The International Student Office at Northwestern Oklahoma State University offers a variety of immigration, health insurance, work permission, and advising services and special programs for NWOSU international students and scholars, and for the NWOSU staff and faculty who work with them.

Support services

For help on immigration matters, financial aid, health insurance, work permission, advising on personal concerns, or any topic of special interest to international students, please contact the International Student Advisor.

Appointments

There are two types of appointments: (1) regular 30-minute appointments that will give students time to discuss more complex situations; and (2) five- to ten-minute drop-in appointments for quick questions. It is a good idea to schedule regular 30-minute appointments, but the International Student Advisor is always there to help you. You just need to ask for help. Drop-ins, however, are on a first-come, first-served basis. The Office of the International Student Advisor is located at fine arts building room 125 and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays (Summer hours: 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.).

Immigration Information

F-1 Visa
It refers to the visa status given to an international applicant who wishes to enter the U.S. temporarily and solely for the purpose of study.

I-20 Form
The Certificate of Eligibility for non-immigrant student status for academic and language students is commonly referred to as the Form I-20. Students must sign in item #11 on pages 1 and 3 of the form I-20. On the initial entry, the admitting immigration official retains the School Copy (page 1-2).

I-94 (Arrival/Departure record)
It is a small white card issued by the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) upon entry to the U.S.. The form I-94 is your permit to stay in the U.S.

On-Campus Employment
Students may work on-campus without prior approval from the INS, provided they are enrolled full-time. On-campus work is limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session.

Curricular Practical Training
Employment under Curricular Practical Training (CPT) permits you to work off campus in a job directly related to your field of study. There are important differences between CPT and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Make sure you read the information on OPT to understand which might work best for your situation. You might use both kinds of practical training, though not simultaneously.

There are two kinds of Curricular Practical Training:

• Training that is required by the established curriculum, but carries no academic credit. However, there are very few programs at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University requiring such training.
  
  

• Training that is an integral, but not required, part of the curriculum, and that does provide academic credit. Many internships fit into this. Academic credit is necessary if you wish to use this. It means you must talk with your academic adviser to receive credit, perhaps through something like a practicum course that is already in your major department. You must enroll for the credit, pay tuition for it, and receive a grade or P/NP.

H-1B Visa (Temporary Non-Immigration Work Status in the U.S.)
An H1B visa is a work permit issued by a US Consulate/Embassy to an "alien"/foreign worker enabling him/her to work in the US temporarily. There are other options available for those who wish to work in the United States temporarily, like getting an intra-company transfer visa (L1), or a business visa (B1), or even a green card. The H1B work permit visa is the most common one.

Obtaining Permanent Residence in the U.S.
An immigrant visa is the visa issued to persons wishing to live permanently in the United States. These are popularly known as "Green Cards."

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