International Student FAQs

The beautiful Sonoma State University is located California’s premier Wine Country, Sonoma County. The campus is in Rohnert Park, California, just an hour north of San Francisco and 45 minutes east of the Pacific Coast.

Yes, they will be provided with that information from Housing in the summertime.

Students can set up for guests to have access to her SSU account to make deposits on their behalf. For more information, visit our website: http://seawolfservices.sonoma.edu/payment-dates/payer-guide. Families can also contribute money to the student's Seawolf Bucks, which is accessible via their campus ID and can be used at the Bookstore, on-campus dining, and some vending machines. If you would still like to mail a check, there are instructions on our website here: http://seawolfservices.sonoma.edu/payment-dates.

Review the following resources from the Department of Motor Vehicles (CA).

• How to apply for a California driver's license
• California DMV handbook
• Residency requirements
• DMV sample exams
• Driving test overview

The Driver's License Application Process

1. You must wait at least 10 days after entering the United States to apply for a Driver's license. This will ensure that appropriate US government databases are updated with your arrival information. 
2. Contact your International Student Advisor to ensure your SEVIS record is up-to-date and in Active Status. 
3. Check your I-94 arrival record to ensure it matches the information on your passport and your US entry stamp. 
4. Review the DMV links provided above to insure you are ready to take your driving tests.
5. Prepare the documents you need when going to the DMV
   1. Your I-20 or DS-2019
   2. Print out of your I-94 record
   3. Passport with F-1 or J-1 visa
   4. Two documents which show your proof of residency in California
   5. *If you are on OPT, you must also bring your EAD card
   6. Social Security Number
      1. If you do not have a Social Security Number and are not going to pursue working on campus, then you need apply for a Social Security Number and receive a rejection letter from the Social Security Administration, which can be presented at your DMV appointment. 

The two DMV locations closest to Sonoma State are located in Petaluma and Santa Rosa. 

The fall semester runs from mid-August to mid-December. The spring semester runs from mid-January to mid-May. To see important dates and deadlines, including holidays and when instruction begins, view our Academic Calendar.

If you will be living on-campus and purchasing a meal plan, you won’t need a car. Everything that you need is on-campus and within walking distance. If you will be living off-campus, you might only need a bicycle, or a car, depending on how far away you choose to live from campus.

If you don’t have a car, the easiest way to get to San Francisco is by bus. The Golden Gate Transit system has buses running to and from San Francisco every day. Routes 72, 74, and 101 go from Santa Rosa to San Francisco and they all stop in Rohnert Park on their way south.

If you do have access to a car, you just have to drive south on Highway 101 (40 minutes), cross the Golden Gate Bridge ($7), and you’re there!

The International Education Exchange Council (IEEC) student club also plans several trips to San Francisco each year, so be sure to join!

There are many grocery stores in Rohnert Park to find food, as well as different stores for personal items. During orientation, you will receive a Local Amenities Guide with more information on different places where you can find food and personal items. We also arrange an orientation field trip to Target where you can purchase anything you need!

In the U.S., having a mobile (cell) phone is incredibly useful. With the data plans available today, you can have access to the internet virtually anywhere. Data can help you check your email, look up facts, or use Google Maps to plan a trip using public transportation!

There are two major types of cell phone plans:

• Pay as you go – you can add minutes to your phone whenever you want
• Monthly contract – this plan usually comes with a new phone

During our orientation field trip to Target, you can purchase a new phone or purchase a SIM card to put in your existing phone.

There are many opportunities to play sports at SSU! Although the university sports teams are very selective and only available to degree-seeking students, you may still join a club sport or an intramural sport through the Recreation Center on campus.

Club sports on campus are run like regular clubs and compete against other universities in California. You can see a list of all of the sports offered at SSU on our website. You simply need to contact the club president to find out more information!

Intramural sports are league sports that are run within the campus only, by students who create the teams. If you would like to play a sport for fun with friends, you may create an intramural sport team through the Recreation Center.

You should speak with your DSO in the Center for International Education as soon as possible. Your I-20 should always reflect your current degree program, educational level, and program dates. Furthermore, your current name, U.S. address, phone number, and email address should be entered in your SEVIS record. You must notify your DSO within 10 days of any change.

You can request a new DS-2019 using the CIE Document Request Form. Submit this form to your DSO in the Center for International Education.

Your visa may expire before you are finished with your F-1/J-1 program. It is okay if your Visa expires while you are in the U.S. as long as your I-20/DS-2019 is still valid and you are maintaining legal status. You will, however, need to renew your visa in your home country if you plan to travel outside of the country; you may not re-enter the U.S. on an expired F-1/J-1 visa.

F-1 visa holders have a 60 day grace period following program completion. J-1 visa holders have a 30 day grace period to remain in the U.S. after their program end date. If you remain in the U.S. beyond this period of time, it is called an “overstay” and it may negatively impact your application for future immigration benefits.

You will need travel authorization in order to be allowed re-entry to the U.S. This will take the form of a signature from your DSO on Page 2 of your Form I-20, or a signature from your ARO on Page 1 of your DS-2019. To request travel authorization, submit the CIE Document Request Form, along with your I-20/DS-2019, to your DSO/ARO in the Center for International Education. If your DSO/ARO is not available, leave your documents with the front desk and you will be notified via email when they are ready for pickup.

International students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 undergraduate units or 8 graduate units at all times to be considered full-time. The only exceptions to this rule are if you qualify for a Reduced Course Load (RCL). You must receive RCL authorization before dropping below full-time.

F-1 students might qualify for a Reduced Course Load (RCL). The RCL authorization is available under any of the following circumstances:

• Medical reason – you have a documented condition and a doctor/psychologist’s recommendation that you need an RCL. This must be renewed each term.
• Academic reason – good for one single term, and for:
  • Initial difficulty with the English language or reading requirements
  • Unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods
  • Improper course level placement
• Last term – you do not need a full course of study if you are in the final term of your program; you may take as few credits as are required to graduate.

To apply for a RCL, submit the request form to your DSO.

Yes! Only international students and scholars who will be employed in the U.S. are eligible to apply for a Social Security Number, or SSN. For more information about Social Security Numbers, please visit our Employment page. Employment page.

You cannot transfer in the middle of a semester. In order to transfer, complete the Transfer Request Form, attach your admission letter to the new school, and submit these documents to your DSO/ARO in the Center for International Education. The start date at the new school may not be more than 5 months from the date that your SEVIS record is transferred.