Foreign students in the United States are required by immigration law to follow certain regulations in order to maintain legal status in the United States. WKU's International Student and Scholar Services is responsible for advising international students on immigration law and regulations, and for processing various immigration documents. When coming to ISSS for immigration matters, always bring your passport, I-20, and WKU ID. You should always allow us at LEAST three working days to process documents.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING, UNDERSTANDING, AND COMPLYING WITH THESE REGULATIONS.
IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, PLEASE COME TO ISSS.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established certain rules and regulations which you are expected to understand and follow. The following is a list of important information for your new studies in the U.S. as well as regulations, procedures, and forms that are frequently used in negotiation with the DHS. Most of these forms are known worldwide and may be obtained from ISSS or from any DHS office.
important pre-arrival information
Congratulations on your acceptance to WKU and obtaining your F-1 Visa to study in the U.S. ! To help answer the many questions and concerns regarding pre-departure from your home country, please click on this link.
PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION
traveling on your f-1 visa
When you travel outside the U.S. you will need a new Travel I-20 from ISSS before you leave. Please ask for a travel I-20 at least a week before you plan to leave. Regarding your visa, it is okay to remain in the U.S. if the F-1 visa has expired, as long as your I-20 and passport have not expired and you are otherwise maintaining your status. If DHS 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. top
transfer information
If you are transferring to WKU from another university within the United States, you will receive your WKU admit letter along with a TRANSFER FORM to be completed by your current International Student Advisor and returned to ISSS.
If you would like to transfer from WKU to another university in the United States, you will need to schedule an appointment with Derick Strode, the International Student Advisor and bring your official admit letter from your new university to ISSS. You will work with Derick on the transfer of your SEVIS record to your new school.
Forms to transfer out: TRANSFER OUT FORM and the TRANSFER OUT CHECKLIST
important documents
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.
3. I-94 Card.
This is the entry permit issued by the DHS 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 DHS 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 form endorsed by a Designated School Official (DSO) at ISSS. You must also check the visa requirements of these countries through which you will travel. The I-20 form 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 form 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 forms to enter the U.S. Most immigration transactions will be noted on the student's I-20. 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's as a record of your legal stay in the U.S. DHS 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 International Student & Scholar Services immediately. In some cases, we may be able to issue a duplicate. top
dependents of f-1
If you are an F-1 student and would like to bring a dependent to the U.S. with you while you study, you will need to complete the F-2 DEPENDENT REQUEST FORM and bring to Beth Murphy, Coordinator of International Student & Scholar Services. We also have available a handout indicating what documents an F-2 will need to take to the visa appointment.
top
change of address
According to Department of Homeland Regulations, all students on an F-1 visa must report a change of address to their International Student Adviser immediately. If you have recently moved, please complete and submit the Change of Address Form.
top
reduced course load
All students on an F-1 visa must 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 ISSS 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 ISSS file. Also, remember, the DHS will not accept not having enough money as an excuse for dropping below full-time hours. If you are in your first or last semester of study and your academic advisor recommends that you drop below full-time, please have them complete the REDUCED COURSE LOAD FORM. After they complete the form, schedule an appointment with the International Student Advisor and bring this form with you. If the Reduced Course Load is for academic reasons and the student is NOT in the last semester, a student's course load can only be reduced to 6 credits. Otherwise the student will be in violation of F-1 status. Top
program extension
F-1 Students who will not complete their program of study by the ending date on their I-20 need to request a program extension from the Office of International Student and Scholar Services within 60 days before the I-20 expires. You cannot extend your program solely for CPT if you have completed all the required courses for your degree. A student must have a compelling academic or medical reason in order to extend their I-20. It is the student's responsibility to monitor their I-20 cpmpletion date and begin the process of the program extension by taking the form to the academic advisor.
1. Print a program extension form here. Have your academic advisor complete the form by explaining the academic reason for the delay in completing your program of study and by indicating the amount of additional time needed to complete your degree.
2. Make an appointment with Derick Strode, the International Student Advisor. Bring your completed program extension form.
3. If you are eligible for a program extension, we will issue you a new I-20 and notify the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of your program extension. top
employment
Students who are in good standing with the University and DHS are eligible to work on-campus for up to 20 hours per week while school is in session without DHS approval and up to 40 hours per week on-campus during the vacation period. In limited circumstances, under the current DHS 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 ISSS 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:
- Economic Hardship
- Curricular Practical Training; and/or
- Optional Practical Training (Pre-Completion; Post-Completion)
To be eligible for any off-campus employment, the student must do the following:
- Be enrolled for one academic year;
- Be in good status with DHS;
- Be in good academic standing; and
- Receive written permission!
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 DHS 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.).
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 several weeks 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 ISSS on the back of your I-20 before you begin work.
3. Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Students must report Employer Information within 10 days of obtaining employment. Please click here for form to complete and submit.
(STEM OPT Information here)
Students may be eligible to do OPT in their field of study after completion of studies. Interning or volunteering in a position directly related to the academic field would be considered "employed" for the purposes of OPT employment. (this does NOT apply to STEM OPT) 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 employment cannot 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 DHS office to apply for an EAD. DHS currently charges $340 for this procedure. Once a student receives the EAD, he/she will be allowed to work. The process to receive permission from DHS usually takes from three to five months.
During post-completion OPT, F-1 status is dependent upon employment. If student accrues an aggregate of 90 days of unemployment on post-completion standard “initial” OPT, the student loses his/her F-1 status. Note: all students applying for OPT are on the “initial” standard OPT.
OPT start date: Students may apply 90 days prior to program completion or 60 days after program completion. Start date on OPT must be within the 60 days after program completion date or date OPT is adjudicated by UCSIS. For example, if student’s program completion is May 10, 2008, student may apply up to July 10,2008, but start date on OPT I-20 can be no later than July 10, 2008 unless USCIS adjudicates the date to be later.
OPT must still be completed within a period of 14 months after program completion date. However, if employer files for an H1B for the student in a timely manner for the next fiscal year, the student is granted an automatic extension of Duration of Status and Employment Authorization until the H1B is approved, denied, rejected or revoked.
If the H1B is denied, the student will have the standard 60-day period (from notification of the denial or rejection of the petition) before they have to leave the U.S. (or change status to B-2 or begin a new F-1 program of study).
Students on Standard OPT
Students must report to DSO of any changes of:
Student’s legal name
Student’s Residential Address
Employer’s name
Employer’s address
Student’s Loss of employment
IT IS IMPORTANT TO USE BLUE INK ON ALL DHS DOCUMENTS - including the I-765 for OPT!
Top
health insurance
Do NOT purchase health insurance for your studies in the United States. All of Western Kentucky University’s international students are automatically enrolled in Academic Health Plans insurance and it will appear on your university bill. The cost of your health insurance is included in the amount shown on your I-20. Please do not purchase health insurance in your home country.
To best utilize your Health Insurance, we recommend visiting WKU's Health Services located on campus. Health Services proudly staffs two Board Certified Physicians and a Nurse Practitioner within a brand new, modern facility. Their services range from routine physicals and doctor visits to lab work, x-rays, immunizations, urgent care, sports medicine, health counseling, and annual exams. They even house their own pharmacy. WKU's Health Services provides outstanding care to the WKU Campus Community.
HEALTH SERVICES POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
top
contact information
Office of International Student and Scholar Services
1906 College Heights Blvd #11066
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1066
Phone: 270.745.4857
Fax: 270.745.6144
Email: isss@wku.edu
Staff Information