How Do I….?

Students are expected to complete their program of study within the three-year timeframe that has been indicated on the I-20. However, there are times when students cannot complete their program of study on time and will need to request a Program Extension. Students must first meet with the international student counselor to determine if they qualify for a program extension and how much longer they will need to study. Students will then need to submit updated financial support documents (bank statement and Affidavit of Support) with their request to the International Student Center.

Concurrent enrollment allows IVC international students to take 1-2 classes at another institution. Students must meet the pre-requisite for the class that they are trying to take and must be maintaining at least a 2.0 GPA at IVC. Students must submit the “Concurrent Enrollment Request – IVC Student” form to the International Student Office. Please visit ISP Forms to access this document. If approved, the International Student Program will write the required authorization letter that you will need to show to the other college.

U.S. immigration regulations require that all international students report any change of address within 10 days of moving. Please follow the instructions below to change your address:

Log into MySite and update your address by clicking on "My Information" and then "Change Address".

In certain limited circumstances, students may be eligible to request a reduced course load. The most common is in the student’s last semester of study when the student only needs a certain number of units to complete the degree. All RCL requests require review by the International Student Counselor before being submitted to the International Student Program for approval. Please see F-1 Visa Regulations for specific requirements.

FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act) laws in the United States restrict IVC from releasing most information regarding students to anyone but the student. If you would like to authorize a third party (family member, agent, sponsor) to receive information about your studies at IVC, you must submit a signed “FERPA Release Form” to the International Student Program. FERPA release will remain in effect until IVC receives written cancelation of the authorization from the student. Please visit ISP Forms to access this document.

When you are ready to transfer to a university, you must provide the International Student Office with a copy of your acceptance letter from the new school and the “SEVIS Transfer Request” form.   Please visit ISP Forms to access this document.

IVC uses an express mail service (UEMS) that will allow you to receive your I-20 or other documents through DHL, UPS or FedEx in three-five (3-5) days. This is a fee-based service that requires payment by credit card. To request express mailing of your documents, please visit: https://study.eshipglobal.com.

You may need to present your I-94 when applying for a driver’s license, bank account, etc. I-94 documents may be printed from: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/.

Students can order official IVC transcripts online, by mail or in person at the Admissions and Records Office. For specific instructions on how to order an official IVC transcript, visit Admissions and Records Transcripts.

NOTE: Official transcripts for coursework done at Saddleback College must be ordered separately. Visit https://www.saddleback.edu/apply-pay/admissions-and-records/transcripts for more information.