A Division of the International Studies Office

Your Status

Your Status

Responsibility to Maintain Status is Fundamental

Maintenance of status is the responsibility of every student. No student should expect the ISO to monitor expirations or to be independently notified of any changes that may impact one's status. The ISO is obligated to inform the U.S. government through SEVIS of any changes to an F-1 student's status.

Reporting Obligations

Students must notify the ISO for any of the following:

  • Address changes (update the Mailing Address type in SIS for local address change and the SEVIS address for foreign permanent address change)
  • Change of major
  • Degree level change
  • Transfer
  • Graduation date change (Change in date of completion of studies)
  • Change in period of study
  • Change in OPT employment
  • Change in CPT employment
  • Change in dependents
  • Terminations or Leaves of Absence including medical (Prior ISO authorization required.)
  • Any drops below full-time status (12 credit/hours per spring/fall semester for undergraduates; 12 credit/hours per spring/fall semester for graduates; full time in summer required (6 credit hours) if this summer is first or last semester of enrollment. ISO authorization is required prior to any drop below full-time status.
  • Disciplinary action
  • Suspensions/expulsions
  • Felony convictions

Note that the above list is not necessarily comprehensive. Students should contact the ISO if there is any question about maintenance of status.

Also see SEVP's webpage on maintaining status.