Park.edu Home > International Student Services > Services
Service Requests
International Student Services provide the following letters for international students:
Kindly allow 1-2 days to process the letter. You can pick up the letter at ISS office, located at Herr House Room 207. NOTE: No letter will be processed the same day as requested, and there will not be any exceptions. Note: The student is responsible for any delay due to missing information on the letter request form.
As an international student with an F-1 visa, you are responsible for keeping the ISS up-to-date on your current living and mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail address. When you change your address, you must inform the school within 10 days of moving. This must be done at the Registrar’s Office in McKay AND at the Office of International Student Services.
Instructions: 1. Download and fill in the Change of Physical Address Form.
2. Print out the form and bring it to our office, or email the form to Lucas Brito at lbrito@park.edu.
You must have a valid driver’s license to drive any motorized vehicle (car, van, truck, motorcycle). To obtain a state driver’s license you will be required to demonstrate your knowledge of the traffic laws in Missouri or Kansas. There is a written (multiple-choice) exam that you must take, and you will also be required to take a driving test. There is a booklet available at License Bureaus to help you prepare for the test or you can look at a copy of the study guide online at http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/dlguide/dlguide.pdf. It would be wise to study for the test (even if you think you are a great driver!). The booklet and study guide are free of charge.
You have the option to obtain a Missouri State ID card. You are encouraged to consider doing this, particularly if you will not be getting a driver’s license. This ID will be useful when writing checks and in other situations when identification is necessary. You will of course have a student ID, but there may be times when you will be asked for two pieces of identification. You do not need a Missouri State ID if you already obtain a Missouri Driver's License
ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES (ISS) The Office of International Student Services is here to assist you in immigration issues because we understand that immigration laws and paperwork can be complicated. However, as you will see in the following section, international students are responsible for their own immigration status. Therefore, when in doubt as to what you need to do, ask questions ahead of time.
Change of Status/ Reinstatement If you have not maintained your status (i.e. expired I-20, did not complete 12 credit hours, etc.) you are required to apply for reinstatement to USCIS before you will be allowed to register for the next semester. YOU MUST complete your application for reinstatement within 5 months of losing your status. If you have been out of status for more than 5 months, you must have a valid explanation before being allowed to apply for reinstatement. If the explanation is not valid, you will need to return to your home country. For more information please come by our office at Herr House, Room 207.
Employment Options for F-1 Students Who is eligible? Students who are maintaining their F-1 non-immigrant status are eligible. F-1 students may work on-campus without any special permission from USCIS.
Off-Campus Employment Sometimes off-campus employment can be arranged under special circumstances such as financial hardship. Students are only eligible for this after having completed at least 2 semesters of study at Park University. Check with the ISS, if you believe this applies to you. What Are the Limitations?
You may not work more than a total of 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. There is one exception to this: you may work full-time (up to 40 hours per week) during the university’s vacation periods as long as you will be returning to class the following term. These include: summer vacation, the Christmas holiday break and spring break.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an employment option available to F-1 students where the practical training employment is considered to be an integral part of the curriculum or academic program. According to the immigration regulations, this employment may be an internship, cooperative education job, a practicum, or any other work experience that is either required for your degree (as defined in the course catalog) or for which academic credit is awarded. For more information please stop by Our Office, located at Herr House Room 3 and Room 5.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) Through an arrangement known as “optional practical training,” students who have completed their course of study—or everything except the thesis or dissertation—may be employed full time for one year in their field of study. The year of full-time optional practical training may be reduced if the student has previously been authorized for optional practical training or has spent more than one year in full-time curricular practical training. Optional practical training is also known as a paid internship for credit. Optional practical training and curricular practical training require consultation with the foreign-student advisor and work authorization from the USCIS. Be sure to complete the application process at least three months before you intend to begin working. You may not be employed until you receive the authorization.
Extension of OPT Students who have received a degree in one of the following disciplines:
And are employed in their field of study, will be eligible to apply for a one-time extension for 17 additional months in their OPT a maximum of 29 months. Please consult with your foreign student advisor to learn more about the procedures for getting an OPT extension. Students on OPT are required to find a job within 90 days from the start date on their employment authorization card. If the student has not secured a job in this period their OPT will be nullified. You must keep us updated on your employer’s information and any changes in address while on OPT.
--------------------------------- University Resources |
