Current Students

You must have a current valid Form I-20/DS-2019 from the school you are attending.

All new international students with an Initial Form I-20 must complete the immigration check-in with the ISSS office. When you arrive at UofL, you must submit the following documents: Visa, I-94, and your current local address. You will submit these documents through the “Immigration Check-In” request in your Terra Dotta Portal.

Contact your home country’s embassy in the United States for information about renewing your passport validity. 

F-1 students must report any address change to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the ISSS office within 10 days, using a local U.S. residential address (no campus, P.O. Box, or foreign addresses). Failure to update this information can violate F-1 status and jeopardize future benefits. Students should update their address in the Terra Dotta portal through the “Contact Information Update” request as well as their ULINK account. 

Students on an F-1 visa are considered to be maintaining their status if they are making normal progress towards completing a course of study. Maintaining status means you must be registered for a full course of study as a full-time student in the fall and spring semesters. 

• Undergraduate Students: a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. 
• NOTE: Of those 12 credits, 9 MUST be in person. 
• Graduate/Professional Students: a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester. 
  • NOTE: Of those credits, 6 must be in person. 
• Online Courses: You may only count one online class (up to 3 credits) per semester toward the full course of study requirement.

• Report a Withdrawal or Drop Below Full-Time Status: If you need to withdraw or drop below full-time enrollment, you must get prior approval from your international advisor and department. Some situations may allow for reduced enrollment, with some requiring at least six credit hours, while others may permit no enrollment at all. See the table below for reasons and guidelines.

   

If there are any changes to your I-20 (such as program dates, major, or funding), please consult your International Student Coordinator. If your program end date on the I-20 is earlier than your expected completion, submit a Program Extension request through the Terra Dotta Portal. Your department must approve the extension request before an updated I-20 can be issued to you.

Before leaving the U.S., request a travel signature for re-entry from an International Advisor. The signature is valid for one year from the signature date. If you are on OPT, it is valid for 6 months. For more information and guidelines about international travel, please visit our travel page. (insert hyperlink once travel page is created on new website.)

There are two types of employment available for F-1 students while they are studying. On-Campus Employment and Off Campus Employment (Curricular Practical Training) (Add link for J’s to go to Academic Training)

• On Campus Employment is limited to 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. Employment on campus may be full-time in the summer and vacation periods. No special work permit is required to work on campus. 
• Off Campus Employment (Curricular Practical Training) requires explicit permission from the ISSS office and must be reflected on your I-20. For more information about CPT, please follow this link. (Link to the CPT specific page on our website.)  

If you decide to study at another school in the United States, you must transfer your I-20 (SEVIS Record) to them. Please notify the ISSS of your intent to transfer by filling out the F-1 SEVIS Record Transfer Out request in your Terra Dotta Portal.