International Students

As an international student, you are required to get a Certificate of Eligibility Form I-20 from the university which you will need to get processed prior to your entrance into the United States in order to be granted student status.

We recommend that you apply as soon as possible to ensure your application can be processed in time for the start of your program.

Attention All International Students: Please Read

The news media has reported extensively on how the U.S. government is seeking more efficient ways of managing information on international students in the United States. We have prepared this article to help you understand the kinds of information that Niagara University, and all colleges and universities in the U.S., must maintain on international students and how this information is shared with the government in a manner prescribed by law. We hope you find this explanation helpful.

FAQ’s Regarding Sevis

What is SEVIS?

What Student Information will be collected in SEVIS?

What does “fail to maintain status” mean?

What are the consequences if a student fails to maintain status?

Can a student who is “out of status” regain legal status?

Will SEVIS benefit students in any way?

What should students do?

Are there other resources available about SEVIS?

Be Aware of the Following

Entry and Exit from the U.S.:

• New students may enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the start date on the I-20
• Students who withdraw from school with approval from a DSO at Niagara University have a 15-day grace period to leave the U.S. before they fall out of status.
• If NU did not authorize the withdrawal, the student has no grace period to leave the U.S. and is immediately out of status.

Distance Education:

• Students may only take one class (3 credits) of distance learning per term if that class does not require physical attendance for classes, exams or other purposed on the campus where it is offered.

Concurrent Enrollment:

• Students who are also enrolled at a second university in addition to N.U. must provide the DSO with copies of their class schedules from both schools to verify combined full-time enrollment each term. NU must receive the class schedule no later than 15 days after the NU semester has begun.

Reduced Course Load:

• Students may reduce their course load below full time for 2 reasons: academic or medical. In both cases, they must first obtain written authorization from a DSO before they drop any classes.
• Academic reasons, such as initial difficulty with English or reading requirements, unfamiliarity with American teaching methods, or improper course level placement, permit the DSO to authorize the student to reduce his/her course load to 6 hours for one term only per academic level. Such students must resume a full course load the next term, including summer. Students are not eligible for a second authorization by the DSO for academic difficulties.
• Students who fall ill or need to take a maternity leave may be authorized by the DSO to reduce their course load or take no classes at all for up to 12 months total per academic level. Such students must provide the DSO with a letter from a licensed Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy, or a licensed Clinical Psychologist before dropping courses. The DSO must re-authorize reduced course load for illness before each term begins with new documentation from the medical provider, up to a total of 12 months.
• Students must notify the DSO at the beginning of the term in which they return to class full time after taking a reduced course load to avoid falling out of status.
• Students may take a reduced course load in their final term if only one or two classes are needed to complete the degree – but may not continue to be enrolled only for administrative purposes if all degree requirements are met.

Transfer:

• Upon completion of a degree program, students may remain in the U.S. for up to 5 months maximum when transferring to a new degree program. The 5-month period begins on the completion date of the first degree program.
• Students who have fallen out of status are ineligible for transfer; they must either apply for reinstatement from INS or depart and re-enter the U.S. with an initial I-20 for a new program.
• Students wishing to transfer should notify the DSO of the date they wish to transfer and the name of the new school.

Employment:

• On-campus employment may not begin earlier than 30 days prior to classes starting.
• Students may not work off campus unless authorized for CPT or OPT.
• CPT: The regulations state that curricular practical training must be “an integral part of an established curriculum.” They define curricular practical training as “alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.”
• Students must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis at an I.N.S. approved school for one academic school year before being eligible for CPT. Exception exists for graduate students whose programs require immediate curricular training. Available only while student is in F-1 status, before completion of the educational objective.
• Students may engage in CPT only for a specific employer, location and period approved and recorded by the DSO on the Form I-20 ID.
• Duration of CPT depends on the specific period granted by the DSO. May be granted by DSO in increments of no more than one year, or until expected date of employment completion, whichever is shorter.
• CPT can be approved for part-time (20 hours or less) or full-time (over 20 hours).
• Must be an integral part of an established curriculum, in the student’s course of study.
• Must have an offer of employment from an employer offering work that qualifies as curricular practical training.
• Use of full-time CPT for one year or more eliminates eligibility for Optional Practical Training. Use of part-time CPT does not affect eligibility for Optional Practical Training.
• Must receive written authorization from DSO, who records authorization on Form I-20 ID, before work begins. I.N.S. approval is not required.
• Must continue to maintain a full course of study in F-1 status during the period of employment, but some exceptions may exist for some CPT.
• Students may get 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) for each degree level (under the old regulations, students were limited to 12 months total for all degree programs).
• Students must apply for OPT before completion of all degree requirements (thesis/dissertation defense date).
• OPT is automatically terminated when students transfer to another school or begin study at a different academic level.
• Students on OPT must report any changes of name/address and interruption of employment to NU for the duration of authorized OPT or fall out of status.

Reinstatement:

• Reinstatement applications to INS must be filed within 5 months of the status violation, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated by the student.
• The status violation must have resulted from circumstances beyond the student’s control – which may include injury, illness, closure of school, natural disaster, or oversight or neglect on the part of the DSO.
• If the student has been employed without authorization, no reinstatement is possible.

Name / Address Reporting:

• Students must notify the DSO and INS of new name/address within 10 days after the change.
• Students may comply by notifying the DSO within 10 days; the DSO must then update SEVIS within 21 days which takes care of the INS notification.
• Students registered with the INS for Special Registration must also submit an address change form to the INS as mandated by that program.
• Students must provide their physical home address unless it is impossible to receive mail there, in which case students may provide a mailing address.
• If students provide a mailing address, they must also provide their physical home address to the DSO.

School Reporting:

NU must report to INS within 21 days of the occurrence:

• Students who fail to maintain status or complete program
• Students/dependents name and/or address change
• Students graduating prior to I-20 end date
• Disciplinary action taken against students convicted of a crime
• Any other request made by SEVIS re: student status

Each term, no later than 30 days after registration ends, NU must report to INS:

• If students are enrolled, dropped below full course of study without DSO authorization, or failed to enroll
• Current address of all enrolled students
• Start date of students’ next term