The International Services Center (ISC) provides a wide range of services to UCF’s international students and scholars, which include the following:

• International student recruitment
• Pre-admission immigration counseling
• International admission processing (issuance of I-20 and DS-2019)
• Immigration status changes to F-1 and J-1
• Reinstatement to F-1 and J-1 visa status
• Transfers from other U.S. institutions
• Social Security card application assistance
• Curricular practical training work authorization (co-op education internships)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) application assistance in the area of studies for current students
• Postgraduate practical training (for students who are graduating from UCF)
• Assistance in off-campus employment applications based on financial hardship
• Assistance in bringing F-2 and J-2 dependents and counseling
• Work authorization assistance for J-2 dependents
• Assistance in academic training for J-1
• Program assistance (based on academic delays, financial issues, and UCF research needs)
• Change of major, level and degree
• Travel and re-entry advice and authorization
• Advising for students on post-graduation practical training (services provided until one year past graduation)
• Counseling for the application of waiver from two-year home residency requirement for J-1 visa holders
• Payroll sign-in for foreign nationals
• Tax guidance for non-resident aliens
• Assistance with H-1B visa process for UCF departments willing to sponsor a Foreign National

International Recruiting

ISC actively recruits foreign students to bring diversity and international recognition to the campus. They find the best recruitment tool abroad is developing a systematic feeder program through relationship building with international universities, organizations and students. Faculty, current UCF students and alumni are the most effective in developing these relationships and should be encouraged to participate in recruitment activities when traveling abroad. If a faculty member or student from your department is traveling, ask them to promote your programs to prospective students in the country they are visiting. They should also contact ISC who will provide them with resources, recruiting tools and items to assist them with their efforts.

Staff also plays a key role in recruiting foreign students who typically have numerous questions due to their unfamiliarity with the educational system in the U.S. Answering their specific inquiries using simple language and responding in a timely manner makes a significant difference to their decision on whether or not to choose UCF. Keep in mind that foreign students often have a wider choice of institutions since they not only explore various educational opportunities within the U.S., but also other competing markets such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada where the application and immigration process is often more simple.

To learn how you can get more involved with international student recruitment, please contact the ISC Director Nataly Chandia at chandia@mail.ucf.edu or 407-823-1850. You may also select the following link to view the education fairs ISC plans to participate in www.intl.ucf.edu/sitemap/index.cfm?RsrcID=8&SubCatID=69 and click upcoming online chats for a schedule of chats ISC will be holding for prosepective students.

International Admissions

ISC is responsible for ensuring students are eligible to receive a Form I-20 as part of the UCF international admissions process. Without this form, an admission is not final and students are unable to apply for a visa. The process of applying and getting a visa approved varies per country from one week to four months. Most students apply to various institutions having a full understanding of complications with the visa process and usually accept the first admission they receive toensure they are able to start a program in time. To stay competitive, programs need to admit students as early as possible, but no later than the scheduled admissions deadlines for international students (www.graduatestudies.ucf.edu/formsnfiles/Openfile.cfm?ID=195). Please keep in mind that in spite of the later admission deadline, February is the best month to admit a student for the fall and August is the best month to admit a student for the spring semester.

The chart below provides an overview of the international student admissions process:

Plan to receive many inquiries regarding their application and make every effort to respond to academic and program related questions in a timely manner. If students have immigration related questions, do not hesitate to forward the inquiry to ISC.

Every semester ISC creates a list of admitted students who have incomplete immigration files and forwards the list to the department coordinators. Please utilize the list to e-mail students encouraging them to submit outstanding immigration documents.

During visa appointments, students are required to submit original university documents including Form I-20, admissions letter, and financial award letter (fellowships, assistantships, etc.), if applicable. Award letters must be detailed and accurate to avoid any issues during the visa interview. Please use the admission/award letter template and forward original letters to the ISC International Admissions staff as promptly as possible.

Once students arrive at UCF, they are required to attend one of many available SEVIS immigration orientations. To obtain the dates for orientations, please contact ISC. When communicating with international students about their arrival date to UCF, note that immigration regulations do not allow students to arrive prior to 30 days before the start of classes. ISC recommends students to arrive two weeks before the start of classes to allow ample time to attend orientations, register for classes and settle in their new homes.

Students are eligible to study in the U.S. with various visa categories besides the F-1 or J-1 visa. To familiarize yourself with non-immigrant visa types and their restrictions in pursuing an education, please visit the following link www.intl.ucf.edu/sitemap/index.cfm?RsrcID=8&SubCatID=20. If you want to become familiar with frequently used immigration terms and acronyms, please visit our website or use the following link www.intl.ucf.edu/sitemap/index.cfm?RsrcID=15&SubCatID=46.

Advising

International students holding an F-1 and J-1 visa are required to maintain their immigration status during the length of their studies to be legal in the country. Below are the most important immigration regulations students must follow:

• Maintain full time enrollment during the fall and spring semesters (12 credit hours for undergraduates and 9 for graduates). Only one distance learning/online course will be counted toward full-time enrollment.
• Make normal progress toward the completion of the progam.
• Do not work more than 20 hours on campus during the spring and fall semesters, except when classes are not in session.
• Obtain approval from an Immigration Adviser at ISC to start an internship, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT).
• Maintain valid health insurance during all times.
• Keep Form I-20 valid accurately reflecting level and academic program during entire length of study.

• Change academic major or level
• Transfer to another school
• Change of address
• Drop below full course load enrollment for any reasons and at any time during a semester
• Academic progress issues (probation, dismissal and not taking required courses to complete program)
• Not completing academic program and the end date on Form 1-20 is approaching
• Travel outside the U.S.
• Begin employment
• Request OPT, CPT or academic training (for J-1 visa) authorization
• Apply for a Social Security Number
• Change immigration status
• Fall out of immigration status

Employment and Taxation

All foreign nationals (individuals who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents) employed by UCF must meet with ISC’s Employment and Taxation staff before starting work to complete their payroll sign-in procedure. Specifically, these employees must complete the I-9 Form prior to their employment start date. Please request international students who will be paid by UCF to make an appointment with the ISC office as soon as they arrive on campus.

There have been recent updates to some of the hiring forms for international employees (includes anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident). We ask that you discard all forms that you are currently using and download updated versions from our website. We have made PDF files available at www.intl.ucf.edu under Forms and Files. In this section you will find the following PDF files, Hiring Packet Students and Hiring Packet Non-Students. Each of these packets contains all of the necessary hiring forms for international employees who are either students or non-students. Additionally, each of these packets has a set of instructions to assist the international employee in completing the forms. You can also find these instructions in the under Payroll Sign-In Instructions for Students and Payroll Sign-In Instructions (Non-Students).

Staff involved with the signing and submission of Personnel Action Forms (PAF) for assistantships need to be very mindful of the submission process and deadlines. Failure to submit the PAF within the deadline will delay an international student from getting a paycheck for several weeks. This delay can be financially detrimental, particularly to new international students who are overspent from immigration fees, travel/moving expenses, and large housing and utilities security deposits.

If you or your department is interested in sponsoring a foreign national for an H-1B work visa, please contact the ISC Employment and Taxation staff for guidance. ISC works as a liaison with the Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, P.C. law firm to assist with this process.

Note: USCIS has brought to our attention that they will not accept checks made payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for H1B petitions. Checks must be made payable to Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Please also note that it is not required to list an address on your checks. If you do list an address, it is preferred that you list the address of the Vermont Service Center but do not mention Fragomen or Fragomen's address in Coral Gables. Fragomen will update their website and the H-1B database as soon as possible, but please implement these changes immediately. Below is an outline for the current H-1B fees.

Checklist of applicable fees

Address to send check(s):
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
University Team NIV Unit
One Alhambra Plaza Suite 600
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Please indicate last name and first name of foreign national on check(s) to correspond with the immigration forms.

	$320 Filing Fee for I-129 Form This fee must be paid by the University by a separate check made payable to: "Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services."
	$500 Anti-Fraud Fee This fee does not apply to H-1B extensions or amendments for the University. This fee must be paid by the University by a separate check made payable to: "Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services."
	$300 Dependent Filing Fee for I-539 Form An I-539 Form must be filed for spouse/child to change/extend dependent status. Only applicable to dependents that are in the US. This fee must be a separate check made payable to: "Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services."
	$250 Dependent Legal Fee There is a $250 legal fee for the I-539 petition. Please send a separate check for $250 made payable to Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
	$1,000 Premium Processing Fee This is a service whereby U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) may adjudicate H-1B nonimmigrant work petitions for persons in the US or outside the US within 15 days from date USCIS receives the petition. This fee must be paid by the University by a separate check made payable to: "Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services." Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Vermont Service Center 75 Lower Welden St. Saint Albans, Vermont 05479 FEIN number is 201027111
	__________________ Educational Credentials Any foreign educational credentials must be evaluated by an official evaluation agency/company.

Timeline

Task	Spring 2008	Summer 2008
Admissions decision deadline	September 7, 2007	January 1, 2008
Send e-mail to admitted international students requesting immigration documents (ISC will send a list of students missing documents)	September 28, 2007	February 1, 2008
Admissions letters due to ISC	September 28, 2007	February 1, 2008
Send employee to ISC with hiring paper work to complete the I-9 Form	Prior to but no later than three days from the start date of employment	Prior to but no later than three days from the start date of employment