Immigration News November 2022
November 2, 2022
New! Immigration News Spotlight – Watch ISSO News on YouTube
We are very excited to announce that starting this month the ISSO will be offering a new video segment with our monthly emails – Immigration News Spotlight. If you prefer your news outlets in video form, we hope Spotlight will be useful for you.
Watch ISSO Immigration News on YouTube
F-1 Enrollment Requirements Changing Spring 2023
Since 2020, UT Dallas F-1 students have been following the SEVP temporary guidance for enrollment requirements due to COVID-19. The SEVP temporary guidance allowed F-1 students to apply more online courses towards their enrollment requirements than is usually allowed, but only as long as the school was not fully operational due to effects of the pandemic. As of spring 2023, UT Dallas will have no COVID-19 related operational adjustments and as a result F-1 students must follow the standard F-1 regulations for enrollment. This means only one hybrid or online course can count towards your full-time enrollment requirements each semester. For example, a graduate student who is required to take 9 credit hours to be full-time enrolled would need at least 6 credit hours of face-to-face coursework. Hybrid courses are considered online courses.
University Career Center November Events
You can register for UCC events in Handshake. You can search for the events in the Handshake search bar, or find them under the Schedule – Events tab on the left side of the page.
- Networking your Way to the Next Opportunity – 11/10/2022
- Seeking Government Employment and Navigating USA Jobs – 11/15/2022
- Just In Time Career Fair – 11/16/2022
Reach out to the University Career Center if you have questions about these events.
In-Person CPT and OPT Workshops
The ISSO is offering in-person fall CPT and OPT workshops for fall 2022. Registration is required. Please see the Comet Calendar for event details:
In-person attendance is not required for these workshops. If you prefer to attend the workshops virtually, the online CPT and OPT workshops can be found in iComet under the Workshops section. November in-person workshop sessions will be posted later this month.
F-1 Students Studying and Working Outside the U.S.
Did you know that F-1 students are eligible to participate in Education Abroad programs? Please join us for a presentation, during International Education Week 2022, to explore how international students can participate in Study Abroad, Reciprocal Exchange, Independent Study, Internship Abroad and Faculty-led Programs. The event will be held Tuesday, November 15, 2022 in SSA 14.265 2-4 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there.
ISSO Services over the Holidays
ISSO services will be limited during some periods around the holidays. The ISSO will be closed on November 24 and 25 for Thanksgiving weekend, and from December 26 through January 2 for the university’s winter break. We will reopen Tuesday, January 3. Complete requests submitted before December 12, 2022 will be processed before the ISSO closes on December 23, 2022.
Do Not Delay Your Graduation
Postponing graduation when you have completed all the courses required to earn your degree is a violation of the immigration regulations. For more information visit the Graduation and Beyond webpage.
Beware of Scams
International students are often targeted by scammers, who may pretend to be government officials or threaten legal action in order to get money from scam victims. Watch out for scams! Government officials will not call you and demand payment or information over the phone, and no legitimate organization will ask for payment in the form of gift cards. Learn more about scams from the UT Dallas Information Security Office and UT Dallas Police Department.
Submit Processing Requests to ISSO Early
ISSO receives a high volume of student and alumni requests. Don’t wait until the last minute! Submit requests to ISSO 3-4 weeks in advance of when you need them.
ISSO is here for you
There are many ways to contact the ISSO. You can reach out through your iComet Portal, join us for a Live Chat online, or schedule an appointment. You can also check us out on Facebook. We offer virtual workshops for OPT and CPT in iComet, and we are making plans to resume some in-person workshops on-campus this spring. Watch the Comet Calendar for upcoming events!
