As a student in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, you have certain rights and responsibilities. Maintaining your status involves remembering that your primary purpose for coming to the United States was to be a student. The U.S. Department of State issued you your visa based on your intended purpose. You should not take any action that detracts from that purpose.

Keep your personal information updated in your student portal and report all changes to contact information to your Designated School Official (DSO). Go to Update Personal Information to see how to add or update your information. 

This section is for international students, on an F-1 visa, who are in the following programs only:

  • Semester at CSUN (SAC)
  • M.S. Taxation (MXT)
  • Master of Public Administration (MPA)
     

Your International Office is ARC 

If Your I-20 was issued by The Tseng College, your International Office is in EU 200, in the Extended University (EU) Commons Building, in the Office of Admissions, Registration, and Client Services (ARC).

Although you are a California State University, Northridge (CSUN) student, you do NOT report to CSUN's International and Exchange Student Center (IESC).
 

To maintain SEVIS status, students are expected to:

  1. Arrive and enroll by the start date on their I-20.
  2. Enroll full time 
    A maximum of one class (3 units) can be taken online per semester. All other courses must meet in-person.
    • Semester at CSUN 
      Undergraduate: 12 Units
      Graduate: 9 units
    • MPA Students: 9 Units (summer optional)
    • MXT: 6 Units (summer required)
  3. Make normal progress toward completing the program
  4. Report any changes to address or contact information to your DSO within 10 days of the change
  5. Do not engage in any employment without authorization (even unpaid or volunteer)
  6. Avoid academic disqualification
  7. Do not overstay the 60-day grace period at the end of your studies. See "Completion of Studies" below for details.

Regardless of the dates printed on your I-20, you are only in status if you are properly maintaining the conditions of your F-1 status. DSOs in your international office (for Tseng College students that is Admissions, Registration and Client Services, in the Extended University (EU) Commons Building, on the 2nd Floor) must monitor and report to SEVIS all enrollment, change of address, and much more, during the entire time you are on an I-20 issued by the Tseng College. Email ARCinterantional@csun.edu to report a change.

See Requests page for commonly submitted requests. 

Passports and visas must be valid when entering the United States. If you travel outside of the U.S., make sure to renew your passport and/or visa before reentering the U.S. to continue your studies, if necessary. While you may be able to apply for passport renewal from within the U.S., visas can only be renewed by applying at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. 

I-20s are issued for the average duration of a program with some extra time added to cover potential unforeseen events. As a result, the program end date printed on I-20s is not necessarily how long you will be in a program or how long you are authorized to stay in the U.S. Your I-20 will be shortened to the appropriate completion date if you finish the program early.

If you will not be able to complete your program of study by the end date on your I-20, request an extension of stay. Contact your DSO as soon as you know an extension will be required.

 

Only for students who maintained their SEVIS status:

After completing your program, you have 60 days to either prepare for departure from the U.S., apply for post-completion OPT or transfer your I-20 to another school.

If you are leaving the United States and not returning, you have 60 days to prepare for departure from the U.S. Domestical travel is permitted during the grace period but re-entry after international travel using the completed I-20 is not permitted.

Transfer requests to another SEVP-certified school must be completed by the last day of the 60-day grace period. For more information on transfers including the transfer request form, see Requests.

Timing and Deadlines for Tax Forms

Beginning in January each year, taxpayers in the U.S. begin receiving the forms they need to file their taxes. These forms come in the regular mail or they are made available on line. Employers, banks, investment companies, colleges and universities, etc. are required by law to provide this information to U.S. taxpayers.

You are required to submit, or file, your tax forms no later than April 15th (When April 15th falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline to file is the next business day.)

Submitting required forms and documents is referred to as “filing your taxes.”
 

Where to File

Tax returns that cannot be eFiled must be mailed. Tax returns cannot be faxed or emailed to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
 

Forms and Instructions

General Information

If you have failed to maintain the conditions of your status, your SEVIS record (I-20) may be terminated. 

If your SEVIS record is terminated for violating F-1 status: 

  • students must leave the United States immediately, or apply for reinstatement immediately,
  • any dependent (F-2) SEVIS records are also terminated at the same time
  • any employment authorization is also terminated and employment must stop immediately.
     

There are two ways to re-establish F-1 status after termination: reinstatement through travel or reinstatement from within the U.S. Both options will require the issuance of a new initial form I-20 and the assistance of your Designated School Official.

Email arcinternational@csun.edu to discuss which method would be best for your individual situation.