International Admissions

The first thing we recommend is meeting your future classmates through an exclusive Facebook group for newly admitted students. Be sure to share your excitement about coming to North Park and use the hashtag #NewNorthParkers to connect with other students.

Your $200 tuition deposit confirms your intention to enroll at North Park University, and it is a credit toward your first semester bill. You can pay this deposit via check or debit/credit card.  To pay online, use your application email and password to log into your Self-Service account.

PAY YOUR DEPOSIT

Tuition deposits are refundable until:

• May 1: Fall Semester
• December 15: Spring Semester

Now that you’ve paid your tuition deposit you should expect an email from North Park’s Information Technology Department with your NPU username and email address. To activate your NPU account, you just need to set your password and setup the multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Activate Account

After your network account is activated, you will be able to:

• • Use your North Park email address
  • Pay housing deposits
  • Register for classes
  • Access other campus resources

After you have paid your tuition deposit, you are eligible to register for classes. Beginning in mid-April (for the fall semester) or early November (for the spring), registration information will be sent to your North Park email as soon as registration opens.  Contact your recruiter for more information about registration.

As an international student, you can expect:

• Be registered for full-time courses, between 12-17 credit hours (4-6 classes)
• Your schedule will include both major courses and core curriculum courses (courses not associated with your major but required for all students, i.e. Intro to Bible, Global History, Physical and Life Science, etc.)
• If you are a transfer student, you can access you transfer evaluation at Self-Service. Please review your evaluation carefully and contact your admissions counselor with questions. You can also read about understanding your evaluation.
• There will be a designated time during Threshold for you to meet with an advisor to make schedule changes as necessary.

We are excited to have you join the North Park community. We need to know if you plan to live on campus or if you are an eligible commuter student. We encourage students to live on campus so you can socialize with individuals of diverse backgrounds and interests.

On-Campus Housing

You are eligible to apply for on-campus housing only after you have been accepted and at least 24 hours after you have paid your tuition deposit.  To apply:

• Pay your $250 housing deposit. (F1 Visa Holders Only)
• After you have paid your housing deposit, housing information and instructions are sent to deposited students beginning in February (for fall semester) and October (for spring semester).
• You will receive an on-campus housing assignment after you have registered for your first-semester courses.

This housing deposit is held the whole time you are a student at North Park University and returned to you when you graduate.  The deposit amount you receive back when you graduate may be less than $250 if any damage fees were assessed to campus housing in which you live.

HOUSING DEPOSIT

Commuting Options

If you plan on commuting, you must complete the commuter application.  You will be eligible to commute from off-campus if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You are commuting from a primary residence within 40 miles of campus where you live with a parent or legal guardian
• You have senior status (90 or more credit hours)
• You are at least 21 years old on September 1 of the current academic year
• You are married

COMMUTER FORM

If you have received your I-20 or DS-2019 and it is marked initial attendance (I-20) or begin new program (DS-2019), you can begin the visa process.  If you have not yet received an I-20 or DS-2019, please contact the international recruiter.

PAY YOUR SEVIS FEE

• Your SEVIS ID will be printed on your I-20 or DS-2019 and begins with “N”
• Print a copy of your online receipt to have with you during your interview and for when you travel to the United States

APPLY FOR AN F-1 OR J-1 VISA

• • You’ll be able to schedule your visa interview after completing the DS-160 application

Prepare and bring to your visa interview the following:

• • • Passport valid for at least 6 months after your intended period of stay
    • Form I-20 or DS-2019 signed in blue ink
    • Acceptance letter
    • DS-160 & I-901 receipts
    • Proof of funding (updated bank statements)
    • Be prepared to discuss WHY you are choosing to come to North Park
    • Proof that you will return to your home country following the degree program
    • Remain calm and answer honestly and openly

J-1 Visa Holders: The United States requires all individuals to have health insurance.  As an international student, we will verify that you have a suitable insurance policy at the start of each semester.  Below are the minimum policy requirements that we will check for:

Type of Coverage	Federal Minimum Required Insurance Coverage
Medical Benefits	$100,000
Repatriation of Remains	$25,000
Medical Evacuation	$50,000
Deductible per accident or illness	$500

North Park offers a comprehensive insurance plan for which you as an international student can purchase:

INSURANCE POLICY

North Park mails your first fall semester bill around July 1, and sends spring semester bills in early December. Students must pay their bills in full, or have an approved payment plan in place with the Office of Financial Aid by the published deadline.

You cannot register for your second semester of classes until your first semester bill is settled (either paid in full or current in an approved payment plan). You can view and make payments on your bill online through Self Service (use your North Park network account to log in).

Immunization and Medical Information: After you have paid your tuition deposit, you’ll receive an immunization record form that you must complete and return to the University. This is due each year by July 15 (for the fall semester) or December 15 (for the spring). If you are participating on one of our intercollegiate athletic teams, please complete the pre-participation packet.

If immunizations are not up-to-date upon arrival, you will be responsible to get the necessary vaccinations.  Vaccinations in the United States can be expensive if your health insurance does not cover the cost.

These are the three to four types of vaccines that are required:

• • • Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine
    • MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine
    • Covid-19 vaccine
    • Only if you are 22 years old and younger (Meningococcal conjugate) vaccine
    • Tuberculosis vaccine

As a North Park University student or employee, you can get a photo for your North Park University ID card at the Campus Safety Office, (building #8 on the campus map).

You will be required to show an official picture ID (driver’s license, state ID, former school ID or a valid, unexpired passport) when you pick up your North Park ID card.

Please note: These ID cards are for our Chicago campus students and employees. If you are part of a program that is not held on our Chicago campus, please speak with your program director or supervisor regarding the need for a North Park University ID.

North Park University is committed to creating a safe and nurturing community for all students. Take a moment to explore the many resources we make available to our students, from a nighttime shuttle service to a safety app for your smartphone. Both of these initiatives—and more—are part of our Safe Community initiatives.

Prior to each fall semester, we also provide two online programs with important information to keep you safe and healthy at North Park University. More information about these programs, AlcoholEdu for College and Haven—Understanding Sexual Assault, will be sent in the spring and summer. In the meantime, you can learn a little more.

All members of North Park’s community have rights and responsibilities. Make sure you know what is expected of you as a student—you’ll be held accountable to the standards laid out in the Student Handbook and University Catalog.

During International Orientation, we will be running trips to a local department store for you to purchase necessities that are too large to pack. You will need the following but we recommend purchasing after you’ve arrived:

• • • Bedding (blanket, sheet, pillow)
    • Toiletries (including towel and washcloth)
    • Warm clothes (this is The Windy City, after all)

For more information on what to bring, visit our Residence Life and Housing page.

Traveling to Chicago

North Park offers complimentary airport shuttle service on International Arrival Day.  The pickups are only made on the designated day and for students arriving at O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

Prior to boarding your flight, please make sure you have with you in your carry-on luggage the following:

• • • Form I-20 or DS-2019 (exchange students)
    • Acceptance letter
    • DS-160 and I-901 receipts
    • Contact information for your admissions counselor

When to Arrive

International students coming to the U.S. for the first time are allowed entrance no sooner than 30 days prior to the program start date on your I-20 or DS-2019. Please do not plan to arrive any sooner otherwise you may be denied entrance to the U.S.

Airport pickups have been suspended due to COVID-19, however, as the virus continues to become more manageable, pickups will resume. Please contact Michael Drake at medrake@5bg12w.com to inquire for the fall 2022 starting term.