Fall Term 2023 Guidance for Continuing Students

Updated: June 10, 2023

Notify ISSS of Your Plans

ACTION REQUIRED:

  • If you were outside the U.S. spring term 2023 and will be returning to the U.S. for fall term 2023, 1) log into iConnect and submit the “Returning to U.S.” e-form.
     
  • If you were outside the U.S. spring term 2023 and will remain outside the U.S. for fall term 2023, log into iConnect and submit the “Temporary Leave from U.S.” e-form for fall 2023 (term code is 202301).
    • Note about Health Insurance: ISSS will notify the UO Health Center to dis-enroll you from the student health benefits plan, but only if we receive notification of your plans. If we do not receive notification of your plans by October 2, 2023, you will be responsible for paying the health insurance premium.
       
  • If you are currently in the U.S. but plan to be outside the U.S. for fall term 2023, log into iConnect and submit the “Temporary Leave from U.S.” e-form for fall 2023 (term code is 202301). 
    • Note about Health Insurance: ISSS will notify the UO Health Center to dis-enroll you from the student health benefits plan, but only if we receive notification of your plans. If we do not receive notification of your plans by October 2, 2023, you will be responsible for paying the health insurance premium.

Enrollment Policy

President Biden announced the termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency, effective on May 11, 2023. As a direct result, the SEVP COVID-19 flexibilities regarding enrollment in online courses will also end for F-1 and J-1 international students.

* Effective fall term 2023, all F-1 and J-1 undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 8 in-person or hybrid credits out of the 12 minimum credits required for full-time enrollment. Hybrid classes must have an in-person component like a lab or discussion group.  Graduate students must be enrolled in at least 6 in-person or hybrid credits out of the 9 minimum credits required for full-time enrollment. Students may enroll in any number of online credits beyond the 8 in-person/hybrid (6 for grad students) required by F and J regulations.

Students who are not in compliance with the fall 2023 enrollment policy by October 2 (last day to add a class via Duckweb) will be in violation of their F-1 or J-1 status.


Student Health Insurance Process and Fees

All international students are automatically enrolled in and billed for the UO Student Health Benefits Plan. The cost for the UO Student Health Benefits Plan is (TBD) per term and provides excellent coverage, low deductibles and low out of pocket limits. If you have other health insurance, you can request to waive out of the UO student health benefits plan as long as you meet the waiver criteria. Waiver criteria and instructions can be found here: https://health.uoregon.edu/insurancewaivers. The deadline to request a waiver for fall 2023 is October 2, 2023. Graduate Employees have a different waiver process - see next paragraph).

Graduate Employees (GEs): You will sign up for the GTFF Insurance Plan administered by the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF) labor union at http://gtff3544.net/health-care/. The GTFF benefits coordinator will then waive you out of the UO Student Health Benefits Plan.


I-20 Travel Signatures

Travel signatures on page 2 of the I-20 are valid for one year. If you are returning to the U.S. and the travel signature on page 2 of your I-20 is blank or more than one year old, log into iConnect and submit the “I-20 Travel Signature Request” e-form. We will reprint your I-20, sign for travel, and email an I-20 to you as a PDF file. You must print, sign and date the I-20 copy on your end and keep with your passport for re-entry to the U.S.