Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

December 13, 2002

Rules are different for international students

Life has never been the same for international students as for students born in the states, said Deborah Vance, program coordinator in international education services.

For example, an international student can't drop out of school for a semester to earn a little extra money. Anything less than a full-time load (12 hours for undergraduates and 9 hours for graduate students) means a return trip home, with a few exceptions. (For example, students with only a couple of classes left can take less than full loads during their last semesters.)

International students also are allowed to work only 20 hours a week and that work must be on campus, she said. There are very few exceptions to that rule, and they require special permission from the U.S. Immigration Services.

International students must report a change in address either to Immigration Services or the university within 10 days of a move. Neither office addresses nor P.O. box numbers are accepted, Vance said.

International students also have to graduate on time and must go through an immigration process to change from an undergraduate to a graduate program, she added.