About - ISSO

Be sure you carefully review the International Students FAQs on Suffolk’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advisory website. These pages contain a great deal of important information about immigration, university operations, health and safety, course modalities, etc.

Please email the International Student Services Office to connect with an International Student Advisor who will work with you to collect the necessary documents in order for the I-20 to be issued.

You should make sure that your I-20 or DS-2019 has a recent travel signature and that your student visa will be valid for when you plan to return to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued new guidance, and you can now take online or remote courses in the U.S. or from abroad. You can also participate remotely in practical training by working collaboratively with an employer.

If your I-20 does not have a recent travel signature (signed in the last 6 months), you can email the ISSO to request a new I-20 sent to you via email.

You can email the ISSO to request a new I-20 with a travel signature. The I-20 will be sent to you via email. Be sure to print it out in colored ink.

You can request shipment of your I-20 if you require a physical version with the original signature. Due to COVID-19’s impact, however, regulations permit the use of a printed version of the I-20 in color which can easily be sent to you via email.

Please email the International Student Services Office to register your travel plans.

Arrange to renew your visa as soon as possible. Check your U.S. consulate or embassy to see if it has reopened, as the status of individual embassies will vary. You can request transcripts and an enrollment verification letter from the Registrar’s Office. If you need additional assistance, please contact the International Student Services Office.

No and yes. Given current DHS guidance, and from an immigration status and legal standpoint only, you are subject to the same policies as all other international students studying on campus.

As a graduate student, you should carefully review your degree requirements and expected graduation timeline as this might impact your eligibility for OPT if you remain outside the USA for a prolonged period of time. Please be sure to discuss your academic plan with your program director and/or graduate program advisor.

Please contact the faculty member in charge of your class for information on how the time difference will be accommodated.

The University is urging all faculty to be flexible in these situations. Please contact your professors directly with any questions.

If after multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact your professor, then we advise that you reach out to your Academic Dean’s office (CAS, SBS, or LAW) to request assistance.

No, DHS guidance issued in March 2020 remains in effect for academic year 2021-2022 and continuing international students are permitted to take all coursework online.

Yes, as long as you stay enrolled in the required internship course. The professor of your internship course will send instructions on how to continue with your coursework. Ask your employer about the possibility of working remotely, too. If you decide not to continue in CPT, be sure you alert your professor, your faculty advisor/program director, and the ISSO immediately.

The Registrar’s Office will mail you your diploma. As an additional courtesy, all international students with receive an official transcript together with the diploma. You will also receive a secure PDF version via email.

At this time, DHS regulations still require you to be physically present in the United States when you apply for OPT. Please contact the International Student Services Office for more details.

No, as long as you have been hired and are still considered an employee of the company, you are not accruing unemployment days.

The Career Development Center has created an excellent collection of COVID-19 Job Search Resources to help you during this challenging time.

If you continue to struggle to find paid work, you are able to accept an unpaid job or internship in the meantime. You can also be self-employed during OPT. Try to seek help from a staffing agency, too.

If you have no job within the 90-day employment window, you cannot start one after that and we cannot report it to DHS on your behalf, unfortunately.

The Secretary of State determined international students and exchange visitors as qualified travelers. New or continuing students may enter the USA with proper documentation (valid passport, valid visa and I-20/DS-2019). Feel free to read about the National Interest Exception for more details.

As always, travel restrictions are subject to change. Therefore, we strongly recommend to monitor of your home country’s U.S. embassy as well as you home country’s national public health agency.

Please also continue to monitor and consult the Center for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) for updates on the global pandemic.

Yes, but this is pending available course options. Please be sure to work your academic advisor to create an appropriate class schedule.

Yes, all international students are required to file a tax return as a condition of their visa. The deadline to file your tax return will be April 15, 2021.