Initial Petition Evidence Checklist for Non-Accredited Private Kindergarten to Grade 12 Schools

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has developed these guidelines to provide designated school officials (DSOs) with additional information about the required evidence, in accordance with federal regulations. This information
is for schools seeking SEVP certification or making updates to Form I-17, "Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student." The evidence outlined in these guidelines corresponds to the Evidence Checklists available
on the Schools and Programs page at ICE.gov/SEVP. If you are petitioning on behalf of a school seeking initial SEVP certification, please review the information under the Certification header. It's important to note that this is not an
exhaustive list, and SEVP may issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to request additional information with a specified due date. All documents provided are subject to
verification.
Key Guidelines:

• All evidence must be uploaded in one session using the Upload Evidence feature in SEVIS. Documents should not be encrypted, password-protected, and each document must not exceed 10 MB. Acceptable file formats include .CSV, .DOC,
  .DOCX, .GIF, .JPEG, .JPG, .PDF, .PNG, .TXT, .XLS, or .XLSX.
• If you are unable to provide a specific item, you should upload a statement that identifies the missing item and provides a detailed explanation of why it cannot be provided.
• If your previous petition was canceled due to incomplete submission, you must upload all the required evidence again with your new submission.

Evidence Required for Non-Accredited Kindergarten to Grade 12 Schools:

1. Attendance policy outline.
2. Evidence in lieu of accreditation.
3. Facilities information.
4. Financial information.
5. Form I-17: Signed.
6. Grading policy outline.
7. Ownership information.
8. Payment records.
9. Pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) statement.
10. Program of Study descriptions.
11. Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident status.
12. School catalog.
13. State Recognition or Proof of Exemption.
14. Teacher(s) qualification descriptions.