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Visas and Regulations

Pre-Arrival - Obtaining an F-1 Visa:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's bureau that oversees all non-immigrant international visitors to the U.S. International students needing a student visa to study at KSU must apply for an F-1 visa through ICE's Student Exchange Visitor Program's web-based information system (SEVIS). Currently KSU is authorized to issue I-20s, which is the core document that tells a U.S. Embassy or Consular Officer that a person should be issued an F-1 student visa.

International students seeking an undergraduate degree at KSU, must go through the B.R.E.D.S Office application process to gain admission and provide the necessary information to secure an F-1 student visa. Below is an overview of the steps and procedures required for international students, but more complete information is available at the following website: http://kysu.edu/administration-governance/student-affairs/admissions/international-students

1. At the time of applying to the University, in addition to submitting all required admissions application materials, international students are required to also show evidence of the ability to meet their college expenses. KSU must have this information before the Office of the Registrar can issue a Form I-20. Verification of the student's ability to pay is conducted through the Financial Certificate and receipt of original copies of information from the student's family, or student's sponsor's bank. Evidence of any award of a full scholarship or similar financial aid covering tuition, room, and board must also be part of the financial information provided.
2. Once the student has been admitted, demonstrated the ability to pay, and shown that he or she complies with all federal requirements, KSU will send the student, via international courier, an admission packet with the admission letter, information about the university, the Form I-20, and any other relevant documentation.
3. After the student receives the Form I-20, an interview appointment at the closest U.S. Embassy or Consul in his or her country of residence should be arranged. At this appointment the U.S. consular official will either grant or deny an F-1 visa.

Post-Arrival: Maintaining Status - Once the student has been issued an F-1 visa and arrives on campus, KSU's Registrar's Office is responsible for ensuring the student remains in status according to his or her visa as well as maintaining up-to-date information on the student in the SEVIS database.

Immediately upon arrival on campus students should report to the Office of the Registrar. In addition to issuing I-20s, KSU, via OOA, is required to report the enrollment of F-1 students every semester. Also, OOA must report in SEVIS current students that fail to enroll, maintain status, or complete their program. Schools are currently required to monitor records of the student's name, date and place of birth, country of citizenship, address, status, date of commencement of studies, degree program and field of study, practical training, termination date and reason, documents related to the student's admission, the number of credits completed per semester, and a copy of the I-20.

All this information resides in the SEVIS database rather than solely as hard files at each school. Under current federal regulations, even minor status violations (e.g., failing to inform ICE of change of major or failure to process a timely transfer) could result in loss of future employment authorization eligibility, the opportunity to return to the US after a visit abroad, or even possible deportation.

The student must check in with the Office of Admissions at the beginning of each semester to verify information in SEVIS and verify his or her program of studies timeline. In order to keep students informed of these important

2021-2022 KSU UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG