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FAQs for Current International Students at Eastern Oregon University
Updated September 8, 2020
Eastern Oregon University and the International Student Services office is committed to supporting our international students during this global health crisis. The global COVID-19 situation is dynamic and quickly changing, and so is the guidance on how to minimize its impact on international students. We understand that this is a difficult time for many, and we continue to be here to support our students to the best of our ability. Since we are in an environment of evolving information, please make sure to regularly check Eastern Oregon University’s COVID-19 page for important information and updates.
Below are answers to questions international students may have regarding the Fall 2020 term. We will keep updating this page with new information or guidance as it becomes available. If you have other questions and concerns, please email the International Student Services office at mnmorton@eou.edu. We will continue to compile all the questions and provide answers here.
With the release of DHS/ICE’s Clarifying Questions for Fall 2020 we now have a clearer understanding of how Eastern Oregon University’s plan for the Fall 2020 term will impact your F-1 status. Below you will find updated Frequently Asked Questions on specific topics, but here are the key takeaways from the most recent DSH/ICE guidance:
In addition to the FAQs below, please continue to monitor Eastern Oregon University policy and communication about the Fall term from the Executive Leadership Team through your EOU email.
EOU plans to offer a flexible, hybrid model for the Fall 2020 term, offering a combination of in-person and remote access classes. Please check with your academic advisor to find out how your classes will be delivered.
PLEASE NOTE: Under the July 24, 2020 Student Exchange & Visitor’s Program (SEVP) guidance, new international students will need to be enrolled in at least one in-person or hybrid class (3 credits) to maintain their legal status. New international students starting EOU in the Fall will still be limited to one online 3-credit course, as long as the remaining credit hours consist of in-person or hybrid enrollment options.
Continuing and returning international students on an F-1 visa (F-1 student who were active on March 9, 2020 and have continued to maintain active status) do NOT need to be enrolled in at least one in-person or hybrid class to maintain their legal status and remain in the United States so long as they are enrolled in the minimum number of required credits (12 for undergraduate, 9 for graduate). Continuing international students may choose to enroll in all remote/online, or choose classes offered in a variety of formats.
Please note, that all Fall term courses will shift from in-person/hybrid delivery to all remote after the Thanksgiving Holiday (weeks 10 and 11) during the Fall 2020 term.
Under normal circumstances, F-1 students are limited by immigration regulations to taking a maximum of one course (3 credits) online to meet the full-time enrollment requirements for their program level. However, due to COVID-19, SEVP has extended its temporary exceptions to immigration regulations for the Fall 2020 term, allowing international students to enroll in online/remote coursework that exceeds normal requirements. Students still need to be enrolled full-time, participate in online courses, and make normal progress toward their degree in order to maintain their immigration status. If students continue to do these things, their SEVIS record and I-20 will remain in active status, regardless of where they are participating in online classes.
F-1 students are still expected to remain enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 credits for undergraduate students, 9 credits for graduate students), or to apply and be approved for an authorized Reduced Course Load for Academic or Medical Reasons. Reductions in course load must be approved by the student’s academic advisor and by the International Student Services office in advance of making any schedule changes.
Yes, students will still need to report any change of residential address in the U.S. to the International Student Services office, who will update their SEVIS record, within 10 days of the change. Please contact the International Student Service office for more information.
Yes. Current immigration regulations state that in order to be eligible for CPT, students have to be in F-1 visa status (in the U.S.) for one full academic year and in good academic standing before a student can apply. Therefore, as is most likely, if students arrive in the United States and begin their F-1 status in Winter 2021, students would be eligible for CPT after one academic year from when they entered the U.S. in F-1 status.
The International Student Advisor remains available by email and Zoom appointment to answer students’ questions and concerns. Virtual meetings are preferred, but we can also accommodate in-person meetings upon request. To comply with current COVID-19 physical distancing recommendations, the ISS will remain physically closed to walk-in visitors without appointments through the Fall term.
Please send an email to mnmorton@eou.edu to request a virtual appointment. Students can also visit the EOU Office of Student Diversity & Inclusion Staff contact page to schedule an appointment.
Arrangements can be made upon request for those who need updated visa documents. Delivery will either be electronic or in paper. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Student Services office staff can temporarily digitally sign and electronically send documents to student’s email address listed on their SEVIS record.
International Student Services plans on holding its new international student orientation in a virtual format. This orientation is for all new incoming international students and is scheduled for Friday, September 18. Please contact the International Student Services office for more information.
Please contact your International Student Advisor to request a travel signature or if you are unsure if the signature endorsing your travel is valid. The International Student Services office can reprint your I-20 with a new travel signature and send it to you as an electronic form. Due to the uncertain nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Student Services office does not recommend traveling outside the United States at this time. We are unable to predict how current travel restrictions may change in the future.
No. If a student’s visa will have expired by the date they wish to re-enter the U.S., students will need to obtain a new visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate before they can re-enter the U.S. Due to current disruptions in visa services at consulates and embassies worldwide, the International Student Services office discourages travel abroad for students with an expired/expiring visa, if they are planning to return to campus any time during the Fall term.
Students may stay in the U.S. on an expired F-1 visa as long as they maintain their immigration status by being in possession of a valid I-20 or DS-2019 and by meeting normal enrollment requirements. (Canadian citizens do not need a visa to enter the U.S.).
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) provides regular updates on the number of COVID-19 cases in Oregon and each of its counties. La Grande is in Union County.
For local updates, visit the Center for Human Development (CHD) in La Grande, which is Union county’s public health organization tasked with responding to COVID-19. They hold regular information sharing sessions and issue state-wide and county-wide health notices to the community. CHD also gives important information about COVID-19 regulations and health/safety recommendations (such as wearing masks in public places and practicing social distancing) on their COVID-19 webpage.
International Student Services Office Hoke 209 Eastern Oregon University La Grande, OR 97850-2899 E-mail: mnmorton@eou.edu Phone: 541-962-3588 or call 1-800-544-2195