International Graduate Student Services
Immigration Basics for Graduate Coordinators

Background

• International Graduate Student Services (hereafter referred to as IGSS) is a part of the Graduate Student Services Office in the Graduate School
• IGSS staff process immigration documents for approximately 500-600 new international graduate students each year
• IGSS is responsible for 1500-1600 international graduate students each year
• Three Designated School Officials (DSOs) / Alternate Responsible Officers (AROs) are authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State to make decisions about immigration matters and to issue and sign official immigration forms
  • Ruth Athanson
  • Monika Gibson
  • Zelma Harris

Immigration and Admission Deadlines

• Students must be admitted by the Graduate School and submit financial and passport documentation before an I-20 (for F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (for J-1 visa) can be issued
• Deadlines for admission for international students outside of the U.S.
  • January 15 for summer I
  • February 15 for summer II
• May 15 for fall semester
• October 15 for spring semester
• Deadline for students to submit immigration-related materials to IGSS
  • February 1 for summer I
  • March 1 for summer II
• June 1 for fall semester
• November 1 for spring semester
• International students transferring from U.S. schools still need to be admitted within the deadlines and need to arrive at VT at the same time as students outside the U.S.
• ANY exceptions to the deadlines need to be cleared through IGSS before communicating to the student

These admission and document submission deadlines are based upon

• how long it takes students to submit paperwork for immigration documents (document gathering and mail time)
• form processing by VT and mailing to the student
• the lengthy visa process at the U.S. Consulates and Embassies
• the need to arrive at Virginia Tech at least a week before the semester begins

Arrival at Virginia Tech

• New, first-time international students may arrive up to 30 days before the beginning of the term to which they were admitted, and NO LATER than the Monday before classes begin.
• Students must attend required international orientations, during which they are informed of their rights and responsibilities regarding immigration and other important topics.
• IGSS will not allow students to arrive late.
• If departments decide against IGSS recommendations to allow students to arrive after international orientation, then they and the students become responsible for any negative effects of missing vital information. Notations are made in permanent student files of late arrivals/failure to attend required orientations.
• IGSS has a government-mandated timetable for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) registration. Every international student must be registered in SEVIS every semester, in order to record a local address, current academic term information, and verify enrollment. Students not registered before the last day to add each semester run the risk of a SEVIS record termination for failure to enroll. This is a serious immigration violation. Please do not let your students register late without first clearing it with IGSS.

Reduced Enrollment
International students are required to be enrolled full time every semester. Students with graduate assistantships/fellowships/scholarships must register for at least 12 credit hours; students without assistantships must register for at least 9 credit hours.

There are only two exceptions to this rule:

• Medical—requests for academic relief, usually for reduced hours for a semester or permission to take a semester off for health reasons
  • To be considered, students must complete a Request for Reduced Enrollment form for IGSS. Health-related reasons must be documented and reduced enrollment recommended by Schiffert Health Center in writing, and relevant paperwork attached to the Reduced Enrollment form and submitted to IGSS.
  • Please note that routine pregnancies do NOT qualify.
• Last semester—student only has to complete a few hours to fulfill Plan of Study requirements, and therefore is requesting permission to register only for the exact hours needed to complete degree requirements
  • Defending Student Status within first 7 weeks of the semester (5 weeks to defend plus 2 weeks to submit the ETD)
  • Less than 9 hours if completing before semester’s end
  • Students must secure the academic advisor’s signature on the Reduced Enrollment form. The advisor is attesting that the student does not need full time hours to complete degree requirements. The Plan of Study must be approved on Hokie SPA.
  • Students cannot be on assistantship if reduced enrollment is sought.

Travel

• Students who plan to travel outside the U.S. must bring their immigration documents to IGSS for a travel signature before they leave the country.
• If they are traveling during the semester, we recommend that they get a letter from their academic advisor stating that they have departmental permission to travel during the semester, and that they are expected to return to resume their studies by a certain date.
• If they are traveling close to the end of their program, or are traveling home to get a new visa, we recommend that they get a letter from the department stating that they are making satisfactory academic progress and are expected to return to complete degree requirements.

Web Site Assistance
Please visit the Graduate School website at graduateschool.vt.edu for additional immigration-related information that both you and your students will find useful.

Mouse over International Graduate Student Services in the left-toolbar, and then to

• Application and Pre-Arrival Information (great for new students)
  • Application information and procedures
  • Financial Requirements
  • Pre-Arrival Planning
  • Medical and Health Insurance Requirements
  • Transferring to Virginia Tech (from inside the U.S.)
• Maintaining Your F-1/J-1 Student Status (new and continuing students)
  • Maintaining Legal Status
  • Requesting an Extension of Stay (requires an advisor/coordinator letter)
• Academic Issues (new and continuing students)
  • Plan of Study
  • Change of Admission Status (PhD reversions to MS)
  • Change of Graduate Program
  • Change of Campus
  • Defending Student Status
• Employment (new and continuing students)
  • Social Security Number application requirements (link to required Payroll form)
  • Work Authorizations available to international students