Graduate Students

Seaver College Graduate Programs

• Visit: Seaver College Graduate Programs
• Email: seaverspecialacademicprograms@pepperdine.edu
• Call: 310.506.4280

Graziadio Business School

• Visit: Graziadio Business School
• Email: pgbs@pepperdine.edu
• Call: 310.568.5500

School of Public Policy

• Visit: School of Public Policy
• Email: sppadmissions@pepperdine.edu
• Call: 310.568.5600

Graduate School of Education and Psychology

• Visit: Graduate School of Education and Psychology
• Email: gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu
• Call: 310.568.5600

School of Law

• Visit: School of Law
• Email: lawadmis@pepperdine.edu
• Call: 310.506.4631

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

• Email: dracademics@pepperdine.edu
• Call: 310.506.4655

Pepperdine Law Online Programs

• Email: admissions@onlinelaw.pepperdine.edu
• Call: 844.707.9208

Fall Term

• July 1: Submit Deposit and Intent to Enroll
• July 15: Submit a Complete International Student Data (ISD) Form
• August 15: SEVIS Transfer Release by previous school

Spring Term

• November 1: Submit Deposit and Intent to Enroll
• November 15: Submit a Complete International Student Data (ISD) Form
• December 15: SEVIS Transfer Release by previous school

Summer Term

• March 15: Submit Deposit and Intent to Enroll
• April 1: Submit a Complete International Student Data (ISD) Form
• April 15: SEVIS Transfer Release by previous school

The Form I-20 is the document that you must present at the U.S. embassy or consulate in order to apply for your F-1 visa. Wait times to secure a visa appointment can be weeks to months, so it is important that students submit their deposit as soon as possible to allow sufficient time.

Upon deposit, students will receive an email with login instructions to the OISS portal to submit the required International Student Data form. This form requires passport and visa information, evidence of financial support, etc. 

All persons who intend to visit the United States (US) temporarily to pursue a full course of study at an academic institution must be classified as an alien in F-1 student-visa status. The Form I-20 is the document you will present to the US Embassy or Consulate abroad when making application for a student visa, and also when making application for admission at the US port of entry.

Obtain an Approved Visa for Study

Eligible Visas: International Students are non-citizens of the United States. Most commonly, international students maintain an F-1 student visa. Other visa types may allow study incidental to the purpose of the visa but are subject to the same deadlines and must be approved by the Office of International Student Services (OISS).  Please note the visitor visa (B-1/B-2) and visa-waiver visitor status (WB/WT) are prohibited. 

Form I-20: The OISS assists new international students with time sensitive next steps to obtain their F-1 student visa once students submit their intent to enroll (deposit) and International Student Data (ISD) form by University deadlines. Students should consult the embassy/consulate website for interview wait times.  Once the ISD is approved, students will obtain the Form I-20, which is the document students must present at the U.S. embassy/consulate in order to apply for an F-1 visa. The Form I-20 indicates the official start date of the program and students  may be admitted to the US up to 30 days prior. 

Cost of Attendance: Official and reliable proof of funding is required for non citizens for the Form I-20 and the visa to be issued. Due to very limited University financial aid for international students, there are limited merit scholarships for students who meet certain criteria. Please note there is no other emergency funding available after enrollment, so students should be prepared to fund the official International Student Cost of Attendance for the duration of their program at Pepperdine, including health insurance and living expenses. Authorized campus employment can only reasonably assist with books and other miscellaneous expenses, so students should not expect a campus job to fund their cost of study and living expenses.  Please see more below regarding campus employment. 

Key Enrollment Requirements for Students in F-1 status:

• F-1 students have a number of requirements they must abide by to remain compliant with the Department of Homeland Security.F-1 undergraduates must take at least 12 credit hours per term. Only one course or 3 credits may be an online course. Students must be authorized by the OISS for a reduced course load to drop below 12 credits in any term.
• F-1 students in graduate programs must take a full course of study each term, as defined by the Designated School Official,  and only one course or 3 credits may be in an online course.  Students should not enroll in graduate programs that are designed to be completed on a part-time basis. They should consult their program administrator to ensure maintenance of full-time enrollment.  Students must be authorized by the OISS for a reduced course load to drop below full-time status in any term. 

F-1 students may not be employed in either paid or unpaid capacities (volunteer, intern, work) while enrolled at Pepperdine unless first authorized by the OISS. The Department of Homeland Security authorizes international students to be employed on campus up to 20 hours per week, however international students may not be fully employed or work off campus, with the exception of designated employment authorization periods (i.e. CPT, OPT), which must be individually authorized by the OISS prior to beginning employment.

Obtain an Approved Visa for Study

Hybrid Program Modality: Programs that include a combination of online and in-person instructional methods are designated as Hybrid. International students enrolling in such programs must obtain a visa for the dates/periods of in-person instruction. Most commonly, international students maintain an F-1 visa, even for brief periods of in-person instruction, such as an orientation session or a short-term residency. Students should consult the program to confirm the specific in-person attendance requirements, with the understanding that the visa will only be valid for those specific dates. Upon the completion of the required in-person sessions, students must depart the United States within 15 days. 

Form I-20: The OISS assists new international students with time sensitive next steps to obtain their F-1 student visa once students submit their intent to enroll (deposit) and International Student Data (ISD) form by University deadlines. Students should consult the embassy/consulate website for interview wait times.  Once the ISD is approved, students will obtain the Form I-20, which is the document students must present at the U.S. embassy/consulate in order to apply for an F-1 visa. The Form I-20 indicates the official start date of the program and students may be admitted to the US up to 30 days prior. 

Cost of Attendance: Official and reliable proof of funding is required for non citizens for the Form I-20 and the visa to be issued. Because the University does not offer financial aid for international students, nor is other emergency funding available after enrollment, students should be prepared to fund the official International Student Cost of Attendance for the duration of their hybrid program at Pepperdine, including health insurance and living expenses.

Key Enrollment Requirements for Students in F-1 status:

F-1 students have a number of requirements they must abide by to remain compliant:

• Hybrid programs are delivered through a combination of online and in-person instructional methods and include a full course of study each term, of which only one course or 3 units may be in an online course. Through the Form I-20, graduate students must certify that their program is not entirely online, that they are not enrolled in an entirely online course load any semester, and that they are taking the minimum number of online classes required to make normal progress in their degree program.
• Graduate students should not enroll in programs that are designed to be completed on a part-time basis. They should consult their program administrator to ensure maintenance of full-time enrollment. Students must be authorized by the OISS for a reduced course load to drop below full-time enrollment in any term.
• F-1 students in online or hybrid programs with any required US residencies may only be present in the US to study when there is a physical requirement. Such students should apply for F-1 visas and should present a properly executed Form I-20 indicating appropriate program dates for this limited period of school attendance at Pepperdine and must be prepared to depart the US within 15 days of each residency, unless otherwise authorized on the I-20. 

F-1 students enrolled in a hybrid program may not be employed in either paid or unpaid capacities (volunteer, intern, work) while enrolled at Pepperdine unless first authorized by the OISS. The Department of Homeland Security authorizes international students to be employed on campus up to 20 hours per week. However international students may not be fully employed or work off campus, with the exception of designated employment authorization periods (i.e. CPT, OPT).

These programs do not require any in-person residency in the United States.  All program time – including orientation, class, and exam – will be conducted online, and therefore international students are ineligible to receive the F-1 student visa and may not reside in the U.S. while enrolled in a fully online program. 

Eligibility Considerations: 

• Some programs marketed as online actually have a required U.S. residency. 
• Programs that have any required or optional in-person sessions in the United States have been defined by the OISS as “hybrid” and therefore require students to obtain an F-1 student visa.  
• Students who reside outside of the U.S. and opt for a fully online program (100% online completion) are immediately eligible to enroll.  However, they are ineligible for an F-1 visa to physically  attend courses in the U.S. 
• International students who already reside in the U.S. are ineligible to enroll in fully online programs on an F-1 student visa. Students should apply to a traditional program from within the United States. 
• To ensure you are enrolling in a program that meets your expectations appropriately, please consult your admissions counselor to determine whether the program to which you are applying is fully online or has any in-person residency requirements.