Information for New International Students
Required Actions
Beginning your college career can seem overwhelming. Here are the steps you need to take to make this transition as seamless as possible:
You can keep track of your progress toward completing this list using the “Needed Actions” form located in the “Student” tab of the Randolph College portal. There you will see due dates, links to required forms, and contact information for additional assistance.
- Pay Your Enrollment Deposit
- Receive Your International Student Packet
- Read the International Students Handbook
- Activate Your Randolph College Portal Account
- Pay Your Tuition and Fees
- Complete the I-901 Form
- Pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee
- Transfer Your SEVIS Record (transfer students only)
- Obtain an F-1 Student Visa
- Review and Submit Financial Aid Documents
- Submit Arrival and Communications Form
- Submit Business Account Agreement and Disclosure
- Submit Course Preferences
- Submit Housing Preferences
- Purchase Textbooks
- Submit Your Medical Record
- Verify Health Insurance Coverage Requirement
- Submit Final Transcript(s)
- Consent to Disclose Educational Information (FERPA)
- Verify Emergency Contact Information
- Register for a Summer Advising Session
- Make Orientation Travel Plans
- Submit Athletic Forms (varsity athletes only)
- Move In to Your Residence Hall
Return completed forms (unless otherwise specified) to:
Randolph College
Dean of Students Office
2500 Rivermont Avenue
Lynchburg, VA 24503
Phone: (434) 947-8119
Fax: (434) 947-8298
Pay Your Enrollment Deposit
Deadlines
- Fall Semester – May 1
- Spring Semester – January 1
Students who intend to enroll in the coming semester will need to pay the enrollment deposit by the deadline date in order to guarantee enrollment. After the deadline, deposits are accepted based on space availability. The enrollment deposit is non-refundable after deadline date.
Receive Your International Student Packet
Once you have paid your deposit, Randolph College will send to you via express mail, a packet containing your I-20 document and your acceptance letter. Please read and review your I-20 form immediately upon receipt and contact the Dean of Students Office, 434-947-8119, deanofstudents@randolphcollege.edu, if there are any errors or discrepancies.
New students who wish to travel before classes start may not enter the United States more than 30 days prior to the program start date on their I-20.
Read the International Students Handbook
Download the International Students Handbook and read it thoroughly. Please direct any questions to the Dean of Students Office, 434-947-8119, deanofstudents@randolphcollege.edu.
International Students Handbook
Activate Your Randolph College Portal Account
Once you pay your enrollment deposit, you will receive an e-mail from our IT Department with instructions on how to access our Randolph Portal at https://inside.randolphcollege.edu. The portal is your one-stop resource for all campus information including required enrollment forms and actions. If you have questions, please contact Emily Sorenson at esorenson@randolphcollege.edu.
Once your account is activated, please check your Randolph College e-mail twice a day and promptly respond to all messages as necessary.
Pay Your Tuition and Fees
Randolph College charges by semester with statements sent home the first week of July for the fall semester and the first week of December for the spring semester. Semester payments are due accordingly on August 1 and January 1 prior to the start of each semester. These statements are also available in the student’s self-service account online. If you have questions, please contact the Business Office at (434) 947-8615 or (434) 947-8618.
Business Office – Billing Policies
Complete the I-901 Form
Pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee
Transfer Your SEVIS Record (transfer students only)
Contact the international student advisor at your former school and ask that your SEVIS record be transferred to Randolph College.
Obtain an F-1 Visa
Make an appointment to obtain a student (F-1) visa from a United States Embassy or Consulate. See our immigration advising page for more information.
If you already have an F-2 Visa, you will need to change it to F-1. Start this process as soon as possible because F-2 visa holders cannot attend school while the change of status is pending. It may take as long as 7 months, possibly longer.
If you have visited the United States previously, be sure to include those dates in your application.
Review and Submit Financial Aid Documents
Financial Aid Award Letter
Please access your online financial aid award letter and advise whether you wish to accept (or decline) all components of your financial aid award. The award letter is found at awards.randolphcollege.edu and you’ll need your Randolph Student ID # and birthdate to sign in. Financial Aid Office can assist you with your ID # if you don’t know it. The Financial Aid office will also advise if you need to submit additional documents in connection with receiving financial aid at Randolph College. You can also see what documents are needed on the Portal. Log into the Portal and go to the Student Tab and reference the Student Required Actions for what documents are still needed. If you have questions, please contact the Financial Aid at (434) 947-8128 or financialaid@randolphcollege.edu.
Other Financial Aid information may be requested. Please check the Portal under Student Required Actions for additional information. https://inside.randolphcollege.edu
Submit Arrival and Communications Form
Tell the coordinator of international student services when you plan to arrive in Lynchburg and describe your travel plans. You will need to arrive by August 12. If you are participating in the SUPER program, you need to arrive by August 5.
Arrival and Communications Form
Submit Business Account Agreement and Disclosure
Use the link below to indicate contact information and agreement for individuals responsible for the tuition bill. The deadline to submit the agreement is August 1 for fall enrolling students and January 15 for spring enrolling students. If you need to discuss or have questions, please contact the Business Office at (434) 947-8615 or (434) 947-8618.
Business Account Agreement and Disclosure
Submit Course Preferences
Fall Enrolling Students
Fall enrolling students will be placed in housing connected to their course registration. Submit the Course Form by May 31. Please read the instructions and supporting documents below, prior to starting. The form takes about 45 minutes to complete. You can return to the form to make changes if you need to make adjustments as long as you are using the same device and have not clicked the final submission button. For assistance, contact Kim Sheldon, director of student success, ksheldon@randolphcollege.edu, (434) 485-8066.
- Read: Course Preference Form Instructions
- Select: First-Semester Courses open to first year students
- Submit: Course Preference Form on the “Required Actions” tab in your Portal account > > >
Spring Enrolling Students
Bunny Goodjohn, the associate provost of the College, will e-mail instructions that will assist you with the advising and registration process. If you have questions, please contact the Provost of the College Office at (434) 947-8126.
Submit Housing Preferences
Fall Enrolling Students
First year students enrolling in the fall semester should submit the Housing Preference Form by June 12. This form will allow for the Office of Residence Life to better pair you with a roommate that has similar values and interests. If you apply for and are approved for the SUPER or STAR program, please keep in mind that you are required to live on a residence hall floor with your respective program peers. If you have a roommate in mind that you would like to live with, please include their name in the space provided on the form. The person that you would like to live with also needs to list your name on their form. All first year students will live in Bell Hall or Main Hall. For assistance, contact Amanda Denny, assistant dean for residence life and student conduct, adenny@randolphcollege.edu, (434) 947-8291.
Students who require special housing accommodations need to submit the Special Housing Accommodations request form.
Spring Enrolling Students
For spring enrolling students, to begin the housing sign-up process, please fill out the Roommate Finder Form and email it to Amanda Denny, assistant dean for residence life and student conduct. Once your form is received, Amanda will contact you about our current available housing options. As part of this discussion, you will be sent floor plans and room dimensions related to the housing options available at that time. If you have questions, please contact Amanda Denny adenny@randolphcollege.edu, (434) 947-8291.
Students who require special housing accommodations need to submit the Special Housing Accommodations request form.
Purchase Textbooks
Randolph College offers online textbook shopping through MBS Direct. Students may buy books prior to the new semester and sell used books at the end of the semester. If you have questions, please contact the Business Office at (434) 947-8615 or (434) 947-8618.
Submit Your Medical Record
Use the link below to fill out the Medical Record. The Medical Record must be completed prior to moving into the residence halls or for non-residential students, attending classes. The deadline for fall enrolling students is August 1 and for spring enrolling students, January 1. If you have questions, please contact Ruby Bryant, RN, director of student health services, Randolph College Health Center, 434-947-8130, rbryant@randolphcollege.edu.
Special Housing Accommodations Request Form
* To protect your privacy and ensure the confidentiality of your medical information, please return your Medical Record and supporting documents in a sealed envelope designated Attn: Health Center or mail them directly to: Randolph College Health Center, 2500 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg, VA 24503.
Verify Health Insurance Coverage Requirement
Randolph College requires all full-time undergraduate students with a minimum of 12 credit hours and graduate students with a minimum of 9 credit hours to have adequate health insurance.* Only the full-time students in the MFA and MACSL programs are exempt from this requirement. If you are in the hybrid (versus only online) MACSL program and will be living on campus as a graduate assistant and need insurance coverage, please reach out to Ruby Bryant, director of health services, before August 15 at rbryant@randolphcollege.edu to discuss possible options for coverage
Information on enrolling in or waiving out of the student health insurance plan which is sponsored by the College will be sent to the students’ home addresses in June. Beginning June 1, you may take action by going online to www.firststudent.com.
Action is REQUIRED for ALL FULL-TIME STUDENTS
**The deadline date is August 25**
To WAIVE or ENROLL in the Randolph College Student Health Insurance Plan visit www.firststudent.com
The Annual Rate for the 2020-21 Randolph College sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan:
- Undergraduate Annual: $2,286 (for the period of 8/1/20-7/31/21)
- Graduate Annual: $3,285 (for the period of 8/1/20 – 7/31/21)
Eligible students are automatically enrolled in the Randolph College Student Health Insurance Plan unless proof of other insurance coverage is demonstrated. If you are covered by your own plan, or your family’s health insurance plan, you still need to take action to inform us of the coverage. To waive the Randolph College Student Health Insurance, go to www.firststudent.com. Once the student health insurance is waived, the fee will be removed from your student account within 7 to 10 business days.
*Do your plan benefits extend to the State of Virginia? We strongly recommend that you check with your insurance provider to ensure continued health insurance coverage while at Randolph College, specifically for diagnostic testing (lab work and x-rays) and referrals to specialists. Some HMOs offer guest membership plans which provide healthcare benefits to continue at the same level when away from home. Please contact your HMO insurance provider to find out if this option is available. There is usually no additional charge for this type of program.
For further information please contact our insurance administrator: RCM&D, Paige Fritze at 1-800-346-4075 ext. 1607 or email: randolph@rcmd.com.
Please note – specific details as to the definition of full-time student and eligible dependents, fees, and waiver requirements can be found at this site.
Submit Final Transcript(s)
Please request final high school and/or college transcripts, as well as exam results (AP, A-levels, IB, CAPE), to be sent to the Randolph College Registrar’s Office by July 1 for fall enrolling students and January 15 for spring enrolling students. Send to Registrar’s Office, Randolph College, 2500 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24503. If you have questions, contact the Registrar’s Office at (434) 947-8143.
For transfer students: Make sure your transcripts and any other required documentation are sent to Randolph College as soon as possible for evaluation. If the documents are not in English, please contact WES to have your courses evaluated. The cost is approximately $185 at www.wes.org.
Consent to Disclose Educational Information (FERPA)
Use the link below to give consent for disclosure of information from your educational record, including grades, to others. Submit by July 1 for fall enrolling students and January 15 for spring enrolling students. If you have questions, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (434) 947-8143.
Verify Emergency Contact Information
On the Students tab on the portal is a section titled Personal Information. Go to the portal and to this tab to verify and update your address and phone numbers. Use the Family Contact link to provide us with the name and contact information for your emergency contact. Update this information as needed and fill in student emergency contact information. If you have questions, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (434) 947-8143.
Register for a Get Ready for Randolph: Summer Advising Session
If you are already in the United States or plan to be here on a tourist visa during the month of June, you will have an opportunity to meet virtually with one of our faculty advisers during the Randolph Summer Advising Sessions. At these optional, one-day online sessions, you can meet with a faculty adviser to check or make changes to your course schedule, get to know our current students, and take a virtual tour of residence halls. Special sessions for parents and family are also offered.
Students may choose one of two sessions:
- Monday, June 21
- Saturday, June 26
Make Orientation Travel Plans
Residence halls will open for new international students on Thursday, August 12.
International Student Orientation will be held Thursday, August 12 – Wednesday, August 18.
New Student Orientation will be held beginning on Thursday, August 19 – Sunday, August 22.
Please make plans to attend both the international orientation and new student orientation. If you have any questions about orientation, please contact the Dean of Students Office, deanofstudents@randolphcollege.edu, 1-434-947-8119.
Submit Athletic Forms (varsity athletes only)
If you are a student athlete planning to participate in the Randolph College Athletic Program, you must complete all components of the medical clearance process through the Athletic Training department by July 15. You should have received an email in your Randolph email informing you that the following must be completed prior to any participation:
- Medical Record (submit via mail)
- Medical Data Entry (submit online)
To log on to the system you will need to use your Randolph College email address; The School ID and Group is Randolph College. - ADHD/ADD Medical Exemption Documentation (only required for those taking medication for ADHD/ADD).
Access and Submit All Athletic Forms > > >
For assistance, contact Matt Yates, head athletic trainer at, myates@randolphcollege.edu, (434) 947-8338.
Move In to Your Residence Hall
New international residential students may move-in to the residence halls as discussed with the chief diversity officer and director of identity, culture & inclusion. For questions regarding international student move-in, please contact please contact the Dean of Students Office, deanofstudents@randolphcollege.edu, 1-434-947-8119.
Go to the Reception and Information Desk located in Main Hall Lobby to have your Paw Pass created and to receive keys to your room.
