Maintaining Visa Status

Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground. -- Theodore Roosevelt

International students, holding a Student Visa, must comply with all immigration rules and regulations. Failure to comply will place you out-of-status. You must then apply for reinstatement of status with USCIS.

These rules fall into four categories: registering in a timely, maintaining full-time course load, reporting changes in a timely manner, and requesting leave authorization.

Registering and Paying for Classes

Students are required to register for all classes before the beginning of each quarter. You must pay all tuition and fees before the beginning of each quarter. If you have not registered and paid for classes by the deadline and are not on authorized leave, you will be automatically placed out-of-status.

Maintaining a Full-time Course Load

All international students, holding a Student Visa, must maintain the full-time course load shown below. These courses must be residential courses and cannot be taken online.

Students who wish to accelerate their degree may take additional courses up the maximum load shown below. The additional courses, beyond full-time, may be taken online.

International students can drop below a full-time course load during their last quarter if the number of courses required to complete is less than the full-time load. Other exceptions are possible, but rare. All such exceptions require approval by the International Student Office.

If you drop a course and fall below a full-time course load, you will be placed out-of-status.

Reporting Changes in a Timely Manner

Students must report the following changes within ten (10) business days to the International Student Office.

• Change of name
• Change of address
• Change of major
• Change of program of study
• Change in dependent status
• Change in CPT or OPT employment

All changes should be submitted in writing. Email is the preferred method of communication.

Requesting Leave Authorization

Students may take three types of leave: annual vacation leave, personal leave, and medical leave.

• Annual Vacation Leave -- Annual vacation leave can only be taken after attending school as a full-time student for one academic year in the US. It should be noted that one academic year corresponds to three quarters at Stratford. Annual vacation leave cannot extend beyond one quarter. If you intend to leave the US, you must have your Form I-20 endorsed by the ISO in order to re-enter the US.
• Personal Leave -- Personal leave applies only to cases where you leave the US to return home. Personal leave cannot extend beyond one quarter. You must have your Form I-20 endorsed by the ISO in order to re-enter the US. You must provide proof that you have purchased tickets to return home. The ISO will grant personal leave only after reviewing your travel documents.
• Medical Leave -- Medical leave is available only when a doctor has certified in writing that you are unable to attend classes due to your health. The ISO will grant medical leave only after reviewing and accepting your medical documentation.

If you fail to request leave and do not report for classes, you will be placed out-of-status.

Requesting Reinstatement of Status

If you go out-of-status, you can request reinstatement with USCIS The International Student Office can assist with this reinstatement request. The reinstatement fee is currently US $300. Your case will reviewed by USCIS to determine if any mitigating circumstances warrant reinstatement. If your request is denied, you will be required to leave the country.

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