Important Information for International Students

Your responsibility is to understand and follow the academic and immigration requirements to maintain your F-1 visa status. Please read the following criteria carefully because losing your F -1 status can have drastic consequences and affect your ability to study, seek employment, or even remain in the U.S.

Academic Requirements

To remain academically eligible for your F-1 status, you must:

• Enroll in a minimum of 12 credits (full-time) during each semester (Fall and Spring)
• Maintain a minimum 2.0-grade point average (C grade or better) each semester
• Limit enrollment in online classes to a maximum of 3 credits per semester (as part of the 12 credit requirement)
• Meet with your International Academic Advisor each semester as well as before:
  • Dropping classes
  • Changing your class schedule
  • Enrolling concurrently at another college

Note: Falsification (making up data or results), plagiarism (claiming another’s ideas or work as your own), and cheating are considered forms of academic misconduct and can cause you to lose your F-1 and I-20 statuses.

Immigration Requirements

To main your immigration status, you must:

• Obtain proper authorization from the Designated School Official (DSO) at your college's International Education Office for on-campus and off-campus employment authorization.
• Purchase the mandatory health insurance from your Maricopa Community College each semester, as required.
• Notify or meet with your DSO in the International Education Office at your college during these situations:
• 60 days before completing the Optional Practical Training (OPT)
  • Applying for a program extension (I-20)
  • Wishing to transfer to another school
  • Within 10 days of changing or updating your name, major or field of study, dependent information, financial support, addresses, email address, or phone number
• Present your I-20 and passport to the DSO a minimum of 14 days before traveling outside the U.S. Your I-20 and passport must be valid at all times.
• File Internal Revenue Services (IRS) form 8843 annually, regardless of whether you worked the prior year.
• File state and federal income taxes on or before April 15 of each year if you participated in authorized on-campus and off-campus employment (Additional tax information is available at irs.gov).

If you have any questions or need immigration guidance, please contact the International Education Office at your campus.

Suppose you fall out of F-1 status while attending Maricopa Community Colleges. In that case, you must immediately make an appointment with an International Student Advisor at your college to discuss the immigration reinstatement process. You may apply to regain your F-1 status while remaining in the United States or travel home and reenter the country.

In most cases — if you are in good academic standing and have maintained a full-time status in previous semesters — you should be able to obtain reinstatement. Once reinstated, you will be eligible for benefits, such as practical training and an off-campus work permit.

As noted above, you may reestablish your F-1 status in the following ways:

Option 1: Applying for Reinstatement while Residing in the U.S.

You will need to provide these items to the Designated School Official (DSO):

• Form I-539
• Check or Money Order for the $410 fee, made out to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (check the USCIS website for current fees)
• Copy of all previous I-20s, if any, and a copy of your current I-20
• Current class registration receipt (copy for the semester)
• Original transcript
• Copy of your passport (biographical page with picture and your visa page)
• Original I-94
• A bank statement that is no more than 6-months-old proving you — or your sponsor that is paying for your education — have a balance of $20,350 USD
• An affidavit of financial support if a sponsor is paying for your education
• A personal letter explaining your violation and why you think you should be reinstated

You will only be considered for reinstatement by USCIS as an F-I student if your letter can establish that:

• The violation of status was due solely to circumstances beyond your control or that failure to reinstate you would result in extreme hardship
• You are pursuing or will pursue a full-time course of study (12 credits minimum)
• You have not been employed without authorization
• You are not in removal proceedings

Note: If you are reinstated, the USCIS may cancel your F-1 visa stamp without prejudice. If your visa is canceled and you travel outside of the United States, you will need to obtain a new F-1 visa to re-enter the U.S.

Option 2: Regaining F-1 Status Through Travel and Reentry

You may travel to your home country and then return to the U.S. Make sure to take the following documents with you:

• The new I-20 form that you received from your college’s International Advisor
• Receipt from your paid SEVIS fee
• All of your original I-20s (all three pages)
• Current class registration receipt
• An official transcript
• Your passport

If your visa is not yet expired, you will go through your reinstatement when you re-enter the U.S. at the border.

If you need a new visa, make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in your home country and bring the above documents to your appointment. You will also need to bring a bank statement proving that you (or your sponsor) have a balance of at least $20,350 USD and an affidavit of financial support if you have a sponsor.

While emergencies are extremely rare while attending college, it is always wise to be prepared for the unlikely event that one occurs. We recommend taking the following actions:

1. Add your Campus Police Direct Emergency phone number to your phone’s contacts.
2. Sign up for your college's emergency mobile text alerts through RAVE to receive important safety, security, and community information via text, email, and web messages.
3. Note the presence of emergency alarm stations on campus in case you need help in a time of distress — they are marked with blue lights and placed strategically at exterior locations.
4. Contact the Public Safety Department at your college to request a safety escort if you feel unsafe walking on campus. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at all of our colleges.
5. Check your email regularly for important news, procedures, or updates from the Office of International Student Services or Campus Police in the event of a local incident or natural disaster.
   1. Important: You will be required to check in with International Education Services by phone, email, or in person and update us on your emergency plans in the event of a local incident or natural disaster.
6. Store your documents in a safe place where you can easily access them. Documents such as your visa, I-20, and passport need to be placed in a secure location where you can easily access them in case of an emergency. We also recommend making copies of these documents and storing them in a separate and safe location.

For more information on how to stay prepared while attending Maricopa Community Colleges, please visit your college-specific Safety Plan Procedure.