Current International Students

International Students go through many important milestones while studying at UIW

ISSS will send reminders, host events and give resources at helpful times within your studies at UIW. However it is the responsibility of each international student to make the most of their time in the U.S. and use all of the wonderful resources UIW and the UIW ISSS office provides.

Here is a quick overview of what you are responsible for as an F-1 or J-1 student. Click on the left hand navigation menu for more details.

Maintaining your F-1 or J-1 status
Plan Ahead before travel (3- 4 weeks)
Understand your immigration documents
Understand internship, third-country Study Abroad options, and research opportunities for your program.
Know your Right and Responsibilities in the U.S.
Understand work restrictions and benefits in the U.S.
Actively participate in the UIW community

Explore ISSS Programs just for you!

Important COVID-19 Related Grading Updates and Summer Enrollment:

Summer 2020 Online Coursework

As UIW has announced all courses will be online for the Summer 2020 Term, F-1 and J-1 students do not need to submit the Online Enrollment Request Form for the Summer 2020 term.

As a reminder, if you do plan to enroll in an online course for the Fall 2020 term you are still required to complete the Online Enrollment Request Form.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading

There are no immigration restrictions on international students requesting S/U grades, so our office does not need to approve the change. However, students who plan to receive verification of their degrees by their home country ministry of education may face hurdles with a semester of S/U grades on their transcript. Some counties do not honor degrees with S/U grading, each student should inquire with their home government and consider their future plans.

SACM students were previously instructed that as UIW is not mandating S/U grades for all students, they should not request S/U grades. After further clarification, SACM stated while they are not prohibited, students are strongly encouraged not to request S/U grades. SACM cannot guarantee the Ministry will honor degrees with S/U grading.

W grades

F-1 and J-1 undergraduate students are still required to enroll in 12 credit hours each spring and fall term. Students can receive W’s for any class above 12 hours. However, dropping below 12 credit hours, even during the extended 18 month request period is considered a violation of F-1 or J-1 status. Unfortunately, COVID-19 related stress in itself is not sufficient for a Reduced Course Load authorization. If you feel you may qualify for a W’s, please contact our office prior to submitting a W request to determine if you are eligible for a Reduced Course Load.

IP Requests

Our office reviews all IP requests as IP’s can negatively impact student's immigration status. IP's above 12 credit hours are easily approvable. However, any course that counts toward 12 credit hours will need to reviewed by our office to determine the impact on your immigration status.

SPS Courses

International students cannot take SPS courses because the SPS programs, SPS campus, and SPS courses are not approved by the Department of Homeland Security to count toward full-time requirements for F & J students. The blanket online course approval for summer does not apply to SPS courses. All students have been informed of this.

Note to SACM students, SACM does not pay for SPS course enrollment.