International Student Advising “For Dummies” Presenters: Molly Heidemann Senior International Student and Scholar Advisor Miami University Sarah McNitt Study Abroad Advisor Charles Schwartz Senior Admissions Officer University of Cincinnati

Introduction Who are we? Who is our audience? Why International Student Advising for Dummies?

Visa Types F-1 Visa Eligibility: An alien having a residence in a foreign country No intention of abandoning their home country Full-time student Entering the US temporarily and solely for the purpose of studying At an established academic institution or language training program in the United States, F-2 Dependent: An alien spouse or minor children following to join the F-1 student

Visa Types J-1 Visa Part of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (Fulbright-Hayes Act) of 1961 "to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges." Eligibility: An alien having a residence in a foreign country No intention of abandoning home country J-visa category of visitors most common in higher ed: Student (Non-degree, Associate, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, Intern) Scholar (Research, Short-Term) Professor Specialist Physician Other Categories: Teacher, Au Pair, Camp Counselor, Government Visitor, Summer Work/Travel J-2 Dependent: An alien spouse or minor children following to join the J-1 exchange visitor

Student and Exchange Visitor Information System SEVIS What is SEVIS? Student and Exchange Visitor Information System

SEVIS SEVIS is the internet-based system by which P/DSOs and A/ROs interact with ICE, process F-1 and J-1 records, and track changes P/DSO = (Principal) Designated School Official – for Fs A/RO = (Alternate) Responsible Officer – For Js Managed by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) – a unit of ICE (which is a unit of DHS) Became fully operational in 2003 Used to process I-20s and DS-2019s, and track changes in students’ personal, financial, and academic information Requires a password to log in SEVIS II: Coming soon!

Immigration Documents I-20/DS-2019 Passport Visa stamp I-94 card

Immigration Documents I-20/DS-2019 Issued by host institution Student should keep this document with their passport

Immigration Documents Passport Issued by home country government Should be valid for at least 6 months in the future when entering U.S. Must be kept valid

Immigration Documents Visa stamp Issued by US Consulate/Embassy Stamped into passport Entry document only (can expire)

Immigration Documents I-94 card Filled out on plane by student Stamped by US Customs & Border Patrol at Port of Entry Stapled into passport Shows visa status and how long they can stay (duration of status)

Admission and Document Issuance An I-20 or DS-2019 does not automatically grant a visa; it is more like a “certificate of eligibility” to obtain F-1 or J-1 status

Admission and Document Issuance I-20 Issuance To issue an I-20 to a school must: Be approved by DHS to admit F-1 students and be enrolled in SEVIS Receive a written application from the student for admission Receive and review the applicant's academic credentials for admission Accept the student a full-time program Assess the student's ability to meet all expenses during the course of study, and specifically examine documentation showing finances for at least the first year of study

Visa Application School issues I-20/DS-2019 Student pays SEVIS fee and schedules visa interview If visa interview results in approval, student receives visa and can travel to the US

Visa Application Required at visa interview: I-20/DS-2019 Passport valid for at least 6 months Proof of proficiency in English (if necessary) Proof of financial resources to cover the cost of education and living expenses in the U.S. Proof of SEVIS fee payment Admission letter Evidence of ties to home country

Entering the U.S. U.S. Customs & Border Patrol officer checks documents Passport is valid I-20 is valid Visa is valid Ask for purpose of entry U.S. Customs & Border Patrol official stamps I-94 card, which is stapled into passport

Maintenance of Status Attend the school listed on the I-20/DS-2019 Pursue a full course of study (12 credits for undergrads; institution-specific for grads) Make normal progress toward completion Report changes of address within 10 days Don’t work without authorization Follow proper procedures for extension, change of level, transfer, etc. Abide by grace periods Keep passport valid

What else does an International Student Advisor do? Orientation Challenges: Erratic arrival times Motivation Range of communication skills Goals: Provide info that US students already have Provide tools for finding info on their own Provide basic understanding of US and Academia Key Concepts Practical matters Housing Transportation Communication Recreation US Academia System Structure Student expectations Student services Cultural Adjustment

What else does an International Student Advisor do? Programming Examples: Friendship programs, conversation partners, film series, city tours, etc. Goals: Long-term awareness Transition to campus and American life Entertainment Personal, professional, and cultural needs

What else does an International Student Advisor do? Cultural Adjustment Intercultural Communication D.I.E. Description: “what I see” Interpretation “what I think about what I see” Evaluation “what I feel about what I see and think” Obstacles: Assumptions of similarity/difference Language/communication Ethnocentrism Anxiety Be a Bridge Listen to the person Through the accent Allow them to finish Ask clarifying questions Ask how it works at home/explain how it works here Be directive, inclusive, personal

Questions & Answers