You are one step closer to studying here in the U.S! We are excited to welcome you to our country and our campus. In order to best prepare for your arrival to MSSU, we have compiled a checklist and helpful information that will ensure your transition goes as smoothly as possible.
If you have any questions as you prepare to come to MSSU for the Spring 2026 semester, please feel free to contact Dr. Stephanie Goad, Sr. Coordinator of International Admissions, at goad-s@mssu.edu, 417-625-9372.
It is almost time to embark on your adventure to MSSU! We are so excited to welcome you to campus! Before you head to the United States, there are a few additional items we would like to share with you about traveling to campus. Please remember that you are expected to arrive to campus at least the weekend before orientation. You can find the dates for orientation in your admission letter. Be sure to finalize your communication plans with family and friends, emergency plans, and other travel-related items.
You should plan on entering the United States no more than 30 days before classes start. Reference your admission letter to find important semester information.
Pre-Arrival Checklist
Pay your SEVIS I-901 fee (see instructions in your acceptance documents)
Schedule your visa interview
Book your on-campus housing (if under 21). Over 21 may live off campus
Order your bedding to be delivered to campus
Book your flight
Fill out the airport pickup form (for free pick up from the Joplin airport)
Please complete the following tasks:
Please complete the pre-international orientation form. We ask that you let us know about your food allergies, t-shirt size, visa status, and more.
Schedule your flight to fly into the Joplin Regional Airport.
Complete the airport pick-up form if you wish to be picked up at the Joplin Regional Airport. You must have your arrival information available, including arrival date, time, and flight number. We do not offer pickup at any airport other than Joplin Regional Airport.
Convert your currency to USD before you arrive to the Joplin Regional Airport.
Prepare your documents for your carry-on passport, I-20, and admission letter.
We will coordinate transportation from the Joplin Regional Airport to the residence halls at MSSU. Upon arriving to campus, the Residence Life staff will need to be contacted at 417.659.4261 to check you in.
You are welcome to use another airport, but you will be responsible for finding transportation to Joplin via bus, taxi, Uber, Lyft, etc. We do not have trains running to Joplin.
Airport Pick-Up Information
Please schedule your flight into the Joplin Regional Airport (JLN). This is the closest airport to campus. MSSU provides FREE airport pick-up from the Joplin Regional Airport only. If you choose to fly into the Joplin Regional Airport, please fill out the Airport Pick-Up Request Form to arrange your free shuttle transportation.
While there are other airports in the area, which we have listed below, MSSU only provides transportation from the Joplin Regional Airport (JLN). You would be responsible for arranging your transportation to campus at your own expense should you choose to fly into a different airport. There is no shuttle service to Joplin, Missouri, from any other airport.
Other Airport Options
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) – 1.5-hour drive to campus, no shuttle service
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) – 1.5-hour drive to campus, no shuttle service
Tulsa International Airport (TUL) 2-hour drive to campus, no shuttle service
Kansas City International Airport (MCI), no shuttle service
Hotel Information
Students who arrive on campus after 11 p.m. or earlier than the designated arrival weekend (three days before orientation starts) must stay in a hotel at their own expense. MSSU will provide transportation from the Joplin Regional Airport to the hotel and from the hotel to campus.
It is important that you submit your housing application if you plan to live on-campus. Information about housing can be located here. If you would like to cook your own meals, we recommend looking at our Quads and Lion Village. In these facilities, you will have your own kitchen.
To reserve housing, you will need to log in to your Lionet account and fill out the housing application and pay the $150 refundable housing deposit. For assistance on housing issues, contact Residence Life at residencelife@mssu.edu.
Bedding and toiletries are not provided by MSSU. We encourage you to order items for your residence hall room via Amazon or Walmart and have them delivered to 1007 International Ave., Joplin, MO 64801. We will have them ready for you upon your arrival.
Upon arriving, we will contact Residence Life at 417-659-4261 to check you into your assigned residence hall.
Though you may have already made travel plans and are ready to start your journey to MSSU, you will need to find temporary housing as on-campus housing if you arrive more than three days before the start of orientation. Joplin offers multiple hotel and Airbnb options. You will still be able to request pickup from the airport if you arrive early. Students can move on campus Saturday or Sunday, August 8th-9th.
Check with the airline before you start packing. Make sure that your clearly label all of your luggage.
Bring warm clothes: In the winter, temperatures typically range between 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 4 degrees Celsius).
Bring an umbrella and rain jacket: It is common for us to get a lot of rain. You can purchase umbrellas and rain jackets here, if needed.
Ethnic wear: Bring some clothing that is special to your country. There may be international festivals and events where you may want to wear them. You may also do presentations about your country and share your culture with the campus.
Items of interest: We encourage you to bring items and photos from your country that you may like to share with others.
Formal wear: Bring some formal wear, such as suits, shirts, and dresses that you may wear for class presentations, interviews, etc.
Toiletries: You can bring some for immediate use, but they are readily available for purchase in Joplin.
Electrical appliances: The voltage used in the United States is 110V so make sure your devices are compatible with that.
Bedding: Bedding and toiletries are not provided by MSSU. We encourage you to order items for your on-campus residence hall room via Amazon or Walmart at least a month before arriving to campus. Please be sure to have them delivered to International Ave, Joplin, MO 64801.
International Student Orientation (Required of all international students): August 10-14, 2026.
International Student Orientation will be here very soon! Orientation will provide you the opportunity to connect with other international students, become familiar with campus and community resources and services, enroll for the semester, get your textbooks and student ID card, meet with the Willcoxon Health Center staff, among many other ways to help you adjust to campus and the community.
All new international students are required to attend orientation starting on August 10th, 2026. Be sure to bring all of your immigration documents, including your passport with your visa stamp, and I-20 or DS-2019. You will be guided through printing your I-94 Arrival and Departure record during orientation. Soon you will receive an email with the detailed orientation schedule.
Here are a few items to consider before you travel to Joplin. When traveling, make sure all of your necessary travel documents are kept in your carry-on bag. You will always want to have your immigration documents easily accessible when traveling. If you take any medications, you might also want to put those in your carry-on bag so you can access those at any time.
Students usually dress casually and relaxed around campus, however, you are welcome to wear whatever makes you comfortable. It can be very hot in August, but very cold December through March. You may want to bring coat and warm clothes for our winter season. We also recommend bringing some formal clothes (suits, dresses, skirts, etc.) with you. We would love for you to bring any traditional clothing from your home country for when we have cultural events!
Applying for a Student Visa
If you plan to study in the United States, you will need to apply for an F-1 student Visa (or J-1 student visa if you are an ISEP student). In order to apply for the F-1 student visa, you will need to have an official I-20 from Missouri Southern State University. Please see the checklist below for the required documents needed for issuance of the I-20 form. If you are an ISEP student, they will issue you the DS-2019 needed for the J-1 student visa.
Admission to Missouri Southern State University
Copy of the name page from your passport
Financial verification for one academic year, expenses including tuition, fees, insurance, and cost of living.
Bank Statements
Affidavit of support
Sponsorship or scholarship awards
If you are currently attending another university in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa, you will need to submit the MSSU transfer-in form.
Five Top Tips when Applying for a U.S. Student Visa:
Plan ahead. Schedule an appointment with the embassy or consulate to review your application.
Have your paperwork ready.
Prove that you intend to return home following your program.
Articulate your ambitions (what do you want to study and why?)
Students who obtain a visa and notify the international admissions office at international@mssu.edu will be required to pay an Enrollment Deposit of $3,000 USD. The deadline to pay your $3,000 enrollment deposit for the Spring 2026 semester is November 15, 2025. The non-refundable fee will be applied toward tuition for the first and second semesters.
*MSSU has the right to ask for further certification of documents or advance payment of fees for students whose funds originate in countries where severe economic restrictions exist or countries known to have a high number of fraudulent documents submitted.
There will be time designated during international orientation for you to enroll in your classes for the semester. To meet immigration regulations, you must enroll in at least 12 credit hours.
If you are a degree-seeking student, you will enroll with your respective academic advisor.
If you must take the Michigan English Test during international orientation, you will enroll with Aaron Carmichael, Director of the Intensive English Program. You will contact him viacarmichael-a@mssu.edu, 417-625-9573, or in Webster Hall 343.
If you are an exchange or visiting student and are not required to take the Michigan English Test, you will enroll with Dr. Bill Fischer. You can contact him viafischer-w@mssu.edu, 417-625-3162, or in Webster Hall 234.
Degree-seeking students with no SAT or ACT score will have the option to take the ACT Residual during International Orientation for proper level placement in English and Math. The cost for this test is $78.
After your enrollment and student accounts are adjusted, you will have the opportunity to pay your bill within the first couple weeks of the semester. Contact the Bursar Office atbursar@mssu.edu., 417-625-9381, or visit Hearnes Hall 105 if you have any questions.
At MSSU, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with the local community through our Friendship Family Program. This program pairs international students with local families to experience life in an American home, including holidays and activities in the Joplin area.
You can apply for a Friendship Family during International Orientation.
In addition to the Friendship Family Program, international students can participate in our Conversation Partner Program, which pairs you with a current MSSU student for 1–2 hours each week to practice English and share American traditions, campus life, and community experiences.
Hear from a Friendship Family Host
“Being part of the Friendship Family Program has allowed us to welcome international students into our home and help them feel at home at MSSU and in Joplin. From shared meals and game nights to local trips and everyday support, our goal is to show students what life in the Midwest is really like. While we hope we are a blessing to our students, they have definitely been a blessing to us.”
— Mike & Ann, Friendship Family Hosts
Get Connected
International Club
The International Club, one of more than 60 different student clubs on campus, organizes many events during the semester such as a prom, bonfire, hayride, World Music and Cuisine Festival, hiking, and other campus events.
