Community Voices is a Study in the States guest blog series where we invite members of the international student community to share their insights with our audience. If you have interest in contributing to our blog, send us an email at SEVPCommunications@ice.dhs.gov. 

For the first post in our new guest blog series, Community Voices, we invited Bronwen Watts, the principal designated school official (PDSO) at the Virginia Tech National Capital Region Graduate School, to answer five questions to help new F-1 students prepare to study at a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified college or university. 

Ms. Watts supports nearly 150 international students and scholars each year. She works within the larger Virginia Tech university system that has five SEVP-certified campuses, with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia hosting over 3,000 international students.

1. What resources are available to me on campus?

There are a lot of things for new international students to take care of once they arrive in the United States, and it is sometimes difficult to remember everything. Your designated school official (DSO) and international office are there to help, so reach out to them if you have any questions. A DSO, sometimes also called an international student advisor, is a dedicated employee at your SEVP-certified school whose responsibility is to assist and oversee enrolled F and M students. 

Many international student services offices will also arrange orientation and other activities to help you get settled once you arrive at school. This is often a great time to meet other international students and make friends, not to mention get useful information, before the semester begins. Check and see what activities are offered by your international student services office at the start of the semester, as well as what programming and activities they offer throughout the year.

2. When will I first meet my DSO?

Your first meeting with your DSO may be when you check-in at school. If you are a new student, this needs to be done no later than 30 days after your program start date, and likely needs to be completed sooner depending on your school’s class schedule. It is a good idea to check-in right away when you arrive. Some schools may have designated check-in days for new students, while others may allow walk-ins. You should check with your DSO to see what documents you should bring to the check-in. At a minimum when you check-in, bring your:

• Passport. 
• Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.”
• Form I-94, “Arrival/Departure Record.”

Returning students don’t need to check-in in person, but your DSO needs to know that you are present and enrolled in courses each term or semester. 

3. What are the most important things for me to remember while I am an F-1 student in the United States?

It is most important to know what you must do to maintain your student status while you are here. Maintaining your status means that you have to:

• Make sure you enroll full time, each semester, in the program (degree level and major) listed on your Form I-20. 
• Talk with your DSO if you have difficulties with your coursework and you do not think you can maintain a full course load. 
• Understand what options might be available for you to work in the United States if you want to earn money while you are a student. On-campus employment is limited to 20 hours per week and you cannot work off-campus without prior authorization! 
• Check with your DSO about volunteer/unpaid work to see if it requires authorization.
• Keep your Form I-20 and passport valid at all times.
• Update your international student services office of any address change within 10 days.

If you need to make any changes to your academic status—change in degree level, change of major, you need a program extension, you withdraw or are suspended, you plan to transfer to another school—contact your DSO. Your SEVIS record will need to be updated and your DSO may reissue your Form I-20. 

4. What should I do if I have questions about my immigration status or have a problem on campus?

Visit the website of your international student services office for information about F-1 status issues, and meet with or email your DSO if you have questions. You should not rely on your friends or even your academic advisor for advice related to your F-1 status! If you experience problems, get in some kind of legal or academic trouble, or have other concerns, you should also see your DSO. Do not wait until the problem is serious, because you might be limiting your options. 

5. What should I do if I need or want to travel abroad while I am in status?

If you travel abroad while you are in F-1 status and you plan to re-enter the U.S., it is important that you request a travel signature from your DSO on your Form I-20 before departing the United States. This will help you to avoid receiving a Form I-515A, “Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor,” from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection when you arrive at a U.S. port of entry. If you are issued a Form I-515A upon your return to the United States, get in touch with your DSO or international student services office immediately.

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