Student Handbook and Orientation
All current students should read the Student Handbook which will explain things like attendance, grading, how to maintain your immigration status, and who to contact for support! Student Services can be located in the Table of Contents. Please also view our Evergreen Academy Orientation Slideshow Evergreen Academy Orientation Slideshow in order to familiarize yourself with what takes place in the classroom and Evergreen Academy at large.
Request a Transcript/View Grades/Pay Tuition
Transcripts come in two varieties and can be obtained from Student Services. An unofficial student transcript, grades, attendance, and current balance can be viewed in the Student Portal. To sign-up for an account, please click on the “Reset or create password” link and provide your surname (last name) and current email address. You can also review your information and request that corrections be made.
Official transcripts will be sent directly to the intended institution in a sealed envelope. Educational institutions in the USA can only accept a transcript directly from the school to prevent modification.
Traveling
If you plan to travel to another country, the school will need to sign your I-20 document. Please call and arrange a time the PDSO (Principal Designated School Official) or DSO (Designated School Official) can sign this document for you. It is important that we know your travel plans in case there are any issues regarding your return to the U.S.
Renew your I-20
USCIS monitors student activity in the U.S. and provides F-1 visa holders with an official document known as the I-20. This I-20 can be issued for up to two years and must be renewed periodically to maintain your legal immigration status. The school will notify you approximately thirty (30) days before your current I-20 expires. When having this document updated, you will need to provide proof that you can afford to stay in the U.S. An updated bank statement and/or signed sponsorship form will be required. If your sponsor does not wish you to see their bank account, they can send it directly to the school via email, mail, or they can bring it directly to the school. For their privacy and as well as yours, Evergreen Academy will not share financial details between students and their sponsors without written permission from both parties. This documented permission must be presented at the time of bank statement submission.
Student Safety
Like every country, the US does have crime and we want our students to remain safe. Evergreen Academy will notify students of any safety alerts for which they should be informed.
Avoid Scams!
USCIS and Evergreen Academy will never ask you for a password via email or a phone call. You should never share a password(s) with anyone. USCIS will never call you about your immigration situation, so please watch out for scams. If someone calls or emails you about your immigration status, please let us know so that we can validate whether it is a a valid request. To help prevent you from being a victim of fraud, do not pay any bill when a company calls you — call the business back on their phone number and pay the bill that way. Many scams are done via cold calling, which is a method of calling random numbers. These people claim the respondent owes the company, USCIS, the IRS, or other entity, and needs to pay over the phone. Always look up the number of an official company or government website and call them back to validate your bill before you pay anything!
Getting a Driver’s License
Each state and the District of Columbia (DC) has their own department of motor vehicles. In most cases, a student may transfer an international drivers license to a state license by providing identification and their active I-20. To obtain a driver’s license, the student may need to take both the written exam and a driving test. Each state’s DMV is different, so it is recommended to request a book and find the most complete and updated information.