As international students, we tend to have a variety of responsibilities to take care of while studying in the U.S. Of course, we don’t want to miss out on anything- and we definitely, don’t want to be negligent towards our duties! But most of all, we’re here to learn, grow, and have fun while doing so.
So, what are the Frequently Asked Questions from Approach students? What do we need to know in order to succeed in the U.S.?
The biggest responsibility students have is to understand how to maintain their F-1 status properly. Our F-1 Student Brochure lays out all the responsibilities F-1 students need to be aware of, as well as all benefits that come with such a status.
Part of F-1 Student benefits is that we are allowed to take a certain amount of vacation time after studying. And we all need time to relax and recharge, right? The simplest way is to understand how to request a vacation at Approach, and to make sure you fulfill the vacation requirements.
In case of an emergency, there is another way to travel abroad as an international student. This method would be to request a temporary leave of absence in order to travel abroad. Be cautious when using this method since if the leave extends from two weeks, there should be another process taking place in which students cancel their enrollment and promotional agreement in order to have their I-20 terminated, and the school will reactivate this I-20 when it’s time to travel back to the U.S.
Once you’re studying, we understand how there might be last-minute emergencies that come up. In case of a medical emergency that lasts over two weeks, you can also request a reduced course load or no course load. This will allow us as students, to take a break from our studies or reduce the number of attendance so that we can cater to any problems we have at hand.
Before any quarter starts we tend to check our schedules. But what happens when we want to change our schedule? There’s no need to worry, changing your schedule is simple as a student at Approach. There is a period of time between self-enrollment and the first week of classes in which students can change their schedule as they wish.
Another question we ask as students is, “How to get a Driver’s License” while in the U.S. Occasionally this means that we might need to extend our I-20 with the school in order to receive it, but regardless, getting a Driver’s license in the U.S. is an easy process to follow!
After the completion of the program at Approach, students can request a 15-day or 60-day Grace Period. It’s great to understand as an F-1 Student how the grace period works and what it can be used for. Students can also transfer to another school during their time at Approach or once they reach their grace period, and continue their education and maintenance of their F-1 status through another institution.
After we graduate, our opportunities as students are endless. We can apply to one of Approach’s partner universities, and be transferred to an undergraduate or graduate level of education without even submitting a TOEFL score! Students can also enroll in other programs at Approach such as the Advanced Academic Programs, Test Preparation programs, or the ESL Teaching Internship program.
So, make sure to keep all of this information in mind when navigating through your courses at our school. Happy learning & growing, Approach community!
