Maintain F-1 Status

Never let your passport expire! Passports may be renewed from within the U.S. at the Embassy of the country that issued your passport. Contact your Embassy to learn your country's requirements for passport renewal.

Review your I-20 on a regular basis and notify International Student Services immediately about any changes to your major, degree level, or financial support. Also notify International Student Services about any name changes, errors, or misspellings on the I-20. Failure to maintain a valid and accurate I-20 can result in serious immigration problems for you. If your I-20 is expiring and you will not be completing your degree before the expiration date, you must have your I-20 extended before it expires.

Please keep in mind that your I-20 will be shortened to match your actual degree completion. If your I-20 goes out into the future when you complete your degree, you can expect your I-20 to be shortened to one of the following dates depending on the term of degree completion:

You must have a full course of study at the school that issued your I-20. If you do not enroll full time with the school that issued your I-20, you are considered to be out of status. Please consult with your Immigration Advisor in International Student Services any time you plan to transfer to or attend concurrent classes at a different school.

All International students on F-1 status must be enrolled full time during the academic year. In general, full-time enrollment is defined as a minimum of eight (8) credit hours for undergraduate students and a minimum of six (6) graduate-level credit hours for graduate students. A few exceptions can be made to this full-time rule, but only after receiving authorization from your immigration advisor in International Student Services. Failure to receive prior approval from International Student Services for a reduced course load is a serious violation of your F-1 status which will result in the loss of your lawful immigration status.

Never drop below full time without first consulting with your immigration advisor in International Student Services.

Additionally, international students are limited in the number of online classes that can count towards their full-time enrollment. F-1 students must adhere to federal regulations concerning course format: (8 CFR 214.2 (f)(6)(i)(G)) "...no more than the equivalent of one class or three credits per session, term, semester, trimester, or quarter may be counted toward the full course load of study requirement if the class is taken on-line or through distance education and does not require the student's physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes integral to completion of the class."

At Bellevue University there are four academic terms: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. F-1 students are required to enroll in Fall, Winter, and Spring and must obtain permission from International Student Services if they need to take off from any of the required terms. Summer is considered the default break term for all students enrolled in a traditional program (all international students are enrolled in a traditional program).

Off-campus employment is not permitted without proper authorization. Working off campus is greatly restricted and a work permit is ALWAYS required.

Work includes receiving ANY compensation for single or multiple services such as honorarium, tutoring, babysitting, etc. More details about obtaining off-campus work authorization can be found on our Work Authorization Website.

Any questions about your eligibility to work should be addressed to your immigration advisor in International Student Services.

Students who hold a valid F-1 immigration status are eligible to work on campus a maximum of 20 hours per week when school is in session. Never work on campus more than 20 hours a week while school is in session.

On-campus employment is not permitted after completion of a degree. Students who have completed all degree requirements or students who have an expired I-20 must have work authorization to work on or off campus. Work for these students is ONLY permitted with a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card.

Please keep in mind that your I-20 will be shortened to match your actual degree completion, so even if your I-20 goes out into the future, you are not permitted to work after you have completed your degree. You can expect your I-20 to be shortened to one of the following dates depending on the term of degree completion:

Any questions about your eligibility to work should be addressed to your immigration advisor in International Student Services.

To report changes to your contact details (address, phone number, email address) of address to ISS, complete the online Change of Address Form.

You should also update your address with the university through your BRUIN student portal.

Whenever a student leaves the United States and plans to return for their studies, they MUST receive a travel signature on the second page of their I-20. To receive the travel signature, please drop off your I-20 with your Immigration Advisor in International Student Services at least one week before departure.

Students need to carry all I-20s with them while traveling and may also carry their academic transcripts with them while traveling for ease of reentry.

Note about travelling during the session: Federal regulations require a full course of study for all international students. For this reason, international students are expected to be present to fully participate in their full-time course load. Missing classes due to travel may result in administrative withdrawal from a course, which negatively affects a student’s immigration status. If a student is missing classes due to travel, they must receive permission from all course instructors and continue participation in their classes. Failure to do so may have negative consequences for the immigration status.

Students must inform ISS about any changes to their major or degree level (such as changing from Bachelor’s to Master’s). A new I-20 must be created for the program of study changes.

If you are planning to stop studying at BU for any reason, you must inform International Student Services immediately. ISS will need to properly end your SEVIS record and you may need to plan to depart the U.S. within 15 days.

Students who do not notify International Student Services before terminating their studies risk falling out of status, will have no grace period, and are required to depart the U.S. immediately.

Your I-20 will be shortened to match your actual degree completion, so even if your I-20 goes out into the future, you can expect your I-20 to be shortened to one of the following dates depending on the term of degree completion:

Following the expiration date on your I-20, you will have a 60-day grace period, in which you must either apply for OPT, be admitted to and receive an I-20 for a higher degree level at BU (ex: Bachelor’s to Master’s), transfer to another university, change your status or leave the US.

NOTE: You are only eligible to apply for OPT while you are in the United States on F-1 status. If you leave the U.S. during your grace period without having applied for OPT, you will forfeit your eligibility. Please contact your immigration advisor for further advice on your next steps after completing your degree.

If your I-20 is expiring and you will not be completing your degree before the expiration date, you must have your I-20 extended before it expires. F-1 program extensions can only be granted for limited reasons. Students who fail to receive an extended I-20 before the I-20 expiration date will be out-of-status and may need to apply for a reinstatement or travel to regain lawful status.

We suggest that you start the extension process at least 30 days before the I-20 expiration date to allow enough time for the process.

All students on F-1 have a 60-day grace period following the end of their degree program. The 60-day grace period begins upon expiration of your I-20. If you leave the US during your grace period, you forfeit the rest of the grace period and will not be allowed to return to finish the grace period. Remember that your I-20 will be shortened, when necessary, when you complete your degree (see more details in "Notify International Services if you complete your degree program before the end date on your I-20" above). Students must either apply for OPT, be admitted to and receive an I-20 for a higher degree level at BU (ex: Bachelor’s to Master’s), transfer to another university, or leave the US within the grace period.

The grace period for students on OPT begins after their OPT expiration date on the EAD card.

Failure to take steps to continue or end your F-1 status on time is a violation of F-1 status. Please contact international student services if you would like further information about your options.

Students who do not complete their degrees or OPT are not eligible for the 60-day grace period and should consult with their immigration advisor in International Student Services immediately.

Students who wish to transfer to another university must notify International Student Services of the intent to transfer. A SEVIS Release Form and the acceptance letter to the new school must be completed and submitted to BU ISS before the record can be released. The SEVIS Release Form will be sent to you through DocuSign by an immigration advisor. Some schools also require that students complete a Transfer-In form. Please discuss the Transfer-In Procedures with the new school.

For students completing their degree at Bellevue University, a SEVIS transfer must be requested within the 60-day grace period.

The student is required to report to the new school within 15 days of beginning attendance.

Bellevue University policy requires that all enrolled F-1 and J-1 students maintain continuous enrollment in health insurance for the duration of their time as a BU student.

For details about the insurance policy, waivers, and the BU insurance plan, please visit the ISS Health & Safety Webpage. If you have questions about health insurance please email [email protected].