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FAQ´s for International Students
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How can I ask a question from an international student advisor? F/J advising
options
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Walk-in Advising:
International students and scholars may schedule appointments in advance to see advisors or
obtain assistance without an appointment during regularly scheduled walk-in hours. During
walk-in assistance, students and scholars will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis.
9-11 a.m. Mondays
2-4 p.m. Wednesdays
9-11 a.m. Thursdays
The maximum amount of time allowed for your meeting with an advisor is
10 minutes. Complex situations are best addressed by scheduling an
appointment with the appropriate advisor.
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Individual Appointment:
A student who has a more complex question (more than 15 minutes) that
cannot be answered by email or who is not available during walk-in advising
can call the OIE receptionist at 706-425-3154. All appointments must be made
with at least 24 hours notice. Advisors are normally not available
on Fridays when they spend the day catching up with paperwork.
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E-mail visahelp@uga.edu:
visahelp@uga.edu is an e-mail account
checked multiple times daily by the OIE advisors. An advisor will consider
your question and respond with an answer if possible within two days. If an
e-mail answer is not possible (complex situations) then the advisor will
respond and request that you make an appointment with an advisor to discuss
the situation and get a solution.
How do I extend my visa?
Visas can only be “extended” or “renewed” outside of the United States. Since visas
are only used as a pass that allows you to come to the border of the U.S. and your
I-20 or DS-2019 is what allows you to actually enter and remain here legally, a valid
visa is not needed to maintain your status. Renewal, when needed, is best done at
the US Embassy in your home country.
Read More
What if I need to extend my I-20?
OIE will send you a letter 60 days before your I-20 is supposed to
expire. If you know that you will not be graduating on time, it is your
responsibility to fill out a
Program Extension Form during the semester prior to graduation. The preferable
time to extend would be within one month in advance, in case any problems arise,
so that there is adequate time to process this request. You will need a letter
from your Academic Advisor, original financial documents (no print
outs or copies will be accepted) and the form completed and returned to OIE. (Complete
details on what you need to do can be found on the form)
Do I have to have insurance coverage during summer or if I stay after graduation?
As an international student at The University of Georgia you must have health
insurance coverage the ENTIRE time you are physically in the U.S. If you
remain in the U.S. for the summer then you should be insured. Once you graduate
from the University of Georgia then you are no longer required to show us proof
of insurance unless you need to register for classes. You will have the option
of maintaining this insurance after graduation, if you would like.
Read More
Do I have to be enrolled in the summer? Can I work full time?
As a student in F-1 status you do not have to be enrolled during the summer,
unless it is your first semester in school. Summer is considered
your official vacation time from school, so you may remain in the U.S. and not
enroll in any classes. If you do decide to enroll you can and there is no minimum
or maximum enrollment requirement. Another great thing about the summer is that as
long as you will be attending here in the fall you can work full time on campus.
During any official university break, you may exceed 20 hours a week of work.
These vacations are summer, spring break, fall break, winter break and Thanksgiving.
However, if working off campus, you must obtain work
permission first. These forms can also be found on our website or in our office.
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Am I allowed to work or do an internship while at UGA?
As an F-1 or J-1 student you are allowed to work 20 hours a week on campus during
fall and spring semesters and full time during the summer semester. If you want to
work off –campus you will have to apply for permission. F-1’s that have been in
status for 9 months or more should attend a CPT/OPT session to find out more
information. You can call or email to sign up for one of these sessions. The
employment session schedule is also listed online for your convenience.
How far in advance should I apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training)?
The earliest time you can apply is 4 months in advance. It is strongly recommended
for you to apply as early as possible. You should allow up to 2 weeks for our
office to process the first part of the application, and allow one week for mailing
the application to the USCIS service center. Once they receive your application,
they will send you a receipt notice (sent to our office) and then allow up to 90
days after the receipt notice to receive your employment authorization card.
After USCIS has processed your card, it will be mailed to our office. If you have
moved by the time your card reaches our office, we can make arrangements to send
that to your new address. ***Once the application leaves our office, there is nothing
we can do to speed up the process of your card, so please be patient (as there are
thousands of applications processed) and we will notify you via email immediately
when your card arrives.
Read More
What if I want a family member to visit me?
The Office of International Education does help students to bring their spouses and
children to the U.S. to visit or live with them. If this is the case please complete
an I-20 or DS-2019 request form indicating that this will be used by your dependents.
Once you submit this form to our office along with financial documentation you will
be issued a new I-20 or DS-2019. This new I-20 or DS-2019 should be mailed to your
family members so that they can take it to the U.S. Embassy in their country to
apply for the F-2 or J-2 visa. This process is very similar to when you obtained
your visa to enter the U.S. If you want to invite your parents or friends to
visit you in the U.S. please refer to the “Invite a Visitor” handout.
Read More
What if I’m not taking enough hours?
If you are not registering for and completing a full course load each semester
then you will be considered “out of status.” Graduate students must complete 9
hours and undergraduates 12 hours each fall and spring semester to maintain their
status and to be eligible for benefits such as working and travel signatures. If
you are not taking enough hours then you will not be allowed to work (this includes
assistantships) or obtain travel signatures for re-entry into the U.S. You will be
illegally in the U.S. and you will need to file a reinstatement application with
UCIS to get your status back. If this is the case you will need to see the
international advisor to help you with this. Please remember to talk to an advisor
BEFORE you drop a class.
Read More
What kind of financial aid can international students get?
At this time there are few types of funding available to international students at
UGA. The only funding available from UGA is in the form of assistantships and these
are applied for through your academic department. There are some
loans
and scholarships
not affiliated with UGA that you may be eligible for. Some students may be eligible
for an out-of-state tuition waiver. This
waiver form
can only be filled out online, then printed out and brought to our office.
What do I need to do if I am Transferring?
If you are currently enrolled in classes as an F-1 or J-1 student at the
University of Georgia, and wish to transfer to another university in the U.S.,
you will need to submit a
Transfer Release Request form and a copy of your Admission letter
(from your new school) to our office at least one week in advance. Please allow a
few days for your records to transfer from our system to your new school, and they
will issue your new I-20. Please communicate with the appropriate admissions office
at your new school to ensure that the proper I-20 is issued and that any travel
plans are well established with the admissions advisor as they will advise you of
the proper steps for your individual situation.
Read More
When do I need a Travel Signature?
You should obtain a travel signature when you travel outside of the country.
You may bring your I-20 or DS-2019 to our office at least one week before your
travel date. Each travel signature is valid for one year and will allow you to
travel as many times needed in and out of the country within that year. However, if
you are on OPT, you will need a valid travel signature every 6 months.
Read More
Do I need to pay taxes? Where do I go about taxes?
All international students must file with IRS.
Even students that do not work must complete a form. The International Student
Life (ISL) office located in 210 Memorial Hall can help you complete and file
these forms. You can email the ISL office at
isltax@uga.edu with your tax questions
Read More
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Prospective Students