Refer to the Board of Trustees/Faculty Federation Contract Agreement.
International Students
The offices of the Academic Affairs/Graduate
Studies and the Associate Dean of Students together have created a pamphlet
giving guidance to Faculty and Staff at UMass Dartmouth on issues affecting
international students on campus.
The essential information about visas, remaining in status, employment, academic
requirements, and special concerns is summarized with annotations about particular
problems and advice on where on campus to go for assistance.
What follows here is an outline of the contents of this pamphlet in sufficient
detail to indicate "what one must know about" to address a range of issues
for our international students. Fuller information on each item is available
in the pamphlet, copies of which are available from either office on request
(or ask for an e-mail attachment from Thelma Baxter, Office of Academic Affairs/Graduate
Studies).
Information
UMass Dartmouth seeks to keep our international students well informed on
the many aspects of visa compliance. We require incoming new students to attend
an orientation program, we have prepared a comprehensive Handbook for International
Students, and we require international students to remain in contact with
the appropriate international office. Either Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies
or the Associate Dean of Students maintains a file on each student.
Visa Types
Two visa types predominate: the international student F-1 visa and the exchange
student J-1 visa. The campus has responsibility to issue the authorizing paperwork
and to monitor students' compliance with requirements, while the student has
responsibility to meet the conditions and to remain in status once s/he arrives
in the country.
Students Must Remain In Status
The primary requirement that both F-1 and J-1 international students face
is to remain in status. Their visas are authorized for "Duration of Status,"
meaning that the visa remains valid for as long as the student remains in
valid status as a student. A student's valid status, not the dates on his
or her forms, determines eligibility to remain in the US.
Current F-1 students may go for visa or employment assistance to the Office
of the Associate Dean of Students or, for specifically academic permissions,
to the Office of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies. J-1 students are helped
at the Office of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies, as are those with unusual
visa categories.
Academic Requirements to Remain in Status
F-1 and J-1 visa students, in general, share the following characteristics:
International students must keep academic work as their primary purpose
for being here.
They must be full-time students (by the university's rule of 12 or more
credits for undergraduates or 9 or more for graduate students). A lower
load is allowed in their final semester or if completing a graduate thesis
or project after the conclusion of formal coursework. Academic Advisors
must consider the full-time requirement in advising international students.
Dr. Richard Panofsky in the Office of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies
can approve reductions in the full-time requirement for certain academic
or personal reasons.
Except for summers and other intersession periods, international students
must remain in continuous enrollment. Rarely, Dr. Panofsky can approve
students to be absent from school, for example, for a severe health problem.
International students who violate these conditions fall out of status.
Entering UMass Dartmouth as an International Student
For the two principal visa types that UMass Dartmouth students study under,
the F-1 and the J-1 visa, three main steps occur.
The student applies for admission or is nominated for an exchange program
and provides both academic information and demonstration of ability in
English and proof of sufficient funding to afford the costs of schooling
and living expenses.
The university admits or accepts the student academically and also accepts
that the student has met the additional conditions. The appropriate office
then issues authorizing visa paperwork. No persons other than the approved
officials may prepare or sign these forms to bring students to UMass Dartmouth.
The student receives a visa from a U.S. Consular Official in the home
country or at a Port of Entry. When a prospective student is denied a
visa by consular officials, the problem usually has nothing to do with
academic qualifications or the papers issued by UMass Dartmouth. If a
prospective student appeals to a staff or faculty member for help in this
kind of case, it is essential that the staff or faculty member consult
with the Office of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies before doing anything!
An improper communication can make a bad situation worse and can jeopardize
the university's future successes at that Consulate.
Caution for Prospective Students — Do Not Enter Under the Wrong Visa &
then Start School
Great difficulties can be experienced by individuals who hope to have a student
visa from UMass Dartmouth but enter using a different visa. This is especially
the case in instances where the use of the alternative visa appears to circumvent
the normal process. Any faculty or staff member seeking to help a student
in such circumstances should first consult with Academic Affairs/Graduate
Studies or the Office of the Associate Dean of Students.
Changes in Status: Traveling and Re-Entering
For all matters requiring student visa permissions after students have entered,
the Office of the Associate Dean of Students works with students on F visas
and the Office of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies works with students on
J visas. International students need verification of good status and an approval
signature to reenter the US after leaving the country. International students
should approach these issues with caution and always consult the Offices of
the Associate Dean of Students or of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies if
in any doubt. Faculty and staff should not give advice in these matters unless
specifically knowledgeable.
Social Security Numbers: Drivers Licenses
For the student information system we issue international students a "dummy"
number. However, international students will need social security numbers
to work either on or off campus, and others may wish one as well. The Office
of the Associate Dean of Students assists international students in getting
a social security number or a driver's license.
Transferring from UMass Dartmouth to Another School – or to move to another
level
The matter of transfer to another school or another degree level is complex.
Because student visas are issued to study at the specific school in a specific
program level, the student must obtain new authorizations. The short answer
therefore is: If an international student seeks to transfer to another US
school or another degree level, s/he must visit the Office of the Associate
Dean of Students (F visas) or Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies (J visas)
for assistance.
Employment of International Students
International Students studying here on student visas are limited in the types
of employment they may pursue. Faculty and staff should not freely offer work
to international students without considering these circumstances. On the
other hand, one would do an injustice if one declined to offer a work opportunity
to an international student because one is unsure of her or his eligibility.
Please consult the Office of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies or the Office
of the Associate Dean of Students in doubtful cases.
A Brief Summary of High Points
Students here on J-1 visas (Exchange students)
May work on campus without demonstrating need, but require permission
of the Responsible Officer, who at UMass Dartmouth is Dr. Panofsky.
May work off campus (in a job not related to the individual's studies)
only after demonstrating financial need to the Responsible Officer. No
off-campus approval is required.
May work on or off campus in "Academic Training" in a field related to
their studies and usually at the conclusion of their studies. No more
than 18 months are ever permitted, and the period is often shorter, and
not longer that the duration of the period of study. Academic Training
requires verification from the academic department and the permission
of the Responsible Officer.
May occupy no more than twenty hours while school is in session but may
be full-time over breaks and summers.
Students here on F-1 visas (regular international students)
May work on campus without demonstrating need and without any special
permission.
May work off campus (in a job not related to the individual's studies)
only after demonstrating financial need to the Immigration and Naturalization
Service through a complex process administered on campus by the Office
of the Associate Dean of Students.
May work off campus in "Practical Training," which is work related to
the individual's studies, after attending for one year. Practical Training,
which requires verification from the academic department and specific
INS approval, may be either Optional Practical Training (when the work
is related to the student's field of studies but occurs at the student's
volition in the middle of or after conclusion of academic studies) or
Curricular Practical Training (when the work occurs as the result of a
degree requirement like an internship, practicum, or co-op).
Students considering Optional Practical Training should initiate the
process, with our assistance, at least 3 months before they intend to
commence the actual work. The requirements are complex, and they merit
close attention.
Curricular Practical Training is easier to arrange; however, it must
not only be applied work in the field of the academic program; it must
also be a degree requirement in that program accompanied by an appropriate
registration in degree coursework. The university must monitor Curricular
Practical Training carefully to validate that the INS conditions are met.
The student must receive a memorandum from the Department Chairperson
(for undergraduates) or the Graduate Program Director, approved by the
Dean, that verifies that the conditions have been met. The student must
also register for the experiential learning, internship, or practicum
course. Once these conditions are met, the Office of the Associate Dean
of Students will issue the approval paperwork.
May occupy no more than twenty hours while school is in session but may
be full-time over breaks and summers.
Changing to a New Visa Status
The conditions for moving from one to another visa status are complex and often
stringent. Prospective students, students, faculty, and staff should approach
these issues with caution; always consult the Offices of the Associate Dean
of Students or of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies if in any doubt. Furthermore,
most authorizations for change in status require significant time to be approved� often from six to eight or more weeks. It is essential for international
students to make their plans early.
Academic Concerns
International students like others may experience some academic difficulties.
They should utilize the full range of academic support services available
on campus. The complete pamphlet offers a number of suggestions and outlines
services available especially concerning difficulties with English. As stated
above, whenever an international student needs permission for a reduced load
or even a leave, The Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs can consider the matter and give permission.
Social Concerns
International students can be slow to learn about campus student activities
and services or reluctant to take advantage of them. They may be unfamiliar
with the range of such services available in the US university, or they may
be uncertain about how to behave and so will not participate. Please encourage
them, please invite them along. Activities like going to a college football
game or attending a dance concert can be a memorable aspect of their experience
here with us.
International students like others may also experience social or student-life
difficulties. They should utilize the full range of student support services
available on campus. Sometimes their values and culture may make it more difficult
for them to consider seeking assistance; referrals and encouragement are needed.
Paige Gibbs in the Library (x8886) organizes a Host Families Program, through
which local families invite international students to their homes. Please
let her know of any international students who would be interested in this
sort of activity.
International students must also understand that they have the same rights
— and obligations — as others do as regards discrimination and individual
rights. The new international student orientation program gives special attention
to these matters, and they are covered in the International Student Handbook.
The Office of the Associate Dean of Students acts as a first contact point
for all sorts of difficulties that international students may experience.
Please make referrals. Please encourage the students to take advantage of
the opportunities we present for helping them.
Financial Concerns: In-State vs. Out of State Tuition
International students on the F or J visa are not Massachusetts residents;
they are thus subject to paying out-of-state tuition for as long as they remain
students in those statuses. UMass Dartmouth also has a number of official
exchange programs which offer reduction in charges to international exchange
students (on the J visa). Most international students who do not have assistantships
use their own savings or receive financial support either from family or a
company back home or from a relative in the US.
Identifying International Students in the Student Information System
International students, defined as those on a student visa, have a citizenship
other than US and are coded F1, J1, or have related codes in the Visa Type
field. Unlike US citizens and "green card" holders or refugees, these individual
are not counted in standard ethnicity reports. In SIS, therefore, they receive
a unique ethnic code of "8."
Other Internationals on Campus
UMass Dartmouth hosts international visitors who are not students. The Office
of Academic Affairs/Graduate Studies is the campus contact point for their
visas and can assist in many ways with arrangements and issues.
Temporary visits can be made under a variety of visas for short-term
lectures, consultancies, or other professional contacts.
The J visa program allows scholars to visit as well as students; they
may primarily teach, primarily do research, or perform both functions.
We host a variety of visiting scholars in our various Centers and academic
departments. Advanced students can do thesis research here, and post-doctoral
or research associate positions have become increasingly common.
The H visa is the customary visa for international scholars whom we hire
for the tenure track. H visas have become, recently, arduous to obtain.
It is essential that new-faculty searches that may result in the hire
of an international individual conclude in time for the visa process to
occur. Departments conducting searches are asked to contact Dr. Richard
Panofsky as early in the spring semester as they can.
May work off campus in "Practical Training," which is work related to
the individual's studies, after attending for one year. Practical Training,
which requires verification from the academic department and specific
INS approval, comes in two forms:
Optional Practical Training. When the work is related to the
student's field of studies but occurs at the student's volition, it is
called Optional Practical Training (OPT). Many F-1 international students
do this. Approval for OPT is given by the INS after the student submits
a complex form and takes six to ten weeks to come through. For this reason,
students considering Optional Practical Training should initiate the process,
with our assistance, at least 3 months before they intend to commence
the actual work. They may apply for OPT authorization before they have
an actual job lined up. OPT may be undertaken before a student graduates
(e.g., in summers) but only after a student has studied full-time for
an academic year; it may also be undertaken after graduation. The total
extent of OPT is strictly limited to 12 months total, at all levels. (Two
examples: an F-1 undergraduate student does a year of OPT and then comes
back as a graduate student; she may not do additional OPT work as a graduate
student. Another student works in OPT status for two summers and then
elects to do post-graduation OPT work; he will have only six months of
OPT remaining.) In sum, the requirements are complex, and they merit close
attention.
Curricular Practical Training. When the work occurs as the result
of a degree requirement like an internship, practicum, or co-op it is
called Curricular Practical Training. Approval occurs just at the campus
level with notification to INS, and the work does not usually use up the
student's allowance of time spent in Optional Practical Training. The
conditions are sufficiently complex and involve academic departments as
well as the Academic Affairs/Graduate studies; hence, we devote a section
to this topic alone.
Practical Training work (of either sort) may occupy no more than twenty hours
while school is in session but may be full-time over breaks and summers.
Curricular Practical Training for International Students on the F-1 Visa
Curricular Practical Training is one of the types of employment that International
Students may pursue, as allowed in the conditions for the F-1 student visa,
for work related directly to the student's program of degree studies. International
F-1 students whose programs have practicum or co-op requirements use Curricular
Practical Training for those experiences.
Curricular Practical Training carries some strong advantages for students:
Curricular Practical Training may be approved at the campus level, while
other forms of off-campus work require INS approval. Thus Curricular Practical
Training can be approved very rapidly while Optional Practical Training
takes six to ten weeks for approval.
Curricular Practical Training has no necessary time-period limit and
usually does not use up the student's allocation of Optional Practical
Training, which is work related to the student's field that s/he undertakes
by choice.
