Rev. 02/2020 3 of 3
student has an immi
gration issue that requires legal advice, the student is encouraged to seek outside legal counsel from
a qualified immigration attorney.
9. The Student’s Role and Responsibilities for Compliance with F-1 Laws and Regulations
The U.S. Federal Government regulations state how international F-1 students must maintain legal status. Failure to
follow these regulations could result in your F-1 status being terminated. The brief outline below provides an overview of
the student’s responsibilities for maintaining status in the United States while studying at Houston Community College.
Maintain all F-1 related documentation, including a valid passport and the SEVIS I-20 Form.
Maintain your contact information. Students must maintain their email addresses, phone numbers and mailing
addresses in the HCC student self-service system at all times.
Notify ISP of any change in information, including academic major/program, demographic and legal
information, within 10 days of the change.
Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program and make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of this
program by following the HCC degree plan. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Courses audited or graded “W” and “FX” will not count towards enrollment.
Be enrolled full-time (at least 12 semester credit hours) unless authorized in advance to take a reduced course
load.
Only 1 Distance Education (online) class counts towards the required 12 semester credit hours.
Only the summer semester is considered a vacation semester. However, if the summer semester is the initial
semester for a student, he/she must enroll in at least 9 semester credit hours in that first summer semester.
Submit an extension request no later than 45 days before the SEVIS Form I-20 expires.
Depart the U.S. in a timely manner (within 60 days) after completion of your program.
Work only with the appropriate authorization. Follow the guidelines posted by ISP to apply for any
employment-related benefits. Work no more than 20 hours/week at an on-campus job while enrolled full-time. Any
employment without prior authorization is considered illegal.
Have a valid travel signature/endorsement on your SEVIS Form I-20 before leaving and re-entering the U.S.
If necessary, complete an income tax return per Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations by the filing deadline
of every year.
Check the ISP website regularly for information and updates.
Check your To-Do List regularly in the student (self-service) online account.
Activate your HCC email account after your initial registration and check it regularly.
Once enrolled in classes, be automatically enrolled in and charged the premium for the HCC international student
health insurance plan each semester based on the health insurance eligibility requirements.
*10. Please print, sign and date your application
I certify that I under
stand sections 1-9 and that all information provided is complete, accurate and true.
Furthermore, I
understand that all changes requested must be submitted in writing to the Office of International Student Services& Study
Abroad (OISS&SA).
_______________________________
_________________________________ ________________
Name (please print) Signature Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
We thank you for your interest in Houston Community College. You have made an excellent choice to further
your education, and we look forward to serving you and meeting your educational needs.
The information on the Houston Community College (HCC) Office of International Services & Programs (ISP) website is intended only for current and prospective international students, faculty and staff
affiliated with HCC. All matters relating to the immigration status of the student is the student’s responsibility, not the responsibility of HCC. If a student has an immigration issue that requires legal
advice, the student is encouraged to seek professional services from a qualified immigration attorney. Any information on ISP's website is subject to change at any time and without notice and may
not apply to individuals outside HCC. Nothing contained herein should be constructed as giving legal advice as contemplated under any statue, regulation, or other law.
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