International at SIUE

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Advising International Students

Thank you for helping SIUE international students navigate classes and life in the U.S. Our office is here to assist students with all immigration needs. However, there may be times when you want to know basic immigration regulations in order to help best advise international students. Please find helpful information below and know that you can always contact us at isss@siue.edu or 618-650-3785 with questions.

Visit the International Student and Scholars Services website for required course enrollment information.

Terms To Know
F-1	This visa status is used for degree-seeking international students in the U.S. The F-1 visa is only used to enter the United States. The student must maintain F-1 status to remain in the U.S. Spouse or dependent children of the F-1 visa holder are eligible for F-2 dependent visas.
J-1	This visa status is used for international exchange visitors in the U.S. The J-1 visa is only used to enter the country. At SIUE, J-1 visa holders can be visiting exchange students, degree-seeking students through a partnership/sponsored program, or visiting research scholars/professors. The exchange visitor must maintain J-1 status to remain in the U.S. Spouse or dependent children of the J-1 visa holder are eligible for J-2 dependent visas.
H-1B	This visa status is used for temporary international workers in the U.S. The H-1B visa is only used to enter the country. The worker must maintain H-1B status to remain in the U.S. Spouse or dependent children of the H-1B visa holder are eligible for H-4 dependent visas and may study part or full-time.
Other visa types	The U.S. immigration system can be complicated and there are a whole alphabet soup of visa types. It is great if you want to help, but it is important to know that students are responsible for their own visa status. Some students may also have no visa status, a pending status, or permanent residency (or a green card).
DSO	Designated School Official--Every Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school must have at least one employee serving as DSO. This individual must be familiar with immigration regulations relating to F-1 status and has access to SEVIS.
ARO	Alternate Responsible Officer--Every Department of State (DOS)-designated sponsor must have at least one employee serving as ARO. This individual must be familiar with immigration regulations relating to J-1 status and has access to SEVIS.
I-20 Certificate of Eligibility	Immigration document issued by SIUE to a student seeking F-1 status. The I-20 document is unique to F-1 status and is required to apply for an F-1 visa and enter the US. It is also required for other applications such as a driver’s license, social security card, and I-9 employment paperwork. The expiration date on this document (NOT the student’s visa) determines how long the student is permitted to stay in the US.
DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility	Immigration document issued by SIUE, or a outside sponsoring agency such as Fulbright, to a student or scholar seeking J-1 status. If the student is sponsored by an outside agency, their DS-2019 will be issued by an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) at that agency and they must report to that individual in order to maintain status. The DS-2019 document is unique to J-1 status and is required to apply for a J-1 visa and enter the US. It is also required for other applications such as a driver’s license, social security card, and I-9 employment paperwork. The expiration date on this document (NOT the student’s visa) determines how long the student is permitted to stay in the US.
SEVIS	Student and Exchange Visitor Information System--This is a web-based Department of Homeland Security database system used to track information on F-1 and J-1 visa holders. Only staff in the Office of International Affairs and the Office of Graduate and International Admissions have access to this system.
CPT	Curricular Practical Training is a type of off-campus work authorization for F-1 students. This is training which provides the student with the opportunity for practical application of the knowledge gained in their program of study and is considered part of the student’s curriculum. All off-campus work during a student’s program must first be authorized as CPT by their international advisor. This process is done through the Career Development Center.
OPT	Optional Practical Training is a type of off-campus work authorization for F-1 students. OPT is generally used for employment after a student’s graduation. All OPT must be authorized through US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
AT	Academic Training is a type of off-campus work authorization for J-1 students. This is training which provides the student with the opportunity for application of the knowledge gained in their academic program at SIUE. AT can be approved during or after the student’s program of study and must be authorized by their international advisor.

Advisement of F and J students
Date of entry	New students cannot enter the country more than 30 days before the program start date listed on their I-20 or DS-2019.
Full-time enrollment	F-1 and J-1 students must be registered full time every Fall and Spring Undergraduate students = 12 credits Masters/Doctoral students = 9 credits Students with active graduate assistantships = 6 credits
Summer enrollment	Summer enrollment is optional, unless it is your first or last semester. Full-time summer enrollment is 3 credit hours and it cannot be an online course. If Summer semester is the student’s first or last semester, they must be registered full-time--at least 3 credits hours of on-campus courses.
Online courses	F-1 students can only count ONE online class toward their minimum number of credits during the spring and fall semester. Additional online courses can be taken above the minimum requirements. If a student needs only one course to complete the program of study, the course cannot be online. J-1 students are not permitted to take any online courses to meet the full-time requirement, but if they take above and beyond the number of credits needed to be considered full-time, those credits can be online.
Reduced course loads	An F-1 or J-1 student can only be allowed to drop below full-time for specific reasons stipulated by immigration law and must be authorized by their international advisor for a course drop before it occurs.
On-campus employment	F-1 and J-1 students degree-seeking students are limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session. During breaks, there is no limit (students are limited by SIUE policies). J-1 students must have written authorization from their ARO prior to beginning any on-campus work. Non-degree seeking students are not permitted to work on-campus at SIUE.
Final Semester	Students must be registered in credit hours their final semester. They cannot be in only one online course. Students cannot be enrolled only in UNIV 500, as this enrollment is only used for administrative purposes and is not given for credit.
Off-campus employment	F-1 and J-1 students must have authorization prior to any off-campus work. Any off-campus work must be directly related to the student’s field of study. See CPT, OPT, and Academic Training in the Glossary (above) for more details.