Maintain Your F-1 Status

As an F-1 student in the U.S., you are responsible for maintaining your legal status. Please start by reading the general information provided below and throughout the ISSS website as well as attend informational webinars. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the ISSS office for assistance. 

SEVP    SEVIS    Your Responsibilities

SEVP

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. SEVP authorizes and oversees U.S. schools certified to enroll F-1 students and manages information regarding students in F category and their dependents.

SEVIS

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security database used to monitor the status of F-1 students and their F-2 dependents. The system allows U.S. schools and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office to exchange data on F category international students and their dependents.

Marymount University is required to report through SEVIS to SEVP all F-1 student related status information, including but not limited to: 

  • Academic admission or deferral of admission
  • Personal information (full name, non-U.S. address, U.S. address, email), financial information, and academic program
  • Registration of classes each semester or the failure to register for a semester
  • Authorized reduced course load or unauthorized drop below full course of study
  • Return to full-time course of study
  • Program extension, i.e. change of end/completion date
  • Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT), Off-Campus Employment
  • Termination of studies for any reason, including authorized early withdrawal or academic dismissal
  • Completion of program of study, including any student who completes academic requirements (conferred a degree) prior to the end date listed on the I-20
  • Bringing dependents to the U.S., dependent information and updates
  • Travel endorsement for the student and/or dependents
  • Academic or disciplinary actions taken due to criminal conviction

Your Responsibilities

To maintain F-1 status, it is important that you are aware of your responsibilities.

Please note that there is an important difference between an F-1 visa and F-1 status.

  • The F-1 visa is a stamp or sticker placed within your passport by a U.S. Embassy or consulate and is for entry purposes only.
  • F-1 status is granted when you enter the U.S. and it is regulated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Even if your visa is valid, you can lose your legal F-1 status if you do not comply with immigration laws regulating your stay in the U.S. If you fail to maintain your legal status, you will need to apply for Reinstatement, or in some cases, be forced to leave the U.S.

Read the following carefully.

Here are some important requirements that you must follow in order to maintain your F-1 status.

  1. Students new to Marymount University must physically meet with an International Student Advisor, who is a Designated School Official (DSO), within the first two weeks of classes. This is usually completed at F-1 new international student orientation. 
  2. Maintain and keep your valid passport and Most Recent I-94 accessible. Your passport should always be valid at least six months into the future.
  3. Attend the U.S. school that you are authorized to attend as named on your I-20. 
  4. Maintain a full course of study every Fall and Spring semester.
    • Undergraduate students: minimum 12 credits, of which at least 9 credits must be in-person (face-to-face or hybrid)
    • Graduate students: minimum 9 credits, of which at least 6 credits must be in-person (face-to-face or hybrid)
    • If you begin and/or end your program of study in the Summer term, then you must register for a full-time course load in Summer. For all students, full-time in Summer is 6 credits, of which at least 3 credits must be in-person (face-to-face or hybrid).
    • You must obtain permission from both your academic advisor or academic department and from ISSS before you take any classes outside of Marymount University (MU).
  5. Obtain ISSS approval before dropping a class, changing a class from credit to audit, or discontinuing attendance or withdrawing from all courses in a semester.
  6. In certain situations, ISSS may authorize a Reduced Course Load (RCL) to less than full-time. Acceptable reasons may include: 
    • Students who experience academic difficulties (for example, unfamiliarity with American teaching methods) may take a reduced credit load, but only in the first semester of their studies in the United States. Student must request and be approved on their I-20 for a Reduced Course Load based on Academic Difficulties before the student drops courses to below full-time enrollment. 
    • Students in their final term of study. Students in their last semester only need to register for the credit hours required to complete academic requirements to be conferred the degree. If this means that a student will be registered part-time, then a Reduced Course Load request must be completed in advance through the ISSS portal. Student must request and be approved on their I-20 for a Reduced Course Load based on Last Semester before the student drops courses to below full-time enrollment. If only one course is needed to complete your program of study, the final course cannot be a fully online course. 
    • Students with a medical issue may be eligible for an authorized Reduced Course Load for a limited period of time. A medical reason for RCL requires a letter from the student’s U.S. licensed medical doctor, U.S. doctor of osteopathy, or U.S. licensed psychologist. The letter should state the medical recommendation regarding the reduction in course load. Student must request and be approved on their I-20 for a Reduced Course Load based on Medical before the student drops courses to below full-time enrollment. 
  7. Maintain an up-to-date I-20 that accurately reflects your level of study, program of study, and financial support. If you change your major, please notify ISSS through the ISSS portal. Once your major change or addition is confirmed by ISSS, you will be issued updated I-20 which you can then download through the ISSS portal.
  8. If you are not able to complete your degree requirement before the end date on your form I-20, apply in advance for a program extension. We may not be able to accommodate requests received on or after the program end date on your I-20. 
  9. On-Campus employment is permitted part-time up to 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters and full-time during school breaks.
  10. Do not work Off-Campus unless you have specific employment authorization on your I-20. 
  11. If you travel out of the U.S.,  you must have a valid I-20 and valid F-1 visa to re-enter the U.S. Prior to travel, request a travel endorsement on your I-20. Each travel signature is valid for one year (while on OPT, travel signature is valid for 6 months). We recommend that you complete the travel signature request within the ISSS portal at least one week before traveling. 
  12. Report any change of U.S. address, phone number, and/or email within 10 calendar days of the change by updating your information within Workday. Please submit any changes related to your home country or country of permanent residence via the ISSS portal.
  13.  Notify ISSS immediately if you decide to transfer out of or discontinue your studies at Marymount, or if you are suspended or dismissed by Marymount University for any reason.
  14. Submit an official Transfer request through the ISSS portal if changing U.S. schools. 
  15. Request a Change of Education Level I-20 if you plan to change degree levels, and make sure your degree level change is processed within 15 days of the start of your new program (Bachelor’s to a Master’s degree, etc).
  16. F-2 spouses and dependents may study at an SEVP-certified school in the United States as long as they are enrolled only part-time and only for recreational or vocational purposes. F-2 spouses and dependents may change status to F-1 if they wish to study full-time at the post-secondary level. F-2 dependents may study full-time at the secondary level (in the U.S., this is generally known as high school).
  17. Do not overstay your F-1 status.

This is not an all inclusive list. Additional information is available on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Study in the States website and within Marymount University’s online request forms in the ISSS portal.

To learn how to make requests, please visit the Immigration Requests page. 

 

 

 

09/30/2024