Current International Students
Shuttle Timings
The shuttle timings for every week for all International students are:
| Tuesday |
7 p.m - 8 p.m |
| Sunday |
11 a.m - 4 p.m |
If by any exceptional problem we are not capable of providing shuttle service then we will let you know by mail.
Health Insurance
For all International students who purchased Health Insurance at Northwest, click here for details or contact Jeffrey Foot.
Working in the United States
While your first priority is studying, you may want to earn a little spending money. Working on campus is a great way to do this. Working here can not pay for living and tuition. You should not expect to pay your own way with a job as most student employees earn only $300 per month.
Finding a job is your opportunity to get experience with the American job search process You may want to start by visiting Student Employment.
On-Campus Employment
- All students are able to work on-campus
- 20 hours a week during school
- 40 hours during a school break (vacation)
- Employment opportunities are those positions which support the student body
Off-Campus Employment
- Only offered to those who have unforeseen economic hardship, internship with an International Organization or Special Student Relief program
- Student must be issued an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) card from BCIS (Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services)
- 20 hours a week during school
- 40 hours a week during a school break (vacation)
Severe Economic Hardship
- Definition loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student, substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate, inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs, unexpected changes in the financial condition of the students source of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses.
- Procedures
- Statement describing the unforeseen hardship situation
- Letter from home stating the change in family circumstances
- Proof of currency devaluation in the students country
- Explain why other employment options are unavailable or insufficient
- Complete Form I-765 (c) (3) (iii)
- Obtain 2 Passport style photos
- $120.00 check
- Contact DSO official to complete the process
Optional Practical Training for F-1 Students (OPT)
- Definition: Temporary employment for practical training directly related to the students major area of study
- Apply 4 months before Graduation
- Application can be picked up from the IIC Office
- Duration: 1 Year less a day maximum. Must use within 14 months of graduation
- Cost of OPT is $340.00
- The student must submit to the DSO at the OPT appointment:
- Completed, electronically typed I-765. You can download this from http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/
- Photocopies of all I-20s
- Photocopy of Passport and VISA
- Photocopy of I-94 (both sides)
- 2 passport style photos
- Money order for $340 made out to: USCIS
- Master’s students need a letter from the graduate office regarding current academic status and expected date of completion of studies.
- Bachelor’s students need a letter from the registrar’s office regarding current academic status and expected date of completion of studies.
- Once these are ready, make an appointment with Kathleen to complete the OPT I-20 and send the package to the service center.
Your employment card will be mailed to the IIC, and forwarded to you at your new address. You may NOT work until you receive it.
- Must apply to another school, for residency, or H-1B visa before end date on EAD
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Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for F-1 (International) Students
CPT allows international students to work if the work involved will satisfy the requirements for internship credit at a university where the student is enrolled full time for at least two regular semesters (in this case Spring and Fall at Northwest Missouri State). If the work satisfies the institutional requirement to be an internship position in your field of study, CPT authorization will be given by International Affairs.
It is the student’s responsibility to understand if their major requires or recommends an internship. If it does, they are responsible for finding, applying, interviewing, and accepting employment. Employment must begin after CPT is authorized on their I-20. Students should be aware CPT takes advance planning. The job should start at least one week after you have accepted the job offer.
Please refer to the following links for the correct procedure. You may want to print each to take with you accepting a position.
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Staying Legal
Maintaining F-1 Status
To "stay in status" follow the simple steps below:
- Report to the DSO (Designated School Official) for Initial Registration in SEVIS upon arriving at the school
- For the first entry for initial school attendance, the school listed on the visa and the I-20 must be the same
- Pursue a “full course of study” at the school listed on the currently valid Form I-20 during every academic session or semester except during official school breaks, or unless approved under a specific exception, in advance, by the DSO
- Make normal progress towards completing the course of study, by completing studies before the expiration of the program completion date on the Form I-20
- Keep Form I-20 valid by following proper procedures for extension of stay
- Keep Form I-20 valid by following proper procedures for change in educational levels of programs of study
- Keep Form I-20 valid by following proper procedures for transfer of schools
- Abide by the F-1 grace period rules, including remaining in the U.S. for no longer than 60 days after completing a full course of study, unless prior to completing the course of study the student has followed procedures for applying for practical training, moving educational levels, or school transfer
- Report a change of address to the DSO within 10 days of the change, so that SEVIS can be updated. You must also change on CatPAWS or at Registrar's Office.
- Abide by rules requirements, such as Special Registration requirements
- Do not work off-campus, unless specifically authorized by the DSO
Reinstatement for F-1
Reinstatement refers to returning to legal status. If you fail to maintain legal status, you have to make an appointment with the IIC and you will guided through the following steps:
- Conditions for approval for reinstatement
- Have not been out of status more than 5 months prior to filing for reinstatement
- No record of repeated violations
- Pursuing education full-time
- Are not engaged in unauthorized employment
- Not deportable on any grounds other than the status violation for which reinstatement is being requested
- Status violation resulted from either:
- Circumstances beyond control
- Failure to apply in a timely fashion for a reduced course load authorized by the DSO, but only if the violation would have been within the DSO’s authority
- Procedures for applying for reinstatement
- Provide the DSO with all the documents necessary to issue a new Form I-20
- Write a letter of explanation addressed to BCIS
- Complete and sign Form I-539
- $195.00 fee
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Part-Time Enrollment Authorization
You may enroll part-time IF:
- You are a freshman in your first semester and you are having difficulty with English.
- In your last semester before graduation and are taking all required classes to complete your degree.
- Illness or Medical Condition.
Inviting Parents, Other Non-Dependent Relatives, and Friends to Visit the U.S.
You are welcome to invite people to see you. If they need to obtain a visa prior to coming to the United States, you will need to come to the IIC Front Desk and give the staff the following information typed on paper:
- Person's name
- Relation to you
- Country of departure
- Date of arrival
- Date of departure (must be less than the max. visa length allowed for your country)
- Reason for visit
The letter can be picked up the following business day at the Front Desk.
Remember: An invitation letter from the IIC is NOT permission to the United States. The U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your country will first decide if your guest can get a visa. This is normally a Tourist or B-2 Visa. The Port of Entry (i.e. Immigration Official in the Airport/Border) will determine if they will accept the visa.
Program Extension
If you have an I-20 and the program completion date (In item 5 on your I-20) is before the date you will graduate, you need to extend your program (aka: Extend my I-20). Please come to the IIC before the date on your I-20 and ask to have your program extended. You will need to schedule an appointment for this meeting.
- Requirements to be eligible for extension of program:
- Contact DSO and update SEVIS before program completion date
- Continually maintained status
- The delay in completion is “caused by compelling academic or medical reasons, such as changes of major or research topics, unexpected research problems, or documented illnesses”
- Academic probation or suspension are not acceptable reasons for program extension
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Transferring
Transferring Out
- Requirements to transfer to another school
- Contact current DSO and inform them of two things:
- Intent to transfer
- Complete name of the school to which he or she will transfer
- Must maintain status at current school
- The course of study at the transfer-in school must begin within 5 months of the end of the course of study at the transfer-out school, or the release date set by transfer-out school, whichever is earlier
- For current OPT participants, the course of study must begin within 5 months of the end of OPT, or the release date set by the transfer-out school, whichever is earlier
- Must be eligible for an I-20 at the transfer-in school
- The proper transfer procedures must be followed in SEVIS, within the required deadlines
If you are planning to transfer to another school in the United States, you will need to first contact the other school to apply. Their International Admissions Office will guide you from there. You will be asked to bring a "Transfer Form" to the IIC to Complete. You need to drop this form off at the IIC Front Desk and ask to have the SEVIS Data Specialist (Kathleen Baudino) complete the form. The IIC will send that form directly to the University to which you are applying. If you are applying to several schools, please inform us at the front desk when you drop off the form. Best of Luck in your new school!
Transferring In
- Welcome to Northwest! Please visit the Admissions web site for more information.
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Calendar of Events
- This information will be posted in the future. Please continue to check back for any updates. Thank you!
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