About > International Programs Posts > Immigration Advisory > April 15, 2022 Immigration Advisory

April 15, 2022 Immigration Advisory

April 15, 2022

Please read this information as a guide to help you with your remote studies and to maintain valid immigration status.

Contents:

  1. Take our survey! Spend 3 minutes to tell us about your experience with counseling services at WSU so we can better help other students! Your response may win a prize!
  2. Learning Support Center hours for end of semester
  3. Save the dates: Travel endorsement clinic April 27-28
  4. Please donate – International Emergency Fund
  5. Online OPT application
  6. Summer housing
  7. Academic dismissal and academic recess
  8. Not returning fall 2022? Let us know
  9. Sprintax software reminder/ Free Sprintax software now available to download!
  1. Take our survey!

Spend 3 minutes to tell us about your experience with counseling services at WSU so we can better help other students! Your response may win a prize!

  1. Learning Support Center hours for end of semester

The LSC tutors will be available to help all undergraduate and graduate international students and scholars with end of semester studying, projects, papers, and presentations until April 29. Tutors will not be available during exam week, May 2-6.

  1. Travel endorsement clinic

At the ISSS travel endorsement clinic, students may also have their 1-20 endorsed.

April 27-28 | 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Bryan Hall 206

  1. Please donate – International Emergency Fund

The impact of COVID-19 has created hardship for many of our international students and scholars. Their jobs have disappeared. They do not qualify for government aid. If they go home, they may not be able to come back.

We ask the Coug family to come together and support the International Student & Scholar Emergency Aid Fund (International Student Aid Fund). This fund will provide direct payments for housing, food, medical care, and other necessities on behalf of our international Cougs who need our help, now more than ever.*

Please consider donating: https://ip.wsu.edu/on-campus/support-international-students/  

*Scholarship athletes and WSU employees may not be eligible for support from this fund.

  1. Online OPT application

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that certain foreign students can now file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, online. This means F-1 students seeking optional practical training (OPT) directly related to their major area of study are eligible to apply for employment authorization online.

You still need a proper I-20 issued by our office for this application! So, if you are planning to apply for OPT upon graduation this spring or extend your OPT based on a STEM degree earned previously, please submit an OPT application request through the myPassport system.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at ip.intlservices@wsu.edu or speak with an international student advisor during our open advising hours.

  1. Summer housing

Housing application for summer is open. Please visit WSU’s Housing and Residence Life website for more details: housing.wsu.edu/more-services/summer-residence-hall/.

  1. Academic dismissal and academic recess

If you are an undergraduate student at Washington State University, then please be aware of two important rules regarding academics.

Academic dismissal: After a student has had three semesters with a cumulative GPA below 2.0, they are dismissed from WSU for one academic year.

Academic recess: If this is the student’s first year at WSU and they are not a transfer student, they must get a GPA above 1.0. Failure to get this GPA will mean they are recessed (dismissed) from WSU for one semester.

If you think that you are in danger of potentially being academically dismissed or recessed after spring 2022, please speak with ISSS (or your local advisor) as soon as possible. Notification about dismissal and recession will be sent via your WSU email in May, so if you are not sure you will be able to access your email over summer, you should prepare now.

  1. Not returning fall 2022? Let us know

Please notify ISSS whether you are graduating, transferring to another school, stopping your studies, or taking a break/leave of absence. ISSS needs to know so we can update your SEVIS record accordingly. Here is how to notify us depending on your situation:

a)         Transferring to another school?

Complete the SEVIS Transfer Out form, which can be found under F-1 Student Services, “Departure Forms” on mypassport.wsu.edu. Please fill out the Program Completion form as well if you are completing your program here at WSU.

b)         Not graduating, ending your studies, and/or taking a leave of absence greater than five months?

Please complete the Early Withdrawal form, which can be found under F-1 Student Services, “Departure Forms” on mypassport.wsu.edu.

c)         Graduating and applying for OPT?

Start working on the application now. The U.S government is taking on average 90-100 days to review OPT requests. Start the application online at mypassport.wsu.edu. The Optional Practical Training form is under F-1 Student Services.

d)         Completing one WSU program and moving to a new or higher level at WSU?

Please complete the Change of Level I-20 Request form, which can be found under F-1 Student Services, “I-20 Request Forms” on mypassport.wsu.edu.

We understand that each student’s situation is unique, so if you have questions, we encourage you to contact us at ip.intlservices@wsu.edu. As always, if located on another campus, please contact your local international advisor directly.

  1. Sprintax software reminder/Free Sprintax software now available!

ISSS offers FREE access to online tax preparation software specifically designed for international students. This software is available now, so you can log in to mypassport.wsu.edu and select Tax Software to fill out the form. 

International students who were employed at WSU in calendar year 2021 should have received a report of wage earnings (form W-2) from the Payroll Service Office. Students should use this form to complete and send their tax return to the U.S. government. Tax returns are due by April 18, 2022.

Free Sprintax software now available!

Are you preparing to file your taxes? On myPassport, you can find the Sprintax blog, a link to the Sprintax YouTube channel, and the link to download the Sprintax software.

  • Click on Tax Software >Tax Software Request>+Add New Tax Software Request
  • Read 3 paragraphs of information
  • Answer the question
  • Links will appear
  • Click “Submit” to get email with instructions and unique code that will make the Sprintax software free of cost to you.

Please note that ISSS staff cannot assist you with filing your taxes. If you have questions about filing taxes, please consult a tax professional.

Please visit the Sprintax How to Prepare for the 2021 US Tax season blog and watch their YouTube videos,