Post-pandemic, the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are now strictly enforcing the residential learning requirements for all F-1 students during the fall 2023 semester, regardless of whether the student is in the final semester of their program. All F-1 students, including those participating in CPT, must attend in-person classes during the fall 2023 semester.
For students who intend to participate in CPT, the most advisable approach is to secure in-person internships in the Los Angeles area or pursue remote/hybrid internships. Additionally, students must attend in-person classes, maintain a residential address within the Los Angeles area, and actively participate in the residential experience at USC. This arrangement eliminates concerns regarding students’ compliance with immigration regulations.
OIS understands some valuable internship/research opportunities are in Northern California, Central California, San Diego County, and out-of-state. OIS will permit students to work outside the Los Angeles area in the fall semester and reside near their internships in their final semester; however, they must return to campus to fulfill the in-person requirements of their course(s). Not attending the in-person requirements of the course is a direct violation of F-1 status. Ph.D. students at the dissertation stage of their program may also participate in CPT outside the Los Angeles area so long as they return to campus to fulfill the in-person requirements of their program.
In Fall 2023, ENGR-596/597/598 enrollment will require students participating in internship experiences outside the Los Angeles area to return to campus for 12.5 hours of in-person instruction on December 2-3, 2023.
Students participating in internships in the Los Angeles area are not required to participate in the on-campus component of ENGR-596/597/598 for the fall semester. However, these students will not be approved for DEN courses and must attend in-person instruction for their remaining class.
Failure to attend classes in person during the fall semester may result in USCIS issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) when students apply for future immigration benefits. USCIS may request receipts such as plane tickets, on-campus restaurant purchases, and affidavits from professors confirming class attendance to verify the maintenance of immigration status and participation in in-person learning. USC is implementing these measures to ensure students comply with federal immigration requirements, safeguard our students’ best interests, and ensure a smooth application process for OPT, H-1B, and other immigration benefits in the future.
OIS advisors and senior members of Viterbi Graduate Academic Services and Programs and Viterbi Career Connections will host a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM to address this topic and answer questions. Please join this Zoom link.