Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

 

Q: I am an international student interested in applying to GW. Who should I contact?

 

If you wish to apply as an undergraduate student, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions office:

 

Undergraduate Admissions

2121 I (Eye) Street, NW

Suite 201

Washington, DC 20052

Phone: (202) 994-6040

Fax: (202) 994-0325

E-mail: gwadm@gwu.edu

http://gwired.gwu.edu/adm/apply/international.html

 

To apply to a graduate program, please contact your school and program directly or contact Graduate Student Enrollment Management.

 

Graduate Student Enrollment Management

2121 I (Eye) Street, NW

Suite 603

Washington, DC 20052

E-mail: gradinfo@gwu.edu

http://www2.gwu.edu/~gradinfo/International_generalinfo.cfm

 

 

Q: Where is the ISO office located? 

The ISO is located at 2033 K Street, NW, Suite 310 at the corner of 21st Street and K Street. The building's entrance is on 21st Street directly across from Stevens Elementary School.

 

If you have trouble finding us, please call (202) 994-4477.  

 

 

Q: When in the ISO open to the public?

 

The ISO is open to the public from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Documents may be picked up or dropped off at anytime. Advisor Office Hours vary, so please click here for more information.

 

 

Q: I need to speak with an international student advisor. What are my options?

 

Students have two options to speak with an advisor. Make an appointment or visit the ISO during your advisor's office hours. Please click here to see when he or she is available.

 

Students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with his/her advisor, but may also speak with him/her during office hours. Students do not need an appointment to speak with his/her advisor during office hours and are served on a first come, first served basis. If your case requires more than 20 minutes, you may be asked to make an appointment at a later date.

 

If you are outside the DC area and cannot come during office hours, please call (202) 994-4477 to make an appointment.

 

Q: What is "office hour" advising?

 

Office hour advising sessions are short, usually 20 minutes or less. Students are seen on a "first come, first served" basis. Students may speak with an advisor in a private conversation on any issue they need to discuss: personal matters, travel plans, academic issues, etc. Appointments are not necessary. Both F & J students may come to the ISO for office hour advising. If your situation requires more than 20 minutes, you may be asked to make an appointment.

 

  

Q: What should I bring with me to my appointment or during my advisor's office hours?

 

Please bring your valid passport with a valid visa stamp, white I-94 card stamped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (also referred to as Arrival/Departure Record) and your GW I-20 (or DS-2019 for J visa holders).

If your request requires additional paperwork or signatures from your academic advisor or Dean, please bring those with you, as well. Please bring original documents.

 

Q: May I see an advisor before his/her office hours begin?

 

Unless you have an appointment with an advisor (and received a confirmation) or have an extreme emergency, you cannot speak with an advisor outside of his or her office hours. Documents, however, may be picked up or dropped off at any time the office is open.

 

 

Q: What services are provided during office hours?

 

Office hour advising is meant to answer questions related to your immigration status or address any other concerns you may have related to your academic, personal or cultural adjustment.  Travel signatures and social security letters can be processed during office hours when applicable.

 

Please note: during peak travel seasons (before holidays and school breaks), please request a travel signature at least 10 days in advance.  

 

 

Q: What are the nearest metro stops to the ISO office?

 

Blue/Orange Lines: Foggy Bottom or Farragut West

 

Red Line: Farragut North

 

If you are having trouble determining your route, please visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's website for some helpful hints for planning your trip. http://www.wmata.com/

 

Q: How often should I get a travel signature?

F-1 Students: If you are traveling outside the U.S. and plan to re-enter, you should have your travel signature/endorsement updated each semester.

 

**If you plan to travel outside the U.S. for longer than five months, please speak with your advisor about your plans before departure.

 

J-1 Exchange Visitors: Please have your DS-2019 endorsed by a Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) of your sponsoring organization at least once a year. The signature is valid for up to one year or until the date entered on Line 3.

 

 

Q: What documents do I need to travel and re-enter the U.S.? 

 

To reenter the U.S., you will need:

• Valid Passport
• Valid Visa Stamp
• Accurate Visa documents (I-20 or DS-2019)
• Recent Travel Signature from ISO Advisor
• GW Transcript
• Letter of Enrollment from the Registrar
• Updated Financial documents (no older than 6 months)

Special provisions may apply to travel to Canada, Mexico and neighboring islands. If traveling on OPT or Academic Training, please carry a letter from your employer.

 

Q: How do I apply for a Social Security Number?

In order to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN), you must be approved for pre-authorized employment.

To issue a letter, an advisor must have copies of all your current immigration documents in order to validate your status. If you have traveled recently, have a new F-1 visa or I-94 card, extended your passport or have any other new documents, please submit new copies. If you hope to request a letter during walk-in advising hours, please bring all of your documents with you.

 

Please submit the following at the ISO Front Desk with your request:

 

On Campus Employment:

 

Please submit a letter from your employing department, on GW letterhead, stating the following information:

1. Your position title
2. Number of hours you will work per week
3. Location of employment

**F-1 students with fellowship or Graduate Assistantship (GTA, GRA, GAA): please provide a copy of your award letter in lieu of the on-campus employer letter.

 

Off-Campus Employment:

 

Students authorized for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) must provide their I-20 with a CPT endorsement on page 3 when applying for a Social Security letter. All previous I-20s must also be included.

 

Students authorized for Optional Practical Training (OPT) or severe economic hardship must provide a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

 

To apply for a SSN:

 

The Social Security Administration requires original documents stating age, identity and lawful alien status.  

 

Please bring

1. I-20
2. Passport
3. F-1 Visa or I-797 Approval Notice
4. I-94 Card
5. Social Security Support Letter (from ISO)
6. Letter from Employer
7. GWorld Card

The nearest Social Security Administration to the Foggy Bottom campus is located at 2100 M Street, NW.

 

If you have any questions, please see your ISO advisor during his or her office hours. Please click here for advisor availability.  

 

 Q: Can individuals in F-2 status get Social Security Numbers?

F-2s are ineligible for employment and thus, ineligible for a Social Security Number.

Q: How long does it take the ISO to process my document?

If you are dropping off your request, the ISO requires ten (10) business days to process routine documents. However, if there are any problems with your documents, the process may take longer. Please plan ahead and bring complete and accurate documents.

Q: I just moved. Do I need to report this information to the USCIS (Unites States Citizenship and Immigration Services)?

Yes, click here for information about reporting address changes.  You also need to:

1. Update your information on GWeb
2. Send an e-mail to the ISO with your new address iso@gwu.edu

Q: What happens if my I-20 or DS-2019 will expire before I finish my program?

Expiration Dates can be found:

I-20: Page 1, Line 5 

DS-2019: Page 1, Line 3.

 

Do not allow your I-20 or DS-2019 to expire or you will be out of status!

 

Please come to the ISO to apply for a Program Extension. Make an appointment to see an advisor 30 to 90 days before the expiration date stated on your I-20 or DS-2019.

 

 

Q: What happens if my visa stamp expires before I finish my program?

An F-1 or J-1 student is permitted to stay within the United States with an expired visa stamp in his/her passport, as long as the passport, I-94, and I-20 or DS-2019 are still valid and he/she is maintaining lgegal  status. If the visa stamp expires, a student must apply for a new visa stamp while outside the U.S. if he/she leaves and wishes to re-enter the country.

 

 

Q: How many credits must I register for and maintain to remain in legal F-1 or J-1 status?

Graduate students must maintain nine credits both fall and spring semesters.

Undergraduate students must maintain twelve credits both fall and spring semesters.

Students are not required to register for summer classes, unless your program requires summer enrollment. In this case, you must be registered full time.

Q: How do I apply for a new visa stamp?

To apply for a new visa stamp, you will need to visit a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Bring transcripts from your previous school(s) as proof of your prior student status in the U.S. 

The State Department website list of U.S. embassies and consulates can be found at http://usembassy.state.gov/ 

Q: I would like to join the ISO ListServe.  What should I do?

To join the ISO ListServe, please enter your name and email in the spaces provided under "Subscribe to Email List" on the ISO homepage.  If, for some reason, this does not work, please submit your full name, status with the University (i.e. student, scholar, faculty/staff, etc.), and the reason for submitting your information to iso@gwu.edu  

 

 

Q: What is SEVIS?

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is an electronic information system designed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in response to a law passed by Congress in 1996 requiring schools to report information about international students. The information entered on the system is available to the INS as well as U.S. embassies and consulates.  All schools, including GW, designated to enroll F-1 and J-1 students or to host J-1 exchange visitors must enroll in SEVIS and are required to participate fully in SEVIS.

 

Q: What kind of information is stored in SEVIS?

SEVIS expands the scope of data GW must collect on F and J visa holders and requires GW to track and report to the DHS electronically. Some of the student information GW enters into SEVIS includes name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, arrival or failure to arrive, when a student or exchange visitor transfers schools, travels overseas, changes major fields, extends the expected completion date, undertakes optional practical training or participates in a co-operative education employment program.

Q: Does SEVIS alter the F and J visa holder's responsibility to maintain valid immigration status?

SEVIS does not alter the F and J visa holder's responsibility to maintain valid immigration status. The final responsibility for maintaining legal status rests solely on the non-immigrant student or scholar. As long as students and scholars diligently maintain their appropriate status, they should not be affected by SEVIS. However, students who fail to maintain their status would lose their legal status and all benefits of such status.

For more information regarding SEVIS, please visit the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) page on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/index.htm.