I-20 Updates & Program Extensions

Your I-20 should always remain updated with current information. Please submit a "Personal & Program Update" Request in your ISSS Student Portal if any updates must be made to your I-20, such as changes to your major or level of study. 

Be aware of the program end date seen on your I-20. Sometimes, you may find that your course of study will take longer than originally anticipated, so a program extension is required. Students must submit a "I-20 Program Extension" request in their ISSS Student Portal  BEFORE their current program expires. Failure to do so is a violation of your F-1 visa status and may result in immediate departure from the US.

The I-20 Program Extension request must be approved by your academic advisor. If you are a graduate student, it must also be approved by a representative of the dean's office. 

Please login to your ISSS Student Portal below to request an I-20 Program Extension:

ISSS Student Portal Login

You can login using your eRaider username and password. If you have trouble logging in, please contact your international advisor.

Transfer In

If you have been studying at another institution in the US as an F-1 visa student and plan to enroll at Texas Tech University, you must complete an F-1 school transfer with the Undergraduate International Admissions Office or the Graduate School after being admitted. The international office at the last school you attended must also release your SEVIS record to TTU. Then, a transfer I-20 for TTU will be issued to you.

If you are an initial/transfer student arriving at TTU for the first time, you will need to complete the Check-In Process as well to maintain your F-1 visa status. This is NOT an appointment or online meeting with your advisor or IA office. The Check-In Process is simply a webpage to upload all your necessary documents. Please review Check-In instructions here to begin.

If you plan to travel outside the US for a short period of time before reporting to TTU, please inform your international advisor before making any arrangements. 

If you have completed a degree program at another school and have been authorized for OPT, please provide a copy of the EAD card to your international advisor. Keep in mind that your OPT employment authorization will end on your SEVIS transfer release date. Any remaining OPT time will be forfeited.

Questions about the transfer in process should be directed to the international admissions office. Other questions such as for scholarship, housing, orientation, etc...should be directed to the appropriate TTU offices.

How Transfer-Ins Work

1. Admitted to TTU as an international transfer student and submission of all required documents (including financial)
   • If no, You will need to be admitted to TTU and submit the remaining documentations (including financial)
   • If yes, continue
2. Currently Residing in the Unitied States?
   • Your international student counselor will ship your new transfer I-20 to you at your current US address using E-Ship Global.
   • Bring your I-20 with you when you check in with ISSS after arriving in Lubbock and participate in the online orientation.
3. Currently outside the Unitied States?
   • Your international student counselor will issue you a new TTU I-20 that will be shipped to you using E-Ship Global.
   • Use your new I-20 to apply for a visa extension (if your old visa has expired) and to enter the US. After arriving in Lubbock, bring your I-20 with you to check in with ISSS and participate int he online orientation.

Change of Status

If you are already in the US under a different visa status, it's possible to change to an F-1 visa status.

There are two ways to apply for an F-1 visa through a Change of Status:

There are many factors that must be considered for each option. However, each option first requires academic admission to a school in the US. The school may then issue the student an initial I-20. The student and the school must agree on which of the two options the student will obtain the F-1 visa status.

Change of Status Application Information

Applications for Changes of Status are personal immigration applications. ISSS will issue the I-20, but we take no responsibility for the denial or approval of these applications. There are many factors involved in these cases (immigration history, complicated questions on the application form I-539, etc.) and questions that ISSS advisors cannot answer. We strongly encourage all Changes of Status applicants to seek the assistance of a board-certified immigration attorney. 

Please note that prospective students who have family members in the US as nonimmigrant dependents must also change their visa status, such as to F-2 dependents. 

For more information on a Change of Status, please see USCIS resources How do I change to another nonimmigrant status? 

Change of Status Form Checklist (PDF)

Taxes

F-1 and J-1 students are not exempt from reporting their income. We understand that the US tax system can be complex and difficult to understand, especially for foreign visitors, so TTU's Payroll and Tax Services are available to answer any of your tax-related questions.

GLACIER Tax Software

TTU & TTU HSC employees can take advantage of the GLACIER software, free of charge. TTU & TTU HSC has purchased a license agreement so that our non-resident employees and students can use GLACIER Tax Prep to prepare your US income tax return. GLACIER Tax Prep typically becomes available the last week of January. Once available, a separate email will be sent to non-resident employees and students that have completed their Individual Record in GLACIER. It will include complete instructions on how to access and use GLACIER Tax Prep.

Please note:

• GLACIER Tax Prep is only available for non-resident alien tax returns. If you are a resident alien for tax purposes, you will need to file the same tax returns as US citizens.
• Questions about the GLACIER system should be directed to the Texas Tech Tax and Compliance Office. 
• TTU & TTU HSC does not assist in the preparation of your US income tax return or provide any individual income tax advice.
• International Students that are receiving any scholarships at TTU but will not be employed will need to file taxes and report the scholarship income. In order to file a tax form, these students will need an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN). Please reach out to your international advisor for an "ITIN Letter of No Employment" and then provide the letter to the Texas Tech Tax Compliance Office. 

**Failure to properly complete tax reports may constitute a violation of immigration status.**

Transfer Out

If you plan to transfer out out of TTU to a new university, you are required to transfer out your SEVIS record. To do so, please email your international advisor the following documents all at once:

• Proof of admission to the new university
• Completed TTU SEVIS Transfer Release Form
• Any additional transfer forms required by your new university. If the form requires completion and signatures by your international advisor, please forward the document to them for assistance.

Remember to also contact your academic advisor to transfer your academic credits (this can be done on a separate day from your SEVIS record).

Reinstatement

If an F-1 student has failed to properly maintain F-1 status, the student becomes "out of status" and is in unlawful presence in the US. The student must take immediate action and contact their international advisor right away to determine the best course of action to regain F-1 status.

Based on the facts of the individual situation, the student and international advisor must determine whether the student will be best served by applying for reinstatement or by exiting the US and re-entering on a new SEVIS number. In either case, the student will need a new I-20 issued by their international advisor.

Remaining out of status without taking action can result in the denial of future immigration applications and re-entry into the US.

*Note: Currently it is taking USCIS 1 year to adjudicate reinstatement applications. For this reason, we normally recommend that out-of-status students travel and re-enter the US to regain F-1 visa status when applicable. Please consult with your international advisor for guidance.

Eligibility for Reinstatement

To be eligible for reinstatement, a student must...

• Be enrolled as a full-time student
• Not have worked without employment authorization
• Not have been out of status for five months or more
• Be able to show conclusively that the violation of status resulted from circumstances beyond the student's control

In certain cases, an applicant may be required to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee again. While the application is pending, the student does not have the benefits of F-1 status, including on-campus employment authorization.

The ISSS office reserves the right to refuse issuance of a reinstatement I-20 for students that have lost their F-1 status due to particularly egregious carelessness (e.g. criminal behavior). Such students must leave the US and re-enter to regain F-1 visa status.

Reinstatement Information PDF

Dependents

An F-1 student's spouse and child(ren) may be eligible for F-2 status. Individuals in F-2 status have the following benefits:

• May study part-time at TTU or other universities and colleges
• May travel internationally with or without the F-1 primary
• May enroll in elementary or secondary school if admitted (for minor F-2 dependents)

However, individuals with F-2 status are not eligible for work authorization and are responsible for adhering to F-2 guidelines. TTU's F-1 international advisors cannot legally advise dependents about F-2 regulations. Additional inquiries may need to be directed towards a board-certified immigration attorney.

How to Add an F-2 Dependent to Your I-20

The dependent will need to apply for an F-2 visa to join you (the "F-1 primary student") in the US. This will require an initial F-2 I-20 issued by your international advisor, then an F-2 visa appointment with a US embassy or consulate in your home country. If the dependent is currently in the US under a different visa status and wishes to change to F-2, please inform your international advisor.

Next, please read and understand F-2 regulations here (Department of Homeland Security) before proceeding.

Step 1) Provide the dependent's documents to your international advisor. The documents are necessary to issue an initial F-2 I-20 for the dependent's visa interview.

Step 2) Apply for an F-2 visa at a US embassy or consulate in your home country. Documentation must be provided as evidence to support the information seen on the I-20, including financial, employment, and academic documents. The dependent should also provide evidence of intent to return to their home country after being in the US.

Step 3) Provide a copy of the F-2 visa and most recent entry I-94 to your international advisor once the dependent's visa is approved and they arrive in the US. Current address information for F-2 dependents must be maintained with the international advisor as well, just as it is for F-1 students.

*Note: Approval of F-2 visa applications is not guaranteed simply because the F-1 primary student is in the US. Instead, consider the quality of the interview and evidence provided to support the initial F-2 I-20.

Reduced Course Load (RCL)

USCIS regulations may allow an F-1 student to take less than a full course load under extremely limited circumstances. Students who may fall below the required number of credit hours during a required semester must apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) authorization on their I-20 through the RCL Request Form. Students cannot drop courses without obtaining RCL authorization.

To apply for RCL authorization, students must complete the RCL Request Form with their academic advisor. The student's department must be made aware of any RCL requests, as it can affect assistantship/employment/scholarship benefits. Then, the student must email the completed form to their international advisor and receive an I-20 reflecting the RCL authorization.

*Note: RCLs are approved on a semester-by-semester basis only. Read the RCL Request Form carefully for instructions regarding each type of RCL and its requirements.

RCL Request Form (PDF)

Financial Assistance

International F-1 student advisors are unable to provide any financial assistance to international students. However, the International Student Life unit has a list of resources for Available Scholarships, Grants and Emergency Funding here. Common resources used on this webpage are the TPEG grant and EMT (Emergency Medical & Travel) fund.

For inquiries regarding scholarships and financial support:

Student Scholar Services

For inquiries regarding tuition or payment plans:

Student Business Services

You can also seek on-campus employment opportunities at the University Career Center. There are always positions open to international students. Learn more about F-1 visa regulations and TTU campus policies for on-campus employment here.

Inviting Family to Visit

The ISSS does not issue letters for students who want to invite family or friends to visit you here in the US. This is because the Department of State does not consider these letters in their decision to issue tourist visas, as stated below:

Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a non-immigrant tourist visa. If you do choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember that it is not one of the factors that we use in determining whether to issue or deny a non-immigrant tourist visa.

US Department of State

However, students may choose to write letters on their own behalf to confirm their relationship to a family member or friend, as well as providing a formal invitation to visit. The family member may also choose to provide supporting documents, such as a birth certificate. You can find a template for one of these letters.

Visa Waiver Program

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the US for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. For information, please follow the link below.

Visa Waiver Program

Enrollment Requirements

In order to maintain your F-1 visa status, you must be fully enrolled. The enrollment requirements are listed below:

For further questions regarding your enrollment or post-commencement plans, please email your international advisor.

*Note: Failure to abide by enrollment guidelines set forth by USCIS will result in the termination of your F-1 visa status.

Social Security Cards (SSN)

A Social Security Number (SSN) is a unique nine-digit identifier issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the US. SSN cards are required to:

• Apply for jobs and verify employment eligibility
• Track income for tax purposes
• Determine SSN benefits and other US government services
• Open bank accounts and obtain credit

In order to work on-campus, F-1 visa students are required to obtain SSN cards at the local Social Security Office. If you are an initial student, please complete the Check-In Process first before proceeding.

Before attending an appointment with the Social Security Office, you will need the original, wet-ink copy of your I-20 and a Confirmation of Status Letter. Please login to your ISSS Student Portal and submit an "SSN Application" request to retrieve these documents.  The job offer letter must contain all the necessary information as seen in our template. Then, you will receive a notification in your ISSS Student Portal that the documents are ready with additional instructions for your SSN appointment. 

Learn more about SSN cards below:

Getting a Social Security Card

Lost SSN Cards

Losing your SSN card can cause serious issues, such as identity theft. You should immediately report a stolen SSN card here. Then, follow the procedures listed in the Social Security Agency's website to replace your card. For further SSN inquiries, please contact the local Social Security Office for guidance.

Texas Driver's Licenses & ID Cards

A Texas driver’s license is an official document issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) that allows you to legally operate a motor vehicle in the state of Texas. To obtain one, you need to provide proof of lawful presence, Texas residency, identity, and a Social Security Number (SSN). You also need to show evidence of Texas vehicle registration and proof of vehicle insurance if you own a vehicle.

The process involves passing a written knowledge test, a driving skills test, and a vision exam. 

Learn more about Texas Driver's Licenses and other ID cards below:

Texas Driver's Licenses & ID Cards