Maintaining Your F-1 Status
F-1 visa holders are responsible for maintaining their own status and following the F-1 rules/regulations. ISO’s role is to help you understand the regulations so that you may remain in compliance. The third page of your I-20 has more information, but here is a brief overview of what you should know:
- You must enroll and complete a full course load of classes each Fall and Winter semester; summer enrollment is optional unless the Summer semester is your first semester at Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ. Therefore, you must enroll in the following number of credits to maintain your status.
- Undergraduate: at least 12 credits
- Graduate: at least 9 credits
- If you have been approved for a TA/RA position, please contact ISO.
- Students in ALCP:
- ALCP 1010/5101 is full-time
- Undergraduate: ALCP 2010 + 6 academic credits or ALCP 3150 + 9 academic credits
- Graduate: ALCP 5201 + 3 academic credits or ALCP 5315 + 6 academic credits.
- Your passport should be valid at least six months into the future.
- Obtain written authorization on your I-20 to work off-campus before you start working. Even one day of unauthorized work is a direct violation of your status.
- Know the end date of your I-20 and request more time, if needed, before the end date.
- Inform ISO of any changes to your address or degree program within 10 days of the change.
- Obtain a travel signature (on the second page of your I-20) before any international travel (includes Canada and Mexico).
- Travel signatures while studying are valid for one year. Travel signatures while on OPT or STEM Extension are only valid for six months.
- Keep all of the I-20’s issued to you (from Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ and any other schools in the U.S.). Do you not destroy or throw them away.
VISA vs. STATUS
Visa = the physical sticker in your passport that shows which visa type you were approved for. Your visa only serves as a travel document – it must be valid upon re-entry to the U.S. from any international travel.
Status = Following the immigration regulations and keeping your SEVIS record valid
Your visa is allowed to expire as long as your I-20 is valid and you are maintaining good F-1 status. If you travel outside of the U.S. with an expired visa, you will be required to renew it in order to be considered for re-admission.