If you depart the U.S. and wish to return after the date of your completion of studies, you must present the following documents to the CBP inspector upon arrival back in the U.S.:
Your valid OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card
(USCIS Form I-766)
Your Form I-20 which has been endorsed for travel within the last six months by the ISO
Your passport
Your valid F-1 visa stamp
Proof of employment in the field of study
Application for New F-1 Visa during Travel - F-1 students are allowed to remain in the U.S. with an expired F-1 visa stamp, provided that they are maintaining their status and their passport and Form I-20 are valid. Although you may remain in the U.S. with an expired F-1 visa, it will be necessary to apply for a new visa during your next trip abroad. You will need a valid F-1 visa in order to reenter the U.S.
Students needing to apply for a new visa during a trip abroad should inform the ISO before travel. Security checks and supplemental visa application forms developed since September 11, 2001 have significantly delayed the visa application process in many countries. Students planning to apply for a visa in Canada or in a country other than their home country should first consult an ISO advisor.
Please refer to the "Travel" section on the ISO website for most travel and visa renewal procedures.
Tuition Settlement
To ensure that you will be able to register each semester, please settle your tuition bill in a timely manner. Not being able to register for classes because your account is not settled will impact your ability to maintain legal status. If you have problems meeting your financial obligations please contact an ISO advisor.
Course Work at or Transfer to a Different School
If you wish to take one or more courses at another university or college temporarily, you should first consult with an ISO advisor to determine if any special procedures must be followed to authorize this study. If you wish to cease your study at Cambridge College and transfer to a different school, you must contact your advisor at the ISO regarding proper transfer procedures before you attend the new school.
Leave of Absence, Suspension or Withdrawal
While in the United States in F-1 status, you must remain continuously enrolled for a full-course of study at Cambridge College until you have completed your academic program. If you interrupt your studies, your Form I-20 will become invalid and you will not be eligible to remain in the United States in F-1 status.
Important: if you are working on- or off-campus, you must cease employment immediately upon withdrawal.
You must contact the ISO before you interrupt your studies for any of the following reasons:
You are planning to request an official leave of absence from the College (academic reasons, a medical leave, or personal reasons) during the fall, spring, or summer semester.
You are being suspended (or are under review for suspension)
You are planning to withdraw from all of your classes at any point during the fall, spring, or summer semester.
In the event that you are suffering from an illness or other medical condition that compels you to interrupt your studies at Cambridge College, you can request authorization for a medical leave of absence from your advisor at the ISO. Such authorization will enable you to maintain valid F-1 status during the time you are not enrolled.
If you request a leave of absence or withdraw from school (due to suspension or personal reasons), you may be granted a 15-day grace period to leave the country if, and only if, you are granted authorization prior to withdrawal. Only your ISO advisor may authorize this benefit. If you do not gain prior ISO authorization before withdrawing, you will violate your status and will be required to leave the country immediately. If you are considering a withdrawal, please discuss options such as a change of status or school transfer with an ISO advisor prior to finalizing your plans.
If you fail to register for a semester, you will have violated your status and must leave the country immediately or seek reinstatement to F-1 status. Please contact ISO for any questions regarding leave of absence.
Completion of Studies
The date you officially complete your program is very important because immigration regulations state that your lawful F-1 status automatically ends 60 days after you complete your program
unless you take some action to remain lawfully in the U.S. Different programs have different dates of completion.
Important: The 60-day pre-departure period described above is not available to students who do not complete their program of study (e.g. are suspended, withdrawn, or otherwise do not complete their program objective as stated on their Form I-20.)
All Undergraduate Students and Graduate Students - Once you complete your program, you must do one of the following:
Apply for up to twelve months of 'Optional Practical Training' (OPT) employment. Applications for OPT, shoudl be submitted prior to completion of course requirements, but employment may begin up to 60 days after degree completion.
Apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for a change to a different immigration status.
Complete an immigration transfer to a new program of study at Cambridge College or another college or university. Transfer must be processed before the end of the 60-day grace period. You must begin studying in the new program within 5 months from the date of transferring out of Cambridge College or from the date of program completion, whichever date is earlier.
Depart the country, no more than 60 days after the completion of your program. Please note that you are not permitted to depart the U.S. and return in F-1 status during the 60-day grace period. The grace period ends when you depart the U.S.
Cambridge College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The College and all its degree programs are authorized by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. The College is authorized to operate and offer selected degree programs in their states by the California Bureau for Private Post-Secondary and Vocational Education, the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, the Council on Higher Education of Puerto Rico, and the Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Cambridge College is authorized for operation as a postsecondary education institute by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission in the state of Tennessee.
