F-1 Students

A Form I-20 is a Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status, issued by Messiah University and other approved institutions. The form contains information such as student’s major, program start and end dates and student’s financial information. It is very important that an F-1 student save all Form I-20s issued to them.

This stands for Designated School Official. A DSO is a regular employee of the university approved by the Department of Homeland Security to access SEVIS. A DSO is responsible for issuing I-20s; approving reduced course loads, internships through Curricular Practical Training and other work authorizations. DSOs must also report and update student's information in SEVIS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). A DSO is also the one who can endorse a student's Form I-20 for travel.

The following individuals are DSO's at Messiah University: 

Cherisse Daniels (DSO) ►x6930, Larsen 214

Lita Godoy (DSO) ►x2284, Larsen 204

Sierra Kinslow (DSO) ►x2790, AWC 208E

Amy Nicols (PDSO) ►x2172, Larsen 205

Alisa Wacker (DSO) ►x2882, AWC 203

The Form I-94 is the “Arrival/Departure Record” issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) whenever you enter the United States. This record confirms that you have been legally admitted to the U.S. in a specific visa status, and for duration of time. For F-1 visa holders the amount of time is indicated by the notation “D/S” which means you can be in the U.S. for the Duration of Status of your academic program.  If you arrive by air the CBP will confirm your immigration status by swiping your passport. Later, you will then need to retrieve your I-94 record, print it, and keep it with your passport. Note: If you arrive by land you may be issued a paper I-94 record. Also, if you have an F1 visa and your I-94 record does not indicate “D/S” you should speak to a Messiah University DSO. 

To retrieve a copy of you latest I-94, click here.

Immigration status is your legal permission to remain in the U.S. under specific conditions as defined by a visa document. For example, an F-1 student would have a Form I-20 as a visa document. In most cases the visa document will be (or will be extended to be) for a longer period than the visa stamp discussed above. For most international travel both the visa document and the visa stamp must be valid. 

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a web-based automated system that maintains current information on non-immigrant students and scholars. Schools must report information on students and scholars in SEVIS, which is accessible to the U.S. government.

What is referred to as a U.S. visa stamp, can be a physical stamp or a sticker by a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the United States placed in the visitor's passport. The visa indicates that the visitor is eligible for entry and reentry to the United States in a specific immigration category (i.e., F-1) The validity length of the visa varies greatly based on geopolitical agreements between the U.S. and other countries. To look up how long a specific visa might be issued for please review the U.S. State Department Reciprocity by Country site. Most visas allow for multiple entries as long as you are maintaining status.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of employment authorization for students in undergraduate F-1 status who wish or need to engage in on- or off-campus employment in their field of study when it is an integral component of their curriculum. CPT has a curricular purpose and is meant to further a student’s academic studies; it is not employment for financial reasons.

If you are interested in finding out more about Curricular Practical Training, please visit the CPT webpage by clicking here.

If you would like to be eligible to stay in the United States after graduation to accept temporary employment, you must apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT), and it must be directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. The Office of International Student Programs offer OPT Info Sessions at the beginning of each semester for those F-1 visa students who will be graduating later in that semester.