Student Visa Rules

SEVIS

All schools that issue I-20s are required to report information about their students to the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) computer database called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). So, now, more than ever, it is very important for you to understand immigration regulations. It is very important for you to know your legal responsibilities while you study in the USA. You are responsible for staying in legal status at all times while in the USA.

Note of Advice: Please do not depend on your friends for immigration information. There are many new rules. If you have any doubts or questions, talk to a Designated School Official (DSO) as soon as possible or consult the USCIS website.

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Conditions of Your Student Visa

If you are a studying with an F-1 (student) visa, it is important to maintain your student status while you study in the USA.

Your signature on the Form I-20 shows that you agree to follow all the conditions of the F-1 visa:

1. You must be a full-time student at ULI.

2. You must make progress toward graduation.

3. You must complete and pass classes the equivalent of an academic year (at least 9 months or 4 sessions).

4. You must keep a valid I-20 and passport.

5. You must not work off-campus unless given legal permission from INS.

6. You must notify your school’s office no later than 10 days after you move or legally change your name for entry into SEVIS.

7. Each session, you must re-enroll for the next session or request to transfer to a new school before the last day of the session. You have 60 days to leave the USA if you officially de-enroll at the end of the session or 15 days to leave the country if you officially withdraw in the middle of the session.

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Attendance

1. A full-time student must take a minimum of 4 courses per session at ULI.

2. To make progress toward graduation, you must pass at least 18 hours of classes (per week) each session in an intensive English program or 12 credit hours per semester at a college or university.

3. To complete and pass classes for the equivalent of an academic year, you must complete and pass at least 4 sessions per year at ULI or 2 semesters per year at a college or university.

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Documents

All non-immigrants must always have their legal documents with them. If you have a student visa, you must carry your I-20, passport, I-94 card, and other documents with you at all times. You should keep all other legal documents, including all previous I-20s, in a safe place in case you need them later.

Your Passport: You should apply for a new passport about 6 months before it expires. New passports are available from your country’s embassy or consulate in the USA.

Your I-94 Card: You should leave the USA within 60 days after the date your I-20 expires unless you transfer to a new school. If you have a student visa, your I-94 card is marked “D/S” (Duration of Status). This means that as long as you are studying and have a valid I-20, you are allowed to stay in the USA.

Your Visa: Your visa gives you permission to enter and re-enter the USA. There is no penalty if your visa expires while you are in the USA as long as you are continuing to study with a valid I-20. If you leave the USA after your visa expires and want to return, you will need a new visa. If the name of the school on your visa is different from the school you will attend when you return to the USA, you need to go to the U.S. embassy to get a new student visa with the name of your new school.

Your Form I-20: Your form I-20 expires the date that you leave ULI. If you need more time to complete your studies at ULI, you should apply for a program extension before your I-20 expires. I-20s are made using the computerized SEVIS program. Please remember that it may take several days after you request it to make your I-20. If you do not apply for a program extension before the expiration date on your I-20, you will be out of status (illegal).

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Program Extension

If your I-20 will expire soon and you will need more time to study, you should apply for a program extension.

The process for a program extension is as follows:

• Provide financial support documents that show that you have enough money for education and living expenses for the remainder of your stay at ULI .
• Explain the educational reasons why you need more time at ULI.
• Request a new I-20 from the ULI office.
• Sign your new I-20

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Change of Address

If you change your address, you must:

1. Fill out a change of address form in the ULI office no more than 10 days after you move.

2. ULI will make changes in SEVIS.

3. Fill out a change of address form with the post office.

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Vacation

Students must attend and pass classes for 9 consecutive months at ULI (4 ULI sessions) before being eligible for a vacation. If you plan to take a break from classes, be sure to talk to a DSO to make sure that you are eligible. You must receive permission! Don’t let your I-20 expire while you’re on vacation! Before your vacation, you must enroll in ULI for the session following your vacation. If you do not attend classes during that session, ULI is required to report you to USCIS.

Vacation in the USA:

If you stay in the USA during your vacation, you should not let your health insurance lapse! Health care can be very expensive in the USA without medical insurance. Medical expenses can jeopardize your financial status and ability to maintain your full-time student status in good standing as defined by INS regulations. Please come by the ULI office to pay for health insurance before you begin your vacation.

Vacation in Another Country:

1. Get a signature on the last page of your I-20 from a ULI DSO to grant permission for you to re-enter the USA to study at ULI. Do not wait until the last minute.

2. Take your I-94 card, passport, all I-20s, and any other legal documents with you.

3. Check your F-1 visa to be sure that it is still valid. If your visa has expired or has a school's name other than ULI, you will have to get a new visa before you return to the USA. If you are out of the country for more than 5 months, you will also need to go to the U.S. embassy to get a new visa.

4. It is a good idea to take copies of your grade reports to show that you have actually been studying while in the USA. The ULI office can give you a copy of your grade reports, an official transcript, and letter from the director.

5. If you are out of the USA for 5 or more months, your visa will be canceled and you will have to apply for a new one before returning to the USA.

6. Your visa and your I-20 must be for the same school. If you visa lists a school different from the one you plan to attend when you return to the USA, you need to apply for a new visa.

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Employment

You cannot work while you study at ULI. After maintaining student status in the USA for 9 months, USCIS allows students to apply for employment at the institution that issues their I-20. However, since ULI does not have jobs available for students, ULI students are not allowed to work. Working illegally can carry severe penalties, and you may be forced to leave the country for a period of 3 to 10 years for breaking the law. Even if you don’t get in trouble now, you may have trouble if you ever want to apply for a different type of visa or permanent residency. If you suffer a financial crisis during your stay in the USA, you should talk to the director and ask about applying for a work permit. There are very specific guidelines and requirements by USA Immigration that must be fulfilled in order to apply for a work permit. The process of application may take a few months. Therefore, it is very important for you to plan ahead.

Enrollment

Before the last day of class each session, you must make a final decision to either:

1. Enroll for the next session

2. Transfer to a new school (transfer must be completed within 60 days)

3. Leave the country (you must leave the country within 60 days)

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Reduced Course Load

A student who drops below full-time (below 18 hours per week) without permission is considered to be out of status. A DSO can authorize you to drop below full-time for one session (no less than 9 hours per week) only if you have initial difficulty with English or reading requirements, are unfamiliar with American teaching methods, or have been placed in the wrong level. Also, if you need less than 18 hours to graduate, you may drop below full time. In the event that you have documented medical problems affecting your study abilities, you may be allowed to reduce your course load or withdraw. New medical documentation must be supplied each new session for no more than 12 months. You must apply and be approved for a reduced course load at ULI and complete form I-538 to be eligible.

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Withdrawal

If you have an emergency and need to withdraw from ULI in the middle of the session, you must receive permission from the office and leave the country within 15 days of your withdrawal date. If you do not receive permission to withdraw from classes, do not make transfer arrangements, or do not enroll in the next session, you should leave the country immediately or you will be out of status.

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Transferring from One Institution to Another

If you have maintained your status, you may transfer to another school. However, you should plan ahead of time and apply as early as possible to the new school.

1. BEFORE the end of the session, you should tell a ULI DSO where you plan to transfer.

2. You will need to follow the application process of the new school. You will be required to give a current financial support document and a copy of the ULI I-20 form to the admissions officer of the new school. The officer will contact ULI to ensure that you have maintained “status” at ULI.

3. You should submit the "ULI Transfer Out Form" to your new school.  After ULI receives the Transfer Out form signed by the new school, we will "transfer your record out" to the new school.

4. You must be accepted at the new school and “transferred in” to the new school on the SEVIS program within 60 days of your last day at ULI. You must start in the very next session available at your new school (no more than 5 months after your last day at ULI).

5. If you leave the USA before you begin classes at your new school, you will need to to to the U.S. embassy to apply for a new visa in your passport with the name of your new school in it.

6. You should sign your new I-20 within 15 days of beginning your new school.

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Reinstatement

If you do not follow the rules for holders of student visas, you will be illegal (out of status). There are only two ways to be reinstated:  by exiting and re-entering the USA with a new I-20 (very risky) or by applying for a reinstatement within the USA.  You can only apply for a reinstatement to student status within the USA if the reason that you are illegal is beyond your control (such as illness, natural disaster, or DSO mistake). If you do not receive a reinstatement, you must leave the USA. If you do not leave, you could be banned from returning for 3-10 years. ULI can help you with your application for reinstatement.

To receive a reinstatement, you must provide the following documents:

1. A letter from ULI.

2. Form I-539 filled out and signed. (If you do not know how to answer a question, we will help you). Write REINSTATEMENT at the top of the form in red.

3. Original I-94 card, passport, current I-20 from ULI, and any other USCIS documents.

4. Check or money order in the amount of $300.00 made out to The Department of Homeland Security.

5. You must write a letter of explanation detailing the reason why you are out of status. The letter must include the following: