The following is a memo from Roberta Popik of GSAS:

Dear All,

I am writing in response to specific questions that were raised at the DGS meeting yesterday regarding our international students. Please see the answers to the questions below.

Roberta

The following information has been confirmed with Gail Szenes, Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars, although we must remind you that we cannot predict changes in immigration policy or the actions of individual officials administering such policies.

1. Student immigration status is dependent upon being enrolled as a full-time student. As long as the student is enrolled full time, immigration status does not change.

2. Once a student has obtained a visa and is enrolled, the source of funding is generally not an issue. If the student is receiving loans instead of a stipend for one semester, this fact would not affect immigration status nor would it be reported in SEVIS. This frequently happens to students! --their funding ends, or they do not graduate when anticipated. No problems occur. Further, many NYU students use loans as a primary source of funding.

3. If there were to be a substantial change in funding, the SEVIS record would be updated. However, the loss of one semester of stipend would not be considered a "substantial change"--the student is still receiving institutional support. Tuition and insurance are still being awarded and there is a back-up source of funds through loans. What would be considered a substantial change in funding that would cause a SEVIS update? Typically, this would be a complete loss of support from all sources, or a change in the source(s) of one-third of the student's total funding for one year. However, even if the SEVIS record were updated, this would not have a negative impact on the student's immigration status.

4. It is true that the I-20 or DS-2019 must show sufficient funds to cover educational and living expenses (currently $1,500 per month). As long as a student can do this, the source of funds reported on the I-20 or DS-2019 is generally not an issue. Loans are a legitimate source of support. In poorer countries, a visa officer may question loans at the application stage since significant borrowing may indicate future problems with repayment and thus the likelihood of return to the home country. However, once the visa is issued, the matter of funding seems to be rarely questioned again.

5. For the large percentage of students, visas are valid until graduation so that the students can travel continuously without having to obtain a new visa. Thus, their personal resources would not be reexamined. Even if a student were to be questioned upon return to the U.S., loans are a legitimate source of support and would not be considered grounds for denial of reentry. Further, it is extremely rare for students who do need to apply for new visas to be denied mid-career, and a combination of institutional and personal funds, whether in the form of savings, an individual sponsor or loans, would not be the basis for denial.