International Students ABC’s for Admissions and Records staff

1. International Students ABC’s for Admissions and Records staff Eddie West Director, International Programs and Services Ohlone College

2. Topics • Who is an “international student” • International Admissions processes • International student-related Immigration regulations • Special Considerations • International student outreach • Q & A

3. Who is (& who is not) an “international student” • “International student” is defined as someone possessing, or wishing to obtain, an F-1 Student Visa, to study in the U.S. • Other international learners: • H-4 Visa-holders • Other non-immigrant Visa-holders • Immigration Visa-holders • Permanent Residents (i.e. green card-holders)

4. International Admissions processes • Who handles international student admissions • Admissions and Records office? • Dedicated International Student office? • In either case, the use of SEVIS is key • Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database • SEVIS oversight: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) • PDSO and DSO

7. International Admissions processes, cont. • Special application requirements of international students include: • Demonstration of adequate financial support • Done via bank letter and/or Financial Affidavit • English language proficiency proof • Done via Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score, or other means • General categories of international student: • Students currently overseas • Students currently in the U.S., on an F-1 Student Visa, and who will be transferring to your school from another U.S. school • Students currently in the U.S., on a different type of Visa, who want to apply for a Change of Visa status to F-1

8. International Admissions processes, cont. • Once admitted: • Students currently overseas are issued and mailed a Form I-20. • This is the most important legal document an international student possesses • It is what they will use to apply for an F-1 Visa at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate closest to their home • Students who are in the U.S. on an F-1 Visa who wish to transfer to your school, must have their school transfer their I-20 record to you via SEVIS • Students in the U.S. on another Visa type, who wish to apply for a Change of Status to F-1, are issued an I-20. They use this to apply for the Change of Status, via mail, to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

9. International Student-related Immigration regulations • These regulations must be followed by international students, so that they remain “in visa Status” • Opposite: “out of status”. This is bad. • Immigration = United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

10. Immigration regulations cont. • Full-time enrollment • Undergraduate: 12 or more units per term • Exceptions to this requirement can only be granted on case-by-case bases by a PDSO or DSO • Only allowed to work part-time, and only on-campus • Some students may qualify for permission to work off-campus in certain circumstances, but this permission must first be granted by USCIS BEFORE the student engages in this work.

11. Special Considerations • Concurrent Enrollment • International students are allowed to enroll concurrently at an institution other than that which issued their I-20. • However, other than in Summers, students must obtain permission from the DSO or PDSO of their main school • Their combined units enrollment must = 12 or more units

12. Special Considerations • Longer, earlier admissions periods • International student applications usually begin working on their applications much earlier than domestic students do. Why? • More documentation must be assembled • Time needed to apply for and obtain Visa • Time needed to make flight reservations • Time needed to secure local-area accommodations

13. Special Considerations • Cultural considerations • English ability of many international students is limited. Care needed in communicating with them to ensure understanding • In many countries, the idea of choosing one’s own courses and creating one’s own study plan, with or without the help of an academic advisor, is foreign • Rote, passive learning vs. active learning • Travel endorsements

14. International student outreach • Many schools very active in courting international students. Why? • To enhance cultural and ethnic diversity on campus • To expose domestic students, staff and faculty to other cultures • Revenue enhancement

15. Q & A