Before You Apply | FIU Global First Year

Soon you’ll be at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. Before you arrive, complete the steps below to avoid common issues or delays for international students. If you have any questions, contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

Apply for your visa This action is required.

Housing This action is required.

Accessing Your MyFIU Account and Student Email

Complete Important Forms This action is required.

Complete Your Online Orientation

ALEKS Mathematics Assessment Take the ALEKS BEFORE arrival and orientation

PERT (Postsecondary Education Readiness Test) Reading and Writing Assessment (if applicable)

Transfer/Postsecondary Credits and SAT/ACT

Pay your tuition and fees This action is required.

Submit your arrival details This action is required.

After you receive the electronic copy of your Form I-20 from your university, complete the following steps before booking your visa appointment:

1. Check that the details on your Form I-20 are correct (including your date of birth) and make sure your name is the same as it appears on your passport.
2. Sign-up for your free Shorelight Connect account and complete the Mastering Your U.S. Visa Interview self-paced course. Please contact connect@shorelight.com for questions or login assistance.
3. If needed, schedule a free visa preparation session with your personal Enrollment Advisor by emailing admissions@shorelight.com after completing the visa course.

After you complete the above steps, you should apply for your visa as soon as possible. It requires an interview with the U.S. Embassy and can sometimes take several weeks to schedule.

1. Complete your Visa Application.
2. Pay your I-901 (SEVIS) fee.
3. Visit usembassy.gov to learn more about scheduling your visa appointment, what to expect when you arrive and the documentation you need to take with you.
4. Notify your personal Enrollment Advisor of the date and embassy of your visa appointment.
5. Watch these videos to help you apply for your visa and prepare for your interview:

How to Apply for Your F-1 Student Visa

Can’t see the video? Look on Youku.

Other links that international students find useful:

We are so excited for you to join us on campus! To ensure a smooth transition to your new home, plan to arrive on or before your official move-in day. Airport pickup is available at Miami International Airport (MIA).

Once you book your flights, you must fill out the student arrival form. If your family is joining you, you must also complete the family arrival form.

Student Arrival Form

Family Arrival Form

We are looking forward to meeting you in person!

To avoid delays with your enrollment, please ensure your payment is made in full at least two weeks before your arrival.

Before you start, have your acceptance letter handy, as you’ll need it for reference.

Please select your preferred payment method:

Credit Card or ACH: Fast and secure online payment

Pay by Credit Card or ACH

Wire Transfer: Domestic or international bank transfer

Pay by Wire Transfer

You will need to complete and submit the following required forms before your arrival.

Immunization Form: Complete this mandatory immunization form and send it to immune@fiu.edu and copy G1Y@globalfiu.com at least 3 weeks prior to the mandatory semester check-in date. FIU requires proof of immunization for Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR). Hepatitis B and Meningitis requirements can be waived on the immunization form. Students who are not in full immunization compliance cannot be enrolled in classes and may be subject to a late registration fee of $100 if not enrolled by August 23, 2026 for fall 2026.
Consent for Treatment of a Minor: This form needs to be completed by the parent/guardian of any student who will be under the age of 18 during their enrollment at FIU. The Consent Form asks for a US Phone Number. If the parent/guardian does not have a US phone number, enter zeros in the phone number field then enter the international phone number in the field below.
FIU Liability Waiver. This form should be completed by students who are or will be 18 years or older prior to enrollment at FIU.
FERPA (Family Education Rights & Privacy Act) Form This form provides FIU Global First Year with additional permissions needed to best support students and allows students to give access to their academic records to any individual of their choosing. Students must have already set up their MyFIU accounts before being able to complete this form.
Submit Your FIU One Card Photo Submit your photo ahead of time and if approved, your OneCard may be printed and waiting for you at check-in.

The ALEKS assessment tests your current math level. This assessment is solely for students who intend to study in majors in Business, Science, Technology or Mathematics. You can either place in College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Business Calculus, or Calculus I depending on your major track.
For a general overview of the ALEKS test please visit the website: https://www.aleks.com/.
You will only be able to take the ALEKS assessment before arriving onto campus and before orientation, and you will receive an email from the team with the link, the ALEKS code that is unique to you, and instructions how to take the test remotely.
ALEKS uses an online proctoring (invigilation) service that has a small fee of $5 – you will need to pay using an international credit card or Paypal. If you have any issues with payment of the fee please let us know in advance.
The link to take the ALEKS exam is: go.fiu.edu/aleksg1y; remember you will be sent the code and clear instructions what to do in advance.
If you fail to take the ALEKS in advance of arrival and fail to respond to emails from the team you MAY be subject to a late fee charge of $250. Please don’t worry – as long as you communicate with us if you are having any difficulties completing the assessment or have issues with payment, we can help you.
If you do not take the ALEKS placement test in time, or if you prefer not to take it, or you test lower than you expected, you will automatically be enrolled into MAC1105 in your first semester.

The PERT assessment covers your English reading and writing skills. Not all students will be required to take the PERT, but if you are required to take the PERT, you must first do the steps to set up your FIU Account and university email.
After you have successfully set up your FIU account, you will need to register for the PERT test in the FIU Testing Center’s online system. Please click here for instructions on how to register for the PERT assessment. Once you have registered, you will receive an email from the University Testing Center with further testing instructions.
When you receive the email in your FIU university email, follow the instructions, watch the following video tutorial, and download HonorLock so that you are ready to take the PERT assessment.

Please check for an email with the subject line: “It’s time to set up your FIU Account and Student Email”

First, set up your MyFIU account using this guide. To fully activate your account, you must enroll in two-factor authentication (2FA). We recommend enrolling in Duo Mobile and selecting WhatsApp to receive/send any necessary codes. SMS texts usually don’t work with international phone numbers. See this Duo Mobile activation guide here.

Second, access your student email. Go to mail.fiu.edu, enter your FIU Username, and enter your newly created password.

If you experience issues accessing your email or creating your MyFIU Account, please go to the FIU IT Support page and select the live chat option, or try calling them at +1 305.348.2284.

This online orientation covers important topics to help you succeed during your first year at FIU. This orientation is mandatory and must be completed as soon as possible.

Important: Please make sure you have already activated your FIU account. If your account is not activated, you will not be able to log in.

Please follow these steps:

Click on this link.
Open the attached file: G1Y Online Orientation Self Enrollment Guide
Follow the instructions to join the course

If you have taken university courses in the US or outside of the US, please submit this form.

If you have taken courses in high school that may qualify as university credit (e.g. IB, AP), please submit this form.

The SAT or ACT is not required for admission into FIU Global First Year; however, the SAT or ACT exam must be completed prior to completing the program. Students who have taken either exam in the past do not need to re-test; they are required to send their scores to FIU via CollegeBoard or ACT.org. Actual scores on the tests do not impact a student’s ability to continue at FIU after program completion nor their ability to enter the major of their choice.

If you have taken the SAT or ACT before, please let us know by completing this form.

Submit your housing preferences form. Go to this link: www.globalfiu.com/housing and carefully read the key notes related to housing with FIU Global First Year. At the bottom of the page, click on “Complete Preference Form.”

For additional housing details such as available floor plans and costs, please click this link.

Before You Start

After you receive the electronic copy of your Form I-20 from your university, complete the following steps before booking your visa appointment:

After you complete the above steps, you should apply for your visa as soon as possible. It requires an interview with the U.S. Embassy and can sometimes take several weeks to schedule.

Important Dates