Are you nearing graduation?  If so, please review the following information to make sure you will have a smooth transition into life after SFBC.

Enrollment Requirements in Final Semester

Undergraduate Student Last Semester Exception:

• F-1 undergraduate students who are in their final semester of study at South Florida Bible College may enroll in less than 12 credit hours of classes if they require less than full-time enrollment to graduate.  This exception is only for the final semester of study. PLEASE NOTE: If you only require one class to graduate, it cannot be taken as an online or distance learning class.

Graduate Students Last Semester Exceptions and Minimum Enrollment:

• F-1 graduate students who are in their final semester of study at South Florida Bible College may enroll in less than 9 credit hours of classes if they require less than full-time enrollment to graduate. This exception is only for the final semester of study. PLEASE NOTE: If you only require one class to graduate, it cannot be taken as an online or distance learning class.

Employment Authorization

If you are interested in working in your field of study after completing your academic program, you will need to apply for employment authorization.

• F-1 students: Optional Practical Training (OPT) provides one year of employment authorization in your field of study. Your application must be submitted and arrive at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within 60 days of your program completion date (the final day of your final semester at UA); however, you are encouraged to apply much earlier. Due to slow processing times, we recommend applying approximately three months in advance. For more information about eligibility requirements and how to apply, see Optional Practical Training (OPT).  F-1 students who wish to apply for OPT must complete an online Optional Practical Training Seminar (OPT Seminar Slides).

On-Campus Employment
Your on-campus work eligibility ends the last day of your final semester. While South Florida Bible College allows student hourly workers to continue employment for some time following graduation, this option does not apply to international students.

Exception: you may be able to continue working if you have been authorized for OPT but only if the OPT EAD Card has been received and the start date immediately follows the semester end date and the position is in your field of study (a requirement for OPT employment authorization).

Grace Period

• F-1 students: If you do not apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT), you have a 60-day grace period after the last day of your final semester. Within this 60-day period you have the following options:

1. Depart the U.S. – Once you leave the U.S. (including trips to Canada and Mexico) after completing your studies you are not eligible to re-enter the United States with your current I-20. The grace period is meant for travel within the states and preparation to depart the U.S.
2. Request a new I-20 if you will continue at SFBC in a new degree program.
3. If you are moving from a Bachelor’s to a Master’s or a Master’s to a PhD program, you must request a Change of Level I-20 from International Student and Scholar Services.
4. Transfer your SEVIS record to a new school (I-20 Transfer-Out Request Form).
5. Apply with USCIS to change status to another visa category.

Overstay and Accrual of Unlawful Presence: Staying beyond the authorized period of stay in the U.S. (e.g. staying beyond your grace period or authorized training period) is a serious violation of status. An egregious overstay may result in a bar from being able to return to the U.S. for 3 years, 10 years or even a lifetime bar.

Change-of-Level

After graduation, if you will continue your studies at South Florida Bible College in a new degree program, you will need to submit an application for an updated I-20.

The action of moving from one degree level to a new degree level is called a Change-of-Education Level.

F-1 students have a 60-day grace period after the last day of their final semester to request a Change-of-Education Level I-20.

To get your Change-of-Education Level I-20 from South Florida Bible College, you must submit:

1. Admission Letter for New Program

2. I-20 Request Form

3. Proof of funding (e.g. scholarship letter, financial guarantee, or personal funds);

4. Passport; and

5. Current Visa/Visa Document.

PROCESSING TIME: ISSD cannot process the new I-20 until after your current program has completed.  So, if you will graduate in the Spring Semester, the earliest we can process the new documents will be the week after the May commencement ceremonies.  After completion of the final term and the submission of a complete I-20 Request Form and supporting documents, it will take ISSD a minimum of 5 business days (1 week) to process the updated I-20.

TRAVEL AND VISA RENEWAL FOR STUDENTS CHANGING DEGREE LEVELS
With the exception of Canadian citizens, you need to check your visa stamp to make sure that it will be valid upon re-entry to the United States.

• If you have an Unexpired F-1 Visa stamp – You do not need to apply for a new visa stamp if your current one is still valid. You will be able to use it to re-enter the U.S. when using your South Florida Bible College change-of-education level I-20.

• If you have an Expired F-1 Visa stamp – If you are going to travel out of the US with the change-of-education level I-20 and your previous F1 visa has expired, you should use the change-of-education level I-20 to apply for a new F-1 or J-1 visa stamp in your passport. Please contact the  U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your home country for application procedures. Be prepared to present financial documentation with the I-20 document when you apply for the visa. As a change-of-education level student, you are not required to pay the SEVIS fee again unless you no longer have proof that you have paid it. You should carry all of your previous I-20 forms to your visa interview and when entering the U.S. in the event that you are asked further questions about your previous status.

Changing Schools and SEVIS Transfer Procedures

If you have secured admission to a new school you must contact your International Student Services Department Advisor to coordinate the transfer of your SEVIS record – SEVIS Transfer-Out Request Form.

• F-1 students: this request must be made before the end of the 60-day grace period.

If you are registered for a future semester of study at SFBC, don’t forget to withdraw and fulfill any financial obligations with the College before you transfer to your new school or leave the U.S.  For information on withdrawing from SFBC as part of the transfer process to another school, please visit the SFBC Withdrawal Form.

Graduation, Commencement & Diplomas

Specific steps must be taken to apply for graduation, participate in the Commencement Ceremony, and ensure that your diploma will be mailed to the correct address. Visit the Office of the Registrar’s online application for graduation.

Inviting Family Members to Visit the U.S.

As graduation approaches, you may want to invite your parents or other family members to celebrate commencement with you. Here are some suggestions to help them apply for a visitor’s visa (B-2) at a US consulate or embassy in their home country.

To facilitate their visa interview process you should do the following:

• Write a letter of invitation.  A sample of the letter can be found in this Invitation Template. Include the purpose of the visit, your relationship to the individuals, a statement of your status here, itinerary details and the length of time they will be visiting (usually less than three months). It is best to emphasize the temporary nature of the invitation and to demonstrate their intention to return to their home country following the visit. If you will provide their financial support while they are here, include that information as well.
• Include with your invitation letter an Enrollment Verification Letter from the Office of the Registrar to confirm your student status (email registrar@sfbc.edu).
• Provide details of the Commencement Ceremony.

For additional information about U.S. consulate/embassy locations and application procedures, review the U.S. Department of State visa information.

Providing your family members with this documentation may improve their chances of obtaining a visa; however, there is no guarantee a visa will be issued. The success of their request for a visa lies in their ability to prove that they have no intention of staying permanently in the U.S.

International Student Services Department no longer provides invitation letters for family or friends.  Again, please use the Invitation Template to draft your personal invitation to your family or friends.