International Students
INVITATION LETTER FOR GRADUATION CEREMONIES
For those students who have relatives outside of the United Sates and need an official letter which confirms your student status and your graduation date, please email Gradzone@columbia.edu with the following information:
Student Name
Columbia College or Fu School of Engineering and Applied Science
Degree Program (i.e. Bachelors or Masters)
Each Relative's Name (exactly as it appears on their passport)
Relation to the Student (i.e. mother, father, aunt, etc)
Country of origin
Dates he or she would like to stay in the United States
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The following information is provided by:
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS OFFICE (ISSO)
524 Riverside Drive at 123rd Street 854-3587
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/isso
isso@columbia.edu
Office hours:
Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm, except Wednesdays, when the office opens at
10:30am following a staff meeting.
Please contact ISSO with any questions you may have about the following information, or for further details.
International Students -- Please review the following information pertaining to:
- Leaving the United States after graduation
- Seeking employment in the United States
- Continuing as a student in another program at Columbia University
- Continuing as a student at another university in the United States
- Receiving an “invitation letter” for relatives
ARE YOU PLANNING TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES AFTER COMPLETING YOUR PROGRAM?
If you are planning to leave the U.S. after completing your program, F-1 regulations allow you to remain here up to sixty days beyond your completion date of May 21, 2008, i.e. until July 20. Any time beyond that, even a day, is a violation of your status.
You should not stay beyond the expiration of your "grace period," or you will be in violation of your status.
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ARE YOU PLANNING TO REMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES AND SEEK EMPLOYMENT IN YOUR FIELD OF STUDY?
You may apply for permission to work in your field of study as part of your F-1 status after completing a program of study. This is called Optional Practical Training (OPT). F-1 regulations require students to submit an application for OPT authorization to the USCIS (part of the Department of Homeland Security) BEFORE the May 21st completion date on your I-20. This means the application must be RECEIVED by USCIS before this date.
Complete information on the OPT application process is available on the ISSO web site at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/isso/visa/F-1/F-1_PT_post_completion.html and there will be 8 information sessions held throughout the spring term.
Don’t miss the deadline and lose your eligibility to work!
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WILL YOU BE APPLYING FOR A NEW PROGRAM OF STUDY AT COLUMBIA?
If you are going to enroll in a new program of study at Columbia in Fall 2008, you will need to get a new I-20 for the new program. This entails showing new funding documents. Contact the ISSO about qualifying for a new I-20. Your SEVIS record will automatically "time out and complete" after the 60 day grace period UNLESS you apply to the ISSO for an extension for a new program. More information can be found at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/isso/visa/F-1/F-1_extension_newprogram.html.
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ARE YOU PLANNING TO ATTEND ANOTHER SCHOOL IN THE U.S. AFTER COMPLETING YOUR PROGRAM AT COLUMBIA?
If you plan to go to another school next term, Columbia must "release" your SEVIS record to the next school. Before the 60-day grace period expires, the ISSO must enter a "release date" in your SEVIS record. The release date is the date on which your SEVIS record becomes accessible to the international office of the new school, enabling them to make a new I-20 for you and take over supervision of your F-1 status. Contact your ISSO advisor for more details.
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QUESTIONS?
Contact an ISSO adviser by phone, e-mail, or in person. Please bring your documents with you when you visit the office in order for us to best assist you.
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