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: Are contractors eligible to be DSOs?

Answer: No. DSOs must be a regularly employed member of the SEVP-certified school’s administration. An owner, principal or president of a school ultimately is not responsible for the actions of a contractor because the contractor is not a direct employee of the school. Therefore, a contractor may not be a DSO or principal designated school official (PDSO). However, school officials may hire a third-party company (contractor) to complete other tasks related to their international students.

Also, note that a DSO must be a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States. For more information on who can be a DSO, read here.

If you have any questions about who is eligible to be a DSO for your school, contact the SEVP Response Center at 703-603-3400 or sevp@ice.dhs.gov.