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The University of Texas at Austin

The International Office

The International Office at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) serves all international students attending the university. The International Student and Scholar Services department is the place where you, as an international student, can receive immigration assistance from an Immigration Advisor. The Immigration Advisor will also serve as a liaison between you and the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Wooldridge HallMany international students come to UT Austin in either F-1 or J-1 student status. This online orientation provides information to students who are in F-1 or J-1 status. If you are not in a student visa status, and you have questions or concerns about your immigration status, the International Office is available to speak with you about your situation.

There are many immigration terms with which international students should familiarize themselves. We hope that this short introduction will assist you in better understanding your immigration status while in the United States.

TERMINOLOGY

Upon admission to UT and verification of funding, you are issued either an I-20 by The University or a DS-2019 (formerly known as an IAP-66) by The University or a sponsoring agency. The Form I-20, the "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status" and the Form DS-2019, the "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor or J-1 Status" contain important dates and information that are related to your studies at UT Austin. For example, they indicate the degree level and major you are pursuing and the expiration date of the document.

With your I-20 or DS-2019, financial support documents, and admission letter, an application is made to the U.S. Consulate or Embassy for the issuance of a student visa. The visa is the stamp placed in your passport by the U.S. Consulate or Embassy office. The visa stamp indicates your visa type, the period during which you may enter the U.S. and the number of entries permitted. This visa is like an entry permit -- it must be valid in order for you to enter the United States. However, the visa does not indicate the length of time you may remain in the United States. It is OK if your visa expires while you are in the United States. However, if you exit the country and your visa has expired, you must have it renewed before re-entering. Canadians do not need to apply for a visa. If you are Canadian, you will need to present your I-20 or DS-2019 at the port of entry for processing.

The I-94 card (also known as the Arrival/Departure Card) is a small white card that you receive upon entry into the United States. It is usually stapled into your passport across from your visa. The I-94 card indicates your visa classification, the place and date of admission into the United States and the period of authorized stay. For F-1 and J-1 students, your I-94 card should be valid for "Duration of Status", marked as D/S. This means that you are allowed to remain in the United States as long as you are maintaining your student status.

MAINTAINING YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS

Coming to the United States as an international student in F-1 or J-1 status carries with it the responsibility to maintain your immigration status. Failure to maintain status will have certain consequences including ineligibility for employment. In addition, students who are out of status must reinstate with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or travel out of the United States and reenter on a new document. The following is a guideline of how to maintain your F-1 or J-1 student status.

Full Course of Study

As an F-1 or J-1 student, you must maintain a full-course of study. Graduate students are required to complete 9 credit hours each semester. Continuing students are not required to enroll in classes during the summer; however, you should check with your department to see if they have any requirements for summer enrollment.

There are very limited exceptions for students to be authorized to take less than 9 credit hours. If you are considering taking less than 9 hours, you must discuss this with one of the Immigration Advisors prior to the semester that this may occur. Graduate students are allowed to take less than 9 credit hours after passing their qualifying examination. However, it is important to discuss this with your graduate advisor to ensure that all departmental policies are being adhered to. Students who hold an academic appointment are required to enroll in 9 credit hours even during the completion of their dissertation.

Keeping Documents Current

Keeping your documents current is another important part of maintaining your status.

Transferring Your I-20 Or DS-2019

If you are coming to UT Austin from another university in the United States and are not departing the country, you will need to complete a transfer of your I-20 or DS-2019 to UT Austin. F-1 students must complete the transfer within the first fifteen class days of the first semester of enrollment. J-1 students must coordinate their transfer with the Immigration Advisors from UT and the previous institution.

Work

As an F-1 or J-1 student, you must limit your on-campus employment to 20 hours per week during long semesters. Adhering to the 20 hour limit is very important. Students who work more than 20 hours per week without specific authorization are considered to be "Out of Status". Enrolled or continuing students are allowed to work full-time on-campus during the summer without needing additional work authorization.

Additionally, as an F-1 or J-1 student, you are not allowed to work off-campus without prior authorization. Any student who works off-campus without authorization from the International Office or USCIS is considered to be violating their student visa status.

TRAVEL

When you travel outside the United States, you must remember to take your documents with you. In order to reenter the country after a temporary period of absence, you must have with you, your passport, valid visa, proof of financial support and I-20 or DS-2019.

Your I-20 or DS-2019 is especially important for travel purposes. This document must be signed by an Immigration Advisor within the previous twelve months in order to reenter the United States.

KEEPING DOCUMENTS

All the immigration documents you receive: your visa, I-20, DS-2019 and I-94 card are very important documents to keep in a safe place. It is important that you keep every I-20 or DS-2019 that has been issued to you. Do not throw any of your immigration documents away -- you may need them in the future.

CONCLUSION

The International Office is aware that there are many immigration issues that present themselves to students while they are attending The University. We encourage you to come to the International Office and talk to one of the Immigration Advisors, if you have any questions.

In addition to immigration advising, other services available in the International Students and Scholar Services section include assistance with student health insurance, financial aid, and federal income tax issues. To keep up to date on information from the International Office, consult our web site at http://www.utexas.edu/international/isss/.

The International Office also publishes a monthly online newsletter for international students, which is distributed the first Monday of each month. This newsletter is a valuable source of information allowing the International Office to relay important information to you regarding immigration, financial aid and taxes, health insurance, and upcoming programs and events.

We wish you the best of luck in your studies here at UT and please, do come and see us.

This concludes the section on the International Office. To continue to the next section of the Graduate Student Orientation, click on the button labeled "Next".

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