Please read this information as a guide to help you with your studies and maintain valid immigration status. The information below applies to international students at all campuses.
Contents
- Holiday travels
- WSU health fee (Pullman only)
- International Programs office hours for winter break. Plan ahead!
- WSU emergency alerts
- Full-time enrollment requirements
- Holiday travels
If you decide to travel internationally over the holidays, note that ISSS can offer same-day travel endorsement on your I-20 or DS-2019 if you attend in-person advising between 1-3 p.m. Monday through Friday at Bryan Hall 206. Any requests submitted online in the myPassport system will go through the regular standard business process of up to 5 business days.
- WSU health fee (Pullman only)
The WSU health fee, which allows students to access Cougar Health Services (CHS) and CAPS, is not automatically assessed if:
- during the fall/spring, a student is taking less than 7 credits, or
- during the summer, a student is not enrolled.
Any students, including Fulbright students, who are ABD and not on an assistantship (likely enrolled in 2 credits), enrolled in less than 7 credits, or not taking classes during the summer would need to opt-in for the health fee to be seen at CHS/CAPS. However, students should still be covered under insurance.
- International Programs office hours for winter break. Plan ahead!
ISSS will be available only for emergencies during the University Winter Closure between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. During that time, we cannot commit to processing requests within the usual 5-day turnaround time. Therefore, PLAN AHEAD if you need to submit a request to our office.
Please email ip.intlservices@wsu.edu for questions or to arrange an advising appointment. We will make sure someone from our team is available to help during this time.
- WSU emergency alerts
If you haven’t done so already, please sign up for emergency alerts on myWSU and specify the campus where you are located. These alerts include inclement weather closures and cancelations of classes.
Also, please check your current I-20. If you have a form I-20 for the Pullman campus but are located at another site, please submit an address update form in myPassport as soon as possible.
- Full-time enrollment requirements
As part of your F-1 or J-1 status, you are required to be enrolled full time unless you have authorization from ISSS to drop below full-time enrollment.
Within 30 days of the semester start date you must be enrolled in the following:
- Undergraduate students: 12 credits
- Graduate students: 10 credits
Please note that if you are a current student, your F-1 or J-1 status is tied to your full-time enrollment or having a reduced course load approved by our office. Holding on-campus employment, such as an assistantship, does not constitute maintenance of status. You can remain legally in status without employment, as long as you are enrolled full time.
If you need to drop below full-time enrollment, please meet with an ISSS advisor or contact us (ip.intlservices@wsu.edu or 509-335-4508) to learn more.
If you have any questions about the above announcement, please contact International Student and Scholar Services.
- WSU Pullman students contact +1 509-335-4508 or ip.intlservices@wsu.edu
- WSU Everett, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver students contact Nitivia Jones at nitivia.jones@wsu.edu