If you are entering the U.S. for the purpose of study and are not a U.S. citizen, you are required to get a Certificate of Eligibility Form I-20 from the university that you will be attending. You will need to get this document processed prior to your entrance into the United States in order to be granted student status by the U.S. government.
Accepted international students can learn more about the acceptance process, applying for a student visa and arrival to the U.S
Canadian Citizens
All international students are required to get a Certificate of Eligibility Form I-20 from the University in order to attend classes in the United States. As a Canadian Citizen, you will not need to apply for an F-1 student visa in addition to the I-20. However, students that are permanent residents of Canada and are not Canadian citizens will need to apply for an F-1 student visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate once they have applied for and received their I-20 from the University.
- Once you have been accepted to Niagara University, complete and return the I-20 Application. This should be included in your acceptance package and is also available on this site. Make sure to sign the application and include all necessary documents (ex: copy of passport, financial documents).
- When the application and all necessary documents are received, a Designated School Official (DSO) will issue your I-20. The I-20 will be mailed to the address indicated on the application or you will be notified that the document is available for you to pick up at the school.
- Upon receipt of your I-20 you will need to pay the $200 SEVIS fee to the U.S. government and print the receipt. Instructions for payment are included with your I-20.
- You will then need to bring the receipt, your I-20 and all attached documentation, and your passport to U.S. Customs for processing. This cannot be done more than 30 days before the start date of your program. Your I-20 can be processed while entering the U.S. at any bridge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More detailed instructions on processing your I-20 will also be included with your I-20.
- *Please Note: After your I-20 has been processed, during the first week of classes, you will need to complete the International Student Check-in process. Bring your I-20, passport, and the completed International Student Check-In form (included with your I-20 document) to the Records Office. At that time (and not before classes start) the DSO will sign the 3rd page of your I-20 and register with SEVIS (the system linked with the U.S. Government for international student tracking) that you have arrived at the campus and begun classes for the semester (you must be registered for classes before the check-in process can be completed). This check-in process must be completed during the first week of every semester
- Citizens and permanent residents of Canada are allowed to attend classes on a part-time basis. However, part-time status needs prior approval by the DSO and your Dean’s office as not all programs are appropriate for part-time students. Part-time students will need to submit new financial documents to the DSO every semester in order to receive a new I-20 for that semester. *Keep in mind that part-time students may not be eligible for all benefits available to full-time F-1 students.* Please consult the DSO before dropping to part-time status!
- Citizens and permanent residents of Canada are not required to live in the U.S. while attending school. If you are maintaining a residence in Canada and do not wish to maintain a residence in the U.S. you are considered a border commuter student. If you choose to occasionally spend the night in the US between classes, but do not maintain an apartment or other residence in the U.S. you would still be considered a commuter student. You will be asked to indicate your residency preference on your I-20 application. *Please note that commuter students are not eligible to work in the U.S.*
All Other International Students
All international students are required to get a Certificate of Eligibility Form I-20 from the university in order to attend classes in the United States. All international students, except Canadian citizens, need to apply for an F-1 student visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate once they have applied for and received their I-20 from the university.
- Once you have been accepted to Niagara University, complete and return the I-20 Application. This should be included in your acceptance package and is also available on this site. Make sure to sign the application and include all necessary documents (ex: copy of passport, financial documents).
- When the application and all necessary documents are received, a Designated School Official (DSO) will issue your I-20. The I-20 will be mailed to the address indicated on the application or you will be notified that the document is available for you to pick up at the school.
- Upon receipt of your I-20 you will need to pay the $200 SEVIS fee to the US government and print the receipt. Instructions for payment are included with your I-20.
- You will then need to apply for your F-1 student visa with a US Embassy or Consulate. Bring the SEVIS fee receipt, your I-20 and all attached documentation, and your passport to your appointment with the Consulate. More detailed instructions on processing your I-20 will also be included with your I-20. In some countries, visa appointments may need to be made several months in advance. Check with your local Consulate’s office for more details. Make sure that you complete the I-20 application process in a timely manner to ensure that you will receive your I-20 in time to apply for and receive your student visa. Once issued, your original I-20 will need to be sent to you by mail before you can meet with the Consulate. You will need to consider the time that it takes to receive mail from the U.S. when making arrangements for your student visa.
- Once you have received your student visa you may enter the U.S. (you will need your passport, U.S. visa, and I-20 to enter) no more than 30 days before your program start date. If your application for an F-1 student visa is not approved contact the DSO. Your I-20 may be either cancelled or possibly deferred to the following semester, should you choose to re-apply for your visa.
- *Please Note: After you have entered the U.S., during the first week of classes, you will need to complete the International Student Check-in process. Bring your I-20, passport, and the completed International Student Check-In form (included with your I-20 document) to the Records Office. At that time (and not before classes start) the DSO will sign the 3rd page of your I-20 and register with SEVIS (the system linked with the U.S. Government for international student tracking) that you have arrived at the campus and begun classes for the semester (you must be registered for classes before the check-in process can be completed). This check-in process must be completed during the first week of every semester.
Things to be aware of:
- New students may enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the start date on the I-20
- Students who withdraw from school with approval from a DSO at Niagara University have a 15-day grace period to leave the U.S. before they fall out of status.
- If NU did not authorize the withdrawal, the student has no grace period to leave the U.S. and is immediately out of status.
- Students may only take one class (3 credits) of distance learning per term towards their full-time status according to F1 student visa regulations.
- Students who are also enrolled at a second university in addition to NU must provide the DSO with copies of their class schedules from both schools to verify combined full-time enrollment each term. NU must receive the class schedule no later than 15 days after the NU semester has begun.
- Students may only reduce their course load below full time for 2 reasons: academic or medical. In both cases, they must first obtain written authorization from a DSO before they drop any classes.
- Academic reasons (such as initial difficulty with English or reading requirements, unfamiliarity with American teaching methods, or improper course level placement) permit the DSO to authorize the student to reduce his/her course load to 6 hours for one term only per academic level. Such students must resume a full course load the next term, including summer. Students are not eligible for a second authorization by the DSO for academic difficulties.
- Students who fall ill may be authorized by the DSO to reduce their course load or take no classes at all for up to 12 months total per academic level. Such students must provide the DSO with a letter from a licensed Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy, or a licensed Clinical Psychologist before dropping courses. The DSO must re-authorize a reduced course load for illness before each term begins with new documentation from the medical provider, up to a total of 12 months.
- Students must notify the DSO at the beginning of the term in which they return to class full time after taking a reduced course load to avoid falling out of status.
- Students may take a reduced course load in their final term if only one or two classes are needed to complete the degree.
- A student may transfer to another U.S. college or institution and request their SEVIS records be transferred to that school.
- A student has 60 days from the completion of a program to request a transfer of their SEVIS record to another U.S. school.
- Students who have fallen out of status are ineligible for transfer, they must either apply for reinstatement from USCIS or depart and re-enter the U.S. with an initial I-20 for a new program.
- Students wishing to transfer should notify the DSO of the date they wish to transfer and the name of the new school.
Employment
- On-campus employment may not begin earlier than 30 days prior to classes starting.
- Students may work no more than 20 hours per week while school is in session (Fall/Spring) except during breaks, holidays, and vacation periods.
- Students may not work off-campus unless authorized for CPT or OPT. (See a DSO)
- The regulations state that curricular practical training must be an integral part of an established curriculum. They define curricular practical training as alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.
- Students must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis at an approved school for one academic school year before being eligible for CPT. An exception exists for graduate students whose programs require immediate curricular training. Available only while the student is in F-1 status, before completion of the educational objective.
- Students may engage in CPT only for a specific employer, location and period approved and recorded by the DSO on the Form I-20 ID.
- The duration of CPT depends on the specific period granted by the DSO.
- CPT can be approved for part-time (20 hours or less) or full-time (over 20 hours).
- Must be an integral part of an established curriculum, in the student’s course of study.
- Must have an offer of employment from an employer offering work that qualifies as curricular practical training.
- Use of full-time CPT for 365 days or more eliminates eligibility for Optional Practical Training. The use of part-time CPT does not affect eligibility for Optional Practical Training.
- Must receive written CPT authorization from DSO, who records authorization on Form I-20 before work begins. USCIS approval is not required.
- Students may be eligible for 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) for each degree level.
- OPT applications must be received by the USCIS no later than 60 days after the completion of the student’s degree requirements.
- Students should schedule a meeting with DSO no later than 30 days after their program end date (60 days prior to completion is recommended).
- Students on OPT must report any changes of name/address and interruption of employment to the DSO for the duration of authorized OPT or fall out of status.
- OPT is automatically terminated when students transfer to another school or begin study at a different academic level.
- Reinstatement applications to USCIS must be filed within 5 months of the status violation – unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated by the student.
- The status violation must have resulted from circumstances beyond the student’s control which may include injury, illness, closure of school, natural disaster, or oversight or neglect on the part of the DSO.
- If the student has been employed without authorization, no reinstatement is possible.
- Students must notify the DSO of new name/address within 10 days after the change. The DSO must then update SEVIS within 21 days.
- Students registered with DHS for Special Registration must also submit an address change form to DHS as mandated by that program.
- Students must provide the school with their physical address in the US. If you are not able to receive mail at that address, you must ALSO provide a mailing address.
NU must report in SEVIS within 21 days of the occurrence:
- Students who fail to maintain status or complete program.
- Students/dependents name and/or address change.
- Students graduating prior to I-20 end date.
- Disciplinary action taken against students convicted of a crime.
- Any other request made by SEVIS re: student status
Each term, no later than 30 days after registration ends, NU must report to ICE:
- If students are enrolled, dropped below a full course of study without DSO authorization, or failed to enroll
- The current address of all enrolled students
- Start date of student’s next term