Maintaining Your Status

• Passport
  • Your passport must be valid throughout your stay in the U.S.
• Visa
  • Your visa can expire while you are in the U.S. When you travel outside the U.S., you will need a valid U.S. visa to request re-entry.
• I-20 or DS-2019
  • Your I-20/DS-2019 has to be valid while you are in the U.S. At least thirty days prior to your expiration date, work with ISSS to extend your I-20/DS-2019.
    • F-1 students should complete the I-20 Program End Date Extension request in their ISSS Connect portal.
• I-94
  • You can print out your most recent I-94 here after each entry to the U.S.
    You should review for accuracy, download, and keep for your records a copy of your new I-94.
    • If your entry is not reflected correctly after 24 hours from your entry to the U.S., make an appointment with an Immigration Coordinator for assistance.

You must report the following to ISSS:

• U.S. address change
  • All address changes must be made by logging into PAWS and updating the “Mailing” address. This information will be pulled into ISSS Connect and ISSS will update addresses directly.
  • Your U.S. address must be listed in PAWS as “Mailing” address.
  • Your home country address must always be listed in PAWS as “Home” address.
• Legal name change
  • Complete a “Updated I-20: Legal Name Update” request through your ISSS Connect portal
• Program of study/major change
  • Complete a “Updated I-20: Change of Major” request through your ISSS Connect portal
• Degree level change
  • Complete a “Updated I-20: Change of Degree Level” request through your ISSS Connect portal
• Funding change 
  • Complete a “Financial Information Update” request through your ISSS Connect portal

• Undergraduate students must enroll in at least 12 credits each fall and spring semester.
• Graduate students must enroll in at least 8 credits each fall and spring semester.
• Graduate students with an assistantship employed at 33% or greater must enroll in at least 6 graduate credits each fall and spring semester. The Graduate Program may require a higher minimum.
• Graduate students in Prelim status must enroll in at least 1 credit each fall and spring semester. 
• Graduate students in Dissertator status must enroll in at least 3 credits each fall and spring semester.
• Summer and WinteriM semesters are optional unless they are your first semester at UWM. 

•   F-1 visa regulations require in-person coursework.
  • Up to one 3-credit online course can count toward full-time enrollment each semester. Additional credits over the full-time minimum are allowed to be online credits.
  • Students authorized for less than full-time enrollment in their final semester: If your remaining credits are only offered online, you will need to add additional credits to meet your in-person coursework requirement.
  • Sponsored students: You may have additional restrictions based on sponsor allowances. 
• J-1 visa regulations restrict online enrollment.
  • J-1 non-degree students should contact Sue Conway (conways@uwm.edu) with any questions.
  • J-1 degree seeking students should contact Jessica Gonzalez (jgonzal@uwm.edu) with any questions.

• Students in their graduating term whose remaining coursework totals less than full-time enrollment are eligible to request authorization for less than full-time enrollment.
  • F-1 students: The Less than Full-Time Enrollment Authorization Request is available in your ISSS Connect portal under the Documents & Requests tab.
    • In-person coursework is required; if your remaining credits are only offered online, you will need to add additional credits to meet your in-person coursework requirement.
  • J-1 students: Contact your ISSS program coordinator to inquire about the steps to complete your request for less than full-time enrollment authorization.
• Under limited other circumstances, students may be eligible for less than full-time enrollment; make an appointment with an Immigration Coordinator for more information. 

Congratulations! You are getting ready to graduate! Visit this page for topics to help you prepare for graduation. 

• To transfer your SEVIS Record to a different institution, you need to submit the SEVIS Record Transfer Out request, which is available in your ISSS Connect Portal in the Documents & Requests tab.
• UWM does not complete transfer-in/transfer eligibility forms. If your new school is requiring this, you should provide them with a link to this webpage and direct them to the following information:
  • UWM does not complete transfer-in/transfer eligibility forms from other institutions as they are not a regulatory requirement for completing SEVIS record transfers. We will only complete a SEVIS record transfer out for students who have an ACTIVE SEVIS record. Students must make their SEVIS record transfer out request in their UWM ISSS Connect Portal. If a request for a SEVIS record transfer out is received for any student not in active status or otherwise ineligible for transfer, we will communicate that directly with the student. Program dates, work authorizations, and any additional information requested on the transfer-in/transfer eligibility form are accessible in SEVIS or from the student directly.