Frequently Asked Questions for New Students

 

Who is my International Student Advisor?

I’m a transfer student. When do I need to be at school?

Do I have to get Health Insurance?

What if I’m a graduate student with an assistantship? Is my insurance fee covered?

Do I have to get insurance for my dependents (spouse and/or children)?

How many credits do I need to take each semester?

Is there a minimum grade requirement for international students?

What do I do with my passport, visa, and I-20 (or DS-2019) once I’m in Grand Forks?

Am I allowed to work while I’m in the U.S.?

Can I work off-campus?

Can my dependents (spouse and/or children) work or study?

What should I do if I move or change my phone number?

 

Who is my International Student Advisor? 

There are three International Student Advisors (ISAs) at UND: Bridget Flaherty, Matt Hiller, and Shannon Jolly. You will find out who your ISA is during Orientation. Once you know who your advisor is, you must make an appointment to check-in with him/her within 15 days of the orientation. This is a requirement of U.S. immigration law. Please call 777-4231 to make this appointment to check in. For your appointment, you will need to bring your passport with visa, I-94 card and I-20 form to the Office of International Programs (OIP). These documents will be photocopied and maintained in your immigration file. The OIP is located at 2908 University Avenue, opposite the Memorial Union.

 

I’m a transfer student. When do I need to be at school?

Students transferring from another U.S. school must report to their ISA within 15 days of beginning attendance at the University of North Dakota. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the loss of your visa status and you will have to apply for reinstatement from USCIS. The filing fee for reinstatement is $300. Transfer students are still expected to attend the international student orientation. Check the website and welcome letter for orientation dates.

 

Do I have to get Health Insurance?

Yes. North Dakota State Law mandates that all international students MUST purchase the State health insurance plan. As a result, all international students are automatically billed the insurance charge at the beginning of the academic year ($894 for the 2010-2011 academic year) . The health insurance charge can be paid prior to or upon arrival at the University of North Dakota. Canadian students are exempt from purchasing Health Insurance.

 

What if I’m a graduate student with an assistantship? Is my insurance fee covered?

Graduate students who have been offered assistantships must pay the insurance charge in full at the beginning of the semester. They will, however, be refunded the portion that the graduate school pays over the course of the year.

 

Do I have to get insurance for my dependents (spouse and/or children)?

Health insurance for dependents is not mandatory, but is strongly recommended. Please talk to your ISA once you arrive about purchasing additional health insurance for dependent family members. If you wish to add dependents to the UND health insurance plan, this must be done within 30 days of the start of the insurance plan or of their arrival in the United States, whichever is later.

 

How many credits do I need to take each semester?

Immigration law requires that international students be full time. Full time is defined as the following minimum enrollment requirements:

• Undergraduate students: 12 credits each semester
• Graduate students without an assistantship: 9 credits each semester
• Graduate students with an assistantship: 6 credits each semester.

 

Is there a minimum grade requirement for international students?

 Yes. Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA (grade point average). Graduate students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

 

What do I do with my passport, visa, and I-20 (or DS-2019) once I’m in Grand Forks?

YOU are responsible for keeping your passport, I-20 (or DS-2019), and U.S. visa up-to-date. If your passport will soon expire, the OIP has the addresses of your home country’s consular office in the U.S. so you may obtain a passport application. If you lose your I-20 (or DS-2019), the OIP can issue a replacement. If you lose your I-94 card, see your ISA about applying for a replacement ($320). When your U.S. visa expires and you intend to travel outside the United States, you will need to renew your F-1, M-1, or J-1 visa before you can return to the U.S. Visas cannot be renewed inside the United States.

PLEASE NOTE: International students may remain in the U.S. with an expired entry visa and may visit Canada and/or Mexico for 30 days or less with an expired entry visa as long as their I-20 form is valid.

 

Am I allowed to work while I’m in the U.S.?

You may work ON CAMPUS upon beginning classes at UND. Students may work 20 hours per week while school is in session and 40 hours per week during vacation periods (winter and summer breaks only).

 

Can I work off-campus?

There are only a few situations in which you can work off-campus, including Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 students and Academic Training for J-1 students. You are eligible for CPT to work off campus after you have maintained F-1 student status at the University of North Dakota for one academic year. You must have a minimum 2.0 GPA as an undergraduate student or a 3.0 as a graduate student and the employment must be for academic credit in your field of study. If you are interested in CPT, make an appointment with your ISA for CPT authorization.

You can do OPT in your field of study for 12 months after you graduate from the University of North Dakota. You must apply for OPT with your ISA about four months before graduation. You will be required to pay a filing fee to USCIS for an Employment Authorization application.

More information can be found on the Employment page.

 

Can my dependents (spouse and/or children) work or study?

Dependents of international students in F-2 visa status can take part-time avocational classes, but CANNOT WORK. If dependents wish to study full-time at UND, they must apply to change to F-1 student status, and cannot begin their program of study until their application is approved.

Dependents of international students in J-2 visa status are allowed to take classes.  They are also allowed to work, but must have prior authorization from USCIS.  If you want to know more working in J-2 status, please meet with an International Student Advisor.

Dependents of international student in M-2 status may not accept employment or engage in business under any circumstances.  The M-2 spouse of an M-1 student may not engage in full time study, and the M-2 child may only engage in full time study if the study is in an elementary or secondary school (kindergarten through twelfth grade). The spouse and child may engage in study that is avocational or recreational in nature.

 

What should I do if I move or change my phone number?

You must keep the Office of International Programs up-to-date with your most current address and phone number in Grand Forks. This is so that your SEVIS record can be kept up to date and is a requirement of U.S. immigration law. Students who fail to notify the OIP of address changes can lose their student status. You can notify the OIP of your address change by emailing your ISA or by coming to the International Centre.