SEVIS code KAN214F10192000. 

Airport Shuttle

A shuttle from St. Louis Lambert International Airport to the Saint Louis University campus will be available on select dates. Airport shuttle dates for students arriving in January 2025 will be January 6th, 7th, and 8th.

There will also be a SLU Information Desk on select dates (January 2025 dates will be announced soon), with a representative to assist students at the airport. 

• Terminal 1 Information Desk: Next to exit 15 on the arrival level (lower level)
• Terminal 2 Information Desk: Right of Exit 12 on the baggage claim level

When airport shuttle availability opens for January arrivals, students can request airport pickup through a form in your student portal, under your checklist items. Undergraduate students, this form will be in your Billiken Gateway portal. Graduate students, please log in to your SLU Grad applicant portal. 

Transportation

• A taxi from the airport to Saint Louis University campus will cost around $50 USD. Taxis for hire are outside the baggage claim area.
• Uber and Lyft both operate from St. Louis International Airport. These transportation services can be accessed via smartphone apps.
• There is also an airport shuttle service, Go Best Express. This is like a shared taxi that will take several passengers at once. They offer a discount to Saint Louis University students. If you use this service, identify yourself as a SLU student, and ask for the discount.
• The MetroLink, St. Louis' light rail system, is a good option if you you do not have much baggage and are not arriving late at night. Get off at the Grand Station stop. Saint Louis University is located a few blocks north.

Directions

If you are arriving during business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday) go to Des Peres Hall, 3694 West Pine Mall, St. Louis, MO, 63108. Des Peres Hall is the building displaying flags representing SLU's international population.

If you are arriving before 8:30 a.m., after 5 p.m., or on a weekend, go to Wool Center, 3545 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63108. A Public Safety officer can help you find your on-campus housing (students living off campus should plan to stay in a hotel).

Bring your passport and I-20 to our required check in at our Welcome Suite! Transfer students will need to bring their SLU acceptance letter as well. This is separate from Immigration Registration which will be completed after orientation.

Fall 2 Start 2024 Welcome Suite

Students starting at SLU in October 2024 will complete their required check-in at orientation on Oct. 18.  

Spring 2025 Welcome Suite

Des Peres Hall; January 6- 17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

This in-person check-in is required. If you do not check-in by January 17, you will be dropped from classes and your I-20 canceled.

International Student Orientation is held before the start of the Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters. You will have the chance to get adjusted to life on campus and in the U.S. before classes start. You will take care of immigration registration with our office, meet other international students and connect with student ambassadors who will make you feel welcome. You will also prepare for your academic experience — meet faculty and learn about American higher education culture. 

Fall 2 Start 2024 New International Student Orientation

Graduate, Undergraduate, Pathway and English Language Programs

• Friday October 18, 2024, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Busch Student Center 251
• Lunch will be served
• Orientation is mandatory for all new students starting classes October 21 

Spring 2025 New International Student Orientation

Graduate, Undergraduate, Pathway, and English Language Programs

• Friday, January 10, 2025, time TBA
  Busch Student Center, Wool Ballrooms
• Breakfast and lunch will be served
• Orientation is mandatory for all new students

Please note: All new students must arrive in time to participate in the programming which includes meetings and introductions to Saint Louis University. In addition to general new student information and assistance with transitioning to the University, there will be mandatory academic meetings to guide and inform you on SLU policies and opportunities to meet with advisors and faculty from your program of study. 

Immigration Registration  

To activate your I-20 or DS-2019, you will need to complete the Immigration Registration process on the International Student Portal within 30 days of the start date printed on your I-20. Review the steps below to prepare for completing the immigration registration process. When ready, click the button below to go to the International Student Portal to complete your registration (Clicking the button will take you to an external system to register.) 
 
Note: Students who do not register within 30-days of arrival in the United States will be at risk for a canceled visa. 
 
Launch SLU's International Student Portal 
 
Navigate to your mySLU account to update your local St Louis address in Banner Self Service. 
 
Scan the documents listed below to your computer to begin the registration process: 

1. Watch the Immigration Registration Presentation. 
2. Navigate to your mySLU account to update your local St Louis address in Banner Self Service.
3. • I-20 or DS-2019  
     
   • Visa 
     
   • Passport 
     
   • I-94
4. Log into the International Student Portal with your mySLU credentials. (You can also find the portal by navigating to slu.edu/international-service, and clicking on “Launch the International Student Portal,” the blue button on the bottom left of your screen.)  
5. Log in with your regular SLU credentials. If this is your first time logging in, you may be asked some questions. After you have answered all the questions, you will be directed to the homepage.
6. Click the third tab on the righthand side: "Student Request Center." You will then see two icons for requests. Click on “New Student Immigration Check-In.”
7. Complete the form and upload the required documents.
8. Once all the above have been completed, you can click the submit button to complete your registration. 

We are here to support your transition to the United States and to SLU.  We encourage students to take time to learn about our campus, meet new people and explore the area. Throughout the semester we will offer social activities so you can build community and offer seminars to help you learn about the American culture. Additionally, we will guide you every step of the way with information you need to know about immigration, opportunities for employment, and how to navigate Curricular Practical Training.   

Here are some links to resources for students to help them while at SLU: 

• Campus Recreation and Wellness
  
• Career Services 
  
• Student Health Services 
  
• University Counseling (link to https://www.slu.edu/life-at-slu/university-counseling/) 
  
• Student Involvement Center 
  
• Get to Know STL