About International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS)
ISSS Mission Statement
Texas A&M University International Student & Scholar Services supports international students, scholars, and their families as they navigate the U.S. immigration system. We educate on policies and regulations and provide programs to enhance the student experience.
ISSS Commitment
Bringing the World to Aggieland: Stronger Together
Howdy! We welcome our international students, scholars, and their dependents to the Aggie family. We strive to build and nurture a culture where being inclusive is who we are. We choose to embrace, encourage, and celebrate different viewpoints, perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds. We are proud of our International Aggies who are changing the world!
ISSS Values
- Integrity – We are honest and transparent in our communication.
- Teamwork – We support each other through challenges and successes and work together to serve our students.
- Accountability – We take ownership of our work and deliver on our commitments.
- Relationships – We cultivate positive relationships with each other, our students, and the TAMU community.
- Excellence – We provide extraordinary service and continuously innovate.
- Respect – We treat everyone with equity and dignity.
Connect with ISSS
Please view the following options for connecting with ISSS:
ISSS document processing time is an average of 15 business days from the date a student's complete request is submitted. Business days are Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm, when the University is open.
The busiest months of the year for International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) are at the beginning and end of each semester: January, April, May, June, August, and December. Due to the high volume of submitted cases to process, ISSS may exceed our 15-day processing time average during these peak processing seasons.
We recognize the impact that these delays have on our students and scholars, and we are working to mitigate the delays as much as possible. ISSS staff prioritize cases based on urgency and not necessarily when they were submitted. We know that you have deadlines to meet and we are considering those deadlines when prioritizing cases. For our students and scholars attempting to schedule visa interviews, we understand how limited those appointments are and we are committed to processing your Form I-20 or DS-2019 as quickly as we are able.
What can you do to help?
- We request that you reduce the number of inquiries being made about the status of your application. Every inquiry by phone and email pulls staff away from processing.
- Please do not inquire about the status of your request until it has been pending with ISSS for at least 15 business days (not calendar days).
- Similarly, please do not utilize drop-in advising or pre-scheduled advising appointments to check on the status of a pending application. These services are intended for advising and there is limited space available.
What is Terra Dotta?
International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) uses Terra Dotta software to manage international student records. All international students at Texas A&M University will be able to use the software to initiate requests using their NetID and password. If a student has never submitted a request through Terra Dotta before, they will not have a profile and their CAS log-in credentials will not work. Students and campus partners may navigate to our public Terra Dotta directly at https://tamu-iss.terradotta.com/. This site includes the following information:
- A list of all of our requests
- Details about the requirements for each request
- Important information about Terra Dotta
International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) strives to be an effective and cohesive team with highly trained and motivated staff members. We encourage our staff to participate in professional development opportunities, which may impact their individual schedules. Less frequently, there are professional development opportunities that involve all ISSS staff members. During these times, the office schedule may be impacted. Please refer to the list below for upcoming professional development and how it impacts ISSS office hours and services.
Spring 2023
- Wednesday, April 5, 2023 - Retreat for ISSS full-time employees. The office lobby and phones will be open, but virtual drop-in advising and immigration specialists will not be available.
International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) strives to provide the most efficient and accurate service possible. To process the high volume of requests we receive, we schedule days for our staff to focus time exclusively on processing requests. We refer to these days as Processing Days. On Processing Days, ISSS will not provide Virtual Drop-In Advising. The lobby, phone line, and email account remain available.
Spring 2023
- Thursday, February 23
- Monday, March 8
- Tuesday, March 21
- Wednesday, April 12
- Thursday, April 20
- Friday, April 28
- Tuesday, May 2
- Monday, May 8
- Wednesday, May 10
- Tuesday, May 16
- Friday, May 26
International students and scholars can drop in for a private Zoom meeting with an ISSS staff member!
At least two staff members will be available for questions during virtual drop-in. No appointment necessary. Visitors will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Zoom link for ISSS Virtual Drop-In Advising: http://tx.ag/ISSDropInAdvising.
- Monday: 2pm - 4pm
- Tuesday: 9am - 11am
- Wednesday: 9am - 11am
- Thursday: 2pm - 4pm
- Friday: 9am - 11am
If an ISSS staff member determines that an additional appointment will be needed to answer your questions, the staff member will schedule a follow-up appointment based on your availability.
Virtual Drop-In Advising will not be available on ISSS Processing or Professional Development Days (see section above).
The ISSS lobby is open Monday - Friday from 8:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00pm – 5:00pm for document pick-up.
No appointment necessary. Visitors will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis.
The ISSS lobby is closed during the lunch hour from 12:00pm – 1:00pm.
The following rules for the ISSS lobby remain in place:
- All visitors must follow the signage in the lobby to engage in social distancing.
- All individuals picking up documentation from ISSS must present original photo identification, such as their TAMU ID card, their driver license, or their passport. ISSS cannot release documentation with first verifying an original identification document. Photos and photocopies of identification documents cannot be accepted.
- ISSS is not authorized to release a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 to anyone other than the primary F-1 or J-1 themselves.
Emails
Be sure to include your full name and UIN in all emails to ISSS.
Have a quick question? Give ISSS a call at +1 (979) 845-1824.
The ISSS office phone line hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00pm – 5:00pm. The ISSS office phone lines are not available from 12:00pm – 1:00pm.
If you need to report an emergency to ISSS at any time, you can always reach us through our emergency call service. Call +1 (979) 845-1824 and press 2. This will take you to a call center and they will transfer you directly to an ISSS manager.
If you call ISSS and leave a voicemail, be sure to state your full name, UIN, and a call back phone number.
Experiencing an Emergency?
If you or another student is being detained by a government official or having problems at a U.S. port of entry, call +1 (979) 845-1824 and press 2. This will take you to the ISSS call center. While this service is available at all times, please only use it for emergency situations. More information can be found at http://iss.tamu.edu/Current-Students/Safety-Information/Informing-ISS-about-an-Emergency.
Physical Location: Pavilion Room 110
Mailing Address:
International Student & Scholar Services
Pavilion 110
1226 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-1226
ISSS is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday,
while the University is open.
- The ISSS office (phone & lobby) is open Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 12:00pm and 1:00pm - 5:00pm.
- The ISSS office (phone & lobby) is closed Monday - Friday, 12:00pm - 1:00pm for lunch.
- The ISSS office (phone & lobby) is closed on evenings, weekends, and University closures.
For help finding the Pavilion,
click here.
For help finding parking on-campus,
click here.
For more information about visitor parking,
click here.