Frequently asked Questions by Prospective and Current International Students:
What documents do I need to send with the application?
- Photocopies of your secondary school/ college transcripts, mark sheets, and or other diploma.
- All foreign language documents SHOULD be translated before they are submitted.
- If you are from a non-English speaking country, a copy of your TOEFL test should be submitted.
What is the TOEFL test?
The purpose of the TOEFL test is to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English. This test is a requirement for international students who will enter any CUNY institution. To find out more information about the TOEFL test, you may visit the TOEFL web site at www.ets.org/toefl.
After I have been accepted to a College, What documents do I need to enter the US?
After you receive a letter verifying your acceptance to the college of your choice:
- You will need to provide an original current Bank Statement showing cash availability requested by the College.
- An original signed letter from the sponsor certifying that they will finance your education.
- An original signed letter from any other sponsor providing you free room and board in the US .
The receipt of the above documents will expedite the issuance of your I –20, which you will need to take to the US Embassy in your country to obtain your Student Visa (F – 1).
What fees should I pay?
If you are presently out of the United States , you must first pay the SEVIS fee ($100) before you apply for the F-1 student visa. The SEVIS fee must be paid at least 3 business days prior to your interview, unless you have a printed receipt from an Internet payment. The SEVIS fee cannot be paid at the embassy or consulate, or at the port of entry.
The SEVIS fee can be paid by Mail, on the Internet or by Using Western Union. For more information you may refer to the following website http://www.f mj fee.com.
After I am accepted to a College, whom do I contact for more Information?
Click Here
Are there any types of Financial Assistance available to International Students?
YES, there are scholarships that international students may apply for:
- Within USS, there is the Merit Scholarship Awards and the Mary Ellen and Donald Passantino Scholarship Awards, for more information go to opportunity link on the uss web site.
- There is also the Peter Vallone Scholarship that is available, for more contact the scholarship office at your school.
- Each CUNY College also has a number of scholarships that are awarded to both permanent residents and international students, for more information you should contact the Scholarship Office at your school.
- The Belle Zeller scholarship award will be paid twice yearly as long as all conditions continue to be met by the recipient. The scholarship deadline is December 1 st .
Does CUNY offer housing?
NO, however some schools are in the process of building dormitories.
How do I keep my records updated?
Each time you travel out of the United States , you are given a new I-94. You should always take a copy of this new 1-94 to the International Office at your school. If you received a new passport or visa a copy should also be given to the office. If you change your address or telephone number you should also notify the foreign adviser at the office at your school.
What if my Visa or Passport expires?
- It is ok for your visa to expire and you remain in status as long as you remain in the US . If you travel outside the US you must go to the embassy to get a new Visa or you will be denied entry to the US if your visa is not valid.
- At NO time should your passport expire. You should always be knowledgeable about when your passport expires and renew it as soon as possible.
If I would like to transfer to another school, what should I do?
Firstly, you should tell the adviser in your current college that you would like to transfer. After you have received an acceptance letter to the school you would like to attend, you should also request a Transfer Verification Form from this school. Take both the acceptance letter and the Transfer Verification Form to the adviser at your school so he/she may be able to release your records.
As an International Student, am I eligible to work?
YES. F-1 students may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and full-time during winter break and in the summer, as long as your I-20 is valid, you are in good academic standing, and you are enrolled and certified enrolled full-time (except during winter break and in the summer, when you must not have graduated and must eligible to enroll for the following semester).
What is considered “on-campus?”
On campus employment for F-1 students is defined as:
- Employment for the college that you attend (e.g. Library, Tutoring Centers)
- Employment for the Research Foundation
- Employment for Auxiliary Services (e.g. Bookstore)
- Employment at any other CUNY school
- Employment at an off-campus location which is educationally affiliated with your institution. The educational affiliation must be associated with your academic department’s established curriculum or related to contractually funded projects, and be an integral part of your educational program.
May I continue on-campus employment after I graduate?
On-campus employment is generally not permitted after you graduate. However if you are transferring schools or are in transition between degree programs, you may continue on-campus employment at the school that still has jurisdiction over your SEVIS 1-20 provided you intend to enroll for the next academic term or term following an authorized vacation. For example if you complete a CSI bachelor’s degree in May and have been admitted and intend to enroll at the CSI in the masters program in August, you may work on-campus during the summer. Similarly, if the new I-20 is from a different school, you may work at CSI up until the date that your SEVIS I-20 is released to the new school. At that time, you can then begin employment at the new school since that school would have jurisdiction over your I-20.
Do I need to ask permission to work on-campus?
F-1 students do not need formal authorization to work on-campus. Your eligibility to work on-campus is “incident” to F-1 status. There are certain internal procedures of your institution, however, which you must complete in order to be put on the payroll.
Can I work off-campus?
After your first year of enrollment you may apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), work authorization through the international office at your college and if approved; you can work off-campus.
How can I get Social Security?
The new Immigration Laws do not permit incoming F-1 students to obtain Social Security upon entry to the US . In order for you to obtain a Social Security Card, you must get a job offering on-campus if you are in your first year and/or off-campus after your first year.
In what ways can I fall out of status?
Yes you can fall out of status. As an F-1 student, you must abide by the Immigrations Laws to retain your status. You can fall out of status in the following ways:
- If you drop below 12 credits for more than one semester without valid reasons
- If you miss semesters without notifying your adviser
- If you enter the US and do not report to the institution
What should I do if I fall out of Status?
Contact your adviser as soon as possible to re-instate your status.
What is considered full-time for F-1 students?
- 12 credits for undergraduate students
- “Officially” 12 credits for graduate students, but in actuality is usually 9 credits. (Graduate students who are engaged in teaching or research that is part of their graduate program may register for 9 credits and have their faculty adviser complete the required form.)
Can I drop below (12-credit) full-time as an International Student?
Immigration regulations require that F-1 students maintain a full-course of study. There are several reasons where federal regulations will allow F-1 students to drop below full-time. However, before dropping below full-time, you must obtain permission from the foreign student adviser at your institution. As an F-1 student you may only drop below full-time for one semester.
What may be “acceptable” reasons for me to drop below full-time?
- Medical conditions/reasons
- Academic difficulties (MAY ONLY BE USED ONCE PER PROGRAM)
Reasons can only be:
- Initial difficulty with English Language
- Unfamiliarity with US teaching methods
- Improper course level placement
- In the final semester of study and fewer courses needed to graduate
- Concurrent enrollment at two different institutions
- Graduate students engaged in teaching or research as part of their graduate program.
Students who receive permission to drop below full-time must register for 6 credits (or) half of clock hours required for full course of study (unless it’s a medical reason).
Am I allowed to study abroad in another country as an International Student?
YES you are allowed to study abroad as an international student; however, you may require a visa depending on the country of your choice.
What should I do before I travel out of the country?
Before you travel out of the country it is important to know that all your documents are valid, you should always check with the foreign student adviser.
- It is important that the signature on your I-20 is not more than one (1) year.
- Your passport should always be valid.
- If your visa is expired you should be sure to make an appointment to obtain a new one at the embassy before you re-enter the US.
How long may I stay on my F-1 student visa?
When you enter the United States on a student visa, you will usually be admitted for the duration of your student status. That means you may stay as long as you are a full time student, even if the F-1 visa in your passport expires while you are in America . For a student who has completed the course of studies shown on the I-20, and any authorized practical training, the student is allowed the following additional time in the U.S. before departure:
- F-1 student - An additional 60 days, to prepare for departure from the U.S. or to transfer to another school.
- M-1 student - An additional 30 days to depart the U.S. (Fixed time period, in total not to exceed one year). The 30 days to prepare for departure is permitted as long as the student maintained a full course of study and maintained status. An M student may receive extensions up to three years for the total program.
As an example regarding duration of status, if you have a visa that is valid for five years that will expire on January 1, 2001, and you are admitted into the U.S. for the duration of your studies (often abbreviated in your passport or on your I-94 card as "D/S"), you may stay in the U.S. as long as you are a full time student. Even if January 1, 2001 passes and your visa expires while in America , you will still be in legal student status. However, if you depart the U.S. with an expired visa, you will need to obtain a new one before being able to return to America and resume your studies. A student visa cannot be renewed or re-issued in the United States ; it must be done at an Embassy or Consulate abroad.
What is Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
OPT is off-campus employment that is related to your major field of study.
Who is eligible for OPT?
A person who has been in F-1 status for at least twelve months. Eligible F-1 students may engage in optional practical training:
1. After completion of a course of study
2. Before completion of studies if engaged in thesis or dissertation research
3. During the summer or over winter break
4. During the regular academic year (on a part-time basis, deducted from the 12-month maximum at a proportional rate)
You are not eligible to apply for OPT if you leave the U.S. after graduation and before applying for OPT.
When can I apply?
The earliest one can apply is 90 days before completing your program of study, if the OPT is to begin after graduating.
Do I need a job offer in order to apply?
No.
How do I apply for OPT?
- From The International Office at your school, obtain (a) INS Form I-765 (an application for an Employment Authorization Document, or EAD), (b) INS Form I-765 signature card, (c) INS Form I-538, (d) sample I-538, and (e) EAD Fact Sheet Or whatever document necessary from your institution.
- Complete the forms that you receive and make an appointment with the foreign student adviser.
- To the appointment, take:
- the completed I-765
- the completed I-538
- your new SEVIS I-20 and the original (not a photocopy) of all your Forms I-20
- your passport
- your Form I-94 (the white card)
- a completed “F-1 Student Full-Time Certification Form” for any semester in which you were not enrolled full tim
Can I go in person to an USCIS office to apply for OPT?
No. The USCIS Center office to which we report is located in Vermont . OPT applications must be submitted to USCIS by mail, according to the instructions on the EAD Fact Sheet. (The Center recommends OPT permission; USCIS must approve it.)
When can I start to work under OPT?
When you have the EAD and the beginning date of employment authorization (shown on the EAD) has arrived. If your EAD arrives later than the date your employer wishes you to begin working, you might be able to arrange to volunteer your efforts.
What's the difference between OPT and Curricular Practical Training (CPT)?
Curricular practical training permits employment during the time one is still taking classes. CPT requires the offer of a specific job.
If I had CPT, can I still have OPT?
Yes, as long as you did not have full-time CPT for at least one year.
Can I take classes if I have OPT?
Yes, but part-time only.
Can I change employers if I have OPT?
Yes. There is no immigration-related procedure required for doing so. As long as the employment is related to your field of study, you can work for any employer.
Can I travel outside the USA if I have OPT?
In order to re-enter the U.S. after you have applied for OPT, you must have an I-20 signed by an adviser within the last six months, a valid F-1 visa, a valid passport and your EAD. It is also wise to carry a letter from your employer, confirming that you are working.
Is OPT a different visa?
No. A person with OPT authorization is an F-1 student holding an EAD for OPT.
How long can I stay in the United States after my OPT expires?
Sixty days.
Can I return to school after completing OPT?
Yes. You need to obtain a SEVIS I-20 for the next program of studies, and complete the USCIS procedure for moving to a "new level of studies" (if you resume studies at the College of Staten Island ) or the procedure for school transfer (if you go to a different school).
If I have OPT for a year and return to school for another degree, can I have another year of OPT?
Yes, inasmuch as it is for a higher educational degree.
If I apply for OPT and then decide not to use it, can I get my OPT time back?
If USCIS has not yet acted on your application, you can write the Vermont Center and state that you want to withdraw your application. If USCIS has already approved your application, it is not possible to have the OPT authorization withdrawn.
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