Status
F-1 STATUS
If you are admitted to SUNY ESF and have satisfied the financial certification requirement through submission of the FSA-4 form and evidence of financial resources, or if you receive an assistantship sponsored by SUNY ESF or the Research Foundation of SUNY, you will be sent an I-20 form for an F-1 student visa. F-1 student status will allow you to study at ESF for the duration of the visa as long as you are a properly registered full-time student. F-1 status allows students to work part-time in on-campus jobs and to work in a "practical training" jobs directly related to their field of studies for 12 months during or after the completion of studies.
A spouse and dependent children of F-1 students hold F-2 status and will be permitted to come to the U.S. provided the holder of the F-1 visa demonstrates that there are sufficient financial resources for support of dependents. A person with the F-2 visa may not work in the U.S. or matriculate in a degree program.
FULL-TIME STUDENT STATUS
To maintain full-time status at the undergraduate level, a student must register for at least 12 credit hours during a semester. An undergraduate student may register for more than 18 credits during a semester with permission from the student’s academic advisor.
Graduate students who are not awarded an assistantship are considered full-time if they are registered for at least 12 credits each semester. Graduate students who hold assistantships and/or tuition scholarships must be in a full-time status each semester while holding such an award. Usually registration for nine credits equates to full-time status for a student holding an assistantship.
Master’s students who have met all academic requirements except for their thesis defense or an examination, and all doctoral candidates (i.e., those who have successfully completed their doctoral candidacy examination) will be considered full time if they are registered for at least one credit of thesis/dissertation research, professional experience or independent study, and have their major professor verify in writing they are working full time on the completion of degree requirements.
For the summer, graduate students will be considered full time if registered for at least one credit of thesis/dissertation research, professional experience, or independent study and have their major professor verify in writing they are working full time on the completion of degree requirements.
J-1 STUDENT STATUS
J-1 student status is obtained with the DS-2019and allows students to remain in the U.S. for the duration of their full-time academic programs. To be eligible for the J-1 student visa a substantial portion of financial support must be from a scholarship, fellowship or assistantship from an external funding source, typically a government agency, LASPAU, Institute for International Education (IIE), Rotary International, or another international agency. J-1 status permit students to work on-campus and work in an "academic training" job for 18 months during and/or after the completion of studies with prior permission from the J-1 sponsor. Students who hold the J-1 student visa may bring a spouse and children to the U.S. if there are sufficient financial resources for their support. The spouse and dependent children of a J-1 student hold J-2 status and can usually obtain permission from USCIS to work in the U.S.
F-1 vs. J-1 STATUS
SUNY ESF students are eligible for the F-1 student visa. Students with only personal or family funding are NOT eligible for J-1 status. Please review the information about the two statuses carefully, as there are important differences. If you are eligible for and prefer to have J-1 student status, please inform SUNY ESF immediately at esfgrad@esf.edu.
J-1 SCHOLAR STATUS
The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is administered under the direction of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Each college or university’s Exchange Visitor Program designates an individual or individuals as the University staff responsible for the administration of the particular J-1 program. The contact person for J-1 scholars at SUNY-ESF is Dr. Edwin White. J-1 scholars are admitted for a specific period of time to engage in a particular research or teaching activity, as described on the DS-2019 form.
MAINTAINING STATUS
To maintain lawful J-1 status be sure to adhere to the following guidelines:
- The expiration date of your status is not the visa expiration date -- it is the ending date in section 3 of the DS-2019 form. If the research appointment is extended, the hiring faculty must contact the RO before the expiration date to have the DS-2019 form extended.
- Do not accept unauthorized employment at SUNY ESF or another institution. The only activity permitted is the one described in section 4 of the DS-2019 form.
- Comply with the United States Information Agency’s (USIA) health insurance requirements for J-1 visa holders and their families. Willful disregard of these requirements will result in termination of the research program and J-1 status.
- Keep a valid passport. Passports can be renewed at consulates in New York or Boston. For information about the nearest consulate contact Embassy.org or the U.S. Department of State.
