Many departments have questions about welcoming international students in fall 2020. While there are a lot of unknowns for the fall semester, we appreciate that departments are making arrangements expecting international student enrollment. Currently many U.S. Embassies abroad remain closed, affecting the ability to get visa appointments prior to the fall start date. Additionally, entry bans further complicate incoming student plans.
Below please find some frequently asked questions from departments. This is a working document to be edited as questions are answered and added to as questions come in; however, we hope that this assists you in planning and advising international students.
Are international students allowed to take classes online from their home countries if they cannot physically attend in the fall?
- Please note that there exist location-specific requirements for compliance, based on the location where a student, regardless of nationality, accesses a course. Issues that must be reviewed include tax liability for UM, export controls, whether the course constitutes a physical presence in another country, etc. While we appreciate that many courses are being offered online this fall, it does not automatically mean that students can take online classes from outside the United States. Please know that this question has been sent to the appropriate office and country-specific information will be shared when available.
If an international graduate student can complete their assistantship remotely during the fall semester, can they be paid a stipend and receive a tuition scholarship?
- This is a complicated issue related to HR, tax liability for UM, tax liability for individual students, etc. and is also country-specific. These situations are being discussed with the appropriate office in an effort to find a solution. As this issue is related to the above question about online instruction, we will provide assistance on a country-by-country basis.
- Additional questions that are related to this topic and online course access include:
- Can international students be charged tuition if accessing their courses from abroad?
- Can international students be paid if they have a US bank account? If they do not have a US bank account?
How does CDC guidance affect incoming international students?
- At this time, non-citizens, excluding permanent residents and with certain limited exceptions, who have been present in certain countries 14 days prior to entry into the US are prohibited from entry into the US. This prohibition may still exist in the fall and affect incoming international students and scholars. Non-citizens who have been in these countries will be prohibited from entry. If they depart the country and stay for 14 days in a country that is not on the entry ban list, they should be able to enter the U.S.
Will there be quarantine procedures for incoming international travelers per CDC guidance?
- A committee is working on quarantine procedures not only for new and returning students traveling from overseas but also quarantine procedures for students throughout the fall semester.
Questions about the various Presidential Proclamations issued during the COVID-19 crisis?
Please refer to OGE’s immigration post.