Office of Global Education

The primary purpose of an F-1 visa, is for students to study in the United States. All F-1 students are required to take a full course load each academic term. The University of Redlands confirms every term that all F-1 students are fully enrolled. A full course load varies based on the academic program you are enrolled in. A full course load for:

• • CAS undergraduate students is 12 credits per semester
  • SBS undergraduate students is 12 credits per semester
  • SBS graduate students is 8 credits per semester
  • SOE graduate students is 8 credits per semester
  • GST graduate students is 8 credits per semester

All F-1 students are only eligible to take a maximum of one course per term online. All other coursework must be completed in-person.

Yes, F-1 students may be able to take a course at a community college or a summer course at another university while enrolled and getting their degree at Redlands. This is called concurrent enrollment. Students would need to meet with a OISS team member to discuss their possibilities and next steps. The college/university where the student plans to take classes would need to be a SEVIS approved school and the student would be expected to take a class or two, not receive a degree. Since the University of Redlands is the institution who issued the student’s I-20, approval would be needed and a letter would be issued to the other institution outlining that the student is in active status at Redlands and granting permission to the other institution for the student to enroll in pre-determined coursework.

If a student wishes to get a degree from another institution, the student would need to transfer.

A transfer of a student’s SEVIS record needs to occur in the following situations:

• When a student transfers from Redlands to another institution to complete their degree
• When an active student completes their current degree and gets accepted to a masters/PhD/etc. program at another institution
• When an active student on OPT gets accepted to another univerity’s degree program.

Any student considering a transfer must be in communication with the OISS team. To initiate a transfer out from Redlands, the OISS team will need:

• Written confirmation of your acceptance to the other institution
• SEVIS code for the other institution
• Date to release your SEVIS record to the other institution

For students transferring before they complete their degree at Redlands they should be in touch with their academic advisors and also complete any University of Redlands withdrawal procedures.

F-1 students can take a leave of absence (authorized early withdrawal) due to a family emergency, personal matter or another circumstance that requires the student to leave the US prior to their program’s completion. Authorized early withdrawals are not needed for planned academic breaks (summer break for programs that do not run year round breaks between semesters, etc.).

There are guidelines as to how a student requests an authorized early withdrawal. Students must:

1. Contact the OISS Office to discuss their options.
2. Speak to their academic advisor and complete the LOA process for their school/college
3. Complete OISS’s Leave of Absence from the University of Redlands by F-1 Student Form and submit it to OISS (oiss@redlands.edu).
4. Make their request prior to withdrawing from class or departing the US. If a student requests an authorized early withdrawal after the first day of classes, the student must currently be enrolled full-time for the term they are requesting a leave of absence from to be in status and granted an authorized early withdrawal.

Once granted an authorized early withdrawal, a student’s status in SEVIS will be terminated for Authorized Early Withdrawal. Students must then depart the country within 15 days. If a student does not depart within 15 days they will be in violation of their student visa status and this may have negative implications on their ability to reenter the US and/or apply for another visa.

Depending on how long a student is on leave, makes a difference as to how/when a student can return to the US.

For leaves of less than 5 months the following applies.

OISS can request that your SEVIS account be reactivated. The earliest OISS can request reactivation is 60 days before the start a student’s returning term. If your account is reactivated, the earliest a student can re-enter the US is 30 days before the start of classes. Students should not attempt to re-enter the US before receiving confirmation from OISS that their SEVIS reactivation was approved. If students attempt to enter without approval, they will be denied entry.

A SEVIS reactivation will allow a student to use their current I-20 to re-enter the US and if approved, they will keep the same SEVIS ID number and record, with continuous F-1 status. If a student’s F-1 visa stamp is valid, they can use it for re-entry. However, if a student’s F-1 visa stamp is expired, they will need to apply for a new visa.

Students should contact OISS up to 60 days before their planned return to Redlands and provide the OISS office with the following information:

• Proof of full-time enrollment for upcoming academic term
• Copy of flight itinerary

Upon receipt of these materials, OISS will submit a request to have the student’s SEVIS record returned to active status. This may take 2-3 weeks, so do not delay in contacting OISS. Reactivation requests are adjudicated by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). If a student’s reactivation request is denied, they must apply for a new I-20 and F-1 visa to re-enter the US. If approved, OISS will notify the student once their record has been returned to active status, and they may apply for your visa and/or return to the US.

For a leave of absence for more than 5 months, the process is different.

For leaves of more than 5 months, students are required to get a new SEVIS ID and I-20 and are also obligated to pay the SEVIS fee again.

Once a student has been readmitted to Redlands and the OISS has received the following work on the issuance of a new I-20 can begin:

• Proof that the student has completed the return from leave of absence process at Redlands/been readmitted to the U of R
• A copy of the photo and information page of the passport
• Proof of sufficient funding for the academic program that is less than six months old

If a student needs to apply for a new visa (if the current F-1 visa is expired or will expire before a student returns to the US) they must obtain a new F-1 visa) and the issuance of the new I-20 must be done before the visa appointment.

If a student’s F-1 visa is still valid at the time of re-entry, current Dept of State and SEVP guidance indicates that students do not need to apply for a new, regardless of length of time outside the United States.  Because a new SEVIS record with a new SEVIS number is created for the student in this situation, the SEVIS ID associated with the student’s previous visa will not match their new I-20. Students should be aware that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has occasionally been inconsistent in their treatment of students re-entering with an old visa and a new I-20 with new SEVIS ID. We recommend that students print current SEVP guidance and travel with it, in case they face any issues.

On-campus employment is when a student is employed by the University of Redlands or a company that provides services directly to students on campus (Harvest Table).

F-1 students are allowed to work on campus without approval from the OISS team. J-1 students do require written permission from OISS to work on campus.

Students can find on-campus employment opportunities in the student employee portal (found in My Redlands or self-service https://myredlandsapps.redlands.edu/StudentEmployment/).  Once offered a position, students must complete the proper paperwork with Human Resources. International students who do not have a Social Security number may need to apply for one. See information in the Social Security section for instructions on how to complete that process.

Curricular Practical Training is an opportunity for students to gain important professional experience through a placement that is an integral part of an established curriculum and must be directly related to a student’s major area of study.  It may be defined as: alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education or other type of internship or practicum (required or optional). CPT placements are always associated with a credit-bearing course that requires students to draw on their placements to deepen their learning within their degree program. CPT is authorized through the Office of Global Education.

Eligibility Guidelines to apply for CPT:

• F-1 undergraduate students: must have completed at least one academic year in a degree granting program with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and be enrolled full-time. Undergraduate students may pursue part-time work if internships are a requirement of their program of study.
• F-1 graduate students: must have completed two academic terms with a minimum 3.0 GPA and be enrolled full-time. Graduate students enrolled in a one-year program are only eligible for part-time CPT (20 hours per week).
• No exceptions to these policies will be made.

If at any time, the student’s GPA drops below the requirement, their employment status may be jeopardized and they may need to forfeit their position.

• CPT authorization will not extend beyond the completion date of the student’s degree. CPT authorization is for one semester at a time.
• School of Business and Society students authorized for CPT will simultaneously enroll for independent study credits (in School of Business, either BUAD 475 or BUAD 675), which will require them to integrate their CPT into their programs of study.  This section will be supervised by a faculty member, and will be evaluated as Credit/No Credit.  Students performing part-time CPT need to register for one credit per semester, while full-time CPT placement requires two credits per semester.  Students may be renewed for CPT each new term.  School of Business students may renew their CPT each semester.  Renewal of CPT authorization is contingent upon the student's performance in the prior term's coursework (including the Practical Training course) and on the continued alignment of CPT placement and the degree program.  
• Undergraduate and Graduate Students in CAS.  Undergraduate students will be approved for CPT during the academic year only when they are enrolled in a program of study with an embedded and required internship or practicum.  College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate students must register for departmental internships to integrate their CPT into their program of study.  This section will be supervised by a faculty member, and will be evaluated as Credit/No Credit. School of Performing Arts students are eligible for CPT for performance or arts instruction with the support of faculty and with proper notation on their Form I-20.
• Otherwise, during the academic year, CAS undergraduate students may only work on campus or, in extreme cases, may be considered for Economic Hardship.  CAS students are additionally eligible for CPT during the summer following their junior year if accompanied by an enrolled internship.  

CPT application Process

• Download the CPT application form 
• Find a position with an employer that will directly relate to the program of study.  Students must obtain CPT authorization before beginning employment. Working prior to obtaining authorization is a violation of the student’s immigration status. Students are not permitted to begin work prior to starting the term.
• Complete the student portion of the CPT application form and secure the following materials:
  • Job/Intern Offer Letter on official company letterhead that includes: start/end date, position title, employment status, indicate number of work hours per week (part time up to 20 hours per week or full-time more than 20 hours per week), company contact information (address, phone number, supervisor name and contact information)
  • Copy of job description with specific job duties on official company letterhead
  • Letter of support from the student’s faculty sponsor (can be CAS undergraduate faculty advisor or graduate-level program coordinator).
• Submit your signed CPT application and required supplemental documents (job/intern offer, job description, letters of support from academic advisor/faculty sponsor for internship course) to ISS@redlands.edu.

Authorization by the Office of Global Education

The Office of Global Education authorizes CPT after verification that a student meets the eligibility requirements for CPT, has an appropriate job offer, and has support from the faculty that the CPT experience is integral to the student's program of study. The authorization is placed on the second page of the I-20; no Employment Authorization Document from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services is required. **Please allow 5 - 7 business days for CPT processing once submitted**

Maintaining student status during CPT

While you are completing authorized CPT, you must maintain your F-1 lawful status each semester. This includes:

• Reporting address or telephone number changes to ISS@redlands.edu within 10 days.
• Maintaining full-time enrollment status in your academic program.

Requesting Changes after CPT Authorization

CPT is approved for a specific employer, location of employment and time period. You must request approval for any changes two weeks before extending your current CPT end date, working at a different location or for a new employer. Completing new forms and obtaining new authorization is necessary.

Effect on Optional Practical Training (OPT)

F-1 students with 365 days or more of full-time CPT are not eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Accumulating part-time CPT has no effect on OPT eligibility. Part-time CPT is classified as 20 hours per week or less. Full-time CPT is classified as more than 20 hours per week.