COVID-19 FAQ

Prospective Students

• I am a newly admitted student for Fall 2020. Will CSUSM still be sending me my I-20?

  • Yes. CSUSM will continue to send all new students their I-20 (F-1) documents as normal. 
  • We understand that visa services are currently suspended at most U.S. consulates around the world, with appointment availability for some countries after the start of CSUSM’s fall semester. However, as we anticipate the appointments to open earlier, we want our students prepared with their documents in hand. 
  • As of today, we would suggest continuing with your plans for Fall. We do suggest, as some U.S. Consulate are still “temporarily” not issuing the F-1 students visas, that you not purchase flights or send any funds towards the U.S. for housing or other. CSUSM is still moving forward with issuing I-20 documents in our normal process.  

• I am a newly admitted student for Fall 2020. I heard I can use an electronic I-20 or DS-2019 for my visa appointment instead of a hard copy. Is this true?

  No. Though Immigration and Customs Enforcement released guidelines allowing the issuance of electronic I-20s, further clarification of these guidelines established that this only applies to certain situations. Use of an original I-20 is required for both visa issuance and for international travel. Therefore, CSUSM will continue issuing and mailing new students original I-20 documents.   

• I am a newly admitted student and am concerned that I will not be able to receive my visa documents due to restrictions on mailing services. What can I do?

  CSUSM recommends checking with express mail carriers directly to verify whether they are able to send documents to your region of the world, as this information can change on a daily basis: 

  • FedEx 
  • DHL 
  • UPS

   If you are not able to receive express mail in your region of the world, please contact newintl@csusm.edu  to consult with an advisor about your options. 

• I am a newly-admitted student and am thinking about deferring my admission for Fall 2020 to either the Spring 2021 semester or to the following academic year due to coronavirus concerns. What can I do?

  To request a deferral, students must contact International Admissions at intappl@csusm.edu  

• What is the current status of U.S. visa services in my country?

  As of March 18, 2020, visa services are currently suspended at most U.S. consulates around the world. 

  For updated visa appointment availability, you can check your local consulate’s visa wait times here. 

• Prospective Students - I am unable to book a visa appointment due to U.S. embassy/consulate closures in my region. What can I do?

  Newly Admitted Students 

  • If you are unable to schedule visa appointments before the start of fall semester, you may need to defer your admission to another semester. Please contact intappl@csusm.edu if you need to defer to another term. 
  • If you cannot join in time for fall and Admissions is able to approve a program deferral for you, CSUSM is able to adjust your program start date on your I-20 and send you a new document for your visa appointment. Note that students are responsible for the shipping costs of another document. 
  • If you are currently in the U.S. and your visa has expired or is expiring soon, you are eligible to remain in the U.S. as long as you are maintaining your F-1 status. The visa must be valid in order to enter/reenter the U.S., but does not need to be valid/unexpired to maintain F-1 status while in the U.S. 

   

  Continuing Students 

  • You are required to have a valid, unexpired visa in order to request re-entry to the U.S. to resume studies. 

• I have an unexpired F-1 visa from my last school that I attended. Do I need to request a new visa since I will be receiving a new I-20 from CSUSM?

  Students with a valid F-1 visa from a previous school should be able to use their current visa with a CSUSM I-20, so long as the one you currently have is unexpired. However, CSUSM always recommends checking with your local U.S. consulate or embassy to verify this first. 

• I went home to renew my visa, but now it is under administrative processing. What can I do?

  Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of the visa interview. However, it can take longer. The U.S. Department of State recommends that the applicant wait at least 180 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later, before making inquiries about status of administrative processing. For more information, review the U.S. State Department Administrative Processing information. 

  Also, please email newintl@csusm.edu if you have been selected for administrative processing. 

Current Students

• Will CSUSM be open for Fall 2020?

   As of today, our CSUSM classes are on-line through Summer 2020 (August). Currently, CSUSM is planning for in person classes for Fall. IF there is any change in this plan, we will update all of our  students right away. 

• Will I be able to return to the U.S. if I am currently continuing my studies outside the U.S. as a result of COVID-19?

  Students currently maintaining their F-1 records remain eligible for admission into the U.S. However, because of the changing array of travel restrictions, students should refer to the local U.S. embassy’s website through the U.S. Department of State for any updates about visa issuance. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention - Travel Notices websites also provide information about current travel restrictions to the U.S.  

• Where can I find the most current information regarding inbound travel to the United States from regions affected by COVID-19?

  There is a lot of uncertainty at this time due to the rapidly changing situation and response regarding the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Review the Center for Disease Control and Prevention information for travelers . 

• My family and I are concerned about COVID-19 in California. Should I travel to the U.S. during this time?

  This is a personal decision, but CSUSM recommends consulting regularly with the California Department of Public Health’s website for up-to-date information about the risks of coronavirus in this region. 

• Will there be any changes in the fee structure, if the classes are conducted online?

  Please keep a look out for future communications about our Fall semester plans. Our university leadership are meeting regularly as we all diligently watch the health guidelines regarding COVID and how that will impact our Fall semester. 

• Current Students - I am unable to book a visa appointment due to U.S. embassy/consulate closures in my region. What can I do?

  Continuing Students 

  You are required to have a valid, unexpired visa in order to request re-entry to the U.S. to resume studies. 

  Newly Admitted Students 

  If you are unable to schedule visa appointments before the start of fall semester, you may need to defer your admission to another semester. Please contact intappl@csusm.edu if you need to defer to another term. 

  If you cannot join in time for fall and Admissions is able to approve a program deferral for you, CSUSM is able to adjust your program start date on your I-20 and send you a new document for your visa appointment. Note that students are responsible for the shipping costs of another document. 

  If you are currently in the U.S. and your visa has expired or is expiring soon, you are eligible to remain in the U.S. as long as you are maintaining your F-1 status. The visa must be valid in order to enter/reenter the U.S., but does not need to be valid/unexpired to maintain F-1 status while in the U.S. 

   For additional questions please email intl@csusm.edu 

• Taxes and the U.S. Resident Stimulus Check

  Taxes 

  Yes, the tax deadline in the U.S. has been extended to July 15, 2020. This is for students who earned income in 2019. Unfortunately, Global Education advisors are not licensed tax specialists so they can not offer tax guidance. However, we do suggest that you use a good reputable company like www.sprintax.com as they are experts with nonresident state and federal tax regulations. 

  For more details, please refer to the Global Education Tax Season e-mail dated March 10. 

  Stimulus Check 

  Some students have reported that possibly due to filing taxes as a U.S. Resident using a resident tax form (1040EZ) instead of the nonresident form (1040NR-EZ) that they have received the U.S. Resident stimulus check. We in Global Education are also not experts on the determination of your tax status.  

   However, the U.S. IRS.gov site talks about needing to be considered a “resident” to receive one. That description is not an easy one to determine. For tax purposes someone “may” be considered a resident for tax purposes though still on the F-1 status. CSUSM/Global Education cannot determine that for students. You may also want to do some research on the topic of “public charge” as we do not know if that topic is also impacted with the stimulus check. 

  Here is a link you might find helpful:  https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center 

Employment (CPT/OPT)

• Can students with proper authorization participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) while they are abroad because of the impact of COVID-19?

  Students may engage in CPT during their time abroad, provided they are:   

  • Enrolled in a program of study (remote coursework is acceptable) in which CPT is integral to the program of study;  
  • Global Education has authorized CPT in advance of the CPT start date; and  
  • Either the employer has an office outside the U.S. or the employer can assess student engagement and attainment of learning objectives electronically.  

   

  Summer 2020 CPT Options: 

  As CSUSM will be operating entirely online for summer 2020, internships must be virtual.  The Office of Internships is working with community partners to identify virtual internship opportunities for summer and beyond.  If anything changes before June, we will update our students.  For now, please look for internship opportunities that can be done remotely. 

• I am graduating spring semester 2020 and want to apply for OPT. Do I have to remain in the U.S.?

  Currently, government guidance is you must be inside the U.S. to apply for OPT. There has been no official change to that policy. Because this policy is still in place, students who choose to leave the U.S. and enroll in spring quarter remotely will need to balance the risks. Universities across the U.S. have advocated together for a temporary change to that guidance and a formal petition letter has been submitted to USCIS. Continue to monitor this web page for updates or responses to that letter.  In addition, our office will email with any official updates we receive. 

• Will the temporary closure of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field offices and suspension of USCIS in-person services affect my OPT application?

  As of March 18th, USCIS temporarily closed its domestic field offices and suspended routine in-person services to help slow the spread of COVID-19. However, USCIS staff will continue to perform duties that do not involve contact with the public. OPT applications are adjudicated at the USCIS Service Centers (specifically at the Potomac Service Center in VA) and not at the field offices. In addition, OPT adjudications do not involve any contact with the public. For these reasons, we do not anticipate your OPT application being affected by this recent closure of USCIS field offices. 

• I have lost my job or am worried about losing my job. What happens with my 90-day unemployment clock if I can no longer work due to Coronavirus?

  First, it is important to determine if you are being laid off or if you are being placed on a "temporary leave in accordance with your company's leave policies." In the first scenario, being laid off, this means that you do not have a job to come back to and will be asked to reapply.

  If you are placed on leave – whether paid or unpaid – this means that your workplace is temporarily suspending services but will keep your position for you and expect you to return when the company reopens. If you are not sure, please ask this question directly of your boss or your HR office, as this is a very important distinction.

  If you are being placed on leave in accordance with an official policy, then the days you are not working will not count as unemployment and will not count against your 90-day maximum period of unemployment (your "unemployment clock").

  If you are being laid off, however, you are required to report this end in employment within 10 days. These days will count against your 90-day unemployment clock. It is important to note that the international community has asked SEVP and USCIS to issue guidance on this issue and consider a temporary halt in counting of unemployment days – if any update is released (and we hope it will be) we will share it with you.

  In the meantime, we have to operate under the normal rules. If you are not clear on how many days you have left of your 90-day unemployment clock, please contact Global Education for an update.