Maintaining F-1 Status

As an international student at Lincoln University of Missouri, it's essential that you maintain your F-1 visa status. This allows you to live and work in the United States as a full-time student. There are a few requirements, though, for maintaining your status.

How To Maintain Your F-1 Visa Status

• You must be enrolled as a full-time student. That means you'll need at least 12 credit hours per semester as an undergraduate or at least nine credit hours per semester as a graduate student. Summer sessions are an exception.
• You are required to make satisfactory progress towards the completion of your degree by following all the requirements stated in your course syllabi, the University Catalog and the Student Handbook.
• Apply for a program extension of your I-20 before the listed expiration date.
• If you are changing programs (going from undergraduate to graduate, for example), follow U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) procedures for changing from one program level to the next.
• If necessary, follow USCIS procedures for transferring from one school to another.
• Limit any on-campus employment to just 20 hours per week while school is in session. Refrain from off-campus employment without USCIS authorization. (Please visit our International Student Employment Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on working as a student with F-1 visa status.)
• Within 60 days of graduation, you must either apply for a status change, continue to the next level of education or depart from the country.

Application Deadlines

Fall Semester - July 15th

Spring Semester - December 1st