Current International Students

Maintaining Your F-1 Status

Foothill College is proud of our international students, and we want you to succeed! Follow these tips to stay "in status" and make the most of your F-1 experience.

Enroll in and Complete 12 Units Each Quarter

F-1 students must enroll in and complete at least 12 units each quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring).

Grades that COUNT toward your 12 units: A, B, C, D, F, P (Pass) and NP (No Pass)
Grades that DO NOT COUNT toward your 12 units: Withdrawals (grade of W, AW, and EW) and non-credit classes

Advanced APPROVAL from the ISP office is REQUIRED if you need to drop below 12 units. Contact foothillinternational@fhda.edu to make an appointment with an F-1 advisor.

1 Online Class in Your First 12 Units

F-1 students are allowed to take 1 online class in your first 12 units (Fall, Winter, Spring). You must stay in on-campus classes to enroll in extra online classes.

Classes ending with ‘D’ (for example: KINS-016C-01D) are strictly for high school students only.

Correct Example

- Accounting (On Campus, 5 Units)
- Business (On Campus, 4 Units)
- Basketball (On Campus, 1 Unit)
- Music (Online, 4 Units)
- Total = Accounting 5 + Business 4 + Basketball 1 = 10 on-campus units + 4 online units

Incorrect Example

- - Accounting (On Campus, 5 Units)
  - History (Online, 4 Units)
  - Basketball (On Campus, 1 Unit)
  - Music (Online, 4 Units)
  - Total = Accounting 5 + Basketball 1 = 6 on-campus units + History 4 online units = 10 units.
  - Fix: Add additional on-campus units to meet 12 units, if you want to enroll in the online Music class

Unsure? Bring your schedule to the ISP Office for advice.

Concurrent Enrollment at Another School

If you would like to enroll in class(es) at another school, including De Anza College, please follow the steps below:

Enroll at De Anza

Enroll in at least 10 units at Foothill College first.
Complete the top half of the Concurrent Enrollment Form and return to Foothill ISP to complete the bottom half: foothillinternational@fhda.edu.
Apply to De Anza using the CCCApply Application: https://www.opencccapply.net/gateway/apply?cccMisCode=421. Contact De Anza A&R Office for questions: https://www.deanza.edu/admissions/
Register for your class(es).

Important notes about De Anza Classes

You must pay fees at De Anza immediately upon registering or you will be dropped.
Math, English and ESL course sequences are different at Foothill and De Anza. You must take all the sequences at one college.

Additional Notes

Not all classes transfer back to Foothill! We strongly recommend that you meet with an Academic Counselor before taking a class at another school.
If you enroll at a school other than De Anza, you must request that an official transcript be sent to Foothill Admissions and Records to receive transfer credit. You must also email proof of your final grade(s) to Foothill ISP after completing the class(es).
Failure to email proof of enrollment and final grade(s) to Foothill ISP may result in termination of your I-20.

Changing Your Major

Update your major in MyPortal > Apps > Student Registration > Update My Major/Educational Goals.
Contact the ISP Office to update your I-20.

Need more time to complete your new major? See “Extending Your I-20” below.

Extending Your I-20

Your I-20 has a start and end date. Apply 1-2 months before your I-20 expires if you need more time to complete your program.

Meet with an International Academic Counselor for an updated education plan, showing the remaining classes you need to complete your major.
The counselor will complete a Program Extension Form.
The Immigration Advisor will make the final decision, and will issue an updated I-20 with new dates.

Note: 2nd and 3rd extensions are extremely rare, and require a 2.0+ GPA and good academic progress.

Transferring to a New School

Contact the ISP Office for the F-1 Transfer Out Form
Submit with a copy of your acceptance letter from the new school
Most I-20s are transferred on the last day of the quarter
You will receive an email confirmation when your record is transferred

Stopping Your Studies at Foothill

Meet with the Immigration Advisor to discuss your situation
Complete the F-1 Exit Form
Send a copy of your plane ticket showing your US departure date
Your I-20 will be ended accordingly

Working in the U.S.

Contact ISP Office if you have any questions about working in the U.S.

On-Campus Employment
- Passport must be valid for 6+ months
- No "F" grade from previous quarter
- GPA above 2.0
- Requires employment letter from supervisor if you are applying for an SSN
- Maximum 19 hours per week
Off-Campus Work While Studying - CPT
- After one year of F-1 study (3 full quarters, summer does not count)
- Meet with an International Academic Counselor for an updated Ed Plan
- Register for an ITRN class
- Work must be directly related to your major
- Work must be approved in advance by the ISP Office
- Maximum 20 hours per week
Off-Campus Work After Associate Degree - OPT
- Must be receiving an Associate Degree or Certificate of Achievement (35+ units)
- Meet with an International Academic Counselor first to confirm you will receive a degree/certificate of achievement. Then, meet with the Immigration Advisor to review your OPT application and receive an I-20 with OPT recommendation.
- Apply to USCIS during graduation quarter - Immigration/USCIS must approve prior to starting work
- Work must be directly related to your major
- Maximum 40 hours per week

Absence From the U.S.

During Summer:

Attending a Summer quarter is optional for continuing students; therefore, you are not required to take any classes.

During Fall, Winter or Spring:

Meet with the Immigration Advisor to discuss your situation before the quarter you are planning to take off. Your I-20 will be ended under Authorized Early Withdrawal.

Leaving the U.S. for less than 5 months

You may return to Foothill College after receiving approval from the Immigration Advisor.
Contact the ISP Office 30 days before return so we can process your return with immigration.

Leaving the U.S. for 5+ Months

You must have a new Initial I-20 to return to the U.S.
You must also pay the SEVIS fee (I-901 fee) again.
After your return to the U.S., you must study for one academic year (3 full quarters) in order to qualify to work off-campus.