International Students

• Overview
• Housing
• Department of Homeland Security Regulations
• Health and Accident Insurance
• Tuition Assistance
• MDC Policies, Regulations and Rules
• Maintaining Status
• Employment

Maintaining Status

1. Bring your documents to ISS immediately (including the documents for all of your F-2 dependents):
   • Passport
   • F-1 visa
   • Last Entry Stamp or I-94
   • I-20
2. Have a valid passport at all times
   • Should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the planned entry into the US
   • Should contain a student visa from US Consulate/Embassy (with the exception of Canadian citizens)
3. Enroll for a full course of study.
   • 12 credit minimum! You cannot drop without permission from ISS.
   • Summer term enrollment is optional unless you are graduating in the summer.
   • Can be part-time in last semester prior to graduation.
   • You must have a valid reason to fall below full-time enrollment and it must be approved by your Academic and ISS Advisor PRIOR to your dropping below full-time enrollment.
4. Attend MDC only.
5. ATTEND CLASSES! Failure to attend classes will result in the loss of your immigration status and make you subject to deportation.
   • You are permitted 3 credits of Virtual College as part of your 12 credit rule for Fall and Spring terms.
   • 9 of your 12 credits must be scheduled as regular on campus classes.
6. Provide local and foreign address to Student Records using myMDC account.
7. Maintain proper Health Insurance: Proof of insurance coverage until August is mandatory before you can register for classes. Purchase it from: www.insuranceforstudents.com/mdc
8. Refrain from any kind of employment without authorization!
   • F-1 students are eligible to apply for off-campus employment authorization after having been in F-1 status for one full academic year immediately preceding the application.
9. Apply for a program extension BEFORE your I-20 expires or else you will fall out of status and lose all F-1 benefits. (See line #5 of your I-20 for expiration date.)
10. Follow procedures to transfer from one U.S. school to another or change educational level.
    • To transfer to MDC, provide ISS with copies of these documents within 15 days of the program start date listed on your I-20:
      • Passport
      • F-1 visa
      • Last Entry Stamp or I-94
      • I-20