ISSS News

This message is to inform all international students with an F-1 & J-1 visa status about the change to the number of online classes students can enroll during the academic year. The academic year consists of Fall, Spring and Summer (if summer is the student’s first semester in their program or their final semester.) I ask that you read the entire message as it is important and may require planning and working closely with academic advisors. On March 2020, the U.S. government issued a guidance allowing schools and students to engage in online classes more than what is allowed due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. This allowance continued until the end of Summer 2023. On May 12, 2023, the U.S. government announced that it will no longer view COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency and will end the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) guidance.

Effective today May 30, 2023, the Last Semester Notification e-form is no longer being used. The e-form was removed from UAtlas and the policy guides pertaining to "Last Semester Notifications" have also been removed. If you have submitted a Last Semester Notification and it is still in Pending Status, we will process your request.  In order to receive an OPT I-20, it is no longer a requirement to submit a Last Semester Notification. Friendly Reminder: Students in their last semester are required to maintain a full-course load. If it is not possible to maintain a full-course load in your last semester, we ask that you send an email to international@utah.edu. to Please understand that because the Last Semester Notification e-form is no longer available does not mean that the regulations are gone too, communicating to our office in a timely manner will be more effective than waiting last minute. 

There are many students who are exploring their options before making that final decision to declare their major and then you have others who are declared and ready to go. Terri Zitong Diao was part of the latter group, however, she has decided to switch her majors a few weeks into starting her first semester.

On May 04, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently published a Federal Register Notice, explaining a suspension on certain F-1 student regulations for students who are Hong Kong residents that are experiencing severe economic hardship. Specifically, "employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while maintaining their F-1 nonimmigrant student status," (Federal Register, Employment Authorization for Hong Kong F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Hong Kong, 2023)

The International Student and Scholar Services are announcing a new online scheduling system and walk-in hours. Traditionally if students wanted to meet with an International Student Advisor, they will either call, email, or walk-in to our main office to schedule an appointment. We are excited to start using "Microsoft Bookings" to allow individuals to schedule the appointments immediately.