SEVP guidance will continue for the 2021-22 academic year
On April 26, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released an updated announcement confirming that the March 2020 guidance will continue for the 2021-22 academic year for international students who plan to enroll at a U.S. institution this autumn.
This guidance confirms the following:
- Continuing students can engage in distance learning in excess of regulatory limits due to the public health emergency generated by COVID-19.
- Nonimmigrant students in new or initial status will not be able to enter the United States to enroll in a U.S. institution for autumn semester to pursue a full course of study that is 100 percent online.
How will this guidance impact Ohio State’s international students:
- New international students can take a fully online course load if they plan to remain outside the United States.
- New international students who plan to take in-person/hybrid courses are eligible to obtain visas and enter the United States but cannot take a fully online course load once they arrive.
- Current (continuing) students who plan to take in-person/hybrid or online courses are eligible to obtain visas and enter the United States. They are allowed to take an entirely online course load while in the United States, if necessary.
- All international students who are in the United States can remain in the United States if Ohio State switches to an entirely online format during the semester.
For more detailed information, please visit the Office of International Affairs’ website and view the updated Frequently Asked Questions.