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Download your copy of the new International Students Handbook
Maintaining F-1 Student status
Transfering to SJSU
Reinstatement to student status
Change of Status
Employment
Frequently Asked Questions
Maintaining F-1 Student status 
As an F-1 student your primary purpose for being in the U.S. is to study. In order to remain in lawful F-1 status, you must comply with the following requirements:
- Keep your passport valid at all times (Try to keep it valid a minimum of 6 months beyond the expected completion date in Section 5 of your I-20).
- Attend the school you are authorized to attend; i.e. the school whose I-20 you used to enter the U.S.; or to which your last transfer was authorized.
- Remain a full time student: Complete 12 units each semester if an undergraduate student, or 9 units if a graduate student, except for summer or the last semester.
- International students will not be able to drop below full time, without prior IPS approval.
- International students who register for less than a full-time course load, without prior IPS approval, will be out of status and will be reported to USCIS.
- International students will not be able to take a split load taking classes at another school without prior IPS approval before the end of the SJSU add period.Complete a timely transfer within 15 days of first day of classes, when you transfer to SJSU or change the level of education being sought (undergraduate to graduate program; 2nd bachelor to graduate program, for example)
- Maintain a valid I-20: have your I-20 updated by IPS if you have any changes on the I-20. Any changes to your major, change of name, and/or completion of degree date (must be updated before it expires).
- Do not participate in any unauthorized employment at any time.
- Maintain good academic standing: 2.0 grade point average for undergraduate students and 3.0 grade point average for graduate
students.
- Have your I-20 signed by an International Student Advisor before leaving the U.S. The signature is valid for 12 months
from the date signed on page 3.
Failure to comply with the regulations cited above will lead to violation
of your F-1 status, which may result in serious consequences, including
termination of your program, cancellation of your visa, loss of working
benefits, and even possibly a 3 to 10 years bar from admission to the
U.S., and/or deportation from the U.S. Please come in to see an International
Student Advisor if you should have any questions or concerns regarding
F-1 student status.
Full time study requirements
If a student does not follow the immigration regulations, he/she will
be in violation of their F-1 status. One such regulation is that a student
must be enrolled full-time. A student in F-1 status is required by the
USCIS to complete a minimum academic load of 12 units per semester if
an undergraduate, or 9 units per semester if a graduate student. All
Requests must be approved before the last day of the registration add
period. Certain circumstances that would allow a student to carry
a reduced number of units:
- Concurrent Enrollment: is when a student enrolls
at SJSU for at least 6 units, and an additional 6 units or more at another
university or community college. Student must obtain prior approval
from IPS.
- Reduced Course Load: A student may be eligible
to take less than the required number of units, if approved by IPS under
BCIS regulations. For example: If it is the student's final term,
the student need take only the courses needed for completion.
- Thesis or Project Only: A graduate student
who has less than the required number of units, or is working on a thesis
or project during the semester and is not registered for any units must
submit a letter from the academic advisor prior to the end of requested
period, on SJSU letterhead indicating that the student is considered
to be a full time student.
- Leave of absence from the university: an SJSU
student may take a leave of absence for one semester and still be considered
in good academic standing. However, F-1 students must leave the country
if not enrolled.
Remember: You must receive advance approval (prior to the last day of
the add period) from an International Student Advisor to take less than
the required unit load!
Extension of program
As part of the requirement to maintain status with USCIS, international students are expected to complete their studies within a given time. This completion date is found in item number 5 on the I-20. If the student is unable to complete all degree requirements by this date, an extension must be processed by IPS prior to the completion date on the current I-20 to maintain legal F-1 status. This is called Extension of Program (EOP). A new I-20 will be made with the new completion date. To apply for an Extension of Program, please pick up instructions from the IPS office, and turn in prior to your I-20 completion date.
Travel
F-1 students who are planning to travel to another country must have
their I-20 signed for re-entry by an International Student Advisor (Designated
School Official) prior to leaving the U.S. The signature on page 3 of
the I-20 is valid for 12 months after the date signed.
The Designated School Official's signature on the I-20 is necessary for
re-entry into the U.S. It is also necessary to have a valid F-1 visa for
re-entry. The visa is a stamp in the passport, which is obtained at an
American Consulate prior to coming to the U.S. If the current visa expires
before the re-entry date, or a student changed to F-1 from another visa
status while in the U.S., the student must apply for a new F-1 visa while
outside the U.S. All students and their family members who are applying
for a new visa must see an International Student Advisor before travelling.
The Automatic revalidation of visa benefit allows certain F/J nonimmigrant
to re-enter the United States after a 30-day or less visit to "continguous
territory" (Canada, Mexico) and the "adjacent islands other
than Cuba" without having to obtain a new visa prior to re-entry,
and provided the student is in status and all other documents are valid:
passport, I-20, and I-94. However, if the student chooses to apply for
a new F-1 visa while in the contiguous territory will no longer be eligible
for the "automatic revalidation" benefit during the course of
that trip, but would have to wait until the visa is granted in order to
re-enter the United States. If the visa application is denied, the student
may not reenter the U.S. s/he will have to return home to apply for a
new F-1 visa before returning.
To avoid delays, please come see an international student advisor and
have your I-20 signed at least 2 weeks prior to your travel. This is so
that it any problems develop, the office staff will have ample time to
prepare the necessary documents for your travel.
Special Registration
"Special Registration" is a U.S. government procedure begun
in fall, 2002. It requires male individuals from a number of countries
to have an interview and be fingerprinted and photographed at U.S. ports
of entry when entering and departing the U.S.
Those countries include:Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Afganistan,
Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar,
Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh,
Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait.
Individuals subject to Special Registration were required until recently
to report for country specific call-ins, as well as yearly reporting to
the local immigration office (USCIS.) Registration was required before
the date indicated for their country of nationality, or the individual
would be considered deportable.
(Excluded from the requirements, are asylum applicants who applied for
asylum before the Notice was published.)
On December 2, 2003 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced
that part of the Special Registration procedures are being suspended,
effective immediately. They are:
Individuals specially registered upon entry to the U.S., no longer have
to report for re-registration at a USCIS Office within 30-40 days of admission.
Individuals subject to special registration no longer are required
to report annually at a USCIS Office for re-registration.
Completion of AR-11SR is no longer required each time an F-1 specially
registered individual changes their local address, if they report
the move to their university. [Please report on-line to Student Services
and in person to IPS.]
Provisions that are still in effect are:
- Upon entering the U.S., special registration at the Port of Entry,
including photographing and fingerprinting.
- Upon departure from the U.S., all special registrants must leave through
an air, land or seaport, where a departure procedure is given.
- The Dept of Homeland Security may announce future call-in registrations.
- Individuals who failed to appear for their 30 day or one year registration,
as required before December 2, 2003 remain subject to penalties as allowed
under the law.
We recommend any nationals from these countries go to the Department
of Homeland Security Website to review a fact sheet on the procedures
at: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=2468
or to read the official interim rule in the Federal Register, go to:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov
/2003/03-30120.htm
Change of program or degree level
A current SJSU student will be issued a new I-20 for the change. IPS
will need to process this new I-20 within 15 days after beginning of new
program or degree.
Reminder: These transfers to the new I-20 must be done with this deadline
to avoid violation of F-1 student status.
Transferring to SJSU
International students may transfer from one school to another to complete
a degree or begin a new program. To do so, a student must acquire admission,
and a new I-20. The student must be enrolled within 5 months of admission
to the new program. The student will be required to have the previous
school release the student in SEVIS, and should have been enrolled full
time at the pervious school in the term prior to the transfer. After registering
at SJSU, a student must submit the SJSU I-20 for immigration registration
to the IPS office within 15 days after the beginning of the classes for
processing with USCIS. If no SJSU I-20 was issued at the time of acceptance,
please check in with the IPS office immediately.
Please complete the Transfer
form. The form can be opened in Adobe 5.0 or later, and allows information
to be typed on it.
Reinstatement to Student Status
All F-1 students must meet the F-1 student requirements of the USCIS
in order to maintain legal status. If a student takes fewer units than
required during a semester without prior approval, neglects to process
their transfer or extension, or is disqualified, the student will be in
violation of legal student status. When this happens, a student should
come to see an international student advisor, immediately. The student
can apply to the USCIS, and may be reinstated only if the circumstances
were out of the student's control and it occurred within 5 months of applying.
A student who is out of status for more than 5 months is no longer eligible
to apply for reinstatement. The student will have to leave the country
and re-enter to gain a new F-1 status.
Reminder: Students that are out of status is not eligible to purchase
international student health insurance, or to continue previously authorized
work.
Change of Status
Any one who wishes to change their status to F1 must sign up for this
workshop. Information about how to obtain F1 visa and F1 status will be
addressed. Student must be on time.
Tuesday at 3:00 pm
Clark Hall, 5th Floor, room 543
Other workshops
Student who wishes to participate in internships and/or optional practical
training must attend the PT workshop. Workshops are offered all year round.
Student must be on time to these workshops. Once workshop starts no one
will be allowed to come in late. Please sign up and check-in at Clark Hall, 5th Floor, room 543
Wednesday at 3:00 pm
Thursday at 10:30 am
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