F-1 Students

All F-1 and J-1 students must be enrolled full-time during fall and spring semesters.

 

International students are not required to take classes during the summer from an immigration perspective. But, you will need to be enrolled full time during the summer semester if that is the first semester of your program.

 

What are full-time requirements?

Undergraduate students must take at least 12 credit hours. Graduate students must take at least 9 credit hours. Check with your department for any additional requirements, especially for fully-funded PhD students.

 

Online course limit

Only one online class (maximum 3 credits) per semester counts towards full-time enrollment. You may take online courses in the summer if it is not your first semester.

 

Audited courses

Audited courses are not considered full-time enrollment as required by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and the terms of your student status in the US. Talk to your advisor if you want to audit a course. 

 

Full-time requirement exceptions

During the academic year, F-1 and J-1 status international students must be enrolled full-time, or receive permission from International Programs and Services for a reduced course load. You do not have to take classes during the summer semester unless you have an award or employment - for example, a fellowship or a graduate assistantship - that requires summer enrollment. You are also eligible to request a leave of absence or annual vacation. 

As an F-1 student, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are maintaining your status. This means that you are following the rules and regulations of your F-1 visa, and also ensuring that your information and documentation is up to date at all times. 

F-1 students should:

• Ensure that they have a current passport valid for at least six months into the future at all times

F-1 international students are required to report any address changes via Ellucian Experience within 10 days of moving; this is a federal requirement. You can only update your Mailing or Future Mailing address in Experience. The IPS DSO will update your SEVIS residential address when we run our weekly report, you do NOT need to update this address.

On-campus employment:

As an F-1 student, you are eligible to work 20 hours per week on-campus while maintaining a full enrollment requirement for the Spring/Fall semesters.

 

During breaks (Spring break, Thanksgiving break, winter break) and the summer semester, you may work up to 40 hours per week on-campus. Please be sure that you check which day is considered the start of the new week, as some departments have different payroll weeks than others.

 

Once you receive an on-campus job, you will need to start the process to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). 

 

Internships or Co-ops:

If you go for an internship or co-op, you must apply for CPT (Curricular Practical Training) through Career Services. Remember that all CPT applications are processed through Career Services, we (IPS) just process your I-20 after Career Services has finished all of the processing on their part. For questions related to CPT processing, please contact Career Services at co-op@mtu.edu or Admin 220.

 

Post-graduation employment:

After graduating, you must apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training) if you wish to stay in the United States and work under full-time employment. After finishing one year on your OPT, you can apply for a STEM OPT extension, if applicable, which is valid for 2 more years. If you have any OPT related questions, please send an email to opt@mtu.edu. 

 

If you have any other questions pertaining to employment and resources, you can visit our Employment page.

 

F-1 students are admitted to the United States for a time period called Duration of Status (D/S), covering the time when they are pursuing a full course of studies, plus any authorized optional practical training (OPT) after completing their studies.

 

D/S has three “grace periods” that determine when new students can enter the country and how long they can stay in the United States:

 

1. An F-1 student may enter up to 30 days before the program start date listed on their form I-20.
2. An F-1 student may remain in the United States for up to 60 days beyond completing the program of study, and up to 60 days beyond the completion date of any authorized OPT.
3. An F-1 student who has been granted an authorized early withdrawal from classes has 15 days to depart the US after the withdrawal date.

 

If you initially began at Michigan Tech on an F-1 visa, and you change your status to H-1B or Permanent Resident, IPS will need to update your record to reflect this change. Please fill out our Green Card Documents Google Form and submit the required documentation so that we can make this change and end your current F-1 SEVIS record.

If you would like to transfer to another institution, you will need to ask MTU IPS (the transfer-out school) to transfer your Student and Exchange Visitor Program record, or SEVIS, to the new school (the transfer-in school). If you do not request a SEVIS transfer, your new school will not be able to access your SEVIS record or issue you a new transfer I-20 from that school. 

 

Important things to note:

• SEVIS records and academic records are different, and unrelated. If you need your academic records to be sent to your new university, please contact the Registrar’s Office (registrar@mtu.edu). 
• Applying to a new school and being accepted will not automatically transfer your immigration (SEVIS) record. You will need to follow the process outlined below in order to transfer your record.

 

To transfer your SEVIS record, you will need to submit:

• A completed Transfer Out form
• The new school’s transfer-in form, if they have one that will need to be filled out by a DSO
• A copy of your admission letter from the new school that includes the university’s letterhead, as well as the semester of admission.

 

More information on transferring out, as well as the Google Form to submit these documents can be found on the IPS transfer out website.

F-1 students must complete academic program requirements in a set amount of time. The program end date is printed on page one of the I-20. Students unable to meet their academic program requirements by the program end date must apply for a program extension before their program end date. IPS is unable to process a program extension after the end date.

 

Students that have been authorized previously for a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) are legally not allowed to get a program extension.

 

Extension Eligibility Criteria

You may qualify for an extension if:

• Your I-20 expiration date has not passed
• You continuously maintained F-1 student status
• Your delay in completing your program is because of a compelling academic or medical reason.
• Academic reasons include change of major, change in research topic, unexpected research problems, etc.
• A medical reason requires documentation from a United States licensed medical physician.

 

How to request an extension

Complete the following documents and upload to the Student’s I-20/DS-2019 Program Extension Request Google Form. The Google Form can be found on our Program Extension website.

 

1. Advisor’s Recommendation form that must be signed by your Academic Advisor and include the new program end date for your record. 
2. Complete the Students I-20 Program Extension Google Form and upload the necessary documents. 

 

You will be contacted when your program extension I-20 has been processed. We strongly recommend you submit the extension request as soon as possible and no earlier than two months prior to the expiration of your current I-20. Keep all I-20s that you have been issued, including previous ones.

F-1 students can change majors, or finish a degree at one level, and get admitted to a new program at a new level. But, it is your responsibility to report these changes to IPS and maintain an accurate I-20. If you change levels or majors, IPS needs to process a new I-20 for you and update the information with the government’s SEVIS records. Please carefully review our Change of Level or Major webpage to find out how to request a new I-20 from IPS when you change.

While you are here on your program, it is possible that your source of funding changes. Whether you are funded by the university, family, or personal bank account, if you have any changes of your financial support, please fill out our Google Form so that we can make this change in your record and issue a new I-20.

 

If you do not maintain your F-1 status, there are two ways to try to get your status back. You can also go through the reinstatement process if you were authorized for an early withdrawal and plan to come back to Michigan Tech. 

 

Option #1: Depart and re-enter the United States with a new I-20 issued by either the school where you lost your status or a new school.

Option #2: If you are a current student, you can apply for reinstatement by completing the application. The steps to take are outlined in the Reinstatement checklist. If you are not a current student, this option will not work for you.

The most common reasons are:

• Failure to enroll full-time
• Failure to request an I-20 extension before your current I-20 expires
• Failure to pay for your classes, meaning you are not enrolled
• Failure to transfer schools on time
• Working without authorization 

Not everyone is eligible. Here are the basic requirements. Please come to IPS to talk about your specific circumstances.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

• You have not been out of status for more than five months*
• You are enrolled full time or plan to enroll full time as soon as possible
• You have not worked illegally
• You are not being deported
• You lost status for reasons beyond your control
• You do not have a record of repeated or willful violations

 

*Students who have fallen out of status get five months to apply for reinstatement. If you apply after five months, your application is less likely to be approved. You will have to show that there were exceptional circumstances that prevented you from applying in a timely manner.

An F-1 student must show an ability to afford the costs of school and living expenses before entering the United States and should not plan to work off-campus. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will authorize off-campus employment on a case-by-case basis only in cases of severe economic hardship occurring after a student’s enrollment in an academic program and after the student has been in F-1 status for at least one full academic year, or in emergent circumstances as defined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

 

Emergent Circumstances are world events that affect a specific group of F-1 students and which causes them to suffer economic hardship, including, but not limited to natural disasters, wars and military conflicts, national or international financial crises.

 

Severe Economic Hardship

• If other employment opportunities are not available or are otherwise insufficient, an eligible F-1 student may request employment authorization based on severe economic hardship caused by new, unforeseen or unexpected circumstances beyond the student’s control.
• These circumstances may include:
• Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault in the part of the student
• Substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate
• Inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs
• Unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student’s sources of support
• Unexpectedly large medical bills not covered by insurance
• Other substantial and unexpected expenses

You are eligible to apply for off-campus employment based on severe economic hardship/emergent circumstances if:

• You have been in F-1 status for one full academic year
• You are in good academic standing and are enrolled in a full course of study
• You can demonstrate that employment will not impact your ability to attend school full-time and maintain academic standing
• You can demonstrate severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control

 

Your DSO recommends off-campus employment.

• Your DSO will FIRST check into on-campus employment availability and other university resources, and will only recommend off-campus employment if available on-campus employment is insufficient to meet the student’s financial needs.
• If recommended, your DSO will provide you with a new I-20 reflecting the approved recommendation 

The following steps outline the process to apply for severe economic hardship:

 

1. Schedule an appointment with an IPS advisor and bring all your relevant documents establishing your severe economic hardship (if available).
2. IPS will review your documentation and check into on-campus employment.
3. If approved for off-campus employment, IPS will send your request to SEVIS electronically and generate a new SEVIS I-20. The recommendation will be written on page 2 of the new I-20.
4. IPS will notify you when your new I-20 has been processed and will send it to you electronically via email.
5. Sign your name on the I-20 on the bottom of the first page immediately.
6. Send your request to USCIS within 30 days of receipt of the new I-20.

To submit your application through USCIS, you will need to ensure that you have all of the following documents:

 

• A personal statement describing the unforeseen hardship situation and, if possible, attach backup documentation; for example, news articles, a letter from home telling of a change in family circumstances, or proof of a currency devaluation in your country, etc.
• The statement should also include how accepting off-campus employment will not inference with your enrollment in a full course of study and that on-campus employment is not available or insufficient to meet your financial needs due to said unforeseen circumstances.

• Completed Form I-765, using the code (C) (3)(iii) under Eligibility Category.

• Do not date the form until you are ready to send the application to USCIS.
• Electronic filing is available 
• Copies of your current and newly recommended I-20.
• Copy of paper or print-out of electronic Form I-94.
• Copy of your unofficial transcript available from Michigan Tech showing good standing and enrollment.

• 2 passport-style photographs

• The photos must be identical and in color with a plain background. They must be no more than 30 days old when the I-765 is filed to USCIS
• Copy of your passport biographic page
• Copy of your F-1 visa page within your passport

• Filing fee of $470.00 in a check or money order payable to the “Department of Homeland Security”

• Credit card processing is available with electronic filing or with the submission of Form G-1450 along with your paper I-765.
• Filing Fee Waiver is available for all applicants through Form I-912 on the USCIS website
• If your request is denied, the filing fee will not be refunded to you.

 

Once you have gathered all relevant documentation, submit your packet to USCIS at the address indicated on the USCIS Direct Filing Location for Form I-765 website. Processing can take anywhere from 2-6 months, but every case is different and reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Delays can occur.

 

If the application is approved, USCIS will issue an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) to you. If the application is denied, you will be notified by USCIS in writing. You may not begin employment until you have received the EAD. Authorization is granted in one-year intervals. You may work part time while school is in session and full time during official university holidays and during the summer term.

The Form I-94 is proof of your legal admission to the United States. Please print your I-94 Arrival/Departure Record and carry it with you at all times. You are issued a new I-94 each time you enter the country, so you will want to get your newest one each time you enter the country. 

Current students will need the following documents to re-enter the United States:

• Valid, unexpired visa (Canadian citizens are exempt)
• Valid, unexpired passport. Always be sure your passport is valid for at least six months into the future. Depending on your country, you might be able to extend your passport here in the United States, or you might have to go home to do it. Get more details from the United States Department of State.
• Most recent I-20 signed by an IPS advisor. Travel signatures on the second page of your I-20 are valid for one year after issuance. Canadian citizens and those on OPT have a travel signature that is valid for six months. If you need a new signature because yours will be older than this timeframe by the time you return, please fill out our Travel I-20 Google Form.
• Dependent I-20s and passports (if applicable).

Unless your country of citizenship is among the visa exemption countries (marked as eTA in the list), you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) issued by the Canadian government. You can apply for a tourist TRV, generally issued for a six-month period, at your nearest Canadian Immigration Visa Office. Please note, international students on F or J visas should not travel to Canada to obtain a new visa stamp from a United States Consulate. 

 

For a short visit, a tourist visa may be required for citizens of certain countries. Others will need a tourist card to enter Mexico. Click here for a list of Mexican Consulates in the US and please review the MexOnline site for detailed information.

 

Automatic revalidation:

• Most F-1 students can travel to Canada, Mexico, and the adjacent Caribbean Islands and re-enter the United States on an expired US visa, but only if their stay is less than 30 days. This brief travel makes them eligible for automatic revalidation when they re-enter the USA (CBP revalidation information). Take a look at the checklist for automatic revalidation. Students and scholars who travel to Mexico or the Caribbean by cruise ship must contact the cruise line before they buy a cruise package; find out if the cruise line recognizes automatic revalidation and will allow you to return to the US without a valid F-1 visa.

If you graduate and are in your grace period, and depart the US for any reason, such as a cruise, the grace period automatically ends. You cannot re-enter the United States. I-20s automatically expire for students with F-1 visas if they are outside the US for longer than five months - regardless of the date of the travel signature. You need to pay a new SEVIS fee and get a new I-20.

 

If you forget your I-20:

• IPS can email your I-20 before you enter the United States. Contact us at ips@mtu.edu or 906-487-2160.
• If you do not have the I-20 when you enter the United States, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will issue Form I-515A. With the Form I-515A, CBP also gives you Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, allowing you 30 days from your entry date to provide SEVP the necessary documentation to prove lawful entry. Contact IPS immediately for assistance.

Students traveling within the United States should carry their visa, passport, I-20, and printed copy of the I-94. While travelling on OPT, you should additionally carry your EAD card, as well as the documents that everyone should bring.

 

Additional tips:

• If you fly from Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX), install the United app on your mobile device to book and check flight status and other conditions. Weather often affects flight schedules. 
• Join Stuck Huskies on Facebook, where you can post on either if you need a ride, can give a ride, or will go in on a rental car. For example, if a flight from Chicago to Houghton has been canceled, check with the Huskies pool resources to carpool back to Houghton.
• Make and carry in a separate safe place a copy of your passport biographic page, US visa and admission stamp, or paper Form I-94.
• If your passport is lost or stolen, contact your embassy or consular section for the country of your citizenship to find out how to replace it.
• Contact Michigan Tech Public Safety or go to your local police station to report lost or stolen documents.

F-2 spouses and minor children who are not accompanied by the F-1 student must have:

• A valid and unexpired passport
• A valid and unexpired US visa stamp (except for Canadian citizens)
• Valid separate Form I-20
• Evidence of financial support for dependent(s)

Again, to get your I-20 signed for travel, please fill out this form.

 

There are two ways students and scholars can bring family to the United States:

 

[1] If the family member is your spouse or dependent child (unmarried children under age 21), they are eligible for dependent status (F-2). The dependent status lasts for the duration of the primary visa holder’s status.

 

To request F-2 I-20s for your dependents from IPS, you must fill out this Google Form.

 

Documents required to be uploaded:

• Your current I-20 or DS-2019
• Personal information pages of your dependent’s passports. Each dependent's documents should be uploaded in separate sections, so do not combine everything into a single PDF.
• Properly filled Dependent Request form
• Proof of financial support for you and your family members (you must show the amount you originally needed for your course of study, plus an additional $4,000 for your spouse and $2,500 per child to cover their living expenses).
• Properly filled copy of the Affidavit of Financial Support (if undergraduate student), or Certification of Finances Form (if graduate student). 

 

Refer to this page for further details on the application process and how to proceed after receiving the I-20. Please note that process I-20s can take 4-5 business days.

 

[2] If family members are not a spouse or dependent child (for example, a parent, sibling, child older than 21, or fiancee), they can apply for B-2 tourist status. The maximum length for B-2 status is six months. 

 

To start the B2 visa application process, write a letter of invitation to your family. Include the purpose of the visit, your relationship to the individuals, a statement of your status here, itinerary details, and the length of time they will visit. Emphasize that the visit is temporary, and family members intend to return to their home country. The US Department of State offers more details about how to apply, and other visa information. Providing family members with strong documentation can improve their chances of obtaining visas, but there are no guarantees. Please note that IPS staff cannot write letters of invitation for your family members.

F-2 dependents can have their own ID card for an annual fee of $10. This card allows the F-2 dependents easy access to several amenities. These cards are issued at the Student Development Complex (SDC) Ticket Office.

 

For spouses, a marriage certificate is required, along with some photo ID for the dependent. For partners (not spouses), an alternate verification form is available at the SDC ticket office, which needs to be filled out. The enrolled student (F-1) must accompany the dependent at the time of applying for the ID card.

 

For detailed information and other available benefits, please review this information sheet.

F-2 dependents who wish to improve their English communication skills may join the Elaine Bacon Literacy Program. The program is composed of individual one-on-one classes as well as conversations with a “conversation partner”. Please visit the Elaine Bacon website for scheduling classes and for further information. 

 

• F-2 dependents can not be authorized to work in the USA and are not eligible to be issued a Social Security Number. The only exception is if they are authorized by USCIS for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card.
• F-2 dependents can engage in study at an SEVP-certification school in the United States as long as they are enrolled for less than full course load
• If an F-2 dependent wishes to start studying as a fully-enrolled student, they would need to change their status to F-1 (after receiving admission from the university in their desired program). There are two ways to obtain F-1 status if you are already in the United States:
• You can submit an application to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• When you receive an acceptance letter and I-20 from Michigan Tech, you can leave the United States and return to your home country, and then apply for an F-1 visa from there.

 

Children as young as 6 years old can be issued F-1 visas to attend a SEVP-certified school in the United States, but there are strict limitations. For more information on Kindergarten to Grade 12 students, please visit this webpage.

 

Please visit this page for detailed information about how to change your status to F-1.

If your family is coming for your graduation, please fill out this form with your name and the name of each visitor clearly printed as it should appear on the letter. If you would like to invite multiple family members, you will need to fill out one form per guest. Please be accurate in your response (capital letters, spelling, etc). What you enter will be exactly how it appears in the letter. IPS will email you copies of the letters once they are processed.