INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

INTRODUCTION

This section is intended as a reference for non-U.S. citizens who are planning to attend Georgia Tech. It should be noted, however, that the following information is continually being updated and modified, so any specific inquiries should be directed to:

The Staff at

International Student Services and Programs (ISSP)

(404) 894-7475

The ISSP office also issues the "International Student Handbook", a reference designed to give International Students basic information relevant to their status as non-U.S. citizens. We recommend that matriculating international students obtain the handbook and make reference to it throughout their stay at Georgia Tech. An International Student Orientation is also offered by Georgia Tech at the beginning of the first semester. Incoming students should contact the ISSP office to confirm the exact date and details of the orientation each year.

IMPORTANT ISSUES

The following are important issues that incoming International Students will likely be confronted with before registering for classes at Tech: (Excerpts from the "International Student Handbook")

1. Health insurance: All international students are required to have a major medical health and accident insurance policy that meets certain minimum requirements for their entire stay in the United States. If you are covered by a major medical policy which does not meet these requirements (contact ISSP office for details), or if you do not have major medical insurance coverage, you will be required to purchase the special Georgia Tech Health and Accident Insurance Policy. Georgia Tech is currently in the process of developing a system whereby all students will automatically receive health coverage once they have been accepted, but it remains the responsibility of each individual to ensure sufficient personal coverage. If you are already covered by a major medical policy, you must bring a copy of your policy (and proof of your current coverage under that policy) with you when you come to Tech.



2. Medical Entrance Form and Tuberculosis (TB) Screening: In your acceptance package, you should have a Medical Entrance Form and a Certificate of Immunization. Both of these must be completed and submitted to the Student Health Center before the deadline date indicated on the Medical Entrance Form. The Certificate Of Immunization must be reviewed and signed by a medical provider showing proof of your immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella. All matriculating international students must also provide documentation of TB screening prior to registration. Failure to comply with the above could lead to delay of registration. Contact the ISSP office for a list of health departments and family physicians who can provide these services for you.



3. Social Security Number (SSN): Anyone who earns wages in the U.S. must have a SSN; this number identifies each person and the money that belongs to him or her. Non-U.S. citizens can also obtain a SSN as long as they have a job or a job offer (e.g., an assistantship). The closest Social Security Administration Office is located at 55 Marietta St (corner of Marietta & Forsyth Streets). The telephone number of the Social Security Office is 404-331-4155. You will be required to have the following documents when you apply for your SSN: your I-94 form, your passport, your I-20 or IAP-66, and your job offer letter from Georgia Tech. The SSN will be mailed to you in approximately 2 to 6 weeks, so you'll want to start the process early. International students should obtain the latest updates from the ISSP office. Applications for the SSN are often available at the International Student Orientation.



4. Employment and Scholarships: Do not plan to seek employment in the U.S. other than graduate research or teaching assistantships; it is illegal for either a F-1 or a J-1 non-immigrant to be employed outside the boundaries of Georgia Tech without special permission from the ISSP office or the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). On a related issue, international students will not be permitted to begin employment as research or teaching assistants before the first semester for which they are registered (i.e., if you want to start work during the summer, you must register for hours during the summer semester). As well, non-U.S. citizens are not eligible for a number of U.S. scholarships that are made available to American graduate students (e.g., Presidential Scholarships, NIA Traineeships). Students may want to pursue funding opportunities in their country of origin prior to moving to Georgia. Note that even within Georgia Tech, international students may not be paid for working more than 20 hours per week.



5. I-20/I-9: Once you have been accepted at Georgia Tech, you will receive an I-20 form, which enables an international student to obtain an F-1 (student) non-immigrant status. It should be noted that if you did not receive funding from Georgia Tech you will need to provide proof of sufficient funds prior to receiving the I-20. You should take this I-20 form to the U.S. consulate in your country of origin to get a visa, which is normally a red, blue, or green seal stamped onto a page of your passport. This seal will give you permission to enter the United States a specified number of times until a specific date, which is written on the seal. When you cross the border into the U.S. for the first time, you will also receive an I-94 form (an entry permit), which you should keep with your passport at all times. You will also be required to fill out an I-9 form which is proof of your identity once you arrive at Tech. It is very important that you contact the ISSP office once you arrive at Georgia Tech to ensure that you have filled out all necessary forms correctly; this will minimize your chances of ever getting into trouble with the INS.



6. Travel Outside the U.S.: If you are planning to leave the U.S. temporarily for any period of time and if you have an F-1 status, then you should go by the ISSP office and have the Director or Associate Director sign your I-20 form on page 4. Along with a valid passport and a valid U.S. visa, a signed I-20 form will let you re-enter the U.S. See the "International Student Handbook" for how to re-enter the U.S. when you do not have a signed I-20 form.



7. Minimum Course Hours: With the exception of summer semester, it is very important that holders of F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant classifications remain in school at all times when they are in the U.S. In order to satisfy INS regulations, a F-1 graduate student must take the number of credit hours that his/her advisor will certify as a "full course of study". In addition, the graduate student's name must appear on the official roll for that semester. J-1 students must always "be making substantial progress toward their degree" but no specific minimum number of hours are specified. An international student does not have the liberty to simply "drop out" of school for a semester; in general, a student must be enrolled full time for at least two consecutive semesters before (s)he can take one semester off (summer semester). See ISSP office for details.



8. Taxes: If you receive permission to work in the U.S. (this includes an assistantship at Georgia Tech), there are certain taxes on your income which you must pay to both the U.S. government and to the State of Georgia. These taxes are automatically deducted from your paycheck before it is issued to you. In most cases, more money is taken from your paycheck than the amount of tax you are supposed to pay (especially if your country has a tax treaty with the U.S.). Therefore, at the end of the year, you must file an "income tax return" in order to get the money back you were "overcharged." The ISSP office has a number of tax information guides, tax forms, and phone numbers available that you will need when it comes time to file your tax return. The ISSP office often offers a tax seminar that will allow you to ask questions of an international tax specialist. Take advantage of this opportunity as professional tax assistance for an international student outside of Georgia Tech can be fairly expensive (more than $100)