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As the spring semester is coming to an end, many students are eager for the summer to arrive and enjoy it with their friends and family.
For international students, there are several immigration procedures to consider before the semester is over.
PROGRAM EXTENSION: It is very important that the students check their I-20’s and make sure that the expiration date is not May or August 2010. If the degree is not going to be completed by the marked expiration date, it is necessary to file a program extension before the given date. This document is very important because if it not filed as needed, it will put the student out of status.
LESS THAN FULL TIME ENROLLMENT: Another way an international student can protect their status is by making sure he/she is enrolled with at least 12 credit hours, the minimum to be considered a full-time student. Exemptions may apply on certain students depending on individual situations. For example, if a student will graduate at the end of the registered semester, but he/she does not have enough classes to take in order to complete the 12 hours, the student needs to provide the International Student Office (ISO) with documentation concerning the
situation. The same procedure applies to any other circumstances that might require a student to take less credit hours during the semester.
CHANGE OF MAJOR: Often, students register to West Texas A&M, and other universities, pursuing a certain major, but as time goes by, they discover their true passion. This is a very common phenomenon that occurs in colleges all over the world. For foreign students studying in the United States of America, it is very important to inform the International Student Office of these changes. This means that if a student is no longer engaged in the degree program that is listed in their I-20 form, they need to let the ISO know so that they can change it to their current major.
ADDRESS UPDATES: After the semester is over, many students change their address. It is imperative for the ISO to keep the current address information of each international student. The office should always know the physical address of a student, their phone number and WT Box number if the student has one. It is federal regulation for the student visa type to keep this information updated in the system.
STUDENTS WITH TRANSFERRING PLANS: There are also cases in which students, for different reasons, decide to transfer to another college or university. International Students need
to notify the International Student Office of these changes. Some institutions that students may want to transfer to, ask for an immigration transfer form to be processed by the ISO. It is important to know that this procedure needs to be done before the SEVIS record can be transferred to the new school.
TRAVEL: If a student wishes to go out of the country, he/she needs to make sure they endorse their I-20 before the departure date. If this is not done, the student may not be allowed to re-enter the United States after their trip. It is strongly suggested that this is done a few days before the scheduled departure in order to prevent any last minute problems that might occur. Kristine Combs, Director of the International Student Office explains, “It communicates with the port of entry official, letting them know you are continuing your education at WT.”
Important Terms
I-20: This document is a certificate of eligibility that has the student’s name, major, academic program, finishing date, educational cost involvement, scholarships and any other relevant information. Initially, it is used by the student to obtain a visa to come study in the United States. It is given to the student once he/she has applied to the university, has been accepted and it proves that the student has the funds to pay for educational expenses. This document needs to be signed by the International Student Office each time the student goes out of the country. This signature has a validation of six months. After this time, it needs to be re-signed.
F1 Visa: It is a type of United States Visa which allows foreigners to study in the country. It comes with a set of rules that include being a full time student, limit online classes being taken, work no more than 20 hours a week on-campus, having a special authorization for off-campus working, among others. When these rules are followed, then the student is on-status. If not, he/she will fall out-of- status and the International Student Office is by law required to report any violation.
SEVIS: The Student Exchange Visitor Information System was placed after 9/11 “to monitor activities of foreign students in universities across the U.S.,” says Kristine Combs, Director of the International Student Office. It is run by the Department of Home Land Security, and every university hires a Primary Designated School Official, responsible of monitoring foreign students.