Maintaining F-1 Status

International students who have F-1 visas must follow rules and regulations set forth by the U.S. government to maintain their lawful non-immigrant status.

Maintenance of lawful non-immigrant status is the student’s responsibility. Failure to maintain status may have serious long-term immigration consequences. Elmhurst University Principal Designated School Official/Designated School Officials (PDSO/DSOs) in International Student Services (ISS) are available to provide advice on rules, regulations, and status maintenance and can be contacted at [email protected].

5 Rules for Maintaining Lawful F-1 Status in the U.S.

1. Maintain a Full Course Load During the Academic Year

The below enrollment requirements have been established to equal full-time enrollment at Elmhurst University and meet U.S. government regulations. If you are a student who is financially sponsored by your government or other scholarship providers, you may be required to meet the specific requirements of your scholarship, which can only be above and beyond the Elmhurst University and U.S. government requirements.

Undergraduate Students: 3 credits (12 semester hours)
Graduate Students: 1.5 credits (6 semester hours)

Receiving a “W” (Withdraw) or “NF” (Nonattendance) on your transcript may drop you below a full course of study.

F-1 students may not count more than one online course towards their full course of study requirement. Additionally, if you have only one course remaining to complete your degree, it cannot be taken online.

F-1 regulations do not require a full course load enrollment during periods of break for each student, however many graduate programs do require Summer or J-term courses. It is the student’s responsibility to be sure they follow F-1 requirements AND their program requirements. Students should verify requirements with their Program Director.

Reduced Course Load Requests: Regulations allow for a “Reduced Course Load” (RCL) in certain, limited circumstances. Please review the Reduced Course Load page for more information and the RCL process.

2. Understand Work Regulations and Eligibility

As an F-1 student, you are allowed to work on campus. However, you must obtain specific employment permission from your DSO to accept any employment off-campus (paid or unpaid), even if it fulfills an internship requirement for your academic program. Permission for off-campus employment must be obtained in advance.

F-1 Student Employment Weekly Hours Limit:
- On-Campus employment and authorized CPT employment cannot exceed 20 hours per week while school is in session; on-campus employment hours are considered separate from authorized CPT hours (not combined). If you have multiple jobs, your total hours worked cannot exceed 20 hours per week. Working more than 20 hours per week is considered unauthorized employment and is a status violation that can have long-term consequences for your immigrant record.
- During school breaks and summer vacation, F-1 students who are maintaining their status may be eligible to work more than 20 hours per week.

Please review the Employment Page for more information regarding F-1 student employment regulations.

3. Maintain Valid Documents

You must always be in possession of a valid passport, I-20, and I-94 form. Your passport and I-20 must always have expiration dates in the future. Your I-94 record should always accurately reflect your travel.

Passport, Visa, and I-94 Record

You are required to have a valid passport to remain in the US and your I-94 record should always be accurate and up to date. Additionally, you need an F-1 visa to enter/re-enter the country after international travel. For more information on each and how to renew, update, or correct, please review the Maintaining Your Passport, F-1 Visa, and I-94 Record page.

SEVIS Record & I-20

It is your responsibility to ensure that all information on your I-20 is up to date and correct. You are required to sign and date your I-20. By doing so, you attest that all information on the I-20 is true and correct and agree to follow the rules and regulations required to maintain F-1 status. Students should print any I-20 received and sign with a wet ink signature.
If your I-20 Program End Date no longer accurately reflects the projected end of your academic program, you need to request to extend or shorten it. Please review the I-20 Extension and Shorten page for more information.
If you need a new copy of your I-20 for any reason, please complete the F-1 I-20 Reprint Request form.
Have your I-20 updated if you officially change your major.

Make sure to complete any necessary extensions of your documents to maintain validity well in advance of the document expiration. Always keep your documents in a safe place. Contact ISS with with any document validity or extension questions.

4. Maintain Current Contact Information

U.S. federal law requires F-1 non-immigrant visa holders to always maintain current contact information with the University. It is your responsibility to make sure information on your SEVIS record is accurate. Any change to your name (with passport update), address (within the U.S.), permanent address (in your home country), local phone number, or e-mail address should be updated within 10 days of the change.

To request to update any of the above or correct your birth date, country of birth, country of citizenship, city of birth, or gender on your SEVIS record, please complete the F-1 SEVIS Record Personal/Contact Information Update form.

5. Understand Your Options Upon the Completion of Your Program

As an F-1 student, you have a 60-day grace period upon your program completion. During this timeframe you can:

Apply for Post-Completion OPT (up to 90 days before and 60 days after your I-20 program end date).
Change your academic program and/or education level at Elmhurst University with proof of admission.
Transfer your SEVIS record to another SEVP-certified school with proof of admission.
Hang out in Elmhurst and the U.S. and depart by the 60th day.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the above or want to discuss your status, contact ISS.