F-1 Status Information

All international students in F-1 status are obligated to meet certain requirements established by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order to maintain their lawful immigration status during their stay in the United States (U.S.). It is the sole responsibility of the student to maintain his/her lawful F-1 status. When a student completes section 11 of the I-20, the student is certifying that he/she has read and understood all of the terms and conditions of the F-1 status and agrees to abide by them.

Students who violate their status (even by accident) are considered to be "out of status" and will not be eligible for any USCIS benefits, including employment and the ability to transfer to another school from within the U.S. A violation of status may also result in deportation, as explained on the I-20.

Under certain circumstances, students who fall out of status may be able to apply for a reinstatement to lawful status and should visit the Office of International Student Services (OISS) in Room 201 of the Student Center as soon as possible. Students who work in the U.S. without proper authorization will not be eligible for a reinstatement and will need to depart the U.S. and reenter with a new I-20 before they can continue their enrollment at Regent. Students who remain in the U.S. while out of lawful immigration status may be barred from reentering the U.S. for up to ten years.

Students who fail to comply with the requirements listed below will be out of status. In order to maintain lawful F-1 immigration status, it is YOUR responsibility, as a student, to do the following:

KEEP your passport valid at all times. For travel purposes, passports must be valid for 6 months into the future. Passports may be revalidated or reissued in the U.S. at the embassy of the country that issued your passport. Students should begin to apply for a new passport about 7-8 months PRIOR to the date of expiration.

KEEP your I-20 valid at all times and APPLY for a new I-20 WITHIN 1 WEEK after any changes. Students should check sections 4, 5, and 8 of the I-20 on a regular basis, and notify the OISS immediately about any changes in major, degree level (Ph.D. to M.S., etc.) changes, or changes in financial support. Students should also notify the OISS about any name changes, errors, or misspellings on the I-20. Failure to maintain a valid and accurate I-20 can result in serious immigration problems for you and students should never present an incorrect I-20 to a government official for travel or visa application purposes.

ATTEND the school you are authorized to attend as noted on your I-20 (section 2) AND as noted on your visa (for initial attendance only). A student who attends a school without authorization from the International Student Advisor on an I-20, or without following proper USCIS transfer procedures, is considered to be out of status and should consult with the OISS immediately. Also, a student who does not attend the school listed on his/her visa for initial entry into the U.S. is also considered to be out-of-status and should consult with the OISS immediately.

DO NOT drop below full-time status during the fall and spring semesters, DO NOT take more than 1 online class or more than 3 online credit hours each semester, and MAKE NORMAL PROGRESS toward the completion of your degree/course of study. In general, full-time status is defined as 12 credit hours for undergraduate students, 9 credit hours for graduate students (M.S./M.A.s), 6 credit hours for doctoral/PhD students, 12 credit hours for MBA students, and 10 credit hours for J.D./JSD students. A few exceptions can be made to this full-time rule, but ONLY after receiving PRIOR WRITTEN approval from the OISS.

Students who fail to obtain prior written approval from the OISS before dropping below full-time status will be in violation of their F-1 status. A suspension or termination from one's academic program is considered to be a violation of status that will result in the termination of the student's SEVIS record. Students who are suspended/terminated are not entitled to any grace period and must be prepared to depart the U.S. immediately. Important Note: F-1 regulations do not permit F-1 students to count more than 1 online class or more than 3 online credits per semester toward the full-time status credit requirements.

DO NOT work ON campus more than 20 hours per week total during the fall and spring semesters. Full-time on-campus employment of more than 20 hours per week total is only permitted during vacation periods, such as summer, and as long as the student was enrolled full-time during the previous semester and will be enrolled full-time the following semester.

The 20 hour limit includes hours worked as a teaching, research, or graduate assistant as well as any work done as an adjunct faculty member, or for any offices on-campus. For students who have graduated/completed all degree requirements, employment at Regent is NOT permitted without a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) for post-completion OPT.

DO NOT work OFF campus without PRIOR WRITTEN authorization from the OISS on your I-20 or without an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS, and REFRAIN from any type of self-employment. Contact the OISS for any questions or uncertainties you might have about what constitutes off-campus employment.

REPORT a change of address to the OISS & the REGISTRAR'S OFFICE WITHIN 5 DAYS of the change. (The university will report the change to the U.S. government through the SEVIS system.)

Address/Information Change Form

NOTIFY the OISS if you plan to withdraw, transfer, take a leave of absence, or cease your enrollment at Regent for any reason at all. All students MUST notify the OISS BEFORE they terminate their studies at the university (without completing the degree) and will have a 15-day grace period to depart the U.S. Students who do not notify the OISS before terminating their studies will have no grace period and are expected to depart the U.S. immediately.

NOTIFY the OISS WITHIN 5 DAYS if you complete all of your degree requirements before the end date in section 5 of your I-20.

APPLY for an F-1 program extension at least 30 DAYS BEFORE the end date in section 5 of your current I-20 if you cannot complete your degree by that date. F-1 program extensions can only be granted for certain reasons, so you MUST consult with the OISS—far in advance—for proper planning.

NOTIFY the OISS WITHIN 5 DAYS if your immigration status changes from F-1 to any other status (H-1B, Permanent Resident, etc.) or if you use the benefit of another status (travel on Advanced Parole, EAD card, etc.).

LEAVE the United States WITHIN 60 DAYS after the graduation date on your I-20 (section 5), OR within 60 days after your actual program completion date, whichever date comes first. Students on post-completion OPT must depart the U.S. within 60 days after their OPT expiration date on the EAD.

The 60-day grace period applies to all F-2 dependents as well. Failure to depart the U.S. on time is a violation of the F-1 and F-2 status. Students who do not complete their degrees (including those who are suspended/terminated from their academic programs) are not entitled to the 60-day grace period and should consult with the OISS and prepare for immediate departure from the U.S.

TRANSFER STUDENTS: NOTIFY the OISS/International Student Advisor at the school you will be leaving, NOTIFY the International Student Advisor at the school you will be attending, OBTAIN an I-20 from the new school, and REPORT to the International Student Advisor/OISS at the new school within 15 days of beginning attendance there.

(Special Note: The F-1 record MUST be transferred in SEVIS from the old school to the new school within 60 days after degree/OPT completion.) Failure to follow these procedures will result in the loss of one's lawful F-1 status and ability to transfer schools from within the U.S.

Special Notes:

OISS Website: Additional immigration related information and request forms (for an I-20/DS-2019 Travel Signature, Dependent I-20, Request for a New I-20, etc.) are available on the OISS website at: www.regent.edu/iss.

Weekly Email Messages, Monthly Newsletters, and Student Responsibility: The OISS newsletters and email messages contain important immigration information that you will need to know for maintaining your lawful F-1 status, so you are expected to read them carefully. If, for any reason, you are not receiving the newsletters or the weekly email messages, it is YOUR responsibility to inform the OISS immediately.

Immigration/Employment/Travel Related Questions: If you have any questions or uncertainties about your responsibilities for maintaining your lawful F-1 status, the SEVIS reporting requirements, restrictions on working in the U.S., travel outside the U.S., or if you think you may need to apply for a reinstatement to lawful status, please visit the OISS (Student Center, Room 201) as soon as possible. No other office on campus can assist you with these questions.

All U.S. institutions that sponsor F-1 students are required to report various F-1 student information to the USCIS electronically through a system called SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). The information includes, but is not limited to: address changes, violations of status, failure to enroll, last date of attendance, unauthorized drop below full-time status, etc. Any questions about restrictions on working in the U.S., traveling outside the U.S., or the rules and responsibilities of the F-1 student immigration status should be addressed to the Office of International Student Services and not to any other office on campus.

Correcting an Immigration Status Violation

F-1 students who have violated the terms and conditions of the F-1 student immigration status can apply for a "Reinstatement to Lawful F1 Status" if they have not worked in the United States without authorization. Click here for details. Another way to correct an immigration status violation is to start one's F-1 status all over again by departing the United States and reentering with a brand new I-20 issued for "initial attendance" and other required documents. Please consult with the OISS on these two options if you have experienced an immigration status violation.

Important Immigration Terms

Admission Number: This is the 11-digit number assigned to you by BCIS. It is on the I-94 card (white card near your visa) you receive when you first enter the U.S. You will keep this same number throughout your time as a student in the U.S.

Designated School Official (DSO): This is the individual whose name is typed in #2 of the I-20 and whose signature can be found on #10 of the I-20. The DSO at Regent University is authorized to approve or recommend approval of requests made by students to the BCIS.

"D/S": This notation on your I-94 stands for "Duration of Status." This means that you have been admitted to the United States for the period during which you are pursuing a full course of study with a valid I-20 plus a 60-day period within which you must depart the U.S. or begin employment as Optional Practical Training.

I-20: This SEVIS form issued by Regent University is needed to apply for your F-1 visa and enter the United States, or to transfer from another U.S. institution to Regent University. This is stamped by the immigration officer at your U.S. port of entry. Because it is a permanent record of your immigration status, keep it with you all times while you are in the U.S. Do not surrender this document when you leave the U.S. because it will be useful for further entry into this country.

I-94: This is the 3 inch by 4 inch white card stapled in your passport near your visa when you entered the U.S. It shows the date and place of your most recent U.S. entry and is used by the BCIS as a record of when you leave the U.S. This is surrendered to INS or an airline employee each time you leave the U.S.

USCIS: The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security the USCIS, the government office which has authority over all aliens in the United States. The USCIS has authority over SEVIS.

Passport: This document was most likely issued by your country of foreign residence. Your passport is extremely valuable, so keep it in a safe place. Replacement and renewal can be done through your country's embassy in Washington, D.C. A passport must be kept valid for up to 6 months after your intended stay in the U.S.

Social Security Number: This important identification number is required of all employees in the U.S. An application and information on how/where to apply is available from the OISS.

Visa: This is the entry permit stamped or affixed to a page inside your passport by a U.S. consular officer. It is only used to enter the U.S. and does not need to be renewed while you are in this country; however an expired visa must be renewed if you go outside the U.S. and seek to return. A new visa can only be obtained outside the U.S.

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F-1 Status Information

Special Notes:

Correcting an Immigration Status Violation

Important Immigration Terms