F-1 Visa Regulations

As an F-1 student, it is your responsibility to maintain your non-immigrant F-1 status. Failure to follow the laws for F-1 status can result in you losing your legal ability to be in the U.S. and may harm your chances of getting a new visa in the future. Carefully review the F-1 visa regulations explained below

Documents

Keep your documents in a safe place. You should make copies of all your documents and keep them separate from the originals.

Important documents include:

Passport: Do not allow your passport to expire. Your passport must be valid at least six months into the future. If you are traveling outside the U.S., make sure that your passport will be valid for at least six months after you return to the U.S.
F-1 Visa: The visa that was placed in your passport at the U.S. consulate or embassy when you applied for your visa is for entry purposes only. It does not govern your stay in the U.S. It indicates only the time period during which you may enter the U.S. Please note that citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not have an F-1 visa in their passport, but study in the U.S. in F-1 status.
I-94 Form: (Arrival/Departure electronic record): This is the electronic arrival record obtained by visiting www.cbp.gov/I94 after arriving through an air or sea port of entry. This form should indicate your arrival date, your visa status, and the length of your stay, usually marked D/S (duration of status) for both F-1 and J-1 students. It will also include an Admission Number. This number is your I-94 number and is a Department of Homeland Security identification number.
I-20 Form: This is the document that proves your eligibility for F-1 status. You must make sure that it is accurate and up-to-date at all times.
Q-Card: This is your official University identification and should be carried at all times.
Health Insurance Card: This provides proof of your enrollment in a health insurance plan and should be carried at all times.

Reporting Requirements

F-1 students must report any changes to address, contact information, or academic program to the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) within 10 days of the change so that the SEVIS immigration record can be updated.

Updating Your Address and Phone Number

Submit an address or phone number update request in the control center of the ISS Portal whenever your address or phone number changes by following these guidelines:

U.S. Physical Address: Where you live
U.S. Mailing Address: Where you prefer your mail to be sent if different than your physical address
Foreign Address: Your permanent residence outside of U.S.

In addition to submitting this address or phone number update in the ISS portal, all currently enrolled students are required to have accurate U.S. addresses and phone numbers in Self-Service on MyQ.

Adding U.S. Home Address and Phone Number on MyQ

Log into MyQ and select Self-Service from the Quick Links menu
Click on "User Options"
Then select "User Profile" where you will be able to enter your addresses or phone number:
- Your local address to be your U.S. physical address when attending Quinnipiac
- Your home address to be your permanent address (foreign or within the U.S.)
- You can select the preferred address for where mail will be sent

When you live on campus, your on-campus address is automatically added to Self-Service and the ISS Portal, but if you live off-campus, you need to add your off-campus address.

Academic Regulations

Undergraduate

Updating your Academic Program

Students intending to update or change their major or academic program should follow the instructions below:

Complete the declaration and change of major form
Students interested in declaring a minor should consult the Academic Catalog for the process, which depends on the corresponding school. Explore Academic Catalog for minors

Full-Time Status

Immigration regulations require that F-1 visa holders be registered as full-time students at Quinnipiac University in the fall and spring semesters.

Undergraduate students are required to register for 12 or more credits in the fall and spring semesters.
January and summer terms are optional terms for F-1 students.
You must report to campus by the start of the term and complete your course registration by the add/drop deadline each semester.

Online Courses and Full-Time Status

Immigration regulations restrict the number of online courses F-1 students can register for each semester. F-1 students cannot register for more than 3 online credits per semester toward the "full course of study" requirement.

Undergraduate students must register for at least 9 credits of classes that meet in person in the fall and spring semesters.
Students who are in their last semester and who do not need to be registered as full-time students cannot register for only online courses in their final semester. They must be enrolled in a course that meets on campus for the entire semester.
There is no regulation on online courses in the January or summer terms unless it is a student's final semester

Last Semester Exception to Full-Time Registration

Students who are in their last semester are allowed to register for less than a full course of study if less than full-time credits are required for degree completion. Students enrolled in their final semester must submit a Reduced Course Load Request with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) in the ISS Portal
Students who are in their last semester and who do not need to be registered as full-time students cannot register for only online courses in their final semester. They must be enrolled in a course that meets on campus for the entire semester.

Additional Information

Extension of Stay

F-1 students must make normal progress toward completing a course of study. This includes graduating when you are eligible to graduate and not delaying graduation for non-academic reasons. If you will not complete your academic program by the program end date on your I-20 form, you must apply for an extension of stay before the program end date indicated on page 1 of your I-20 form.

You may lose your lawful F-1 status and all associated benefits if you fail to apply for an extension before your I-20 expires, even if you have a valid reason for an extension.

Eligibility for an Extension

Immigration regulations limit the circumstances for which international students may be granted a program extension. You may be eligible for an extension if you have continually maintained full-time F-1 status and if there are compelling reasons which resulted in a delay in your program completion.

Examples of compelling reasons for program extension are:

Changes in major or research topics
Unexpected research difficulties
Documented illness

Examples of unacceptable reasons for program extension are:

Additional time needed to complete the Incomplete course
Failure to work closely or consult with academic advisor
Delay of coursework to participate in work experience (CPT) not required for degree
Delay of graduation to participate in work experience (CPT) not required for degree
Delay due to academic probation or suspension

Procedures for Requesting an Extension

Submit the completed I-20 Program Extension Request Form in the ISS Portal and provide the documents listed in the instructions for requesting the I-20 extension.

Leave of Absence

If you decide to leave Quinnipiac University before completing your degree for a temporary period, you should file a Leave of Absence request so that your Quinnipiac record and your SEVIS record can be updated to reflect an authorized Leave of Absence.

In order to take an authorized Leave of Absence, you must:

Meet with an Office of International Students and Scholars advisor BEFORE you stop attending classes to discuss your plans and how your F-1 status will be affected if you leave Quinnipiac University.
Review the Leave of Absence policies and complete the university's Leave of Absence form.
If you are taking a Medical Leave of Absence, request a Medical Leave of Absence by completing the Medical Leave of Absence form.

After a non-medical Leave of Absence request is processed and your Quinnipiac record is updated to show that you have taken the Leave of Absence, your SEVIS record will be terminated and your F-1 status will end. Unless you apply for a change of status or transfer to another college or university within the U.S. before your SEVIS record is terminated, you must leave the U.S. within 15 days of filing for the Leave of Absence.

After a Medical Leave of Absence request is processed and your Quinnipiac record is updated to show that you have taken the Medical Leave of Absence, your SEVIS record will be terminated, your F-1 status will end, and you will need to leave the U.S. within 15 days of filing for the Medical Leave of Absence unless you meet the criteria for a Reduced Course Load authorization in SEVIS.

A Reduced Course Load authorization in SEVIS allows the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) to keep your SEVIS record in active status even if you have taken a Leave of Absence, and it allows you to remain in the U.S. for the rest of the semester (if you want to remain in the U.S.). Please discuss the Reduced Course Load authorization option when you meet with an OISS advisor if you are interested, because failure to submit the required documentation on time will limit your options if you want to remain in the U.S. during your Medical Leave of Absence.

Academic and Conduct Suspension

If you are suspended from Quinnipiac University, your SEVIS record will be terminated when the Registrar indicates that you have been suspended, and your F-1 status will end. Unless you transfer to another college or university in the U.S. before your SEVIS record is terminated, you must leave the U.S. immediately. Contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) as soon as you learn that you have been suspended.

On-Campus Employment

Full-time enrolled F-1 students who have maintained their status and are otherwise eligible for employment may work on campus. F-1 students are eligible for non-federal work study or graduate assistantships. F-1 students are not eligible for federal work study positions.

On-campus employment for F-1 students must be less than 20 hours per week when school is in session and up to 40 hours per week during vacation periods and when school is not in session, as long as the students intend to enroll full-time for the next regular semester. F-1 students may not engage in on-campus employment after completing their course of study, unless the student has been approved for Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorization and the employment is related to their field of study.

Students should check with Student Employment and the Payroll Office for the paperwork they need to complete and the information they need to provide to the University. No additional immigration application or authorization is necessary and the employment does not have to be related to the student’s field of study.

Review more information on the On-Campus Employment page.

Off-Campus Employment

Off-campus employment is any type of job, work or service performed in exchange for money, tuition, training, room, board, books, supplies, or any other form of remuneration. F-1 students can only work off campus if they are eligible and authorized for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT) by the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) in SEVIS in advance.

Under certain circumstances, students experiencing economic hardship may be authorized to seek employment authorization through USCIS. Students should consult with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) to see if other options may be available to them.

All other off-campus work (whether paid or unpaid) is unauthorized and a severe violation of F-1 student status. Engaging in unauthorized off-campus work is grounds for termination of an F-1 student's visa.

Review more information in the Employment section.

End of Program

For F-1 visa students, your 60-day grace period in the U.S. begins from the date you finish your academic program. The program end date on your I-20 should reflect the day you finish your academic program. Students who stay on for post-completion OPT also have a 60-day period following completion of the OPT.

If your Form I-20 lists a program end date in the future, it will be updated to reflect the date you complete or anticipate completing your program. This will help you in calculating your grace period.

During your grace period you may:

Prepare for departure from the U.S.
Travel within the U.S.
Obtain another Form I-20 from another program at Quinnipiac
Transfer to another school in the U.S. to start a new program
Change to another U.S. visa status
F-1 students may also apply for post-completion OPT during the 60-day grace period following completion of a degree program

Current F-1 students will access the International Students & Scholars Portal to view their immigration record, request updates, and communicate with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS). This online platform will connect with Quinnipiac's Student Information System (SIS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for F-1 visas.