Welcome to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Spotlight, a quarterly newsletter for the academic community that includes important program news, seasonal reminders, and updates relevant to the international student life cycle. As of July 2020, SEVP Spotlight consists of an update from the SEVP director.

Director's Corner

Save These Reporting Resources for You and Your International Students 

As you settle into a new school year, I hope these resources help you and your international students meet your reporting requirements. First, make sure to save the Maintaining Accurate SEVIS Records page on Study in the States for an overview of your student and school record-keeping requirements. Study in the States also of course houses the SEVIS Help Hub, with in-depth guides to help you navigate the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Save the new SEVIS Help Hub User Guide to navigate the SEVIS Help Hub’s resources.

For those of you with F-1 students interested in participating in optional practical training (OPT), there are a few new and updated resources to help them meet their requirements. The new Applying for Practical Training page, created in coordination with our partners at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, overviews the initial steps that students should take if interested in participating in any form of practical training. SEVP also recently updated the Form I-983, “Training Plan for STEM OPT Students,” to remove language requiring wet signatures. Designated school officials are encouraged to upload the Form I-983 when updating SEVIS with an event that requires a new or revised Form I-983, but this is optional.

Lastly, I also wanted to share SEVP's operating status in the event of a government shutdown. SEVP is funded entirely by fees charged to international students and SEVP-certified schools and continues to operate in the event of a government shutdown. Please continue normal engagement with the SEVP Response Center and SEVP field representatives, as needed. Note that a government shutdown would affect many of SEVP’s government partner agencies and other entities within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Respectfully, 

Rachel Canty