Keep your local U.S. address up-to-date. Keep your local residential address current in SEVIS by reporting a change of address to MCF1Students@mayo.edu within 10 days.

Students on F-1 OPT and F-1 STEM OPT must also report address changes or employment information within 10 days to MCF1Students@mayo.edu.

Maintain full-time enrollment. You must be enrolled full-time each semester. For immigration purposes, in most cases, graduate students must complete a minimum of nine credits per academic term.

Get approval before reducing course load or withdrawing. If for some reason you must reduce your enrollment below full-time or withdraw from your program, you are required to have approval from our office before doing so.

Avoid violating the Mayo Clinic Code of Student Conduct or U.S. laws. If you are found in violation of the Student Code of Conduct, have been arrested, or have violated U.S. laws, contact Mayo Clinic’s Legal Department at MCF1Students@mayo.edu as soon as possible to understand what the impact may be on your F-1 status.

Any violation (suspension, dismissal, arrest) that impacts your ability to be an enrolled, full-time student, or continue your post-completion employment, may have a negative impact on your F-1 status.

Attend the school noted on your I-20 (F-1s). You must have a valid I-20 from the school you are attending full time. If you transfer from another school to Mayo Clinic, or from Mayo Clinic to another school, make sure you follow the proper procedure to transfer.

Keep your I-20 valid at all times and understand your completion date. Your I-20 is only valid as long as you are a full-time student in your degree program, or on your approved post-completion training. If you graduate early, your I-20 will be shortened to the last day of your final term of enrollment. If your final term is summer, you must be enrolled in summer.

You must notify Mayo Clinic’s Legal Department at MCF1Students@mayo.edu of your early completion in order to avoid overstaying. If you need more time to complete your program, apply for an extension of program before the completion date on your I-20.

Get a travel endorsement and understand your travel documents. Before any international travel, review the necessary travel documents and obtain a travel signature from Mayo Clinic’s Legal Department by contacting MCF1Students@mayo.edu. Travel endorsements are valid for one year during the program of study.

Exception: Travel endorsements during F-1 post-completion OPT/STEM are only valid for six months.

Work only with proper employment authorization. F-1s have limited options for employment. Before beginning any employment, review and understand F-1 student employment rules for on- or off-campus work, including before degree completion (On-Campus Employment Authorization or CPT for F-1s) and after your degree completion (OPT for F-1 students).

Be aware of employment authorization application procedures, eligibility, deadlines, and rules for maintaining status during post-completion employment (OPT for F-1 students).