[Intl-stu] Welcome and important information!

[International Students]

The staff of the (International Student Services Office) ISSO would like
to welcome all of our new international students and welcome back our
current students.  We hope that you have had a great start to the spring
2009 semester and we look forward to serving you.  Below is very
important information regarding your immigration status, OPT applicants,
and the multicultural festival.  If you have any questions regarding
immigration rules or other on-campus policies please contact the ISSO.
Do not rely on the advice of well-meaning friends as these rules and
policies change!

 

 

Full-time course of study requirement:

All international students are required by USCIS (immigration) to be
enrolled for full-time course of study for the fall and spring semester.
Full-time course of study for undergraduates is 12 semester credit hours
and 9 semester credit hours for graduates.  Please remember that only
one online course counts toward your full-time requirement.  Web
enhanced "E" courses count as face to face.    

 

There are very few exceptions to the full-time course of study
requirement and you may visit our website at
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/international/maintain_f1.asp
<http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/international/maintain_f1.asp>  for more
information.  If you have a full-time 20 hour a week assistantship then
you may enroll for 6 hours.  If spring is your last semester before
graduation then you may register for less than full-time.  However, you
will need to complete the Report Less than Required Hours form at
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/international/forms.asp
<http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/international/forms.asp>  immediately.
You must have the permission or the ISSO before you enroll less than
full-time or drop below full-time during the semester.    

 

Employment:

International students are not allowed to work off-campus without
permission from an international advisor and/or USCIS in certain
instances.  If you are caught working off-campus without permission you
will be in violation of your visa status and immigration rules state
that you will not be eligible to apply for reinstatement to F-1 visa
status.  For more information regarding on-campus and off-campus
employment please visit
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/international/employment_cpt_opt.asp.  

 

If you are interested in on-campus employment please go to
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/hreeo/employment.html for available student
worker positions (international students ARE NOT eligible for work-study
positions).  For information on available assistantships please go to
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/gradschool/GraduateAssistantship/asist.asp.
We encourage you to visit the Career Services office in the Halladay
Student Services Building Rm. 104 or visit
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/careerservices/Default.htm for information
on resumes and other job search tools.  

 

Multicultural Festival:

Make plans now to participate in the Multicultural Festival on April
10th this semester.  The festival is a great opportunity for
international students to share their culture through music, dance,
exhibits, and food with the university and surrounding community.  

 

The ISSO would like to create a student committee to assist with the
planning of and working the day of the festival this year.  If you are
interested in joining our festival committee please email the ISSO
director at john_jones at tamu-commerce.edu
<mailto:john_jones at tamu-commerce.edu>  as soon as possible.

 

 

John Mark Jones, Director

International Student Services

Texas A&M University- Commerce

PO Box 3011

Commerce, TX 75429

Phone: (903) 886-5097

Fax: (903) 468-3200

 

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