INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT
ADVISING
“FOR DUMMIES”
Presenters:
Molly Heidemann
Senior International Student and Scholar Advisor
Miami University
Sarah McNitt
Study Abroad Advisor
Miami University
Charles Schwartz
Senior Admissions Officer
University of Cincinnati
Introduction
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

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:


J-visa category of visitors most common in higher ed:

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
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
An alien having a residence in a foreign country
 No intention of abandoning home country
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
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

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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:
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Erratic arrival times
Motivation
Range of communication skills

Key Concepts

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Goals:

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Provide info that US students
already have
Provide tools for finding info
on their own
Provide basic understanding
of US and Academia
Practical matters


US Academia




Housing
Transportation
Communication
Recreation
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.



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Description: “what I see”
Interpretation “what I think about
what I see”
Evaluation “what I feel about what
I see and think”
Obstacles:



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Assumptions of
similarity/difference
Language/communication
Ethnocentrism
Anxiety
Be a Bridge

Listen to the person

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
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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