COVID-19: Updates for International Students

The regulations about full-time enrollment have not changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in their final semester are permitted to take only the number of credits that they need to graduate, even if this is less than a full course load. Students who are taking less than a full course load because it is their final semester must submit the full-time certification form through the Highlander Pipeline. Information about Full Time Enrollment can be found HERE.

Since the US government has not updated its guidance for spring 2021 enrollment requirements, we recommend that students take at least one converged class if it is their final semester.

As a reminder, students can change their class schedule up until the end of drop-add period (January 25), so there is time to make adjustments and modify their schedule at a later date, if needed.

At this time, the government has not updated the guidance about maintaining status outside of the US. We will inform students when additional information is made available.

NJIT’s regular policies for dropping and adding classes will apply to the spring semester. After January 25, students will only be allowed to withdraw from classes and the withdrawal refund policy will apply. Students will not be allowed to add a class after January 25.

F-1 students can withdraw from courses if the withdrawal will not reduce their course enrollment below full time and  impact their immigration status During the COVID-19 pandemic, whether current students are abroad or in the US, undergraduate students must still be registered for 12 credits and graduate students for 9 credits in order to maintain their immigration status. Check your registration carefully before you request to withdraw from a course to ensure you are following these requirements. Failure to maintain full-time enrollment will result in SEVIS record termination. 

New students who are abroad don’t have an active SEVIS record, therefore they can withdraw from a class and do not need to maintain full time enrollment. 

The OGI does not review academic requirements for enrollment/withdrawal. It is the student’s responsibility to verify with their academic adviser/department if withdrawal from a course will be detrimental to their academic standing or cause delay in their progression toward graduation. Please remember that the OGI does not provide academic advising.

In order to withdraw from a course, students must verify with their academic department that withdrawing from the course(s) will not be detrimental to their academic standing or cause a delay in their progression toward graduation. If the academic advisor approves the withdrawal request, students must use the online Withdrawal Request Form to express their intention to withdraw from the course(s). Upon receipt of the form, an OGI advisor will review the request and contact the student as needed. 

Considering the volume of applications and documentation processed by the OGI advisors, students must submit their withdrawal requests at least 7 days before the university’s official deadline to withdraw courses, which is November 9 for the Fall 2020 semester.

No. Even though it is the student’s decision to leave or come back to the U.S. mid-semester, the OGI advises students not to do so as the situation with the pandemic remains unpredictable. We cannot guarantee that  additional travel restrictions by the U.S. government will not be put in place, we cannot guarantee that other countries will not implement travel bans on the U.S., and we cannot guarantee that a CBP officer at the airport will allow students to reenter the country (especially if their classes are fully online). Students are encouraged to consider these issues carefully before making a decision.

Students who started their semester abroad and had their health insurance fee waived but decide to return mid-semester must purchase health insurance coverage for the remainder of the fall semester. NJIT insurance coverage will restart in January 2021

In cases like this you have a few options: (a) you may apply for post completion OPT up to 60 days after the last day of final exams. For details about applying for Post Completion OPT, click HERE (b) you can start a new degree program to maintain your F-1 status (note that you will have to apply and be accepted to another program); (c) contact your embassy/consulate and see if they are chartering planes to return citizens to your country; or (d) contact an immigration attorney and apply for a change of status. 

(a) If you have been enrolled in courses full time, as required to maintain F1 status, and your SEVIS record is still active, you may request a new Travel Signature (if needed-travel signatures are still valid for 1 year/6 months on OPT). To review travel requirements click HERE

(b) If your SEVIS record was terminated in the fall, contact your international student advisor for information about returning.

As of today, there is no extension for your grace period or unemployment days. Plan accordingly and speak with your international student advisor if you have any specific questions.

Academic advisors/department chairs are working (though perhaps remotely). Students must send the form to the advisor and ask him/her to sign it and scan/email it back to the student. If the advisor does not have a scanner, ask him to email  you to confirm that he/she reviewed your application and they approve it. Students must save that email as a PDF and include it with their form when they submit it electronically. Students may have to repeat this process with multiple advisors, depending on which form they are submitting.

Applications without the appropriate signatures will not be processed.

Applications without the appropriate signatures will not be processed.

A list of all required supporting documentation is on our website. Go to the FORMS page to retrieve the form you need. Then click on the right column to get additional information. You will be redirected to a new page and the list of supporting documentation will be there.

Processing time remains up to 7 business days. During the fall, students have the option to stop by the office to pick up their documents (schedule an appointment as walk-ins are not allowed) or have their documents mailed to them. Since you may request that a document is mailed to you when it’s ready, please allow extra time beyond the 7 business days for mail delivery. To avoid delay, upload all required documents when submitting a request.

No, the OGI does not recommend returning home if you plan to apply for Post-Completion OPT. Students have to be physically in the U.S. to apply for OPT. You will not be able to return to the U.S. past the program end date on your I-20 if you have not applied for Post-Completion OPT. If you have questions, please contact us for an online appointment. In addition, please review more information on our website. 

Students can drop off their OPT application in person or mail it to the office. The money order must be included with the application. For the safety of students and staff, the OGI has installed a drop-off box by the office's door. Students do not need to schedule an appointment to drop off the application. Students should staple the $200 money order to the application to avoid losing it.

In the event that students are having issues submitting the form, please email us at global@njit.edu and explain what the issue is. We will contact you directly for assistance.

If students need a reprint of their I-20s (for example, their OPT was approved, updated employment information, lost I-20, etc.), they should submit a request electronically and an international student advisor will assist.

As of now, USCIS has not changed the regulations regarding the number of unemployment days permitted while on post-completion OPT and the STEM extension. The regulations allow students on post-completion OPT to start their own business or volunteer  - either option must be in the student’s field of study should be reported in their SEVP portal . Refer to the OGI’s website for important information about the difference between volunteering and unpaid employment. USCIS regulations still require students on the STEM extension to have paid employment and do not allow students to start their own business. If students exceed the allowable number of days of unemployment they should prepare to depart the US, begin a new academic program or consult with an attorney about the possibility of changing their status.

As a reminder, students are still responsible for reporting employment within the required deadlines. For information about how to report employment, visit our website.

Yes, students  on OPT or the STEM extension can work remotely, either within the U.S. or if the employer has an office outside of the U.S., as long as the employer can assess employees’ engagement using electronic means. Students participating in STEM OPT do not need to submit an updated Form I-983 just to report remote work but must continue to submit their semi-annual updates or any other material change to their employment. Students who move must report their new address in the NJIT Pipeline, not in the SEVP portal

Students in this situation have a  few options: (a) apply, be accepted to and start a new degree program to maintain F-1 status; (b) in the case of lack of flights out of the US, students should contact their embassy/consulate and see if they are chartering planes to return citizens to their country; or (c) contact an immigration attorney to discuss the possibility of applying for a change of status.

Yes, it is fine for students to work from home while on CPT, if that measure was approved by their employer. Students must still abide by the policies outlined by their approved CPT as listed in their Handshake application. Students should speak directly with their employer if they have questions or concerns in regards to their health and safety.

The CPT I-20 indicates whether students are approved for part-time or full-time CPT. If students are authorized for part-time CPT but their employer asks them to work more than 20 hours/week, students should speak to their CDS advisor about updating their Handshake application and getting a new I-20 for full-time CPT.

No. Be aware of scams saying that USCIS has changed their policy and now allows students to work off campus without authorization. That is not the case. Students MUST secure proper authorization (CPT, OPT, etc.) BEFORE they engage in off-campus employment.

Economic hardship employment is available for F-1 students who had an unexpected change in their financial condition that was due to some very specific reasons. The loss of a job that is not listed in the financial information on their  I-20 (such as CPT or working on campus in an office, the bookstore, dining hall, etc.) is not a valid reason to qualify for economic hardship. Please review more information on our website. Students who meet the criteria for economic hardship should contact their international student advisor to discuss their situations.

Furlough means that an employee was given a mandatory time off from work with no pay but with the assurance from the employer that the job will resume at some point in the future. According to SEVP, if a student’s employer considers him/her to remain employed, the student does not need to report unemployment in the SEVP Portal or the NJIT Pipeline. Neither the student’s work authorization nor F-1 status will be affected by a furlough. 

Yes. Current students’ SEVIS records remain active while they are abroad, as long as they take a full course load, and they will be eligible for practical training (CPT or OPT), assuming they meet all other requirements. Students beginning their programs outside of the US in the fall 2020 semester do not have F-1 status so their count toward the one-year requirement will start in the spring semester if they come to campus in F-1 status in January 2021.

USCIS requires students to have a US address when applying for OPT. Students who have questions about this should contact their international student advisor.

No. When students complete their degree requirements, they cannot continue taking classes, delay their graduation or request a program extension. However, even when students have graduated, they are still eligible to use CDS resources to help with job hunting.