Questions from Designated School Officials is a blog series on Study in the States for designated school officials (DSOs). Each month, we will answer a question that will help you advise your F and/or M students. If you are a DSO and would like to submit a question, you can email us or ask us via social media, your Field Representative or the SEVP Response Center. We may edit questions for clarity and consistency and may not feature all submissions on Study in the States.

Question: Should the school owner, president or CEO have access to SEVIS?

Answer: School representatives complete the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” to apply for Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification. This form requires school officials to provide information on school leadership, such as the president or chief executive officer. While you must provide all of the requested information to apply for certification, these officials will not necessarily have access to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

A school’s principal designated school official (PDSO) and designated school officials (DSOs) use SEVIS to access and update school and student information. A PDSO or DSO can be anyone who works directly for the school and is either a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. School officials must add these people to the school’s profile to have access to SEVIS. SEVP-certified schools can nominate an appropriate number of DSOs based on the school’s specific needs. Read more about this in the Adjustments to Designated School Official Limits Frequently Asked Questions.

SEVP only grants access to SEVIS after reviewing the individual the school officials designated as the school’s representative to the government. The school officials who complete the Form I-17 may designate the owner, president or CEO as PDSO or DSO. All must understand and follow SEVP regulations.

If you have questions about using SEVIS, you can call the SEVIS Help Desk at 800-892-4829 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET or e-mail SEVISHelpdesk@ice.dhs.gov.