International Center Updates: April 27, 2022

International Center Updates
April 27, 2022

Travel Signatures
Are you planning to travel outside the US this summer? If so, you will need a valid travel signature on your Form I-20 in order to re-enter the US. Please be sure to confirm whether you have a valid travel signature while planning your travel. Travel signatures are issued on page 2 of your I-20. Please be aware that:

• Signatures are generally valid for up to one year or until the I-20 expiration date, whichever comes first.
• Travel signatures for F-1 students on post-completion Optional Practical Training and STEM OPT are valid for six months.
• Travel signatures are not required to depart the US; signatures are needed only upon re-entry to the US to continue studies and related academic activities.
• Travel signatures are not required if you are entering the US for the first time to begin your program.

If you need a travel signature, you can request one by submitting a Travel Signature Request on the International Center Portal, or by visiting an International Center during posted walk-in hours.

Program Completion & End Dates
Spring graduates: congratulations!! As a reminder, following your program completion date, you will have a grace period of 60 days (for F-1 students) or 30 days (for J-1 students) to remain in the US to either prepare for departure, apply for OPT, apply for an I-20 to begin a new degree program, or apply for a change to another immigration status. Your program completion date is based on the end date of the semester, regardless of whether there is a different program end date on your I-20 or the date of commencement. I-20 and DS-2019 end dates are shortened to the program end date of the semester if they otherwise end on a later date.
 
This year, the end date for Medford Arts & Sciences and Engineering students will be May 13, 2022, the final day of the Spring 2022 semester, and May 11, 2022 for students of the Fletcher School. Following the program end date of May 13, you will have the 60 day (or 30 day for J-1 students) grace period. Students in other programs may have a different completion date – check with your International Student Advisor if you are not sure.
 
Please be aware that you would need to plan to make arrangements to either depart the US, or apply for OPT (or AT for J-1 students), transfer your record to a new degree program, update your I-20 to a new degree level at Tufts, or apply for a change to another visa status. If you will not be completing your program this semester and need additional time to complete your degree requirements, please be sure to contact our office as soon as possible, as you will need to extend your I-20 before May 13.
 
Please also be aware that authorization for on-campus employment ends on your program end date. Students who will continue to work on-campus following program completion must have OPT authorization in effect in order to continue.
 
If you are planning to apply for OPT, please be sure to check out our OPT website for details about the application process, and to watch a recorded Information Session if you have not already joined a live session.
 

Form I-20 / DS-2019 Extensions

If you are an F-1 or J-1 student, and your Form I-20 or DS-2019 is expiring in May 2022, but you will need more time to complete your program, you must apply for an extension before your document expires! Take a few moments to check your I-20 or DS-2019 now and check the program end date on your form. If you need an extension, please go to https://icenter.tufts.edu/f1-extension for information about how to start the extension process online (or visit https://icenter.tufts.edu/immigration/j1-students/maintaining-j1-student-status/ for J-1 students).

Summer Internships and CPT Authorization

If you are planning to participate in an off-campus internship this summer, please remember that you must apply for CPT authorization before you begin the internship, whether it is paid or unpaid. More details about the CPT authorization process, including instructions to submit your CPT request, are available here: https://icenter.tufts.edu/immigration/f1-students/f1-employment/f1-cpt/. Please be sure to submit your CPT request at least two weeks before your internship start date. Undergraduate students should submit CPT requests before the start date of Summer Session 1 or 2 to avoid any late fees in SIS.

End of Year Picnic

You are invited to our End of Year Picnic, which will be hosted tomorrow on Thursday, April 28 at the Medford campus! We are delighted to celebrate our 2022 graduates, as well as the 50^th anniversary of I-House. Join us at 13 Sawyer Ave from 4:00pm – 6:00pm.

Sincerely,
Tufts International Center
https://icenter.tufts.edu
internationalcenter@tufts.edu