Maintaining Your Status

International students MUST maintain registration as a full-time student throughout every fall and spring term (undergraduate students: 12 credit hours, graduate students: 6 credit hours, ELI 20 hours/week).

Students MAY NOT drop below the required number of credits in fall and spring term except under extremely limited circumstances that must be authorized in advance by the international student advisor. Getting a grade of W is considered a drop even if you completed all course requirements!

For more information, please visit the following website. 

F-1 and J-1 student visa holders have restrictions regarding the number of online (or distance learning) credits that can be taken during the semester as it relates to fulfilling the full-time enrollment requirement. 

Only 3 credit hours of on-line courses can be counted toward the minimum full-time requirement during a fall or spring term. While students are permitted to take more online courses, only 3 credits can be counted toward full-time.

During your time at Millersville you may wish to alter your academic plans. Reasons for this might include change of major, change of level from undergrad to graduate, or extending your stay due to graduating later than originally expected. When considering making any of these changes it is important to discuss these plans with the Office of International Programs & Services (IPS) ahead of time.

If you will not complete your academic program by the expected completion date on your current I-20/ DS-2019 document, you must file for a Program Extension and receive a new document with a new completion date. This must be done before your current I-20/DS-2019 expires.

Who is eligible for an Extension of Stay?

To be eligible for an extension of stay, you must show that:

• You are currently in valid student status AND
• You have maintained status and continually been a full-time student AND
• You are making normal progress toward completing your course of study AND
• The delay in completion was caused by compelling academic or medical reasons

 For example:

• Change of major or research topic
• Unexpected research problems
• Loss of credits upon transfer to Millersville University
• Documented illness

 Note: Delays due to academic probation or suspension do not qualify for an extension.

 Note: If you are extending due to delays caused by a medical issue, you must submit medical documentation.

Failure to comply with this requirement is a violation of your F-1 status, which may result in serious consequences, including your termination in SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitors Information System), inability to re-enter the U.S., and detention and deportation from the U.S.

You can submit your Program Extension Request Form via your MyGlobalMU Portal.

Transferring out of Millersville University

If you wish to transfer out of Millersville University, you will need to follow the steps below: 

• Obtain an acceptance letter from another school.
• Submit a Transfer-out request via your MyGlobalMU Portal.
• Notify the Office of International Programs and Services upon completion of the process.
• Work with the Registrar's Office to make sure you have officially withdrawn from the University.

It is your responsibility to maintain your immigration status. Students who take a long leave of absence or fail to maintain their immigration status will need to be reinstated. If at any time you decided to alter your purpose for being in the U.S., you will have to change your immigration status. In all of these cases it is important to discuss your plans with the Office of International Programs & Services, so we are able to assist you moving forward. 

Be sure to keep your immigration documents in a safe place at all times and report lost or stolen immigration documents immediately to the Office of International Programs & Services. You should always keep a copy of your original documents somewhere safe, in a separate location from the original documents, in the case that one is lost or stolen. Ensure that all documents are valid and up to date before traveling. 

Passport

The passport is the legal document issued by your country of citizenship; it must be valid for 6 months into the future upon your entry into the U.S. and remain valid at all times during your stay. The passport can usually be renewed through your embassy or one of your consulates in the United States. For information regarding your closest embassy or consulate locations visit the following website.

I-20 & DS-2019 - "Certificate of Eligibility”

The I-20 (for those with F-1 status) or DS-2019 (for those with J-1 status) is the document which you must present to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad to obtain a visa and which you present to immigration officials to enter the U.S. each time you travel abroad and return; for most Millersville University students the I-20 is issued by the university through the Office of International Programs & Services. Some J-1 students have documents issued by an outside agency. You should always keep these and any other immigration documents for your records even if you get new ones in the future. If your I-20 is damaged, lost or stolen, visit the Office of International Programs & Services and request a new form.

• Replacement I-20/DS-2019 Form

I-94 Departure Record

The electronic I-94 is the document that authorizes you to be in the U.S. as a student for a specified period of time, for the specified program of study, at the institution specified on the I-20/DS-2019. For F-1 and J-1 visa holders, the expiration date should be D/S (duration of status), which implies the date of program completion (not always the same date as graduation). The I-94, like the passport, must be valid at all times. To retrieve your most recent I-94, visit the following website. 

Entry visa

The entry visa is a sticker with photograph on a page of your passport that permits you to enter the U.S. Individuals entering the U.S. as an international student will have either an F-1 or J-1 entry visa. The visa may expire while you are in the U.S.; you cannot and need not renew it while you are here, however a new entry visa will be required if the original expires and you travel outside and then wish to re-enter the U.S. You must present a valid SEVIS form I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) from the school you will attend to the US Consular officer to obtain your entry visa. Canadian citizens do not need a visa to enter the U.S.

Important Note:

Replacing lost or expired immigration documents can be a timely process. You should plan ahead if you know any of your documents are expiring soon, especially if you have upcoming plans to travel internationally.