Advisement Concerns

ISSS provides immigration advising services to Illinois State University international students. We are also the unit in charge of complying with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reporting obligations for F-1 and J-1 students sponsored by the university. This includes confirming the student's current U.S. address and full-time enrollment. In addition, ISSS is often involved in issues related to employment and in certain circumstances is responsible for providing work authorization for F-1 and J-1 students. The unit also actively monitors student enrollment to confirm students maintain a full courseload and do not exceed online course limits.

Immigration law is complex and can have severe consequences if violated. Therefore, ISSS highly recommends other units on campus refer international students to ISSS for any immigration-related issues by directing them to our ISSS Advising Services page.

New students cannot enter the country or begin on-campus employment more than 30 days before the program start date listed on their I-20 or DS-2019.

• If Summer semester is a vacation period, the student does not need to be enrolled, and there is no limit to the number of online courses the student can take.
• If Summer semester is the student’s first or last semester, they must be registered full-time (6 credits). In addition, their courses cannot be all online and they cannot exceed 3 credits of distance education.

F-1 and J-1 students must be registered full time every Fall and Spring

• UG = 12 credits
• GR = 9 credits OR at least 1 credit of an A90 course

• ISSS follows the Office of the University Registrar's course-type definitions when determining whether a course is distance education.
• Courses coded as "In Person" or "Hybrid" are NOT considered distance education. Courses coded as "Internet/Online" or "Online Hybrid" ARE considered distance education.
• F-1 and J-1 students are allowed to take 3 distance education credits out of the 9/12 credits required to be considered full-time. If the student takes above and beyond the number of credits needed to be considered full-time, those additional credits can be distance education credits.
• Academic English and Pathway students are not permitted to take any distance education credits to meet the full-time requirement. However, if the student takes above and beyond the number of credits needed to be considered full-time, those additional credits can be distance education credits.

An F-1 or J-1 student wishing to drop a course after tenth day should request the drop through the Registrar's Office. ISSS must approve the drop in order for it to be processed.

If dropping the course will cause the student to go below full-time, they must first be approved for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) through ISSS before the drop will be approved. RCLs can only be for specific reasons stipulated by immigration law.

• Students who will be dropping a course and adding another to replace it should be advised to first add the other course before requesting the drop.
• CLW requests for students with Graduate Assistantships must also be approved by ISSS. If the CLW request involves the student dropping below full-time, then the student must first be approved for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) through ISSS before the CLW will be approved.

• F-1 and J-1 students have specific program end dates listed on their I-20 or DS-2019 document. These end dates are based upon the average time it should take a full-time student to complete the program.
• If you are advising an international student regarding their academic program, it is best to be aware of the specific program end date listed on their I-20 or DS-2019 document, as it can greatly impact the student's options for enrollment.
• F-1 and J-1 students can only be permitted to extend their program end dates for very specific and limited reasons . Please see the Extending Your Stay section of the ISSS website for further details. If a student is granted an extension, they must continue to be enrolled full-time for any future terms.
• An F-1 or J-1 student wishing to extend their program, must submit a Program Extension Request. This request (including the Academic Advisor Approval form) must be submitted prior to the program end date listed on their I-20 or DS-2019 document.
• A student who was expected to complete their program, but receives an Incomplete grade in one or more of their courses, is not eligible for a program extension because they will not be enrolled in coursework for the future term.

• F-1 and J-1 students are limited to 20 hours per week of on-campus employment while school is in session and 28 hours per week during official breaks. These limits are based upon an aggregate of all on-campus jobs combined. Please visit the On-Campus Employment section of the ISSS website for full details.
• J-1 students must have written authorization from their ARO prior to beginning any on-campus work. Please refer all J-1 students to ISSS prior to beginning any on-campus employment.
• If the student does not have a Social Security Number, they will need a signed letter from both their hiring supervisor and their ISSS Advisor in order to apply for one.
• The On-Campus Employment Verification Letter template for hiring departments can be found here.

• F-1 and J-1 students must have authorization prior to any off-campus work, including internships.
• Any off-campus work must be directly related to the student’s field of study.
• Generally, F-1 students are not eligible for off-campus work until they have completed two full-time semesters.
• See CPT, OPT, STEM Extension, and Academic Training in the Glossary (above) for more details.

Immigration regulations require F-1 and J-1 students to update ISSS within 10 days of any change in their personal contact information or academic program. This includes changes in address, phone number, major/field of study, level of study, addition of a minor, etc.

Some information updates can be reported by updating information in My while others require the student to submit a request through the ISSS Portal.

Please see the Reporting Changes section of the ISSS website for further details.

Several issues may arise during the student’s final semester that can impact their future immigration status and have specific application deadlines. Examples include:

• Less than a full-course load needed to finish degree
• Incomplete coursework/research delays
• Transferring to another institution
• Work authorization

F-1 and J-1 students should be advised to meet with their ISSS Advisor to address any last semester concerns.

International students wishing to withdraw from the university should be directed to their ISSS Advisor before requesting the withdrawal as a withdrawal will directly impact their visa status and ability to stay in the U.S.

International students who have been suspended or are at risk of suspension should be immediately directed to their ISSS Advisor.

• If an F-1 or J-1 student has violated any immigration regulations, their SEVIS record may be terminated.
• The student may have to depart the US immediately and the termination may affect their ability to obtain future visas and/or cause problems at the port of entry.