What Your F and M International Students Should Do:
- If living off campus, F and M international students and their accompanying dependents (if any) should follow the instructions of state, local and tribal officials, including any instructions to shelter in place or evacuate. All international students living on campus should follow their institution’s emergency plan.
- If students have been ordered to evacuate, they should not return until they are told by local officials that it is safe to do so.
- International students must remain in contact with their school’s PDSO or DSO and inform the PDSO or DSO of their emergency plans, including whether they have been ordered to evacuate.
- International students must also continue to take all necessary actions to maintain their student status, to the extent possible under the circumstances, including keeping necessary documents in a safe, secure place; taking documents with them if ordered to evacuate; and communicating with their DSO about their emergency plans.
What PDSOs and DSOs Should Do:
- Remind international students that they should remain in contact with you and have emergency contact information on hand, including your email address and a number where they can call or text message you after business hours.
- Ensure international students understand that they must take all necessary actions to maintain their student status, to the extent possible under circumstances, including keeping necessary documents in a safe, secure place; taking documents with them if ordered to evacuate; and communicating with you about their emergency plans.
- Promote campus resilience by sharing your school’s available emergency resources with your international students.
- Encourage international students to sign up for messaging alert systems for emergency notifications from the school, campus police or local law enforcement. These messages can help them keep informed on emergency response plans in the area.
Should you or your international students have questions, remember that you can contact the SEVP Response Center Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET.
In the case of an emergency or life-threatening situation, please contact local law enforcement or officials.
For more information regarding what to do before, during and after a Hurricane, visit the Hurricane Planning and Response | FEMA.gov or Plan Ahead for Disasters | Ready.gov