International Student and Scholar Services

Contributing to Comprehensive Internationalization

Crisis Management

Office Administration

Orientation, Retention, and Student Services Programming

Student and Scholar Advising

Special Student Relief for Ukrainian J-1 Students

On April 5, 2023, the Department of State (DOS) published a notice in the Federal Register describing the details of Special Student Relief (SSR) arrangements for eligible Ukrainian J-1 exchange visitors in the College and University Student category, effective until October 23, 2023. In a notice to

Government Connection: A Discussion of the Biden Administration Actions to Attract and Retain Global STEM Talent

On January 21, 2022, the White House emphasized its continuing commitment to attracting new talent in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and announced new actions “to advance predictability and clarity for pathways for international STEM scholars, students

Examples from the Field: Using Social Media to Build Community and Connect with Incoming Students

A panel of IEM and ISS professionals from different institution types examined communication strategies for engaging with incoming students. Panelists shared their experiences with different social media platforms and messaging apps to build community and guide students from arrival through

Rulemaking on USCIS Fees

This NAFSA page tracks developments to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fee rulemaking. Updates: USCIS now regularly updates its Form G-1055, which is a list of all USCIS fees, fee exemptions, reduced fees, and fee waiver eligible forms. March 21, 2024. On March 21, 2024 USCIS

NAFSA Seeks Clarirfication of SEVP's May 31, 2021 Reissuance of Academic Year 2022-23 COVID Guidance

On June 15, 2022, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO, Dr. Esther Brimmer, wrote to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) seeking clarification of SEVP Broadcast Message 2205-03: ICE Clarifies Continuation of March 2020 Guidance for the 2022-23 Academic Year (May 31, 2022). The NAFSA letter

Submitting CIP Code Nominations to SEVP for the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List

DHS instituted an annual, recurring deadline of August 1 for interested parties to nominate additional Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes for the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. The next annual submission deadline will be August 1, 2024. NAFSA encourages institutions to

Celebrating Student and Alumni Success Stories: A Collegial Conversation on Model Practices

How and why should ISSS offices share student and alumni success stories? In this conversation, panelists explore how ISSS offices work with stakeholders to engage with international alumni, develop networks on and off-campus, and nurture ongoing relationships with the office. The content is

References for Advising on SEH, SSR, TPS, DED

Confused about the different options available to students in an economic crisis? This resource aims to help clarify the potential options available to students: Severe Economic Hardship, Special Student Relief, Temporary Protected Status, and Deferred Enforced Departure. For each option, we break

Discussion of STEM Initiatives with the Department of State Exchange Visitor Program

The Department of State’s Exchange Visitor Program recently announced several initiatives to facilitate exchange, training, and research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including an early career STEM research initiative and expanded academic training for pre-doctoral

NAFSA Letter to SEVP Requesting COVID Guidance for Academic Year 2022-23

Update: On April 18, 2022, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) extended its March 2020 COVID-19 guidance to cover the 2022-23 academic year. See NAFSA's page SEVP COVID-19 Guidance Sources for details. NAFSA Letter to SEVP Requesting COVID Guidance for Academic Year 2022-2023 In an April