The International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) recently informed faculty that, in an unexpected move, the U.S. government extended COVID-19 visa allowances made in March 2020 for the fall 2022 – spring 2023 academic year.
The impacts on the upcoming semesters, according to the ISSO include:
- Continuing students (those enrolled as of spring 2022), can count more than one online course per semester towards F-1/J-1 course enrollment minimums For example, a continuing graduate student who tries to take all online courses for Fall 2022 will be in-status.
- New students starting in the fall will need to take at least one in-person or hybrid course in their first semester
- In-person F-1 CPT internships can be more than 1.5 hours driving distance from Charlotte for fall 2022, and new students will need to reside in the Charlotte metro area to attend their in-person course.
- Continuing students with only online courses may reside anywhere in the U.S. and do not necessarily need to reside in Charlotte, depending on their exact courses.
A copy of the US ICE guidance is available for download.
Students with questions may make an appointment to speak with an ISSO advisor or visit the ISSO website for more ways to connect.
