Immigration Status Verification (ISV)

Updated 04/25/2024 Upon arrival to the United States (U.S.), all new and continuing (e.g. return from leave of absence, reinstatement, change of status, etc.) international F-1 / J-1 students and J-1 scholars are required to complete Immigration Status Verification (ISV), formally referred to as Passport Verification (PPV), with the Office of International Services (OIS). ISV…

Sprintax Tax Preparation Software

Updated 04/08/2024 OIS has teamed up with Sprintax to provide tax preparation software for non-residents at USC. Sprintax is a web-based tax return preparation system designed exclusively for foreign students, scholars, teachers, researchers, trainees, and their dependents to aid in preparing US federal and state income tax forms (returns). Recent USC graduates on OPT and OPT…

STEM OPT Extension

Updated 04/04/2024 Graduates currently on post-completion OPT may be eligible for a 24-month extension of their work authorization if they have earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in an eligible STEM field, as designated by USCIS. The STEM OPT Extension allows graduates the opportunity to gain an additional 24-months of work experience, resulting in…

Social Security Number (SSN)

Updated 08/22/2023 A Social Security Number (SSN) is a 9-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and temporary (working) non-residents (e.g., F-1/J-1 students and scholars) by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Its primary purpose is to track individuals for taxation purposes; it is not intended to be used for identification purposes. Per current legislation,…

Graduate Student Government Welcomes International Students

Learn more about how international students can get involved with GSG. Story by: Leah Haynesworth Getting involved in a university’s extracurricular activities can be intimidating for any new student. The Graduate Student Government (GSG) wants to make it easy for all students to get involved by providing great opportunities for international students to attend social events, develop their…