International Students

What happens if an F-1 student fails to maintain their status?

If an F-1 student fails to maintain their immigration status, their SEVIS record will be terminated according to regulations. In this situation, a student is no longer eligible for any benefits of F-1 status such as on- or off-campus employment, travel signature for reentry to the United States, off-campus employment authorization, and any other benefits of F-1 status.

If a student has failed to maintain F-1 status, there are two options to regain status. These options should be discussed with the DSO before making a decision, as each situation is unique.

• Option 1: Travel & reentry (travel)

A student, who has lost their F-1 status, can request a new I-20, travel out of the US, and re-enter on the new I-20.

• Option 2: reinstatement (maintain student status)

If the reason behind the student’s failure to maintain their status is out of their control, they may be eligible for reinstatement. However, not all reinstatement applications are approved by USCIS. Under any circumstances, a student who has a pending reinstatement must continue to maintain the regulatory requirements of their F-1 visa and must remain in the United States. There is no appeal process if the reinstatement is denied.

Full-time enrollment

Students are required to be enrolled full-time during required semesters in order to remain in lawful F-1 status.

• Undergraduate students must enroll in at least 12 credits for each required* semester of study
• Required* semesters are fall and spring. The summer is only a required term if enrollment is required by your program or if the summer is your final term.
• Summer semester is considered a “vacation” term if you are continuing your studies into the fall semester. You may enroll full-time, part-time, or not at all during the summer vacation term.
• Audited courses do not count toward the full-time enrollment requirements.

If you withdraw from a course, it will not count toward your full-time enrollment regardless of whether the course is during the current semester or you are requesting a retroactive withdrawal and the course would have been required to meet full-time enrollment in the past.

Failure to enroll in the minimum number of credits will result in the loss of your F-1 immigration status (also called termination). If your immigration status is terminated, you should plan to leave the United States immediately. Failure to depart could lead to your removal from the US, and possible difficulty receiving a visa or change of status in the future.

Information about exceptions to the full-time enrollment requirement is located under ‘Reduced course loads’ below.

If you are updating your major or minor, you will need to notify the DSO to make changes to your immigration documents.

Family/sponsor support:

• Your family sponsor must sign the International Undergraduate Admissions Financial Guarantee form.
• You must provide a bank statement that includes the name(s) of the family sponsor in English issued no longer than 6 months ago. The currency shown must be in liquid funds, cover at least one academic year (less if the I-20 is for a shorter period), and be available for immediate withdrawal.

Government-sponsored students:

• Financial support document or guarantee from the sponsoring organization that includes validity dates through the current or upcoming semester.

Scholarships/grants or other independent funding:

• Include your scholarship/grant or other funding support document from the supporting organization for review. If the organization only covers a portion of the funding, then please submit additional financial support documents as laid out in the other categories (general, sponsored, self-sponsored).

Self-sponsoring students:

• Self-funded students must supply a bank statement with English equivalents that include the name(s) of the applicant in Latin letters issued within the last six months. The currency shown must be in liquid funds, cover at least one academic year (less if the I-20 is for a shorter period), and be available for immediate withdrawal.

If you wish to change your major at NPC, you must complete the following four-step process:

1. Discuss your situation with your academic advisor and then complete the Change of Major form from the Office of the Registrar.
2. Submit form to the Registrar Front Desk or via iNPC for signature.
3. Once approved, you will receive an email to pick up your signed Change of Major Form from ISSS. Once picked up, you should take it to the Office of Registrar in order for your major change to be reflected on your LOUIE portal.
4. When the Office of the Registrar confirms they have processed your request, complete the Change of Major/Minor form on iNPC. A new I-20 will be issued to reflect changes to your major and you will be notified by email that your new I-20 is ready for pick-up. Minors will be recorded in SEVIS, but no new I-20 will be issued. Note: If adding a second major, please email the DSO once you have submitted the form to the Office of the Registrar to request a new I-20.

Change of Level/New Degree Program

If you have completed a degree at NPC and plan to continue at NPC in a new degree level, please communicate with the DSO about the requirements to receive a new SEVIS document before the completion of your current program.

As an F-1 student, you are required to report any changes to your biographical, financial, and academic information to the DSO within 10 days of the change occurring.

Some changes can be reported to internationalstudents@npc.edu:

•    Current US address (both physical and mailing). These include:
  • Moving from one off-campus address to another
  • Temporary address changes during the school year or in the summer
  • Changes in your US phone number
  • Transfer request to another US institution
• Other relevant changes can be reported via email to the DSO:
  • Home country address changes
  • Name changes
  • Changes in your financial situation
  • Your intent to withdraw from NPC
  • Graduation
  • Request to change to another degree level
  • Request to change to another immigration status
  • If you are unsure about information reporting, please contact us at isss@NPC.edu