International Student Information
This information applies to International Students only
Setting Up a U.S. Bank Account
It is recommended that students who are hired as RAs, TAs, or receive fellowships open a U.S. bank account. There are several options near campus:
For more information about banking, go here.
Social Security Number
All international students that are employed by the U of M or through internships will need to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN).
The social security office requires students to go to their office in-person to get the SSN. ISSS provides detailed instructions for the SSN process HERE.
For students coming from outside the US, you'll want to initiate this process as soon as you arrive in the US.
Students on fellowships are not eligible for a social security number until they are on a research assistantship or a teaching assistantship.
See Katie Sauer in the accounting office for the verification of on-campus employment letter.
UMN New (International) Graduate Students - UMANG
New international students are invited to join UMANG's Facebook group--a large portion of students in this group are from CSE.
High standards of English language proficiency are required for nonnative English speaking graduate students who are appointed to teaching assistant (TA) positions.
All nonnative English speaking graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) must demonstrate proficiency in spoken English appropriate to the demands of their teaching assistantship. Proficiency is assessed in one of the following ways:
English Language Proficiency (ELP) rating earned through coursework with the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI);
Speaking section of TOEFL iBT (internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language).
SETTA (Spoken English Test for Teaching Assistants) test (TC campus) or alternative test chosen by system campuses.
Contacts:
Primary Contact(s)
Jeff Lindgren (lindg027@umn.edu)
Registration for the SETTA test
Barbara Beers (beers003@umn.edu)
Scores on these assessments are converted into numerical English Language Proficiency (ELP) ratings which correspond to eligibility for various teaching responsibilities (i.e., higher proficiency corresponds with more demanding instructional responsibilities.)
For ELP ratings lower than 1, one to three semesters of ITA Program coursework is required. For ELP ratings see http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/graduate/itap/settaeligibility/index.html
For SPEAK test registration information, please see http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/graduate/itap/schedule/index.html
ELP 1
You have an ELP of 1 if you scored 27-30 on the TOEFL iBT speaking section OR earned 1 on the SETTA, or passed the GRAD 5105 final exam. With this rating:
· You are eligible for all instructional responsibilities.
· You are not required to take any courses in the International TA Program
ELP 2
You have an ELP of 2 if you scored 23-26 on the TOEFL iBT speaking section OR earned 2 on the SETTA, or passed the GRAD 5102 final exam. With this rating:
· You are eligible for all instructional responsibilities but must be enrolled in GRAD 5105 while working as a TA or instructor in a class, lab, recitation, discussion online or face to face.
· No International TA Program coursework is required if you are grading, tutoring, holding office hours, or proctoring.
ELP 4
You have an ELP of 4 if you scored 18-22 on the TOEFL iBT speaking section OR earned 4 on the SETTA. With this rating:
· You are eligible only to tutor, hold office hours, grade, or proctor but must be enrolled in GRAD 5102 while holding a TA position.
· You are not eligible to teach online or face to face in a class, lab, recitation, or discussion.
ELP 5
You have an ELP of 5 if you scored <18 on the TOEFL iBT speaking section OR earned 5 on the SETTA. With this rating:
· You are not eligible to hold any TA positions.
· We recommend these courses through the Minnesota English Language Program (MELP): ESL 3602 or ESL 3551.
· You may retake the SETTA upon successful completion of any MELP ESL course.
Contact Barbara Beers for more information.
ISSS-International Student and Scholar Services
A department on campus dedicated to serving the international student community.
General Contact Information
301 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
Telephone: 612-626-7100
Email: isss@umn.edu
Here is a little bit what is on their website. Each section title is a link to that page of the website.
-Welcome
-Confirm your Enrollment
-Get your VISA
-Prepare for Arrival
-Complete ISSS and UMN Requirements
-Living in Minnesota
-Campus Resources
-Get Involved
-Maintaining your legal status
-Employment
-Travel
-Dependents
-Maintaining your legal status
-Employment
-Travel
-Dependents
Get Involved -Graduate Students
-Cross Cultural Discussion Groups
-Cross Cultural Leadership Retreat
-Cultural Corps
-Global Gopher Experiences
-Graduate Student Internships
-International Student Advisory Board
-Small World Coffee Hour
-Academic Counseling
-Career Support
-Funding
-Tax Information
-LGBTQIA+ Support
CPT vs. OPT
Want to know the difference between CPT and OPT?
Review our CPT/OPT comparison chart to learn more.
CPT is work authorization that allows a student to work before graduation in a job directly related to their major area of study. CPT authorization is provided by ISSS. The CEGE course you take for this is CEGE 3190.
OPT is work authorization that allows a student to work either before or after degree completion in a job directly related to their major area of study. OPT authorization is provided by USCIS.
Graduates with a certain STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degree are eligible to apply for an additional 24 months of OPT STEM Extension. Graduates apply for STEM OPT as they near the end of their initial OPT period, and the permission is granted by USCIS.