Report to the Designated School Official (DSO) (also known as an international student adviser) in International Student Services for Registration in SEVIS. At Earlham, this means completing the Current Student SEVIS Registration request form in Terra Dotta (for undergraduates) or completing this ESR SEVIS Registration form (for ESR students), and stopping by an international student adviser's office briefly in person (unless you are on an off-campus program). This must occur shortly after arrival, each semester, as DSOs must complete registration in SEVIS for all students within 30 days of the start of each semester.
Carry a valid passport with you at all times. Passports can be renewed at your country's consulate or embassy in the U.S. Be sure to plan ahead. Renewing a passport can take several months.
Maintain a full course of study during the academic year (August-May). In order to be a full-time student you must take a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. If at any time, for any reason, you suspect that you may be in danger of falling below 12 credit hours, you must contact an International Student Adviser before dropping below the 12 credit hour minimum. Students in their final semester may enroll in fewer than 12 hours if they will meet all of their graduation requirements (but there is a form that must be submitted to the registrar to authorize this).
Make normal progress towards completing the course of study. At Earlham, normal progress is defined as successfully taking an average of 15 credit hours per semester.
Never work without authorization. On-campus work for students who receive a “work award” is authorized for a limited number of hours. The College limits employment to 10 hours per week during the academic year. Immigration regulations also limit the number of hours that students can work to 20 hours per week while school is in session. Working more than 20 hours a week during the school year is a violation of F-1 visa regulations and will result in a SEVIS termination. Working off-campus without prior official work authorization approval in the form of CPT, OPT, or severe economic hardship is also prohibited.
Maintain a valid I-20. The program dates are in the "Program of Study" box on the first page of your I-20 under, “Program Start/End Date”. If you cannot complete graduation requirements (for valid reasons) by the date noted on your I-20, you may apply for an program extension which will also require applying for an extension of stay or travel and reentry with a new I-20. You must apply for the extension as early as possible (up to 6 months) prior to the expiration date. See an International Student Adviser for details. As an F-1 student you are required to make normal progress toward your degree. Failure to complete the program by the program end date due to lack of normal progress or excessive failed courses is not a valid reason for an extension of stay.
Complete a Personal Information Update when you have changed addresses within 10 days of the change occurring including over vacations.
Inform ISSS within 10 days of any changes in your biographical (name, marital status, etc) or academic (major/minor) information (an email is ok). Major changes are automatically uploaded to Terra Dotta and will be processed once they come through. Be on the look out for an updated I-20 after you declare a major. After Sept. 15, 2026, students may not declare or change a major until after their first academic year is completed in F-1 status.
Notify SEVP of transfer to another school or a change in educational program. See an International Student Adviser if you plan to transfer to another school and complete the Transfer Out Request on the F-1 Student Requests page. After Sept. 15, 2026, you must have completed at least one academic year in F-1 status before being eligible to transfer schools.
File all required U.S. tax forms with the Internal Revenue Service.
Carry the appropriate documents when you travel outside of the U.S: Form I-20 with a travel signature that will be less than 1 year old when you reenter, valid passport, valid U.S. visa, and proof of financial support. It is also a good idea to have a copy of your academic transcript with you upon re-entry into the U.S.