Maintaining Status

International students who have F-1 visas must follow rules and regulations set forth by the U.S. government to maintain their lawful non-immigrant status.

Maintenance of lawful non-immigrant status is the student’s responsibility. Failure to maintain status may have serious long-term immigration consequences. Elmhurst University Principal Designated School Official/Designated School Officials (PDSO/DSOs) in International Student Services (ISS) are available to provide advice on rules, regulations, and status maintenance and can be contacted at [email protected].

5 Rules for Maintaining Lawful F-1 Status in the U.S.

1. Maintain Current Contact Information

U.S. federal law requires F-1 non-immigrant visa holders to always maintain current contact information with the University. Any change to your address (within the U.S.), permanent address (in your home country), local phone number, or e-mail address should be updated within 10 days of the change. Complete the “F-1 Student Contact Information Update Form” below to notify your PDSO/DSO of any contact information changes.

2. Maintain Valid Documents

You must always be in possession of a valid passport, I-20, and I-94 form. Your passport and I-20 must always have expiration dates in the future. Your I-94 record should always accurately reflect your travel.

Passport

Contact your home country’s embassy or consular to inquire about extending/renewing your passport.

I-20 Record and Extensions

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all information on their I-20 is up to date and correct. You are required to sign and date your I-20. By doing so, you attest that all information on the I-20 is up to true and correct and agree to follow the rules and regulations required to maintain F-1 status. Students should print any I-20 received and sign with a wet ink signature.
If your Program End Date is no longer accurate you should request to either shorten your I-20 (if completing prior to the listed date) or extend your I-20 (if completing after the listed date.) Request I-20 extensions as necessary before the I-20 expiration date by emailing [email protected] and submitting the required academic and financial documentation.

I-94 Arrival/Departure Record

Use this link to view and print out your I-94 form.

Make sure to complete any necessary extensions of your documents to maintain validity well in advance of the document expiration. Always keep your documents in a safe place. Contact your PDSO/DSO with any document validity or extension questions, as well as to share your updated documents.

3. Maintain a Full Course Load During the Academic Year

The below enrollment requirements have been established to equal full-time enrollment at Elmhurst University and meet U.S. government regulations. If you are a student who is financially sponsored by your government or other scholarship provider you may be required to meet the specific requirements of your scholarship, which can only be above and beyond the Elmhurst University and U.S. government requirements.

Undergraduate Students: 3 credits (12 semester hours)
Graduate Students: 1.5 credits (6 semester hours)

Receiving a “W” (Withdraw) or “NF” (Nonattendance) on your transcript may drop you below a full course of study.

F-1 students may not count more than one online course towards their full course of study requirement. Additionally, if you have only one course remaining to complete your degree it cannot be taken online.

F-1 regulations do not require a full course load enrollment during periods of break for each student, however many Graduate programs do require Summer or J-term courses. It is the student’s responsibility to be sure they follow F-1 requirements AND their program requirements. Students should verify requirements with their Program Director.

Reduced Course Load Requests: Regulations allow for a “Reduced Course Load” (RCL) in certain, limited circumstances. Please review the Reduced Course Load page for more information and the RCL process.

4. Understand Work Regulations and Eligibility

As an F-1 student, you are allowed to work on-campus. However, you must obtain specific employment permission from your DSO to accept any employment off-campus (paid or unpaid), even if it fulfills an internship requirement for your academic program. Permission for off-campus employment must be obtained in advance.

F-1 Student Employment Weekly Hours Limit:
- On-Campus employment and authorized CPT employment cannot exceed 20 hours per week while school is in session; on-campus employment hours are considered separate from authorized CPT hours (not combined). If you have multiple jobs, your total hours worked cannot exceed 20 hours per week. Working more than 20 hours per week is considered unauthorized employment and is a status violation that can have long-term consequences for your immigrant record.
- During school breaks and summer vacation, F-1 students who are maintaining their status may be eligible to work more than 20 hours per week.

Please review the Employment Page for more information regarding F-1 student employment regulations

5. Follow the Proper Procedure to Transfer Schools

As an F-1 student, you have the right to transfer your SEVIS record to another SEVP-certified school. You must complete a legal SEVIS record transfer, as well as a transfer of your academic record. Your transfer must be completed in a timely fashion: As soon as you know that you will transfer, make an appointment with the PDSO/DSO to discuss the proper procedure and necessary documents.

If you are transferring to Elmhurst University from another school you will be provided with a “SEVIS Transfer Instructions” document when completing the I-20 Request Form during the International Admission process. Please provide the SEVIS Transfer Instructions document to your current school DSO/international office to facilitate your SEVIS record transfer.
If you are transferring to another school from Elmhurst University, please notify your PDSO/DSO and your Academic Advisor/Program Director.

In general, you should reach out to the PDSO/DSO if you plan to do any of the following:

Change major, program, or degree level
Change education level
Transfer to a new school or take a leave of absence
Take a break from school
Travel outside the United States
Move to a new address
Request a program extension

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the above or want to discuss your status contact [email protected].