Multicultural and International Affairs

• Students should submit application online and pay $30.00 application fee.
• Before the student’s application is processed student must present the required documents to the Office of Multicultural/International student affairs by email, hand delivered or by United States postal service.
• The required documents needed from students are:

New First-time Freshman
High School Transcript
Financial Statement (USD)
English Language Scores (if English is students 2^nd language)

IELTS (score 4.5 or Higher)
TOEFL (score 32 or Higher)

Transfer Student
College Transcript (from all schools attended)
Financial Statement

Once a student is admitted, an acceptance email will be sent letting them know of their next steps.

If a student is outside of the country, the student will receive an I-20; in which they will provide for their VISA interview.

• Report to the OISA within 30 days of I-20 start date. It is REQUIRED BY LAW that you come to the Multicultural/International Students Affairs Office when you first arrive at SUSLA, whether it is your first time in the U.S. or if you are transferring from another U.S. institution. If you are transferring to SUSLA, you must have your I-20 transferred within 15 days after classes start. We will register you in the SEVIS database as having completed the transfer process.
• Always Enroll Full Time. F-1 students must maintain full-time student status every semester. For undergraduate students, full-time means you must register and complete at least 12 credits each semester. There are some rare exceptions to this regulation, however, please talk to the OMISA staff BEFORE you drop below full-time enrollment or take a leave of absence.
• Update your Local Address. The immigration regulations require you to update your local residential address within 10 days of moving within the U.S or relocating in the area. You must do this by updating your local address in Banner or with the OMISA. You are required to use a physical residential address and not a PO Box.
• Keep your Immigration Documents VALID and CURRENT. You should make photocopies of your immigration documents and keep the copies and originals in a safe place.

            Photocopy of:

• your passport pages with your personal information and picture
• your passport page containing the U.S. visa stamp.
• your I-94 form.
• your I-20, pages 1-3
• Keep your passport valid. You should keep your passport valid for at least six months into the future while you are studying in the U.S. Consult your country's consulate or embassy in the U.S. to renew your passport. You can find the contact information for your consulate at: http://travel.state.gov.
• Visa Stamp. The visa stamp in your passport was obtained at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad and is used for entering the U.S. The visa stamp functions as a key to enter the U.S. Once you are here in the U.S., you do not need to keep your visa stamp current. It is only when you are leaving the U.S. and need to return that you must be sure that you have a valid U.S. visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. [Note: Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa stamp, (if entering the U.S. from within the Western hemisphere) but they must show their I-20 and proof of Canadian citizenship at the U.S. port of entry.]
• F-1 Extension. The end date of your immigration status is written on your I-20 as the "completion of studies" date, in item #3 (not the end date of your visa stamp).* If you are unable to complete your course of study by that time, you must apply for an extension BEFORE the I-20 completion date. If you do not complete the extension before that date, you will be out of status. Contact OMISA to make a request for an extension.
• Change of Degree Program or Level. If you are changing degree levels within SUSLA, you will need to contact the registrar office first, and then you must provide a change of degree program form to the OMISA. Once your degree program has been changed your degree program on your I-20 has to be changed as well, and a new admissions letter will be provided for you once your degree program has changed.
• Discuss Transfer Plans with an OISA advisor. If you plan to transfer to another school or to go on to another school after you graduate from SUSLA, the OMISA will need to complete the immigration transfer procedure. Come to the OMISA to discuss the transfer process.
• Never Work Off-campus Without Prior Authorization. Employment opportunities for international students in the U.S. are restricted by law. In general, there are two types of employment: on-campus and off-campus employment. Social Security cards are required for all employment.
• On-campus Employment: Enrolled F-1 students are permitted, when authorized to work 20 hours per week during the academic year and 40      hours per week during summer and winter breaks.
• Off-campus Employment: Off-campus employment is any type of work or             services performed in exchange for money that is not on the SUSLA campus.

            A work permit is required BEFORE any off-campus work is allowed. Workshops are   held throughout the year. See the staff in the OMISA for advice and assistance.

• Notify the OISA When You Leave the U.S. or Change Visa Status I-20 Travel Endorsement. You need to have a valid signature from OMISA staff on your I-20 in order to re-enter the U.S. The signature must be valid within the previous 6 months. When you complete your program and leave the U.S. permanently or you change to another visa status, come to the OMISA or email us to notify us of your plans.
• Traveling outside of the United States
• Re-entering the U.S. after a Temporary Absence. To re-enter the U.S., you need to have the following documents:

–valid passport

–valid F-1 or F-2 visa stamp

–current I-20 with a valid signature (see I-20 Endorsement)

–proof of enrollment (certificate of enrollment or transcript)

• Renewing Your Visa Stamp. If you or your dependents need to renew your visa stamps in order to re-enter the U.S., you must apply in person to a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Applicants are normally required to submit the following documentation:

–valid passport

–current passport-size photographs

–valid Form I-20 (complete three-page form)

–proof of financial support (bank statements and/or scholarship, financial aid)

–proof of enrollment (certificate of enrollment or transcript).

• F-2 Dependents The spouse or child of an F-1 student enters the U.S. on an F-2 visa. Any student wishing to bring a spouse and/or child to the U.S. should visit the OISA to have the necessary documents prepared. Persons in F-2 status are not eligible for employment but cannot enroll part time for academic study. For traveling and re-entering the U.S., F-2 dependents need all the same documents as the F-1 would need as outlined above including an I-20 that is produced with the F-2's biographical information.