Fall 2024 Student Reminders

in Featured
August 7th, 2024

Please review the information below for important reminders about maintaining status for new students and continuing F and J students. Please read our updated summaries of F-1 student and J-1 student regulations to learn more!

Update Your Addresses in the MyBUStudent Portal

It is critical that you understand the different addresses on the MyBUStudent Portal and keep each address updated correctly. If you live in on-campus housing, your dormitory address will populate automatically. You must update your current address and your foreign immigration address through contact info section of the MyBU Student Portal. Click here for further instructions and sample addresses. BU will automatically send your address updates during your program of study to SEVIS. Immigration regulations require that you update your address within 10 days of a move so you must keep your immigration-related addresses in the MyBUStudent Portal up to date throughout the duration of your program.

Initial ISSO Check-in for New Students

All international students beginning a new program and F-1 students returning to campus after a leave of absence will be required to complete Initial ISSO check-in remotely through the ISSOPortal. You will be required to upload copies of your US immigration documents to notify us of your arrival in the US so we can activate your SEVIS record. You should only complete Initial ISSO check-in after you have entered the US. Students beginning a new program of study will receive separate email messages with additional details about Initial ISSO check-in.

SEVIS Reporting for Continuing Students

Boston University is required to confirm your enrollment to the US Department of Homeland Security through the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) at the start of each semester. The ISSO will rely on your academic registration data to automatically update your SEVIS record for fall. You do not need to take any additional steps provided you are academically registered.

Enrollment Requirements

Remember that you must be enrolled full-time and making normal academic progress in your degree each semester. For most students, full-time is a minimum of 12 credits. Some graduate student programs may have different full-time equivalents, but you must be certified as a full-time student to maintain valid student immigration status. Students are only allowed to take one online course each semester towards the 12 credit enrollment minimum so students seeking to enroll in an online course must enroll in at least 8 credits of in-person instruction. If it is your last semester and you need less than 12 credits to graduate, you should enroll in at least one on-campus course and request authorization for a Reduced Course load from your ISSO advisor prior to the start of the semester.

On-Campus Employment

Immigration regulations allow international students to work a maximum of 20 hours per week on-campus during the regular semester. If you have multiple jobs, you are still restricted to a maximum of 20 hours per week. The consequences of exceeding the 20 hour per week limit are severe so it is important you pay attention to your hours each week. You can read more about being hired to work on-campus on the ISSO website. If you have not worked on-campus before, you will need to complete an I-9 Employment Eligibility form before you begin work. If you do not have a Social Security Number, you will need to apply for one after you secure a job.

Off-Campus Employment

Immigration regulations intentionally limit employment option off campus during the academic year so you can concentrate on your full-time coursework. You can learn about eligibility requirements and the application process from the ISSO website. Consequences of beginning employment without authorization are severe so, it is critical that you obtain specific authorization BEFORE you begin any employment opportunity.

  • F-1 students may qualify for Curricular Practical Training from the ISSO for academic internship experiences specifically required by a program of study or a particular course. Alternatively, if you are interested in gaining work experience related to your major field of study during your program, you may need to apply for pre-completion OPT employment authorization in advance from USCIS for Optional Practical Training for jobs directly related to your field of study.
  • J-1 students may qualify for Academic Training authorization from the ISSO for experiences related to your program of study.

Be Careful of Scams

ISSO would like to remind our community that international students have been targeted by scammers in the past. Please review the information we have about identifying, avoiding and responding to attempted scams. Always remember that no government agency in the U.S. will ever ask you for money over the phone, via text or via email. They will also not ask for money to be paid with gift cards.

We wish you a successful semester. The ISSO team is available in-person or virtually to support you. Please see our website to confirm your assigned ISSO Advisor and make sure you check this frequently as sometimes assignments chance. Attend one of our immigration workshops or visit our website to learn how to contact us, meet with our Advisor-On-Call or schedule an appointment. Given an increased volume of inquiries, it may take your advisor a few days to respond to inquiries and up to 10 business days to issue immigration documents and complete requests so please plan in advance.