Students walk through the Berkeley campus

The Berkeley International Office (BIO) would like to remind international graduate students of the following enrollment, employment and degree information:

  • Maintaining Proper F1/J1 Visa Status
    There are a number of different criteria you must be aware of to maintain your F-1/ J-1 visa status, including receiving BIO approval before a reduction in course load or withdrawal as well as updating your U.S. residential address in Cal Central within 10 days of moving. Please check out our Top 10 Ways to Maintain Status.
  • New International Student Checklist
    Take a look at BIO’s New Students page to make sure you have all the information you need to start your first semester successfully — including information on the BIO orientation, visa processes, arrival tasks, housing and more.

  • Full-Time Student Enrollment
    Please work with your department to become enrolled for Fall 2019 as soon as possible before the start of the Fall 2019 semester. BIO has the first 30 days of the term to report to Department of Homeland Security that all international students are enrolled properly.

  • Reduced Enrollments
    If you will be enrolled less than full-time, or need a withdrawal, you must first consult with Berkeley International Office. Any adjustments to enrollment can have a serious impact on an international student’s visa record, and the BIO office will need to work with you to determine your visa options.

  • Students completing degrees in Fall 2019
    If you are completing your degree in Fall 2019, make sure you are aware of your post-completion visa options, and visit Berkeley International Office with any questions.

    Be aware that your documents (I-20 or DS-2019) may not reflect the correct end date of the your degree program, because these are issued years in advance and academic plans change (particularly for PhDs!). It’s critical that you communicate with BIO if you are completing earlier than expected, since you may not receive reminders.

  • Program Extensions
    F1 and J1 students receive notifications when their documents are expiring soon. You must submit a request to out office to extend documents at least 3 business days in advance.

  • Employment Authorizations
    Make sure that employment documents are up-to-date! Remember that J1 students must be authorized for ALL on-campus employment. F-1s must be currently enrolled students with non-expired I-20s to continue on-campus employment. F1 and J-1s must be authorized for ANY off-campus employment and those options are limited. Please refer your students to BIO with questions.

For more international student information and resources, visit the Berkeley International Office website at internationaloffice.berkeley.edu.