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Information for International Students

Pre-Arrival Information

Once you've decided on Luther as your first choice, you will be asked to pay a non-refundable $250 enrollment deposit. Upon its receipt, the International Admissions Office will send you a packet of information, forms, and other documents. It is very important that you complete the forms and return them to Luther College by the deadlines requested.

Among the documents in the packet, you will find health forms, information about immunizations, health insurance application, travel arrangements form, and information about New International Student Orientation. It is extremely important that you arrive on campus in time for orientation. This is the time when you learn vital things about living in the United States, get help opening a bank account, register for classes, and much more.

The most important documents in your packet will be your I-20 form. International Admissions will also send you a I-901 form  which is your SEVIS receipt. You will need to take both forms to the embassy to apply for an F-1 Student Visa. The packet also contains tip for a successful consular visit.

How to Apply for Your Student Visa

Once you receive your I-20 form, you will need to make an appointment with the U.S. Embassy or Consular Office in your home country. The International Student Coordinator, Amy Webber (webberam@luther.edu) can offer some advice, but the final word on visa issues should be found at the United States Department of State

To find out more about the visa process in your own country and locations of consular offices, refer to the U.S Dept. of State site for Embassies. Additional assistance for planning your education in the U.S. can be found at the Overseas Advising Centers in your country.

Financial Concerns

Paying Your Bill at Luther College

As a student, you will have interactions with the Office For Financial Services, including the following services to help you manage your student account:

• Posting of charges (examples: tuition and fees) and credits (examples: financial aid and payments) to your account.
• Preparing and mailing your student statement of account.
• Providing services to students and families if specific questions arise about any aspect of the student account.
• Establish a work credit plan, an arrangement through which your work-study earnings are credited against your tuition and fee balance.
• Establish a monthly payment plan.
• Manage your financial affairs, such as cashing checks, safegaurding your cash in our student bank, and accepting payments via wire transfers.

Managing Your Money

Students are strongly urged to bring traveler's checks and not to carry large amounts of cash. You should, however, have some cash for emergencies while traveling. ATMs use a credit card or bank card to obtain cash. Most ATMs in the US will accept credit or bank cards with the "PLUS", "Cirrus", "NCE",or "Yankee 24" logo.

The Diversity Center will assist new international students in opening a bank account, whether a checking or savings, and provide instruction as requested, in how to balance and maintain your account(s).

International Students and Immigration Issues

As an international student, you have both benefits and obligations associated with your visa status. The regulations attached to F-1 and J-1 visas will differ somewhat, so it is important to understand your particular visa category and how to maintain your student status.

F-1 Student Status

The majority of Luther's international students come to the U.S on an F-1 student visa. An F-1 student is a nonimmigrant who is pursuing a 'full course of study' towards a specific educational or professional objective, at an academic institution in the United States", approved by the Department of Homeland Security. "Once the educational or professional objectives have been attained, the F-1 student is expected by the U.S government to return to his or her residence abroad."

A student obtains F-1 status using a Form I-20, issued by Luther's International Admissions Office (a DHS approved school). If you are in your home country you will then take the form I-20 to the nearest embassy or consulate to apply for the F-1 Student visa. If you are in the U.S., and transferring from another DHS approved school, a transfer I-20 will be issued. If you are in the U.S. under another visa status, Luther can help you apply for a change of visa status.

The Department of Homeland Security is the government body regulating all matters related to immigration. Effective March 1, 2003, the functions of the former INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) were moved into 3 Bureaus within the Department of Homeland Security.

• USCIS - The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is now responsible for most of the applications and petition adjudications that had been done ny INS. These would include change of non-immigrant status, authorization for off-campus work programs, reinstatement to status, etc.
  
• USICE - The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is responsible for immigration investigations, detention, removal, intelligence and SEVIS.
  
• USCBP - The United States Customs and Border Protection is responsible for immigration inspections at U.S. ports of entry, for the Border patrol, and for the Customs Service.

SEVIS

SEVIS is the database operated under the SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program), designed to allow the collection of information regarding foreign students and exchange visitors in the United States. All F-1 student I-20's and J-1 scholar DS-2019's are issued through the SEVIS database.

The school and the student both have responsibilities for reporting information in a timely fashion (see time restrictions below) to the DHS, either through SEVIS or individually. The following section(s) describe the respective responsibilities with regard to reporting information and maintaning student status. Being out of status has serious implications, including the possibility of not being able to finish your program. Please refer to the Luther Diversity Center Student Services on how To Maintain Student Status.

SEVIS Reporting/Updating Requirements
The following information must be reported to the DSO so that it can be entered into your SEVIS record.

• U.S. Mailing Address Change: Notify the DSO (Designated School Official) in the Diversity Center (Amy Webber - webberam@luther.edu) of any change of address within 10 days of the change. Pick up the AR-11 form outside of the Diversity Center office or download the form AR-11 through this link: http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11.htm
  
  For student subject to NSEERS (National Security Entry/Exit Registration System), also known as "special registration":
  
  1. Like all international students, you must notify the DSO aboiut your change of U.S. address within 10 days so that the Diversity Center can update your record in SEVIS.
     
  2. You must also complete the AR-11 SR form and mail it to the address provided. For continuity of record keeping, you can also bring this to the Diversity Center and we will photocopy the form, update your record in SEVIS and mail the original to USCIS. You can download the AR-11 SR through this link: http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11sr.htm
     
• Permanent Home Address/Foreign Address Change: notify the DSO when this occurs.
  
• Temporary Foreign Address Change: notify the DSO
  
• Changes to your Program of Study (majors/minors): notify the DSO when you submit a major/minor declaration to the Office of the Registrar.
  
• Transfer to another U.S. institution: notify us before your program end date.
  
  1. You must let us know the school name and the "release" date (when you will be finished at Luther - usually the end of a term).
     
  2. If you plan to transfer to another undergraduate institution or to graduate school, you should make an appointment with the DSO - Amy Webber (webberam@luther.edu).
     
• Change of visa status: notify the DSO if you change from F-1 status to another visa category.
  
• Change in program end date: notify the DSO in advance, prior to program end date. There are limited criteria for exstending one's program - this must be discussed with the DSO.
  
• Reduced course load (less than full time, or less than 12 credits): meet with the DSO if you plan to withdraw or take a reduced load for any reason prior to doing so. The DSO can only approve a reduced course load for specific reasons. Please speak to the DSO before registering for less than full time.
  
The DSO must note the approval in SEVIS, and the student must also note the Resumption of Full Course of Study in the subsequent semester.

• Approval for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT), must be submitted by the DSO and entered into the SEVIS database.
  
• Application for OFF Campus Work due to Economic Hardship must be submitted by the DSO and entered into the SEVIS database. The DSO will advise as to eligibility.
  
• OPT completion date: Notify the DSO when you complete your Optical Practical Training employment.
  

Social Security Numbers

A Social Security Numer (S.S.#) is issued primarily for U.S. tax purposes. If you will be earning income in the United States, you must also file tax forms and will therefore need a Social Security Number. You will be asked for this number to open a bank account and by your employer for payroll purposes.

You will be issued a Social Security Card free of charge. In most cases, the Diversity Center staff will help you apply for a Social Security number during an orientation session. Otherwise, we will help you in the process of applying.

In order to apply for a Social Security number, you must be eligible to work (for F-1 students, this is on-campus work study), and must show a letter from the Luther Employment Office authorizing this work. In addition, you will need to have your passport, Form I-94, I-20, and the Social Security Application form.

For More Information about the Social Security and protecting your identity through your Social Security number, go to the Social Security Administration's webpage: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10002.html

U.S Income Tax

All international students, as non-immigrant aliens are required to pay U.S. income tax, and in some cases, state income tax as well. In general, students who have been in the United States less then five years on the F-1 or J-1 statis are exempt from paying Social Security tax. Do not confuse this with Income Tax.

During orientation, students are required to complete the W-4 forms for U.S. income tax purposes. Scholarship, fellowship or assistantship awards that exceed tuition, minus the cost of course-required books, fees, supplies, and equipment are taxable income. The W-4 form is used to determine the amount of income taxes withheld from student pay during the calender year. Some countries may have an income tax treaty with the United States which will affect the taxation of students from those countries.

In the spring of the year, the Diversity Center will make arrangements for international students to file an income tax return. All income tax returns must be filed by April 15th, and F-1 students must file even if they are no income.

Travelling Outside the US

If you are planning to travel outside the US, the link below should provide you with some useful information.
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/pdf/faq_f_reentry. pdf