Maintaining Legal Immigration Status

Clemson University requires all international students on F-1 or J-1 visas, including their dependents on F-2 and J-2 visas, to be actively enrolled in health insurance each semester they are enrolled at the University.

Clemson University offers a comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), administered by BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) of South Carolina. The SHIP plan is available to eligible students, legal spouses, and dependents of students, at competitive premiums.

Enrollment in the SHIP plan and information on insurance benefits are managed by Student Health Services Information on the SHIP plan and mandatory enrollment can be found here.

U.S. Health insurance is not an option - it is a requirement.

While studying at Clemson and traveling outside the U.S. you need to have proper documents to reenter the U.S. These documents include a valid F-1/J-1 visa (the visa sticker in your passport), passport valid 6 months into the future, and your most recent I-20/DS-2019 with a travel signature less than one year old.

Citizens of certain countries, returning from Canada, Mexico and the adjacent islands may be able to re-enter the US with an expired F-1/J-1 visa using Automatic Revalidation of Visa.

U.S. government regulations require international students to be in the U.S. for the primary purpose of attending school. In general, employment in the U.S. is restricted. The following employment possibilities exist for international students:

• On-campus employment: Limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session and available as full-time (28 hours per week) during school vacation and holidays. For questions about on-campus employment contact Immigration Services.
• Off-campus employment: Under certain conditions you may be eligible for off-campus employment either based on economic need or practical training. You may not begin the employment unless you have received official authorization from Immigration Services.

Dependents are defined as spouse and minor children under 21 years old of the F-1 or J-1 student. Please be aware that each of your dependents will need his/her own I-20 or DS-2019 to obtain an F-2 or J-2 visa at the U.S. embassy/consulate and to enter the U.S. F-2 status holders may not accept employment or engage in business under any circumstances.  J-2 status holders may apply for employment authorization.

The F-2 spouse of an F-1 student may not engage in full time study, and the F-2 child may only engage in full-time study if the study is in an elementary or secondary school (kindergarten through twelfth grade). The F-2 spouse and child may engage in study that is avocational or recreational in nature.  J-2 spouse or children may enroll full-time or part-time.

When an F-1 student successfully completes their academic program or Optional Practical Training, there is a 30-day grace period during which the F-1 student and any F-2 dependents may stay in the U.S. During the grace period, a student may not work or reenter the U.S. in F-1 status.  J-1 students have a similar grace period after their exchange program ends (including any post-completion Academic Training), but it is also only for 30 days.

In general, international students must file federal tax forms every year that they are in the U.S. The deadlines to file the forms are April 15, if U.S. money is earned (this includes money earned from graduate student assistantships), and June 15, if no U.S. money is earned.

If you are planning to depart the U.S. or transfer to another U.S. higher education institute, you should submit the Departure Form or Transfer Out request before you leave. Contact Immigration Services for more details.