- Admitted International Student Information
Certificate of Visa Eligibility (Form I-20): Students who have been admitted to SUNY Cobleskill and have documented their ability to finance their education will receive a Certificate of Visa Eligibility (Form I-20) with their acceptance letter. To request a student visa , take your passport, the Certificate of Eligibility and proof of financial resources to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. International students who are entering the US must carry either a new I-20 or one with a recent signature on page 4 to prove their continuing attendance at SUNY Cobleskill.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT): Employment that is directly related to, and necessary within your curriculum, such as an internship.
Duration of Status (D/S): This notation refers to the time during which international students are permitted to remain in the United States. The D/S notation is made on the I-20 and the I-94 card. It is the time during which the student is registered full-time at the school they are authorized to attend plus practical training.
Employment: Any service or labor for which wages or other compensation is provided (e.g. salary, room, and board).
Entry Visa: A machine-readable stamp in your passport issued by an American Consulate abroad, authorizing you to apply for admission to the United States at the port of entry. All international students (except Canadian nationals) are required to have a valid entry visa stamp in their passport at the time of entry into the United States. Your visa indicates the type of immigration status you will hold, the date until which you may enter the United States, and the number of entries you may make before you must apply for a new entry visa stamp. An agreement between your home country and the United States Government determines the length of validity of each visa type, and is not necessarily tied to the length of your program of study.
F-1 Student: A student who entered the United States with an F-1 visa.
Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record): This small white card (usually stapled into your passport by an immigration official when you enter the United States) is a record of your nonimmigrant status and permission to stay in the United States. It shows your immigration status, the date and port of your arrival in the United States and the date until which you have permission to stay. Each time you leave the country you surrender your I-94. However, if you make short trips to Canada, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean you do keep this form.
Immigration Status: Your immigration status is generally the same as your entry visa classification, and is determined at the time of your entry into the United States by an immigration official and is noted on the form I-94. Upon entry in the United States, the immigration official keeps the arrival portion of the I-94, notes your immigration status on the departure portion, and staples the I-94 card into your passport. Your immigration status indicates your primary reason for being in the United States.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) Before Completion of Degree: Employment directly related to your program of study before completion of an academic degree that provides the student with practical training in their field of study.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) Post Completion of Studies: Employment that is directly related to your program of study after completion of your degree.
Passport: This document is issued by your country of origin and must be valid at least six (6) months into the future at all times. Extensions of your passport may be obtained through the nearest consulate or embassy of your country.
Practical Training: Employment that is directly related to your program of study. The express purpose of this employment is to provide you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills learned in your program of study, as well as provide you with the opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills through "hands on" experiences. The three categories of practical training are curricular practical training, optional practical training before completion of degree and optional practical training post completion. Practical training is considered a benefit/privilege of F-1 immigration status.
Program of Study (Major): This is the academic discipline that you are concentrating in and for which you will be receiving a degree.
SEVIS: Student Exchange Visitors Information System is an online tracking system for international students and their dependents. Through SEVIS, colleges and universities enter and update various data regarding the international students who have been issued Form 1-20's by their institutions.
