FAQs | International Student Services Guidebook | BYU-Idaho

International Student Services

# Frequently Asked Questions

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## New/Prospective Students

Visit the Admissions site for information on how to apply to BYU-Idaho.

There are scholarships available for International students to apply, Visit the Financial Aid site for information regarding financial aid and scholarships.

Visit the Housing Search page for help finding housing.

You should begin looking for potential housing options after you have accepted your admission to BYU-Idaho. However, you should not purchase any housing contracts until you have received your I-20 and your F-1 visa.

Before you can receive your I-20 you must first be accepted to BYU-Idaho. Once you have accepted your offer, you will need to apply for an I-20 through Sunapsis. Only after you have completed all requirements can you receive an I-20.

You can apply for your I-20 through the Application for Form I-20 on Sunapsis. Keep in mind that you will not have access to this form until you have accepted your admission to BYU-Idaho.

Now that you have your I-20, you should pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee and prepare for your visa interview. Set up an interview with the U.S. embassy closest to you. *Canadians do not need a visa appointment, once you pay your SEVIS fee, make housing arraignments.

If you have been issued a new I-20 with a new SEVIS number, you are required to pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee. You do not need to pay the fee if your I-20 has been extended or transferred to or from another university. See the I-901 SEVIS Fee page for more information about how to pay.

See the I-901 SEVIS Fee page for more information about how to pay.

You will need to set up a visa appointment with the nearest U.S. embassy. There will be additional information on the embassy website about how to apply for a nonimmigrant visa.

If your visa has been denied or delayed, you should contact International Services as soon as possible. Your start date may have to be pushed to a future semester. International Services will coordinate efforts with you to make you a new I-20 if needed. 
 
If you already made travel or housing arrangements and your visa has been delayed or denied, you should cancel those as soon as possible if you will be unable to begin school on your original start date.

To check in with International Services, you should fill out the New Student Check-In form on Sunapsis. You will need to provide information regarding your travel as well as your personal phone number and U.S. address.

When do I register? 
How do I register?

## Immigration/Travel

If you are traveling in and out of the U.S. you should always carry your passport, visa (if applicable), and your I-20. You will need to get your I-20 signed by a DSO on page two for a travel endorsement so that you can reenter the U.S.

If you do not have the correct documentation or a valid signature you may be denied entry to the U.S. If you are admitted into the U.S., you will likely be issued an I-515A document.

You can remain in the U.S. on an expired visa. If you travel outside the U.S. on an expired visa you will need to renew it before reentering the U.S.

If you have lost your passport/visa or had it stolen, you should file a police report as soon as possible. You can do this by going to the local police station. Once you have done that, contact your embassy in the U.S. to find out how to get a new passport/visa.

If you want to go home and are not sure when you will be back in the U.S. or if you would like to withdraw from school, you should request to meet with an International Student Advisor in the International Services office to discuss your options.

## Employment/Taxes/Financial

If you are looking for on campus employment, be sure to check out the student job board.

You cannot work off-campus without permission from International Services in the form of a new I-20. You can only work off-campus in a job that is related to your major, while taking academic credit for the job, and after receiving authorization from International Services. (somehow add that you can do it under CPT and OPT but then have it linked).

CPT stands for Curricular Practical Training and is a work authorization available to students who would like to do an internship. You can apply for an internship through IPlan. Before you can apply for the internship, you must have a job offer. The job must be related to your major and must fulfill all internship requirements. Once you have applied for the internship, it must be approved by your faculty coordinator and International Services. When applying for your internship, you should apply several weeks in advance as you cannot begin working without a new I-20 from International Services.

OPT stands for Optional Practical Training and is a work authorization available to graduated students. This allows you to work for 1-3 years in the U.S. after graduation in jobs that relate to your major. You can apply for this in your last semester through Sunapsis. Additional information on OPT can be found here. For more information about OPT, see the OPT STEM Extension page.

You can only receive a social security number if you have a job, and you are required to have a social security number once you have a job. If you receive a job on campus, you will need to take the paperwork provided by HR and signed by a DSO along with your immigration documents to the Social Security Office in Idaho Falls.

You may begin working before receiving your social security number. Questions regarding this should be directed to Human Resources.

Yes, all international students are required to file and pay taxes for the period of time that they were in the US.

No, unfortunately, not all services are able to file taxes for International Students. Please be mindful when picking the service.

A deposit is only refunded if you have graduated, are withdrawing from school, leaving on a mission, or transferring schools. Once you have filled out the Deposit Refund Request form, you will be contacted by the Accounting office to discuss your refund details.

## Enrollment/Student Status

Full enrollment means being registered for a minimum of 12 credits. Only one class or three credits of online coursework count toward the required 12 credits.

You are required by law to be enrolled in 12 credits for two semesters out of the year. Generally, the two semesters are your on-track semesters. If you wish to not be fully enrolled during an on-track semester you could apply for an annual break, but only if you were fully enrolled during your flex semester. if you feel you have extenuating circumstances, please follow this link schedule an appointment with an advisor.

Yes, you can take classes during your flex track. You can take as little or as many classes as you want. You can apply for an override through Admissions to register for classes before the semester starts.

During your flex track, you are not required to be in a full course load. If you would like to take less than a full course load during an on-track semester, there are different circumstances that would permit you to do so. Please follow this link schedule an appointment with an advisor.

During your On-Track semester, you are required to take 12 credits. A minimum of 9 on campus credits is mandatory, the other 3 can be from online classes. 

- The only exception to this, is if you are taking a 4 credit online class, in that case, you are only required to take 8 on campus credits, as the rule is 3 online credits, or 1 online class

If you changed your major, you will be issued a new I-20 from International Services. Be sure to check your BYU-Idaho email address to be notified.

When you leave for your mission your I-20 will be terminated for Authorized Early Withdrawal. You should apply for a missionary deferment with admissions to keep your spot with the school. Because your I-20 will be terminated, you will need to apply for a new I-20 before continuing your studies at BYU-Idaho.

If you want to go home and are not sure when you will be back in the U.S. or if you would like to withdraw from school, you should contact the International Services office and schedule a meeting with an advisor to discuss the steps.

If you need additional time to complete your degree, you can apply for an I-20 Extension through Sunapsis. You will need to provide a copy of your grad plan and resolve any holds on your account.

When you get married, either to a U.S. citizen or an international student, your status will not change automatically. 

- If you are getting married to a US citizen and are applying for a Green card, once you have been approved and have received your green card, contact our office and we can change your status on our records.

As an international student it is their responsibility that you have to find your own sponsor.

## E-Forms/Requests

If you need a new I-20 because yours was misplaced, lost, stolen damaged, etc. you can apply for a Replacement I-20 through Sunapsis. International Services will contact you when your new I-20 is ready.

You can start applying for OPT during your last semester at BYU-Idaho. You can start the application by filling out the OPT Request form in Sunapsis. The form will have additional information you need to submit an application to USCIS. You will also receive emails from the International Services office regarding OPT and when to apply.

## Family

Yes, family members or friends may visit you while you are in the U.S.

As an international student it is their responsibility that you have to find your own sponsor.