Welcome to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) Getting Started section.

This section is for students, scholars, trainees, and UCSF staff who would like to start the visa process. If you are a student or researcher and you have not received an invitation to study or work at UCSF, please visit our dedicated page for prospective students or prospective scholars to learn how to start the process of studying or working at UCSF.

If you have been accepted into UCSF and would like to know how to start the process of obtaining your student visa, please visit the New Students page to learn more on how to apply for an I-20 or DS-2019.

If you have received an appointment to research or train at UCSF and would like to know how to obtain your J-1 Exchange Visitor visa or H-1B employment visa, please visit our New Scholars page.

Our Faculty and Department Administrators page is for UCSF departmental staff to learn more about the department's role in the visa process as well as different visa type that may be available to incoming researchers or trainees.

Our HR Administrators is for UCSF HR staff to find resources they need when submitting visa requests to the ISSO.