F-1 Regulations

Regulations for F-1 International Students

Compliance with the Federal Regulations for international students' SEVIS F-1 Status is critical. Calvin College requires international students with F-1 student status to attend an Immigration Workshop in their first year to learn these regulations. Please read below for a broad overview.

Enrollment

• Undergraduate students are required to carry no fewer than 12 credit hours each semester.
• Graduate students are required to carry no fewer than 9 credit hours each semester.
• Students may be pre-authorized by the International Student Advisor to be less than full-time under certain circumstances.
• Dropping below full-time makes a student out of status.

Employment for F-1 Students

There are employment benefits for F-1 Students.

On-campus Employment

Students should work no more than 20 hours per week. This is self-monitered as it is part of maintaining one's F-1 Student Status. You may not feel any immediate consequences, they may catch up to you when you are applying for a different status like H1B or a green card.

Off-campus Employment

Students must have their F-1 Student Status for 9 months, generally one complete school year, to be eligibile for off-campus employment.

Options for this are:

• CPT – Curricular Practical Training
  • ALWAYS preauthorized – must have an I-20 w/ authorization on it before one works
  • internship, work study done during school & /or summer
  • authorized by the DSO (school official)
  • short process when paperwork is submitted
  • employer and date specific
  • paperwork required:
    CPT Instructions For Student Packet
    Academic Recommendation Form
    CPT Employers Offer Letter Template
    CPT Co-op Form
• OPT – Optional Practical Training
  • workshops available each semester
  • one year of employment in student’s field of study (usually done after graduation)
  • recommended by the DSO (school official), application made to the USCIS
  • 3 months application time
  • date specific
  • must meet regulations for OPT
  • paperwork required:
    Application Procedure Page
    I-765 Application Form
    Graduation Verification Form
    Federal Regulations
    General Information

Unauthorized Employment

NO unauthorized employment. No unauthorized employment means that a student does not work off campus unless they have an I-20 with authorization for off campus employment on page 3. Unauthorized employment is a deportable offense.

Extensions of I-20 for F-1 Students

If additional time is needed to meet the requirements for graduation, an extension has to be done BEFORE the end date on a student’s I-20. Students who go on academic probation during their years at Calvin are ineligible for an extension.

Paperwork required:
Stay Extension Procedure
Academic Advisor Recommendation
Financial Aid Extension Form

Change of Address for F-1 Students

Federal Regulations require that when students change their residence, they must to submit their new address to Calvin College Registrar’s Office within 10 days of moving.

Travel for F-1 Students

Students wishing to leave the country to travel for any reason must have page 3 of their I-20 endorsed (signed) by the DSO once a year. Please allow at least 2 days for this signature. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure that the I-20 has this signature. The signature is necessary for re-entry into the U.S. but not for leaving it.

Passport for F-1 Students

Passports must be kept current.

Detailed regulations are available at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website.