November 12, 2018

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Travel Signature

Important Travel Reminders: If you are planning on travelling outside the U.S. over Thanksgiving or over the Winter Break on F or J visa status, please make sure you have a valid travel signature on your F-1/F-2 I-20 or J-1/J-2 DS-2019. Also, please be sure that your passport is valid. When you enter the U.S. in nonimmigrant status, your period of stay is reflected on your Form I-94 and may be limited to the expiration date of your passport, even if your visa or USCIS Approval Notice expires at a later date. Please be sure to send a copy of your new I-94 (and visa if applicable) to International Student & Scholar Services at international@ua.edu each time you return to the U.S. To print a copy of your I-94 document visit www.cbp.gov/i94.

December 2018 Graduates

F-1 STUDENT DEADLINE: If you graduate or complete your studies on 12/15/2018 your 60-day grace period ends on February 13, 2019.
J-1 STUDENT DEADLINE: If you graduate or complete your studies on 12/15/2018 your 30-day grace period ends on January 14, 2019.

Special note to thesis master and PhD students who will graduate in Spring 2019:

If your graduation ceremony is in May 2019, but you are not required to enroll in any credit hours in Spring 2019, your completion date/ I-20 end date would also be 12/15/2018. You should apply for OPT or take action on your immigration status by 02/13/2018.

J-1 students who are not required to enroll in Spring 2019, but will graduate in May 2019, you should take action by 01/14/2019 or by the end date of your DS-2019, whichever comes earlier .

Please see details on minimum registration hours and I-20/DS-2019 Completion Date on ISSS website here

OPT / Academic Training

The earliest date to file for OPT for F-1 students graduating in December of 2018 was 9/16/2018. The last date to apply for OPT is February 13, 2018. F-1 students graduating in December are eligible to file their OPT application now.

USCIS takes 3- 5 months to process OPT applications. Therefore, ISSS highly recommend students who plan to work in the U.S. After graduation apply for OPT as early as possible. To be considered timely filed, OPT application must be received by USCIS by February 13, 2019.

Students who wish to apply for OPT or Academic Training must gather their documents and secure an appointment with an ISSS advisor. OPT Packet can be found on the ISSS website here. The Academic Training Packet is here

OPT, CPT, and AT processing appointments are held every Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Please schedule an appointment by calling 205-348-5402, emailing international@ua.edu or going online http://sarsweb.ua-net.ua.edu/eSARS/CINTL_IS/eSARS.asp

Will Spring be your Final Semester?
Submit Last Semester Memo

Are you nearing graduation? If so, please review the Final Semester Checklist page to make sure you will have a smooth transition into life after Alabama.

If you are in your final semester you may enroll in less than 12 credit hours of classes if you require less than full-time enrollment to graduate. This exception is only for the final semester of study. Just remember that you must submit the less-than-full-time authorization form found here.

Registration and Online Course Limit Reminders
F-1 and J-1 students are required to maintain a full-time course load during fall and spring semesters. Full time enrollment generally means Graduate students must enroll for at least 9 credits and Undergraduate students must enroll for at least 12 credits every semester. Full details on enrollment requirements and exceptions can be found here.

Only 1 on-line class (i.e. 3 credit hours) per semester may count towards a “full course of study.” For example, an undergraduate student is required to register for 12 credits per semester to maintain full time status. Of the 12 required hours only 3 credit hours may be on-line. Any additional hours above the 12 required hours for an undergraduate student may be either regular campus classes or on-line.

If you are planning to take any classes at another institution as a transient student during the spring semester, you must first enroll at The University of Alabama in a total of 12 credit hours as an undergraduate student or 9 credit hours as a graduate student to be validated as a full-time student in SEVIS. Once the full-time requirement is met at UA, you can request and print out a Letter of Transiency via myBama to be able to take classes at another institution. A tutorial for requesting a transient letter can be found on University Registrar office’s website.

If you are in your final semester and need to be enrolled less than full time, you must submit the less than full time authorization form found here.

Check it Out!

Learn about The Fulbright Experience

Fulbright winners share their experiences and offer valuable advice for applicants.

Tuesday, November 13, UA Capital Hall, Main Floor. Refreshments provided.
5:00 Food, 5:30- 6:30 pm Program. Free.

Parking passes are available at the front desk. Students, faculty and community members are welcome.

Fulbright Award Winners will recount their experiences, share their application secrets, answer questions, and encourage applicants. We invite you to join us, and bring someone who should go for a Fulbright! The Fulbright Program is the flagship academic exchange program of the United States of America, https://us.fulbrightonline.org/ and https://www.cies.org/.

Students, community members, and faculty who wish to apply are encouraged to attend this panel and meet Brittany Groves (US Fulbright to Germany 2017-2018), Carrigan Fain (US Fulbright to Malaysia 2018-2019), Dr. Zbigniew Krejpcio (Fulbright Faculty from Poland 2018-2019) and Gloris Trujillo (Fulbright Graduate Student from Panama 2018-2019). We invite everyone with an interest in international engagement and study to gather and share their experiences. A complete listing of International Education Week Events is available at http://international.ua.edu/iew2018/.

Global Café, an initiative of The University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships, is created by campus and community partners working together. For our semester schedule, please check our website globalcafe.ua.edu, email beverly.hawk@ua.edu, or call 205-348-7392.

A weekly opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to engage one another about important issues related to identity, current events, and campus life.
Come and share your thoughts and listen to the perspectives of others in an inclusive and respectful environment!
This week's topic:
Experiences of International Students on Campus
Wednesday November 14th, 2018

Ferguson Center, Great Hall
from 1- 1:50pm

Commit To Eat!!!

Support the Alabama Women's wheelchair basketball team
and enjoy some great food!

Pyro's Fire Fresh Pizza

Wednesday November 14, 2018 4:00pm-9:00pm
1320 McFarland Blvd East, Suite 720 Tuscaloosa, AL

Donating Back: 20%

Commit To Eat

International Spouse Group

International Spouse Group meets weekly from 10- 11:30am in 105 B.B. Comer Hall, and provides support to international student, scholar, faculty, or staff spouses or partners.
This semester they have been touring around campus, including visiting the Gorgas House and the Bryant Museum.
If you an international student who is married, share with your spouse about International Spouse Group.

Academic Calendar

November 12-16, 2018: International Education Week.
November 21-23, 2018: Thanksgiving Break / No Classes.
December 7th, 2018: Last day to withdraw from classes without having to petition the dean's office.
December 10-14, 2018: Final Exams.
December 20th, 2018 - January 8th, 2019: Winter Break.