Letters
Greetings all F-1 International Students! Alas, we have reached the end of another academic year. Please keep in mind that the summer sessions are optional for F-1 International Students. You must only study full time during the fall and spring semesters. Have a great summer! Please read below for some end of the year reminders:
International Counselor News: There will be no international counselors available on May 30th, 31st, and June 1st, as they will be at the NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Advisors) conference in Minneapolis, MN. Please plan accordingly if you plan to travel. This summer, there will be international counselors in the office, though Mrs. Nestmann will be out of the office from May 28th-June 11th, and Prof Kyi will be out of the office from July 2nd – August 9th.
Traveling Home Over the Summer?:
If you plan to travel outside of the United States during the summer break, please remember to have your I-20 signed by an international student counselor! Before coming in, be sure to register full time for the fall 2007 semester, and please don’t come in the day before you are to leave, you need to come in at least a week in advance. Be sure that your passport and your F-1 visa in your passport have not expired, and of course your I-20 is still valid, and that you do not need an extension on your I-20.
Returning Home, and Not Returning to BCC?:
Do you plan to return home, without completing your degree? Please let us know in writing! We need this proof for your immigration file, and we will grant you an authorized withdrawal in SEVIS so that you do not have any negative marks on your immigration record. This way, if you decide to return to the USA in the future, you will not have any trouble obtaining a new F-1 visa.
Transferring to Another School?:
If you are transferring to another school, you must bring in your acceptance letter from your new school, and any immigration paperwork that the new school requires an international counselor to fill out. Please note that we can only fill out this paperwork for you, and transfer your immigration SEVIS record, AFTER your grades have come in from the spring 2007 semester, to ensure that you did not receive any E grades and that you are in status. Please also note that we can only transfer your SEVIS record to one school, and once it is transferred, we cannot get it back, so be SURE that this new school is the one that you’d absolutely, positively like to attend!
Register for fall 2007!:
As F-1 international students, you must always be registered full time, with a minimum of 12 credits, during the fall and spring semesters. Therefore, don’t leave your registration to the last minute; ensure that you will have 12 credits in the classes that you desire, register early! You will NOT receive permission to go below 12 credits from an international counselor simply because there are no “classes left!” There are certain circumstances, however, when an F-1 student CAN go below 12 credits with permission from an international counselor. These are: you are in need of a Medical Leave of Absence, or you will be graduating during the fall 2007 semester. If you think that you fall in one of these two categories, make an appointment with an international counselor.
Your I-20:
Your I-20 is THE MOST important immigration document that you have. ALWAYS be aware of your program end date, because if you go past this date and you have not gotten an extension, you are OUT OF STATUS!!! You can find your program end date on your I-20 under number 5. If you need an extension, be sure to come in at least 3 months before your I-20 expires. Go to the following URL to find out more about extending your I-20: http://www.bergen.edu/pages/2956.asp If you need your sponsor to fill out and sign an affidavit of financial support for you, visit: http://www.bergen.edu/pages/2974.asp to download the form.
E Grades:
F-1 International students are NOT allowed to get E grades, this brings them BELOW their 12 credit full time requirement. An E grade is an unofficial withdrawal, which means that a student registers for a class, but does not attend. USCIS (Department of Homeland Security) requires that all F-1 international students register full time, and go to class. An occasional F grade is allowed by DHS. An F means that you registered, went to class, but did not do well with the material. You can retake that class, though many F’s are not allowed, as this will not allow you to make “normal progress” towards your Associate’s Degree. If you receive an E grade, you will receive a letter in the mail from the E Grade Review Committee at the end of May, and will be asked to appear before the committee. If you have any medical reason as to why you were not able to attend class, you should bring proof of that medical reason with you. If you do not have a valid reason for receiving an E grade, you will need to go through an F-1 Reinstatement Process, whereby you must pay $200 to ASK USCIS for your status back, and there is NO guarantee that you will receive it. DO NOT GET YOURSELF INTO THIS SITUATION!!! How do you avoid it? Register full time, and go to class. That’s it!!! Many students ask, have we ever had students that were denied their status due to E grades that had to return home? YES!!!
Address Changes & Other Contact Information Changes:
Moving this summer? DHS requires all F-1 students to notify BCC of any home address changes within 10 DAYS of the move. In fact, if you have ANY contact information changes, like change of email, or phone number, let us know! To notify BCC, simply go to A-129, and they will change your address. Do NOT change your address, or any other contact information, through WebAdvisor.
Graduating?:
Are you graduating this May? If you are planning to graduate, make sure that you filled out the Candidate for Graduation Application Form available in room A-129. This form was due last December, however you may still fill it out, though your name will not appear in the graduation booklet. Also, if you plan to work for one year after you graduate by doing your Optional Practical Training, the last day to have all of you paperwork in to an international counselor is May 18th, your commencement day. Please note that any F-1 student with a general major (AA.LA.GEN, AS.NSM.GEN, AS.PS.GEN) is not eligible for OPT. Those students must plan to transfer to a 4 year university, and must start at the new school in the fall 2007 semester. If you plan to simply return home after graduation, you have a 60 day grace period to remain in the United States before you are required to return to your home country.
Academics:
Math Placements- All F-1 International students must take their Math placement test in S-127 by the end of their first semester. Some students have been waiting to take the math placement test until late in their degree, and it has put their immigration status at risk.
Pre-requisite Classes- As you decide what classes to take in the fall 2007 semester, make sure that the classes do not have any “pre-requisites.” A pre-requisite is a class that must be taken BEFORE the class you’d like to take.
Second Degrees at BCC- If you are interested in pursuing a second degree at BCC in Allied Health (Nursing, Radiology etc) you must come to see an international counselor first. Please also note that this is the ONLY instance that BCC F-1 students can remain at BCC for a second degree. Please also note that if you have already completed a degree in the Allied Health field at BCC, you cannot pursue a second Allied Health degree.
On probation or suspension? Be sure to make an appointment ONLY with an international counselor for your registration needs.
Working Over the Summer:
You can work full time, on campus, over the summer break! If you have a job on-campus, you may work 40 hours/week over the break. Interested in working off-campus this summer? Have you considered doing a CO-OP? Certain majors http://www.bergen.edu/pages/2975.asp allow for a CO-OP experience, which allows you to work off campus for an internship experience, and it also allows you to earn college credit! Check it out today! See a counselor in C-100 (Career Development & CO-OP). Time is running out to be able to do a CO-OP over the summer, so make sure you go visit a counselor ASAP! You may also talk with someone about doing a CO-OP for fall 2007, now is the time!
WebAdvisor:
Did you know that you can print off your own program evaluation, so that you always know exactly what classes you need for your entire degree? It is also the only way for you to get your grades, as BCC does not mail out students’ grades anymore. If you have not been on your WebAdvisor yet, go to: https://go.bergen.edu/datatel/openweb/ and click on “WebAdvisor for Students” and “I’m new to WebAdvisor.” Then, follow the prompts to get into your WebAdvisor account. Since many F-1’s do not have social security numbers, you may use your BCC student ID instead of a social security number. If you have been in your WebAdvisor account, click around and explore! It has many helpful features for you. However, DO NOT change your address or any other contact information via WebAdvisor. F-1’s many ONLY change their contact information in room A-129.
Metro International:
Bergen Community College is proud to announce that we are now a member of Metro International! This is an organization that provides activities and information for international students in the New York City Metropolitan area. Take advantage of all sorts of wonderful activities like trips to different places, and helpful workshops! Check out their activities calendar at: http://www.metrointl.org/calendar/index.html and their general website at http://www.metrointl.org/index.html.
Check out information for BCC F-1 International Students online, at the following web addresses:
General F-1 Information: http://www.bergen.edu/internationalcounseling
Student Activities: http://www.bergen.edu/pages/883.asp
F-1 Working Information (including OPT): http://www.bergen.edu/pages/2954.asp
F-1 Traveling Information: http://www.bergen.edu/pages/2955.asp
If you would like to make an appointment with an International Counselor, please call the Counseling Center at 201-447-7211, or come to room A-118. Prof Win Win Kyi, and Mrs. Annique Nestmann, are there to help you with all of your immigration questions and needs.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Nestmann and Prof Kyi
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