International Student and Scholar Services

Contributing to Comprehensive Internationalization

Crisis Management

Office Administration

Orientation, Retention, and Student Services Programming

Student and Scholar Advising

USCIS Proposed Rule on H-1B Modernization and F-1 Cap-Gap Flexibility

Update: On December 18, 2024, USCIS published the final rule titled Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Nonimmigrant Workers. The rule is effective 30 days later, on January 17, 2025. Read the final rule published at 89 FR 103054

Immigration and Study Abroad Resources: Israel-Hamas Conflict

This page lists resources relevant to the Israel-Hamas Conflict for individuals engaged in international higher education. Advocacy See NAFSA's Statement: NAFSA Condemns Hamas Attack on Israel U.S. Government Resources Deferral of Enforced Departure (DED) Memorandum on the Deferred Enforced

Cross-Training ISSS Teams and Building Resilience

Attendees joined four ISSS directors for a live panel about cross-training ISSS staff. The panelists represented a diversity of institutional types and office configurations. They examined a variety of scenarios such as providing backup during staff turnover and extended leaves, creating

Rob Llewellyn

DOS Raises Visa Processing Fees Effective June 17, 2023

A Department of State (DOS) final rule published at 88 FR 18243 (March 28, 2023) raises key visa processing fees, effective June 17, 2023. For example, the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee for F-1, J-1, and other non-petition-based visas rises 15.6%, and the MRV fee for petition-based categories such

Department of Education Title IV Guidance Regarding Third-Party Servicers

UPDATES: The U.S. Department of Education announced in a October 21, 2024 court filing that it will formally rescind the Dear Colleague Letter of February 2023 which proposed major changes to the definition of third-party servicer. It is gratifying to see the department heed the advice of its

Vanessa Ocana

Melissa Aragon

Alyssa Reed

Alyssa serves as the Executive Assistant for International Affairs at The University of Kansas. She has a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Alyssa grew up in Hays, Kansas. At a young age, she realized her love for