• Check-In with ISSS
• Keep Address and Phone Number Up to Date
• Enroll Full-Time or Get an Exception
• Inform ISSS of Changes
• Get Work Authorization
• Health Insurance
• Final Semester Information

Check-In with ISSS

Checking in with ISSS is one of the most important parts of getting your F-1/J-1 status. Your status will not be active until you submit your check-in to ISSS and ISSS processes the request. You must submit your F-1/J-1 Student Check-In online after you arrive in the U.S. or after you arrive at Texas A&M University (TAMU).

**If you are an F-1 or J-1 student with an I-20 or DS-2019 issued by another institution (not TAMU ISSS), you should check in using the Other Student Check-In in the ISSS portal. ISSS does not activate your F-1 or J-1 status in SEVIS, but you are still required to complete an ISSS Check-In.

Keep Address and Phone Number Up to Date

Any changes to the following information in Howdy should be updated within 10 calendar days of the change:

• International Permanent Address: Permanent address outside the U.S.
• Student Local Physical Address: Current address where you live in U.S.
• Student Local Current Phone Number: Can be a U.S. number or international number

Enroll Full-Time or Get an Exception

You must enroll full-time each major semester (Fall and Spring) or get an exception:

Student Type	Full-Time Credit Hours for Fall and Spring
Graduate	9
Undergraduate	12

You must enroll full-time in summer as well (or get an exception) if one of the following applies:

• Summer is your first semester at TAMU 
• Summer is your first semester as an F-1 or J-1 
• You will graduate in the summer

Student Type	Full-Time Credit Hours for Summer
Graduate	6
Undergraduate	8

If none of the above applies to you, then summer is considered vacation time. This means you are not required to take classes for immigration purposes. Please consult your academic department and on-campus employer concerning university rules on summer course registration.

For more enrollment information, click the buttons below:

Get Work Authorization

F-1 Students

You will need work authorization for any internships, co-ops, or other work done off-campus. See the Employment page to learn more about the requirements and how to apply.

After you check-in with ISSS, you can start working on-campus without any extra authorization. If you’re unsure if an employer is considered “on-campus work”, contact ISSS.

J-1 Students

You need work authorization for off-campus AND on-campus work or internships. See the Employment page to learn more about the requirements and how to apply.

Health Insurance

F-1 and J-1 students are required by Texas A&M University to maintain health insurance while studying at TAMU.

J-1 students also have the additional federal requirement to ALWAYS maintain health insurance during their stay in the U.S. (even after graduation).

For more information see the Health Insurance page.

Final Semester Information

Enroll Less than Full-Time for Final Semester

It’s possible to enroll less than full-time during your final semester at TAMU. For more information see Dropping Below Full-Time.

Applying for Graduation

You will need to apply for graduation to officially finish your academic program with TAMU. The application for graduation can typically be found in your Howdy Portal. The Office of the Registrar will usually send out an email with additional information to students in their final semester, so be on the lookout for any emails from the Office of the Registrar

Working After Graduation

You can extend your F-1 or J-1 status so you can work after graduation by applying for post-graduation work authorizations. You should start these applications in your final semester.

• F-1 students, see 12-month OPT for more information
• J-1 students, see Academic Training for more information