Immigration Services
The Office of International Services has compiled a comprehensive directory of information and resources for international students and scholars. It includes information on preparing for your visit, getting the proper documentation and travel papers, getting set up in your new city, and accessing University services. Click the links below to learn more.
Staff Members
- Charles L. Nieman, PhD, Associate Director
- Elizabeth (Betta) Risa, Assistant Director for Immigration Services
- Amanda Bougades, Immigration Specialist
- Genevieve Cook, Immigration Specialist
- Sara E. Jones, Immigration Specialist
- Elizabeth A. Leibach, Immigration Specialist
- George Omwandho, Immigration Specialist
- Mary Lou Glover, Compliance Coordinator
The work of the OIS Immigration Services unit is divided by school/department. For a single chart listing the assignments for all staff, see our "OIS Immigration Services School/Department Assignments" chart (in PDF), or you may view this information on each staff member's Web page by clicking their name above.
If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate staff member.
Immigration Law &
Other Regulatory Updates »
Please check this link often for important updates in immigration law
or related regulations that may impact the University and/or the international
population.
Table of Contents
- OIS Location & Hours
- Sources of Information
- Health Insurance
- Emergency Student Loans
- Banking
- Taxes
- English Language Programs
- Child Care and Schools
- Student Affairs - Services for Students
- Transportation
- Immigration Documents & Status
- Employment
- F-1 & J-1 Employment Options
OIS Location & Hours
The OIS is located on the 7th floor of the William Pitt Union on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh:
Office of International Services
University of Pittsburgh
708 William Pitt Union
Pittsburgh, PA 15260412.624.7120 or 412.624.7853 (Immigration Services)
412.624.7129 (International Admissions)
412.624.7123 (Administration – Director’s Office and Public Relations)Fax: 412.624.7105
- OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Friday, 8am-5:30pm
- APPOINTMENTS are available Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm.
- WALK-INS* for Immigration Services are accepted
Monday, 8am-12pm, Tuesday-Friday, 1-4pm.
No appointment necessary. Walk-in service is for general questions and basic procedures (e.g., travel signatures, etc.) that can be addressed in approximately 5-10 minutes or less.
- CHECK-INS for new international students are conducted during the designated times for OIS Fall and Spring Terms unless the student arrives after too late for them or arrives to start a Summer Term. In those cases, and for all new international scholars, Check-Ins are available during Walk-In hours. No appointment necessary.
- NOTARY SERVICES are available Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-4pm (NOTE: Notary services are only available to Pitt affiliates and only if related to an OIS request or if they are otherwise a requirement of immigration or admissions casework being processed by OIS).
* IMPORTANT NOTE:The services available during Walk-Ins are limited to the following: Travel Requests; Driver’s License Letters; Social Security Number Letters; and Replacement of Lost/Damaged Form I-20/Form DS-2019. All other issues or questions require an appointment with an Immigration Specialist. To schedule an appointment, call 412.624.7120.
Sources of Information
- Subscribe to the OIS Listserv for International Students and Scholars. This e-mail listserv is an important communication tool that OIS uses to update international students, international scholars, and other international visitors at the University concerning changes in U.S. immigration laws and regulations. To subscribe, send an e-mail from your e-mail account to: majordomo@list.pitt.edu. In the body of the e-mail message, type: "subscribe ois" (without the quotation marks). You will receive a confirmation e-mail indicating that you have been added to the e-mail distribution list.
- Read campus publications: The Pitt News, The University Times, The Pitt Arts Student Guide to the Arts, etc.
- Regularly check the on-line Events/Activities Calendar.
- Read non-University publications about the city:
- Access on-line information resources:
Health Insurance
Many countries provide access to medical care through national health care systems and/or medical insurance is available. In other countries, there is no national medical or health care system and/or medical insurance is not offered. The United States is very different and access to medical care requires some form of medical insurance as the cost of medical care is very expensive. This is not to alarm you, but to assist you in understanding aspects of living in the United States.
If you have been awarded financial aid from a school or department at the University of Pittsburgh and medical insurance is included in the award, that insurance will cover you. All other students must be prepared to have medical insurance. The cost of buying medical insurance is included in the estimated cost of living expenses and therefore constitutes part of the financial support required for the issuing of the enclosed visa document. If you do not have medical insurance in your country that will cover medical expenses while in the United States or will not be covered through financial aid from the University of Pittsburgh, you are expected to purchase medical insurance upon arrival. Information is available from the Office of International Services and at the Student Health Service.
Emergency Student Loans
Students who are in need of a small, short-term loan may obtain one through OIS' Emergency Student Loan program. Loans for up to $200 are available interest-free for one month. Repayment extensions are possible if requested prior to the initial due date of the loan. To be eligible, students must be currently registered and have no outstanding debts to the University. Students who wish to request a loan must complete an Emergency Student Loan Application Form (available from OIS) and submit it to OIS during walk-in hours. OIS will then prepare a memo the same day, which can be taken to the Cashier's office where the money will be distributed.
Banking
There are a variety of banking services which you may need while you are in Pittsburgh, including checking accounts, savings accounts, automated teller machine (ATM) cards, on-line banking and credit or debit cards. There are a number of banks in the area and they all provide similar services. As you search for a bank to handle your needs, compare prices for services offered and convenience (access, hours, locations, etc.).
Currency exchange is only available at the Citizens Bank and PNC Bank branches in downtown Pittsburgh and at the Travelex at the Pittsburgh International Airport.
Taxes
As you purchase goods and services here, you will notice that a sales tax is added to the cost of the good or service. Sales taxes are not value-added taxes and they are not refundable or recoverable (unless you return the item and receive a refund of what you paid).
In addition to sales tax, there are also taxes on income earned in the U.S. There are city, state and federal income taxes.
For more information on tax advising sessions and filing your taxes, click here.
English Language Programs
If you or your family members are interested in improving your English language skills, the following programs provide classes in English:
- English Language Institute
Pitt's ELI offers English language proficiency classes to students and their spouses. Since 1964, the ELI has been teaching English as a second language (ESL) courses for international students who:
Child Care
Many students and scholars have young children with them while they are in Pittsburgh. Children between the ages of 5-17 may attend, for free, the public schools in the community where the family is living. Child care for children 5 and younger is available but it is not free and often there is a wait-list for access to care. Students, faculty and staff of the University may enroll their children in the University's Child Development Center (UCDC) which is located on Clyde Street (412-383-2100).
While UCDC discounts the child care costs for children whose parents are affiliated with the University, please be aware that there is a charge for this service and access is not guaranteed as there is usually a long-wait list. If you might have a child while you are in Pittsburgh, you may consider applying for the wait-list even before your child is born.
If space is not available at UCDC, you may wish to consider private day care facilities.
Student Affairs - Services for Students
- Life at Pitt
Life at Pitt offers dozens of helpful pointers to get you acquainted with the Pitt experience, like everyday living, academic info, information about Pittsburgh and the community, transportation and much more! - Residence Life
Residence Life is much more than just Room & Board. Learn more about events and activities, student organizations, living learning communities and more! - Student
Resource Guide
The Student Resource Guide offers hundreds of useful links to a variety of resources useful to new students. - Disability Resources and Services
Disability Resources and Services provides special services and accommodations to students, faculty and staff with special educational needs. - Career Services
Career Services helps students in many aspects, from career counseling, training and internships, to employment services such as on-campus recruiting and job fairs. - Student
Judicial System
Responsible for administration of the University Student Judicial System, the Student Mediation System and the Buckley Amendment information. - Office of Student Activities
The Office of Student activities provides opportunities for social, leisure, recreational, leadership, volunteer and artistic interests outside the classroom. - Student Volunteer Outreach
Get involved! Student Volunteer Outreach offers countless ways to make a difference on-campus and in the community. - Student Events Calendar
Search the calendar for student events by day, week or month. - Student Health Services
Provides for the primary health care of the student population. Also provides health education to all students. Low cost pharmacy available for student use. - University Counseling Center
Confidential and free counseling services for University students. - Sexual Assault Services
Provides counseling and advocacy services for students who have been sexually assaulted or have experienced some form of sex discrimination.
Transportation
University students, faculty and staff may ride the PATransit buses anywhere in Allegheny County without paying a fee as long as they present a valid University ID to the bus driver. PAT schedules and route information are available in the Parking & Transportation Office and the lobby of the William Pitt Union or online at the Port Authority's Web site »
University students, faculty and staff may also ride all of the University buses by presenting a valid University ID to the bus driver. Schedules are available from the Parking & Transportation Office and in the lobby of the William Pitt Union or online »
Note: University affiliates holding gold ID cards may only use those ID cards for campus shuttles/buses. Gold card holders may ride PATransit buses but they must pay the bus fare when they ride.
Immigration Documents
Foreign students and scholars in the U.S. should be aware of the immigration regulations applicable to their stay here and must keep all documents appropriately updated and valid. Ultimately, you are responsible for maintaining your immigration status. Therefore, you should be familiar with the following documents:
- Passport The passport is the legal document issued
by your country, that indicates your identity and country of citizenship.
Your passport must be kept valid at all times while in the U.S. The
passport can usually be renewed through your Embassy or one of your
Consulates in the United States. Some countries have agreements with
the U.S. Government such that a passport is considered valid for six
months beyond its actual expiration date. Bearers of passports from
these countries may remain in the U.S. up to the expiration date shown
in the passport as long as no other regulations would prevent such a
stay. (NOTE: Citizens of Canada are exempt from passport requirements.)
- VISA The U.S. visa is the stamp on a page of your
passport which permits you to enter the U.S. Students will have either
an F-1 or a J-1 visa. Scholars may have a J-1, H-1B, O-1 or TN visa.
The U.S. visa may expire while you are in the U.S.; you cannot and need
not renew it while you are here. A new visa will be required if the
original one expires and you travel outside and then seek to re-enter
the US Please note that while the visa does not need to be valid while
one is within the US, visa documents (I-20, DS-2019, H-1B approval,
etc.) must be kept valid at all times while within the US in order to
maintain legal status.
- Travel Documents in Lieu of Passport If you have
been issued a Travel Document in lieu of a passport by the government
of the country of which you are a resident, the information above, regarding
passports, applies to Travel Documents.
- I-94 Departure Record The I-94 is the white card
which you complete before passing US border officials upon entrance
to the US (Some people are being issued a computer generated card instead.)
This is the document which authorizes you to be in the US as a student
or scholar for a specified period of time, in a specified program of
study or in a specific department, at a specified institute. Two
dates appear on the I-94; the date of entrance
into the US and the date of expiration
of your permission to stay. For people in F-1 or J-1 immigration status
the expiration date is D/S (duration of status) which implies the date
of program completion. (A more detailed discussion of the expiration
of your permission to stay may be found in the upcoming sections dealing
specifically with F and J visa matters.) The I-94, like the passport,
must be valid at all times. The I-94 should be kept in the passport.
It will be surrendered to airline officials when you travel outside
the continent and a new I-94 will be issued upon re-entry to the US
When traveling to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, the I-94
will usually not be surrendered but should be valid for 30 days
beyond the date you will re-enter the US
- I-20 & DS-2019 The I-20 form (for F-1 immigration status) or DS-2019 form (for J-1 immigration status) is the document issued by the agency or institution with which you are affiliated (University of Pittsburgh for most) which you present to the US Embassy or Consulate abroad to obtain a visa and which you present to border officials in order to enter the US each time you travel abroad and come back. These documents are important records of your stay in the US Take care not to lose them and do not throw them away even if they have expired. If you are traveling outside the US, you must have these documents signed prior to your trip.
Employment
Students often inquire as to the possibility for employment while studying in the US"Employment" is any type of work performed or services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, food or any other benefit.
A fundamental eligibility requirement for all types of employment authorization is that you must be in and must continuously maintain lawful immigration status. Maintaining eligibility for most types of F-1 or J-1 student employment means that you must have employment authorization and you must limit your work to no more than twenty (20) hours per week while school is in session.
Do not assume that you are eligible to work without first contacting an OIS advisor.
F-1 & J-1 Employment Options
There are two categories of employment available for students in F-1 and J-1 status: On-Campus Employment, and Off-Campus Employment in the form of Practical or Academic Training.
On-Campus Employment
You may work on campus provided:
- You are maintaining F-1 or J-1 status.
- You do not work more than a total of twenty (20) hours per week (including any off-campus work you may have been authorized to perform) while school is in session.
- J-1 students have a letter from OIS authorizing them to work (F-1 students need only a valid I-20 for authorization).
You may be employed full-time during holidays and vacation periods, including summer vacations, provided you are eligible and intend to register for the next school term. The twenty hour per week limit on your employment while school is in session applies to all types of employment. A twenty hour per week graduate assistantship, for example, exhausts work eligibility for the term of the assistantship, except for those times when school is not in session.
Jobs which qualify as on-campus employment:
- Employment by the school: On-campus employment performed for the University of Pittsburgh is usually acceptable, whether it is employment in the library, the computer center, or the housing office, or work required by a scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship.
- Other employment on the school's premises: Work performed on the University of Pittsburgh's grounds is "on-campus employment" as long as the employer provides direct services to students. Employment in the school bookstore or cafeteria, both of which provide direct services to students, is acceptable even if the bookstore or cafeteria is operated by a private, commercial firm. Work for a construction company which is erecting a campus building is not acceptable since the construction company does not provide direct student services.
- Work off campus which qualifies as on campus employment: CIS regulations permit you to work at an off-campus location provided (1) the location is educationally affiliated with the school, (2) the educational affiliation is associated with the school's established curriculum or is related to a graduate level research project which your school has contracted to perform, and (3) the work is an integral or important part of your program of study. For example, if your field of study is marine biology and your school has an off-campus marine biology research facility, you may work there and that employment will be defined as "on-campus." This must be approved in advance by a Designated School Official in OIS.
Off-Campus Employment
F-1 Practical Training
Practical Training is employment directly related to a F-1 student's field of study which serves as training for the profession the student will enter. The US Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS) allows students to engage in Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training.
Information and Instructions on Applying for Curricular Practical Training »
Information and Instructions on Applying for Optional Practical Training »
OPT WORKSHOPS FOR SPRING 2008
OIS is offering OPT workshops at various times throughout the Spring Term 2008. These workshops are designed to facilitate your application for OPT and to ensure you are aware of how to maintain your status once you are approved for OPT. You must come to the workshop with all application materials completed. You must register in advance to attend a workshop. Please register by clicking your desired date below. Please note that there is limited space available at each workshop.
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J-1 Academic Training
Academic Training is work, training or experience related to a J-1 student's field of study. Academic Training may involve sequential or simultaneous activities, either paid or unpaid, with several employers, US or foreign, provided the application and approval procedures are followed for each employer and activity, and the time limits are not exceeded.
Information and Instructions on Applying for Academic Training »
Further Information: Additional information on employment is available from the Office of International Services. Staff of OIS are pleased to offer information, counseling, and assistance on all federal regulations related to maintaining your student status.
A Note of Caution: While CIS regulations provide a variety of opportunities for you to be employed during your time in F-1 and J-1 status, working improperly or without authorization is a serious violation of your status. Therefore, you should consult with your foreign student advisor before taking up any employment.
Failure to Comply with Employment Regulations: It is your responsibility to comply with all CIS regulations, which apply to F-1 and J-1 students. Staff in the Office of International Services have responsibility for advising and counseling you regarding your responsibilities. If you fail to comply with your responsibilities, you will not be eligible for benefits normally granted to F-1 and J-1 students
Employment for F-2 Dependents
CIS regulations prohibit all employment for F-2 dependents (spouse and children) of F-1 students.