Student Status

The following events are hosted by OISS and are specific to WashU international students and scholars who were in the U.S. at any time during the 2025 tax year (Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025). All times are listed in U.S. Central Time Zone (UTC-06:00). Click on the link to learn more and to register […]

Social media On April 9, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would begin considering social media activity of foreign nationals— including F and J visa holders—when evaluating USCIS immigration benefit applications. This could include applications for work authorization, change of status, or reinstatement. Read the April […]

“Transfer out” refers to the process of an F-1 or J-1 student transferring their SEVIS record from one institution to another one. In this case, you will retain the same SEVIS ID number. Your SEVIS Record is your Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record that tracks important information. This record includes personal details, […]

Your SEVIS ID is unique to you. The United States government uses it to track and manage your immigration record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) throughout your stay in the U.S. It begins with the letter “N” followed by a series of numbers (e.g., N0012345678). Find your SEVIS ID number in […]

If your visa has expired and you are traveling outside the U.S., you must apply for a new visa stamp through the same process as your initial visa application, in order to re-enter the U.S.

International students applying for or extending their F-1 immigration status must show evidence of funding for one year before WashU can issue an I-20. Students applying for or extending their J-1 immigration status must show evidence of funding for the entire academic program before WashU can issue a DS-2019.  Funding must cover all required tuition, […]

On December 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) published a revised Exchange Visitor Skills List. The new list includes several large charges. The biggest change removes 34 countries, including Brazil, China and India, from being subject to the two-year home residence requirement. What is the Skills List? DOS created the Exchange Visitor Skills […]

WashU is proud to host international doctoral students in a number of disciplines across campus. Doctoral students have several rights and responsibilities that vary from students at other levels. Find University PhD Policies & Requirements online. As a doctoral student, there are two stages to your academic program. The first is completion of coursework that […]

J-1 Exchange Visitors (EVs) and their J-2 dependents, whether students or scholars, can be subject to a two-year home country residence requirement. This rule is located in section 212(e) in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the law that covers topics related to immigration and citizenship. This is why you will hear this rule referred […]

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records travel in and out of the U.S. electronically through the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record for all international non-immigrant visitors to the U.S. This record lists your entry date, port of entry, and immigration status in which you were admitted to the U.S. You may need the I-94 record as proof […]