In this webinar, Kimberly Large, field representative at the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), provides an introduction to working with foreign students and exchange visitors. SEVP is part of the National Security Investigations Division and acts as a bridge for government organizations that have an interest in information on nonimmigrants whose primary reason for coming to the U.S. is to be students. Kimberly provides a program overview and talks about ways campus law enforcement can incorporate international students into emergency preparedness, hot topics and the latest updates on F-1/M-1 students, and resources available to NCCPS stakeholders. A discussion of the international student life cycle offers a better understanding of processes for schools and students, as well as the government forms required to maintain status in the U.S. This is a beginner level webinar appropriate for senior administrators, campus safety and security officers/law enforcement, emergency managers, and international education officials. Other audiences that may benefit include staff from residential life and student conduct and affairs.

1. 1
Get to Know SEVP:
An Introduction to Working with International Students
June 11, 2019

2. 2
Presentation Overview
SEVP BASICS1
SEVP OVERVIEW2
SEVIS BY THE NUMBERS3
INTRAGOVERNMNETAL COLLABORATION4
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING5
HELPFUL RESOURCES6

3. 3
SEVP
BASICS

4. 4
Key Terms and Definitions
SEVP BASICS
Term Definition
Principal designated school
official (PDSO) and designated
school official (DSO)
Employed members of the school
that provide recommendations to
students regarding maintenance of
status, and to support timely and
complete record keeping and
reporting
Student and Exchange Visitor
Information System (SEVIS)
An internet-based application that
facilitates timely electronic reporting
and monitoring of F and M students
and exchange visitors, as well as
their dependents, in the United
States

5. 5
Important Forms
SEVP BASICS
Form Definition
Form I-17, “Petition for Approval
of School for Attendance by
Nonimmigrant Student”
Submitted and maintained by
school officials electronically in
SEVIS for SEVP certification to enroll
F and/or M students
Form I-20, “Certificate of
Eligibility for Nonimmigrant
Student Status”
Issued to accepted students from
their SEVP-certified school and is
required for certain actions in the F
and M student process

6. 6
F&M Student Status: Know the Difference
F-1 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Are in an academic program,
often with a core academic
curriculum.
Are eligible for annual vacation.
Can change their major or
program of study.
Can transfer anytime during
their program or begin a new
program after completing one.
Can work during and after their
program of study, with permission.
Can participate in up to four types o
employment and training, including
on-campus employment, off-campus
employment for economic hardship,
CPT and OPT.
Can remain in the United States
for the duration of their program
of study.
Can stay in the United States for up
to 60 days after their program or
OPT end date.
For more information visit StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Maintaining-Your-Status

7. 7
F&M Student Status: Know the Difference
M-1 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Are in a vocational program, typically
without a core academic program.
Are not eligible for annual vacation.
Cannot change their major or
program of study.
Can only transfer in the first six
months after arrival and must apply
to USCIS for transfer by filing the
Form I-539.
Can only work after their
program of study ends and
with permission.
Can only participate in
practical training, receiving
one month for every four
months of their program.
Can only remain in the United
States for up to one year
unless they apply for an
extension.
Can stay in the United States
for up to 30 days after their
program or practical training
end date.
For more information visit StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Maintaining-Your-Status

8. 8
SEVP
OVERVIEW

9. 9
SEVP Mission
SEVP OVERVIEW
SEVP provides integrity to the United States immigration
system by collecting, maintaining and analyzing information so
only legitimate nonimmigrant students or exchange visitors
gain entry into the United States. SEVP ensures that the
institutions accepting nonimmigrant students are certified and
follow the federal rules and regulations that govern them.

10. 10
SEVP within DHS
SEVP OVERVIEW

11. 11
• Monitor school and student compliance
• Administratively enforce rules and regulations
• Certify and recertify schools
• Develop policy for SEVP-certified schools and students
• Perform site visits
• Conduct outreach to ensure stakeholder compliance and
understanding
• Manage SEVIS, a internet-based information system that
maintains and monitors the records of:
– SEVP-certified schools
– F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrant students and their dependents
– Exchange visitor program sponsors
– Exchange visitors and their dependents
– ROs and AROs
– PDSOs and DSOs
About SEVP
SEVP OVERVIEW

12. 12
About SEVIS
• Schools use SEVIS to:
– Petition for certification, update information and file for
recertification
– Issue Forms I-20 to prospective F and M students
– Fulfill the school’s legal reporting responsibilities
– Transfer SEVIS records to other SEVP-certified schools
– Report on employment and practical training for F and M students
• SEVIS users include:
– PDSOs and DSOs
– ROs and AROs
– ICE
– USCIS
– CBP
– U.S. Department of State
SEVP OVERVIEW

13. 13
Compliance and Enforcement
• SEVP monitors schools for red flags that may indicate
fraudulent activity
– Red flags may include certain trends in the school’s international
student population
• SEVP has been working to unveil new tools to crack down
on fraud in the U.S. international education industry
– Implemented a risk assessment tool to review SEVP-certified
schools for compliance issues
– Increased coordination and information sharing with:
• HSI special agents across the United States
• Department of State and U.S. consulates abroad
SEVP OVERVIEW

14. 14
Q&A BREAK

15. 15
SEVIS BY THE
NUMBERS

16. 16
About SEVIS by the Numbers
• Annual report that showcases SEVIS data
– Released on ICE.gov/SEVP
• Offers snapshot of information about SEVP-certified schools
and international students
• Highlights international student trends
SEVIS BY THE NUMBERS

17. 17
Overview
SEVIS BY THE NUMBERS
Student and School Data
Active students (F-1 and M-1)
F and M 1,149,251
Schools and programs
Certified
schools
(F & M)
8,355
Data as of May 2019
International
students
contributed
$42.4B
to the U.S. economy in
2017
Source: Institute of International Education’s
2018 Open Doors Report

18. 18
School Data
SEVIS BY THE NUMBERS
Number of Schools By Active Student Enrollment
Data as of May 2019
# of Schools # of Active Students
38 >5,000
195 1,001–5,000
167 501–1,000
839 101–500
719 51–100
1,985 11–50
2,688 1–10
1,724 0
77%
of SEVP-certified
schools enroll
fewer than 50
international
students

19. 19
Student Data
SEVIS BY THE NUMBERS
Top 10 Countries Sending Students to the United States
Country # of Active Students
China 361,695
India 206,147
South Korea 61,169
Saudi Arabia 38,859
Vietnam 30,208
Canada 28,834
Brazil 27,893
Taiwan 23,451
Japan 22,471
Nigeria 15,519
Data as of May 2019

20. 20
INTRAGOVERNMENTAL
COLLABORATION

21. 21
Government Partners
• U.S. Department of Homeland
Security
– U.S. Customs and Border
Protection
– U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services
– U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement
• U.S. Department of State
• U.S. Department of Education
• The White House
• Congressional members and
staff
INTRAGOVERNMENTAL OVERVIEW
• Office of Management and
Budget
• Social Security Administration
• Departments of Motor Vehicles

22. 22
• Overview
– Project Campus Sentinel partners with educational institutions to
improve collaboration and communication between DSOs and HSI
• Project Campus Sentinel
can assist DSOs by:
– Providing training to help identify
suspicious activity
• Mechanism to report SEVIS
exploitation and fraud schemes
– Opening lines of communication between international student
offices, campus law enforcement entities and HSI
• Coordinate campus emergency planning
– Assisting with certain international student issues
HSI Outreach Program
INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COLLABORATION
Project Campus Sentinel
REMEMBER:
SEVP field representatives
are not the same as Project
Campus Sentinel

23. 23
HSI Outreach Program
Project Shield America
INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COLLABORATION
• Overview
– Project Shield America establishes partnerships between HSI and
academia to ensure compliance with U.S. export control laws and
protect controlled technology
• Project Shield America can assist DSOs by:
– Providing training on red flag indicators of potential export control
violations
– Opening lines of communication between international student
offices and campus export control offices

24. 24
POLL BREAK

25. 25
CAMPUS
EMERGENCY
PLANNING

26. 26
Questions to Consider Before an Emergency
• Is the campus open or closed?
• How do campus and local law enforcement interact?
• If social media is utilized as part of a campus alert system, is the
school aware of student social media preferences?
• Does the school have translations as part of its alert system?
• Do international students use cellular service while on campus?
• Does the school communicate with the families
of nonimmigrant students?
• Is the school prepared to comply with federal
reporting requirements during an emergency?
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING

27. 27
Emergency Planning
• Students often grouped into a general emergency plan
– Continuity of Operations Plan or Emergency Operations Plan
• Nonimmigrant students and dependents have distinct steps
to follow during an emergency
– Keep important documents on person, including:
• Passport with visa foil inside
• Form I-20
– Report to DSO as soon as possible
– Maintain communication with DSO and international student office
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING

28. 28
Special Considerations
• Communication barriers
– Work with DSOs to determine best ways to notify nonimmigrant
students of a campus emergency
• Language barriers
– DSOs can help ensure nonimmigrant students understand any
emergency messages sent to the student body
• Cultural perceptions of law enforcement
– Work with DSOs to help students understand the “here to help”
culture of U.S. law enforcement
• For campus-based international students;
– Urban versus rural settings and available services
– Geographic areas prone to flooding, earthquakes or other natural
disasters
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING

29. 29
Questions to Consider During and
After an Emergency
• Can nonimmigrant students maintain status during and
after an emergency?
• Campus security, school administration and DSOs should
work together to immediately advise SEVP of the following:
– Are nonimmigrant students and dependents accounted for?
– Does the school anticipate immediate recovery that will enable
students to resume their course of study for the session?
– Does the campus have an alternate plan if immediate recovery is
not possible?
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING

30. 30
Working with Nonimmigrant Students
• DSOs are resources for campus law enforcement
• Disaster preparedness
– Institutions are obligated to continue providing services during an
emergency
– Nonimmigrant students often grouped in a general emergency plan
for campus
• Potential scenarios:
– Natural disasters (Hurricanes Katrina, Maria, Irma, Florence and
Michael; California wildfires)
– Active shooter
– Evacuation
– Campus power outages
– Quarantine (campus-wide illness)
– Cyber events (phishing, scams, etc.)
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING

31. 31
Emergency Planning Resources
• DHS webpages
– Ready.gov
– DHS.gov/Campus-Resilience
• ICE.gov/SEVP
– Emergency Information page
– Campus Resilience at SEVP-certified schools page
• Study in the States
– StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Campus-Resilience-at-SEVP-Certified-
Schools
• SEVP Ask the Experts: Campus Emergency Planning
webinar
– StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Webinars
– Pre-submitted questions and responses document
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING

32. 32
Emergency Planning Resources
• FEMA resources
– Guide on Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for
Institutions of Higher Education
– Campus Emergency Management Resources webpage
– Emergency Management Institute
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
– Emergency.CDC.gov
• Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council
• Embassies and consulates
CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANNING

33. 33
Q&A BREAK

34. 34
HELPFUL
RESOURCES

35. 35
Study in the States
HELPFUL RESOURCES
StudyintheStates.dhs.gov

36. 36
Resource Library
HELPFUL RESOURCES
StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Resource-Library

37. 37
• SEVP InFocus Webinars
– Provide program news and updates to the academic community
• SEVP Ask the Experts Webinars
– Focus on a specific topic or trend in
international education
– Past webinars include:
• K-12 Spotlight
• Behind the Scenes of the Form I-20
• Government Voices Webinars
– Discuss joint topics affecting SEVP and government partners
– Past webinars include:
• Exploring the International Student Life Cycle
• What to Expect at a U.S. Port of Entry
Free Stakeholder Webinars
HELPFUL RESOURCES
REMEMBER:
View upcoming and past
webinars on the
Stakeholder Webinars page

38. 38
Engage with SEVP
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Stay Connected
KEY NEWS
AND CONTENT
StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Blog
Publications
Available through GovDelivery
SEVP Spotlight
SEVP Outreach Bulletin
ENGAGE THROUGH
CONFERENCES
Fill out the SEVP Event
Request Form at
StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Conferences
Facebook.com/StudyintheStates@StudyinStates
Linkedin.com/Company/Student-and-Exchange-Visitor-Program

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PHONE
703-603-3400
800-892-4829
EMAIL
Case-specific questions
SEVP@ice.dhs.gov
Technical issues
SEVISHelpDesk@ice.dhs.gov
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, except federal holidays
Additional contact information at StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/Contact-Us
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tip Line
866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423)
SEVP Contact Information
HELPFUL RESOURCES

40. 40
Q&A