So you can remain in the USA, complete your degree and receive immigration benefits.
Students alone are responsible for maintaining their immigration status.
The following list is a summary of the requirements:
- You must be a full-time student, that is be enrolled in 3.25 OWU Units of Credit per semester or obtain permission to take less than a full- time academic load before moving below full-time status. In order to make proper progress in your degree program, you should be normally enrolling in 4.25 Units. (Important -- see below.)
- You must have a valid, current passport that does not expire in fewer than six months.
- You must report to the IOCP a change of address or other personal contact information within 10 days of moving—even if you are just changing rooms on the same floor of a residence hall.
- You must report to the IOCP a change or addition of an academic major or minor and any other change in your academic program within 10 days.
- You must report your departure. If you intend to leave the University (by withdrawal or transfer or dis-enrollment), you must report this fact to IOCP well in advance of the effective date.
- You must abide by all employment regulations. Do not work unless you have permission to do so.
- Do not accept any kind of employment or practical training without permission or having checked with IOCP.
- "It is where your feet are." If you are in the USA, then US laws (both immigration and tax) apply to you.
- Most on-campus employment is permitted incidental to F-1 immigration status, please note, though, the following important constraints:
- Students may be directly employed only by OWU or on-campus contracted organizations that provide student services (ABM, AVI, Barnes & Noble, and OhioHealth).
- Informal on-campus employment is not permitted.
- Students must not work more than a total of 20 hours per week during the regular academic year (fall semester, spring semester) for any/all approved position(s). No more than 20 total hours of work is permitted while school is in session, all positions combined.
- Full-time on-campus employment is permitted during breaks.
- Those working as Moderators / Residential Assistants are deemed to be working 15 hours per week.
- Students must be in current F-1 status to be engaged in any employment.
- Students transferring out to another SEVP approved instituion may work on-campus at OWU until their transfer-out date, if they are otherwise maintaining immigration status.
- Students transferring to OWU from another SEVP approved institutiuon may work on-campus at OWU after the transfer-in date AND they have been approved for work by the IOCP office, and if they are otherwise maintaining their immigartion status.
- Students not following the rules will have their immigration status terminated for illegal employment.
- Students transferring out to another instituion may work on-campus until their transfer-out date, if they are otherwise maintaining status.
- You must have proper permission to engage in Practical Training.
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment must not begin until permission is received.
- You must complete one academic year before you are eligible for CPT or OPT.
- Students engaged in Practical Training must follow the regulations for reporting their Practical Training information in a timely manner.
- Do not start CPT or OPT before having in-hand your CPT or OPT I-20.
- Post-Completion OPT and STEM OPT (particularly) have substantial reporting burdens that must be adhered to.
- Applications for OPT and STEM OPT must be made in a timely manner (OPT -- processed by USCIS no later than 60 days after the last day of exams in the term of graduation. STEM OPT -- processed by USCIS no later than the last day of regualr OPT.)
- You must get your I-20 form endorsed for travel by the IOCP, if you intend to leave and re-enter the USA.
- Endorsements for travel (re-entry to the USA) are valid for one year, 6 months while on OPT.
- You must be making progress toward your degree. You normally cannot take more than four years to complete your BA, BS, BFA.
- Students can take summer classes, if there is a need to get caught-up.
- Transfer credit is taken into consideration for progress toward your degree -- please note the Program End Date on your current I-20 form.
- If you are eligible, you may apply for reduced course load (RCL) permission, that is enrolment in fewer than 3.25 units in a semester.
- Please note that approval from the Academic Status Committee must be received first, since all degree candidates at OWU must be normally enrolled full-time.
- Prior to reducing your course enrolment, you will need permission from the IOCP office also. Immigration regulations are strict, so you must contact IOCP first. An RCL may be approved for documented situations, such as:
- Academic distress in the first semester of enrolment.
- Health situations.
- Enrolment to complete degree requirements in the last semester.
- You must apply for an extension of program before the program completion date on your I-20, if you will not complete your program on time. You must have a legitimate academic reason for doing so, such as the addition of an academic major.
- You must apply for a transfer of your SEVIS record, if you wish to transfer to another school, well in advance of the intended date of transfer. You must be enrolled at the transfer institution for the next subsequent academic term which must start no more than 5 months in the future.
- You must pay taxes and submit required tax forms.
- You must obey all laws. The IOCP Office is obligated in certain circumstances to report to the Department of Homeland Security students who are convicted of crimes. Conviction of crimes, even certain misdemeanors, may result in your removal from or inability to return to the USA.
- If you are outside of the USA for more than 5 months after you have begun your degree program, then you must secure a new initial-attendance I-20, pay a new I-901 fee, apply for a new visa (if your visa has expired), and re-enter the USA no more than 30 days before the commencement of the next semester of enrollment.
- Eligibility for certain immigration benefits, including CPT, will be lost until one full academic year has been completed.
- This rule does not apply to those in approved off-campus programs outside of the USA. Those enrolled full-time in study abroad programs are treated as if they are enrolled on-campus.
- After completion of your program of studies, or the end of your Post-Completion or STEM OPT, you must depart from the USA within 60 days or transfer to another approved academic institution within the USA.
Please contact IOCP if you have questions. The above information is not exhaustive and is subject to change without notice.
