Basic Regulations
Duration of Status
Reinstatement
Employment
School Transfers
Travel
Important documents and procedures

Basic Regulations

1. Enroll in and complete a full course of study throughout the academic year (a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester for undergraduates and 9 credit hours per semester for graduates) and maintain satisfactory academic progress.  ALWAYS consult OIP BEFORE you drop your course load to part-time or withdraw from all your courses; otherwise, you jeopardize your LEGAL status.  Proper documentation must be kept in your OIP file.  Also, remember, the INS will not accept not having enough money as an excuse for dropping below full-time hours.
2. Renew your passport at LEAST six months prior to its expiration date.

1. DO NOT accept employment off campus without authorization from OIP and    INS. See employment section.
2. Report any change of address to OIP with 10 days of moving.  (This is an INS REQUIREMENT!)
3. Request an extension of stay at least 30 days before the expiration date on your I-20 if your studies will not be completed within the allotted period of time.  Locate the specific date on your I-20. (See Duration of Status for more information.) (Go To Top)

Duration of Status

D/S:  This clarification allows an F-1 student who is pursuing a full course of study to complete any educational level or series of educational programs and any practical training (if qualified for it), and also to have 60 days either to depart from the U.S. or apply for a change of visa status. Students who find that they are unable to complete their studies in the amount of time noted on the I-20 ID are required to obtain a new I-20 ID with a new date of completion noted.  To do this, you must report to OIP at least 30 days BEFORE the date of completion on your I-20 ID; you will be required to submit documentation of financial support. To gain a PROGRAM EXTENSION, students must show satisfactory progress toward the degree.  Unacceptable reasons for extending one's program include suspension or not maintaining full-time status. (Go To Top)

Reinstatement

REMEMBER--If you do not violate your F-1 student status,you will never have to apply for reinstatement!

If, however, for any reason you violate your legal status, you lose all benefits of being an F-1 student (e.g. employment) and risk deportation.  You can in some situations apply to INS for reinstatement to F-1 status.  Schedule an appointment with the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services to discuss your options.  To request reinstatement, a fee will need to accompany the I-539 INS application form.  For the period of time you are "out of status," you may not work on or off campus under any circumstances.  And, depending on your particular situation, you may not be able to work for up to nine months FOLLOWING reinstatement.

INS regulations could result in your being barred from re-entering the U.S. for a period of three to ten years if you fail to seek reinstatement.

Advice:  Follow the basic regulations and you won't have to worry about seeking reinstatement.  But, if you do violate your status, schedule an appointment with the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services to discuss your options. (Go To Top)

Employment

Students who are in good standing with the University and INS are eligible to work on-campus for up to 20 hours per week while school is in session without INS approval and up to 40 hours per week on-campus during the vacation period.  In limited circumstances, under the current INS regulations, students who have been in-status for at least nine months or two academic semesters are eligible to apply for off-campus work authorization.  However, you must contact OIP regarding ANY off-campus employment to see if you are eligible and to file necessary papers before beginning to work.

Types of Off-Campus Work Available to F-1 Students
An F-1 student may be authorized to work off-campus while school is in session and during school vacations through:

To be eligible for any off-campus employment, the student must do the following:

Student employment both on-campus and off-campus is limited to no more than 20 hours per week while school is in session.  During holidays and school vacations, employment can be full-time.

NEVER WORK OFF-CAMPUS WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION!!!

1.  Employment Based on Economic Hardship:

The INS considers severe economic hardship only in situations that are unforeseen and beyond your control.  For instance:  documented significant devaluation of your home currency or unexpected changes in the financial condition of your main source of support (e.g. loss of job, death, etc.). Employment based on Economic Hardship is available to students provided that:

2.  Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Students who have alternate work/study internships or cooperative education as a part of their curriculum can receive an endorsement for CPT.  This training will not affect other practical training, provided the total amount of CPT authorized is less than 12 months of full-time training.  If a student completes 12 or more months of full-time CPT, he/she is ineligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT).  He/she may be eligible to do part-time CPT in conjunction with full-time studies. For CPT opportunities, you should contact the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services for an information/forms packet.  Because of the many procedures involved, you should begin this process severalweeks in advance of the semester you wish to begin.  You will need to submit documents to the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services and receive written authorization from OIP on the back of your I-20 before you begin work. 

3.  Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Students may be eligible to do OPT in their field of study both before and after completion of studies. OPT falls into four categories:

OPT may be granted for a maximum of 12 months.  It is calculated on a daily basis, with part-time practical training (20 hours per week or less) being deducted from the available practical training at one-half the full-time rate.  It is for this reason that most students will not use any of their OPT time until after they complete their studies in order to obtain a full 12 months of post-graduate work experience.

Applications for OPT before completion of studies can be done at any time after meeting the general requirements of off-campus employment, but employmentcannot begin until the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) has been received.

To be authorized for OPT, the student must first contact the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services.  The student, in cooperation with his/her academic advisor and the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services will then complete the necessary forms that must be sent to the INS office to apply for an EAD. INS charges a fee for this procedure.  Once a student receives the EAD, he/she will be allowed to work. The process to receive permission from INS usually takes from three to five months.  Give a copy of the EAD to the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services once you have received it.

If you are applying for post-completion OPT, there is a special time limitation.  You have 90 days before completion of the degree and no later than 60 days after graduation to apply for this form of work. This training is to be in the student's field of study, but a job offer is not required at the time of application.

PLEASE NOTE :  Once you have been authorized to work off-campus under OPT, there can be NO CHANGES to the time period of training.  For example, if you are authorized to work 12 months of OPT after graduation, but you later decide you want to start graduate school earlier, you will lose some OPT time.  If you only work for 3 of the 12 months, you cannot be authorized for additional work time later.  This is also the case if it takes  you a couple of months to find employment. YOU CANNOT REAPPLY FOR ADDITIONAL TIME.

ALWAYS REMEMBER:  NEVER BEGIN EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT WRITTEN PREMISSION FROM THE COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT & SCHOLAR SERVICES!

Handouts on the exact requirements for each type of employment are available at OIP.  When it is time for you to investigate work opportunities, please schedule an appointment with the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services . (Go To Top)

School Transfers

The F-1 student regulations allow all transfers to be done by notification procedure through the International Student Advisor at the new school, but you should always notify your current Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services of your intention to transfer.  For example, if you decide to transfer to University of Kentucky (or choose to seek a higher degree), give a copy of your new I-20 to OIP, and complete the Exiting Form before you leave!

To maintain F-1 status, you will need to sign the new, original I-20.  If you do not leave the U.S. and reenter with the new I-20, you will need to give the new I-20 ID to your new International Student Advisor no later than 15 days from the date when classes begin at the new school.  (Pages 1 and 2 will be sent to INS.)  Always keep ALL your I-20 ID copies together when traveling overseas.

Travel

You do not need a new I-20 to re-enter the U.S. after an absence of less than five months; however, you will need your I-20 ID properly endorsed on page four by the Designated School Official (Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services) at OIP.  Regarding your visa, it is all right to remain in the U.S. if the F-1 visa has expired, as long as your I-20 has not expired and you are otherwise maintaining your status.  If INS approved a change of status for you within the U.S., you will need to apply for an F-1 visa stamp while outside the U.S. in order to re-enter the country.  Be sure to take your approval notice and documentation of your financial support. (Go To Top)

Important Documents and Procedures

1.    VISA
This is the visa you obtained at the American Embassy or Consulate which allowed you to ask for permission to enter the United States.  A nonimmigrant visa (such as an F-1) is valid only for the purpose for which it was issued. It is NOT a guarantee of entry. For initial admission, you are required to attend the school written below the visa for at least one academic term.  Once you have been granted entry, your visa does NOT determine how long you stay in the U.S. (See "I-20" below.) You are required to renew your visa only when you leave the U.S. and wish to return and if your visa has expired or if your visa was designated as "single entry only."  A request to obtain a new visa must be made at the American Embassy or Consulate outside the United States. PLEASE NOTE:  If your visa has expired, it is all right to remain in the U.S. if you are in legal F-1 status.  However, you must renew your visa if you go outside of the U.S.  Please note that your I-20 must be valid.

2.    PASSPORT
This is your most important piece of identification, and you need to keep it valid (at least six months beyond your projected date of departure from the U.S.)  You cannot renew your visa unless your passport is current; neither can you leave the U.S. without a valid passport. It is strongly urged that you photocopy important pages of your passport, i.e., the identification page, the expiration page, and the visa page.  Should you lose your passport, having photocopies of important pages may reduce the time needed to replace the document. To renew your passport YOU must contact your country's embassy or consulate.  The address and phone number may be obtained through the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services.

3.  I-94 Card.
This is the entry permit issued by the INS inspector at the port of entry into the U.S.  This is the little white card which was stapled into your passport upon arrival in the U.S.  KEEP IT THERE.  IT IS YOUR PERMIT TO REMAIN IN THE U.S.  The D/S status marked on the I-94 means that you are permitted to remain in the U.S. for as long as you are pursuing your intended program of study, provided you remain in status, your I-20 has not expired, and you are making satisfactory progress toward completion of your degree.

4.      I-20 - Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant F-1 Student Status.
This form is issued to you to attend WKU initially.  Having accepted the I-20, you are required by INS to attend WKU for at least one semester before transferring. Whenever you travel outside of the U.S., you must carry an up-to-date I-20 ID endorsed by a Designated School Official (DSO) at OIP.  You must also check the visa requirements of these countries through which you will travel. The I-20 ID (Student Copy) certifies that you are eligible to study at the designated school and that you have verified your financial ability to pay tuition, fees, and basic living costs while pursuing your education. Page 4 of the I-20 ID is used to note transfers and other records (i.e., employment, reinstatement of status).  It is also used to document your date of readmission to the U.S. after a temporary absence In conjunction with your I-94, your I-20 indicates the length of time you have permission to remain in the U.S. (by the expiration date) as long as you are still maintaining your status and working towards the degree indicated on the I-20.

5. New I-20
All F-1 students are issued I-20 IDs to enter the U.S.  Most immigration transactions will be noted on the student's I-20 ID.  If you should receive a new I-20 for any reason (program extension, school transfer, change of degree or major), you should keep your previous I-20 IDs as a record of your legal stay in the U.S. INS regulations state that you should keep your I-20 with you at all times.  You will not surrender it for temporary absences outside the U.S.
If you lose your I-20, please report it to the Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services immediately.  In some cases, we may be able to issue a duplicate.  With other immigration documents (e.g. I-94), you may need to file a Form I-102 and pay a fee to INS to obtain a duplicate.

WHERE DO I INQUIRE ABOUT IMMIGRATION MATTERS?

Direct all inquiries to OIP at745-4857.  Do not rely on information from a friend or hearsay.  Your friend may have good intentions, but may be unaware of changes in regulations.

We at OIP want to assist you in reaching your educational goals and give you opportunities for training in your field.  You must do your part by keeping informed of changes in regulations pertaining to your status by reading the OIP e-mails and coming to our office when you have questions or concerns

REVIEW THIS INFORMATION REGULARLY!!!!

Office of International Programs

Western Kentucky University

1536 State Street

Bowling Green , KY  42101

270-745-4857

Coordinator for International Student & Scholar Services(Go To Top)