Yes, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is open with both in-person and virtual services available. We continue to be committed to our international student and scholar populations. Advising is being conducted in-person, via Zoom or by telephone. Click here to see the various options to meet with an ISSS team member.

Yes. Please follow the guidelines below:

Currently enrolled students: Yes, you will need to update your SEVIS D (Domestic) address in your mySJSU portal within 10 days of the change.

Post-completion OPT and STEM OPT students: Yes, you will need to report your change in address in your SEVP portal account within 10 days of the change.

For the latest ISSS event updates, please see our website at https://www.sjsu.edu/isss/events-programs/ or follow us on Instagram or Facebook @SJSUinternational.

No. You need to be back in the U.S. by the start of the new academic semester to maintain your F-1 status

Please contact ISSS by the start of the academic semester at [email protected] for more information.

No. Your final class at SJSU will need to be in-person or hybrid to maintain F-1 status. Therefore, you may need to take one more in-person or hybrid course to maintain your status in the U.S., if your final class is online.

Please complete the travel signature request form so we can verify your record and determine if a new travel I-20 is required. You will get a follow up email within 1-2 days with more instructions/information. Please keep in mind that travel signatures are valid for:

• 12 months, when you are in your degree program;
• 6 months, when you are on OPT/STEM OPT.

Check page 2 of your current I-20 to see when your I-20 was last signed for travel. If you are unsure, please email [email protected] to verify.

Please complete the travel signature request form so we can verify your record and determine if a new travel I-20 is required.

Please review the information on the Leave of Absence page and schedule an appointment with an ISSS advisor, to discuss your situation

Possibly. If your I-20 with CPT authorization indicates the remote work address, then you do not need to report this. If this has changed since your CPT was approved, then keep records of your employer's policy and procedure for remote work, including the dates and address of where you worked remotely. Please schedule an appointment with an ISSS advisor, to discuss your situation.

Email ISSS at [email protected] so we can update your CPT authorization in your SEVIS record. You may have to schedule an appointment with an ISSS advisor, to discuss your situation.

No, there are not any changes in the OPT/STEM OPT process to apply, application deadlines, or unemployment rules. You must be in the U.S. to submit the application to USCIS. Our Post Completion OPT and STEM OPT webpages are up to date. If changes do occur, we will update our tutorials and webpage. You are not allowed to be outside the U.S. for longer than 5 months when on Post Completion or STEM OPT.

Yes. You will need to update the address of where you are working from in your SEVP portal.

Yes. If you are working remotely for your STEM employer, then you will need to update the employer address on page 3, section 5 of your I-983 to your home address. You will then need to report this to ISSS by submitting your updated I-983 to ISSS by submitting the STEM OPT Employment Update. The employer's address should be listed on page 2.

You need to report this change to ISSS within 10 days of the change in employment, by submitting the STEM OPT Employment Update. You will also need to submit the bottom part of page 5 of the I-983, "Final Evaluation on Student Progress", which has been completed and signed by you and your employer.

Please remember that you can accrue an aggregate of 150 days of unemployment during post-completion and STEM OPT. To stop the unemployment clock: you must be working for an e-verified employer for more than 20 hours per week in a PAID position that is related to your STEM major field of study at SJSU. If you change employers, you will need to submit a new I-983 for ISSS to review.

The Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code is defined by the U.S. Department of Education. The CIP code system standardizes information from all institutions regarding majors by matchinging with a standard name. However, universities can use their own "preferred titles" for their programs of study, which could differ from the title associated with the CIP code.

The critical information is that the CIP code and major on your I-20 reflect the Department of Education's standard name for that CIP code, and NOT necessarily the same title of the major at your institution. For example, the Master of Science in Software Engineering, the CIP code is 14.0903. The standard title for that CIP code by the Department of Education is "Computer Software Engineering". However, the major is titled "Software Engineering" here at SJSU. In other words, the CIP code standard title is what is printed on your I-20.

The CIP codes are given by the departments. For the majority of concentrations at SJSU, the departments use the CIP code of the majors. The Admission’s Office and our office uses the CIP code field when issuing I-20s. The I-20 is only for immigration purposes and does not affect you academically. In other words, your graduation progress, transcript, and diploma will reflect your major in addition to your concentration.

You can find all our STEM eligible majors here. The school catalog has the CIP codes for all majors and concentrations at SJSU. Please note that, for the majority of the concentrations, SJSU issues I-20s with the CIP code of majors. For example, the concentration of Management Information Systems concentration under Business Admission major. SJSU issues the I-20 with CIP code of the major - 52.0201 instead of the concentration - 11.0103. Therefore, Management Information Systems is not a STEM major at SJSU.