IMMIGRATION SPOTLIGHT

Checklist Items and Updates

Transfer to NYU from another US university?

All transfer students must obtain a new I-20 by Tuesday, September 19 in order to maintain F-1 status. Make sure you have completed all steps in our transfer checklist.

Are you registered as a full-time student?

The US government’s COVID-19 guidance has ended with the 2022-2023 academic year. Current US immigration regulations now only allow only 1 online course or up to 3 credits of online coursework to count toward their full-time enrollment.

Undergraduate Students:

In order to maintain legal status in the US, students in F-1 and J-1 status are required to register full-time, which is a minimum of 12 credits per semester for most NYU programs. Make sure you register full-time or gain approval from OGS to be approved for a reduced course load.

Graduate Students:

Check with your department on what they consider full-time enrollment to be. If for any reason you won't be registered full time, you must have OGS approval to be registered for a reduced course load.

Going into your final semester?

Make sure you are aware of your work options after you graduate! If you’re a student in F-1 status, learn more about and apply for Post-Completion OPT by mid-September! If you’re a student in J-1 status, learn more about and apply for academic training!

Top Questions of the Week

Please find the most frequently asked questions that our staff has been receiving this week through phone calls and emails:

I am taking a leave this semester, what do I do?

Please see our Take a Leave of Absence webpage. If you are taking a leave, you should definitely talk to an OGS advisor about your circumstances if you have not done so already.

I am registered part-time, what do I do?

All F-1 and J-1 students are expected to enroll full time every semester. If you are registered part time this semester, please take a look at the OGS Register Part-Time: Reduced Course Load or Leave of Absence webpage for further options and information. You should discuss your situation with your academic/class advisor as well as an OGS advisor so that your immigration status is not impacted by your academic plans.

I am registered, but I am getting emails from OGS saying I am not.

There are a few possibilities that you might be receiving an under-enrollment email from OGS:

You have not informed OGS of your situation through submitting an eform,
your academic advisor has not granted you full-time equivalency if it applies to you, or
you just registered today and the system hasn't been updated with the new data yet.

Please reply to the email we sent you with your specific situation so that we can look into it for you.

For further information on other questions that students have asked, please visit our Student Hot Topics and FAQ webpage.

Upcoming Events & Immigration Workshops

Post Completion OPT Webinar

Monday, September 19th | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET

Are you an F-1 international student getting ready to graduate? You’ve probably heard of OPT or “Optional Practical Training” by this point in your academic career, but there’s a lot to keep track of while you’re also trying to balance your last semester and future career plans. This workshop is designed to give you a firm understanding of what OPT is (it's a form of work authorization for students in F-1 status), how to apply for OPT, the processing timeline, what documents you’ll need, travel advice, and reporting requirements. We also briefly cover tax, health insurance, and OPT extensions.

How To Prepare Your OPT Application For The US Government

After you've received your new OPT I-20, you should attend this session where an OGS advisor will go over how to prepare your OPT application for USCIS. Attend this session to make sure your OPT application meets all the guidelines, before you submit it to USCIS!

STEM OPT Webinar

Friday, September 29th | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET

For F-1 international students who are already on post-OPT, you probably already know if you’re eligible for the STEM OPT extension. This is an additional 24 months of OPT work authorization for students with a US degree in certain majors of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We highly recommend attending this webinar about 4 months before your current OPT EAD card is set to expire. During this webinar, we will review eligibility for the extension, the application process, reporting responsibilities, travel, and how Cap Gap extension often overlaps with the STEM extension.