Fall 2025 Student Reminders

August 8th, 2025 in Announcements

Please review the information below for important reminders regarding 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!

Entering the US this Fall

Whether you are a new student arriving to the US for the first time or are a continuing student returning to campus from your summer break, it is vital that you present yourself at the port of entry with all required documentation to ensure a smooth and successful entry to the US.

During this time of increased vetting of F-1 and J-1 students, please review the Current Travel Advisory and remember that you are required to present the following documents:

• Your passport, valid for at least 6 months into the future
• Your valid F-1 or J-1 visa (except for Canadian citizens)
• Your most recent I-20 or DS-2019 that is printed, signed on the first page
• For continuing students, you must also have a valid travel signature that is less than 12 months old on your I-20

In addition to these required documents, ISSO recommends being prepared to present the following documentation if requested:

• Evidence of your full-time enrollment for Fall 2025 printed from MyBUStudent
• Unofficial transcript printed from MyBUStudent
• Printed I-901 SEVIS fee receipt
• Printed copies of your funding sources such as scholarships or bank statements

ISSO continues to monitor news and updates to immigration policy from the federal administration. In the event of changes that impact F-1/J-1 students, ISSO will update the dedicated page on our website and reach out to the community to offer information sessions. Students are always welcome to reach out to ISSO with questions.

Update Your Addresses in the MyBU Student Portal

It is critical that you understand the different addresses on the MyBUStudent Portal keep each address updated correctly. If you live in on-campus housing, your dormitory address will populate automatically. Please confirm it is accurate. If you live off campus, it is critical you keep the address field called “Current” up to date as this is the address that ISSO will use to report your address 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 MyBUPortal up-to-date throughout the duration of your program. When updating your address, please refer to ISSO instructions to ensure accurate formatting.

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 or there may be a situation where you are considered to be full-time with less credits such as during dissertation. If this is the case, you must work with your academic department and be designated full time under “Approved Academic Load” in MyBUStudent 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.

Please also be aware that MyBUStudent has technology features that will allow students to drop or withdraw from courses without additional authorization. If you drop or withdraw from courses on your own dropping your total credits to less than full time enrollment, that is a violation of your F-1 or J-1 status and will result in a termination of your SEVIS record.

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 options 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. The 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.

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 the volume of messages, 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. Please plan in advance.

Fall 2025 Workshops

August 7th, 2025 in Announcements

Please find our virtual immigration workshop series below. Join us at one of our scheduled workshops to learn about maintaining status and employment benefits as an F-1 or J-1 student and get your questions answered by ISSO staff. In addition, you are welcome to access one of our on-demand workshops available on our website about OPT or on-campus student employment.

 

Fall 2025 Workshop Series

Post Completion OPT Application Basics and Q&A

This workshop covers topics for students preparing to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT), including eligibility factors and timing of application, considerations for travel and employment, and tips for preparing and submitting the OPT application. Questions will be taken via chat at the end of the presentation.

• Monday October 6, 2025    12PM   Register Here
• Thursday November 13, 2025   3PM   Register Here
• Wednesday December 3, 2025   10AM   Register Here

 

STEM OPT Basics and Q&A

This workshop is designed for students who have already applied for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and who may already be working on OPT. Covers advanced OPT topics including an overview of STEM OPT, allowing OPT extensions for certain Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. After this workshop, students should be prepared to apply for the STEM OPT extension. Questions will be taken via chat at the end.

• Friday October 24, 2025   10AM   Register Here
• Monday November 24, 2025   12PM   Register Here
• Tuesday December 16, 2025   3PM   Register Here

 

Employment Authorizations for Internships

It’s not too early to begin planning for a summer internship. This workshop covers F-1 student employment authorization options for off-campus work and internships including: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT).

• Thursday November 6, 2025   3PM   Register Here

 

Academic Training – Employment Authorization for J-1 students

If you have a J-1 visa and are planning on either completing an academic internship or pursuing post-graduation employment opportunities this summer, join ISSO to learn about Academic Training, the J-1 employment authorization benefit.

• Friday December 5, 2025   12PM   Register Here

 

Special Topics in Immigration with Featured Immigration Attorneys

Join ISSO and local attorneys who specialize in immigration to learn more about special immigration topics.

Immigration Options after OPT

NEW DATE

• Tuesday October 21, 2025   5PM   Register Here

Immigration Considerations for Entrepreneurs and Non-Traditional Employment

• Tuesday November 18, 2025   5PM   Register Here

Immigration Options for Medical Students

• Tuesday December 9, 2025   5PM   Register Here

 

On-Demand Workshops – access them anytime!

Student Employment

This workshop covers tips for finding a job on campus, U.S. work permission, your rights and expectations as a U.S. worker, Social Security numbers, getting paid and taxes. It is now offered online in an on-demand format. If you are interested in learning about how to work at BU, you can watch the video any time!

You're Hired! On Campus Employment for International Students – on demand workshop

 

OPT Application Basics

Want to know more about the OPT Application process? Check out the OPT Application Basics Workshop below. This video is a 25-minute overview intended to introduce you to basic concepts and terms. You will learn more about what OPT is, when you should apply, and how to maintain your status while on OPT. We recommend that you watch this video when you are starting to think about OPT as it gives you a good overview of the entire process.

OPT Applications Basics – on demand workshop

 

ISSO Collaboration with Center for Career Development

Please register for these Center for Career Development sessions through the CCD website:

• Thursday October 9, 2025   10–11AM   Internship and Job Search Workshop for International Students
• Wednesday October 22, 2025 3-4PM Networking for International Students
• Thursday November 6, 2025   9:30–11AM   Interviewing in the US