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International Student Program

Home About Contact
     
 

Maintaining Student Status

1. SEVIS I-20
2. Full-time Enrollment
3. Current Address
4. Program Extension
5. Early Departure
6. Transfer to another school
7. Employment
8. Important documents
9. On-line International Student Orientation

1. Your SEVIS I-20

When you came into the U.S. or transferred to FLC, you received a SEVIS I-20. This SEVIS I-20 is essentially your contract with the U.S. Your paper SEVIS I-20 is connected to an electronic record in SEVIS. SEVIS is an internet-based system that maintains accurate and current information on our international students and their dependents. FLC sends electronic information to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. The information that is sent includes: personal information; program information; addresses in home country and U.S.; registration of classes; and changes in any program information. You should think of your SEVIS record as live information. Every semester, FLC must report to SEVIS your registration and current address information.

PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME TO READ YOUR I-20 CAREFULLY!

You are responsible for maintaining your own status. As an international student you must follow F-1 student regulations. These regulations were created by the U.S. Government; they were not created by Folsom Lake College. FLC is required to follow these regulations closely.


2. Full-time Enrollment

You are required to be a registered, full-time student every semester. A full-time student takes 12 units every semester. This does not including summer session.
There are possible exceptions to this requirement, but they are allowed only if you receive prior approval from Records and Admissions. These exceptions include:

a. Medical Reason: If you have a serious medical condition and can not attend school, then you may receive approval to take less than 12 units. You must present documentation from a licensed doctor or psychologist.
b. Last semester: in your last semester, you may take only the classes that you need to complete your program. Please check with your academic counselor to make sure you've completed all of your course work. Approval for this must be given by Records and Admissions.

3. Contact and Address Information:

You must report your current residential address. Please update your FLC college records of any changes in your address. Please send Records and Admissions any new contact information as soon as possible.

4. Program Extension

You must request an extension of program if you have not finished your program and your I-20 is about to expire. There is a program end date on your SEVIS I-20, please make sure you know this date. If you need to continue at FLC beyond that date, then please make an appointment to meet with Mr. Dave Hill or your academic counselor. Your counselor will make up a new educational plan that will determine how long to extend your I-20. You should then submit the new educational plan to Records and Admissions. If you don't extend your SEVIS I-20 by that date, you will not be able to extend it.

5. Early Departure

Because your SEVIS record is a part of a live reporting environment, FLC must report on you every semester. If you decide to leave FLC to return home, it is your responsibility to inform the college. Please contact Records and Admissions. FLC will need to report to SEVIS that you've stopped your program and departed the U.S. If you do not inform FLC of your departure, the school will need to terminate your SEVIS I-20 for failure to enroll and maintain status.

6. School Transfer

The majority of our students transfer to a U.C. or CSU to finish their academic program. The immigration process for this is fairly simple. You should first determine if you are accepted at the school of your choice. After you've been accepted to another school, inform Records and Admissions of your decision to transfer. There may be a transfer form that you will have to fill out for the other school.

Please remember that your academic status and international student status are different. If you’ve been accepted to another school, please contact their international student office immediately to follow their transfer procedures.

7. Employment

Employment for international students can be complicated, so it is important to always have authorization. International students have limited part-time and full-time employment opportunities. Work authorization is always required prior to employment.
On-campus employment (Paid by FLC) is 20 hours or less per week. Full time employment is available in the summer.

Three types of off-campus employment:
Optional Practical Training
Curricular Practical Training
Economic Hardship

8.Important Documents

There are a number of immigration documents that you need to keep safe and pay attention to. Please make sure you make a copy of all of these documents in case you lose any of them.

  1. Passport: You are required to have a valid passport while you are in the U.S. If your passport has an expiration date in six months, you should contact your embassy to follow the procedures for an extension. The easiest way to find an embassy is to do a Google search on the Internet. San Francisco has a number of foreign consulates.
     
  2. U.S. Visa: This document is a stamp in your passport. Your visa has an expiration date. The visa is used to gain admission in the U.S., so if you are in the U.S. after this date you don’t have to worry. You can stay in the U.S. on an expired visa, but the next time you leave the U.S. and reenter the U.S., you will have to get a new visa.
       
  3. I-94 Card: When you traveled into the U.S., you filled out a small white card: I-94 Departure Record. The I-94 card is very important because it indicates your status in the U.S. and when that began. At the Port of Entry, the officer admitted you to the U.S. for "duration of status" which is defined as:
    a. The time during which you are pursuing a full course of study and making normal progress toward completing that course, plus.
    b. The time you may be working in authorized "practical training" after you complete studies (if you qualify and are so authorized) plus
    c. Sixty (60) days to depart the country.
       
  4. SEVIS I-20: this documents was issued by FLC and allows you to:
    a. Apply for a visa as an F-1 student at a U.S. consulate.
    b. Attend FLC as an international student.
    c. Provide evidence of your F-1 status.
    d. The information contained in your I-20 is specific to you. It contains information on where you are going to school, your major, finances, etc. If any information changes, you need to contact the Records and Admissions office immediately.

9. On-line International Student Orientation

For more information on F-1 student regulations and responsibilities, review the on-line orientation.
     
 
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