Current F-1 and J-1 Students
Maintaining Status
To maintain your status as an international student, you must consistently fulfill the requirements of your visa. We've compiled those requirements below.
Course Load Requirements
To maintain F-1 and J-1 status, federal immigration regulations require students must be enrolled full-time for all quarters listed on the I-20/DS-2019, with exception of the vacation quarter.
Address Update Requirement
All students in F-1 or J-1 status are required by law to report any address change to the Office of International Affairs (OIA) within 10 days of any change.
Maintain Valid Documents
While you are a student, you are required by law to keep all of your immigration documents up to date.
Program Extension of I-20 or DS-2019
The program end date on your I-20 or DS-2019 should always reflect when you are going to finish registration
Leave of Absence and Withdrawal
Your F-1/J-1 status is based on your full-time enrollment. If you are not going be enrolled in courses full-time, you will need to take some kind of immigration action and must notify our office as soon as possible.
Adding a Dependent
Dependents of F-1 or J-1 students include spouses and children, and dependents are allowed to stay in the U.S. in F-2 or J-2 status for the duration of the F-1 or J-1 student's study, including any post-completion OPT/AT time.
Other Visa Statues Permitting Study
If you are already in the U.S. with sponsorship from a different school, employer, or other entity, it may be possible for you to take courses at UChicago in your current status without changing sponsorship.
Learn More About Other StatusesTravel
Visit our Travel page for key information needed for international students to travel abroad and resources for the families of students planning a visit to the U.S.
Visit Travel PageEmployment and Work Authorization
You will need authorization for whatever work or practical training you do, whether paid or unpaid. You must have authorization before you start any position.
View Employment Resources for International StudentsThere are several different types of work authorization available for F-1 and J-1 students. Some work authorization types do not require additional approval/permission from our office; some require work authorization that takes three months to obtain through the government. The type of work authorization you need depends on the type of job you have, so it is important to understand your options ahead of time. Read more about each type of work authorization below.
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Optional Practical Training (OPT)
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Academic Training (AT)
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More Helpful Links
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OIA services/Contacting your OIA international student adviser
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International Student Funding Options (link coming soon)
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Life at UChicago (banking, housing, transportation, etc.)