A blog by the Office of International Affairs: International Students and Scholars at The Ohio State University.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Important Immigration Status Information, Oct. 1, 2007

Topics in this announcement:

-Optional Practical Training
-Address Change Requirements
-Full-Time Enrollment
-On-Campus Employment Options
-ISS Advising Hours

OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING
F-1 graduating students who wish to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) must apply before the completion of studies or before the official graduation date, whichever is earlier. You may apply for OPT up to 120 days before completion of studies or graduation.
It currently takes about 90 days to receive the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) after you apply for OPT. If your application takes more than 90 days after you have received the receipt notice, see an adviser at the Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS).
We encourage all students to apply for OPT 90-120 days before completion of studies. Please find the OPT application materials on the ISS website at http://oie.osu.edu/internationalstudents/currentstudents/opt.aspx.

Graduate students who will apply for end of quarter graduation must see an International Student Adviser AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR FINAL QUARTER OF ENROLLMENT. Failure to do so may result in the loss of Optional Practical Training as an option.


ADDRESS CHANGE REQUIREMENTS
F-1 or J-1 students are required by law to notify the US immigration service within 10 days of any move to a different home address in the US. The Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) is required to make that notification for you, and will do so based on the address information on the data base of Ohio State's Office of the University Registrar. When you move, go to http://buckeyelink.osu.edu/ immediately to report your address change to Ohio State's Office of the University Registrar. Put the address where you are living in the Local/Dorm section. Please note that the address entered may not be a PO Box but must be the actual address where you are living.

FULL-TIME ENROLLMENT
Immigration regulations require all international students to be enrolled full-time for three consecutive quarters each year. Undergraduate students must be enrolled for at least 12 credit hours per quarter. Graduate students must be enrolled for at least 10 credit hours per quarter. Graduate students with assistantships or associateships must be enrolled for 9 credit hours per quarter during the academic year and 7 credit hours per quarter during summer. (Please note that the Ohio State's Graduate School also has enrollment requirements which may differ.)
Each quarter, ISS must report on Ohio State's international students' enrollment to the immigration service. Part-time enrollment may be approved for certain situations approved by the immigration service. Discuss your options with an International Student Adviser.

ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS
F-1 students may work up to 20 hours per week on-campus when classes are in session, and over 20 hours per week during quarter breaks and during the student's annual vacation quarter.
Work off-campus must be authorized by an International Student Advisor.
On-campus employment includes work done as a teaching or research assistant as well as jobs in the school library, cafeteria, and administrative offices.
Students may work in restaurants on campus such as Wendy's in the University Hospital, Oxley's in the Fawcett Center and in the Ohio State Golf Course restaurant.
Students may work at Barnes and Noble, the Human Resources office and the apartments at the South Campus Gateway. They may not work at any other business at the South Campus Gateway.
International students are not eligible for the federal "Work Study" program, which is a form of federal financial aid for domestic students.
On-campus employment is not permitted after graduation until Optional Practical Training (OPT) is approved.
J-1 Students need permission for any on-campus employment. Please see an International Student Adviser during the regular walk-in advising hours.

ISS AUTUMN ADVISING HOURS
International student advising will be from 10 am - 12 pm and 1 pm - 4 pm Monday - Friday.