Sponsored students have unique needs related to immigration advising and complying with the requirements of their sponsors.
Responsibility Contracts
All students on a Student Visa are required to sign a Responsibility Contract. In addition, sponsored students must sign Sponsored Student Responsibility Contract. Questions regarding the Responsibility Contract can be directed to isss@uwm.edu.
Pre-Approval for Credits Taken at Other Institutions While a UWM Student
To request permission to take a course at another institution and apply any credit earned toward your degree program at UWM, complete the request here. Please note that a separate request must be submitted for each individual course you are interested in taking. Allow up to two weeks for your letter to be written. You will hear from your academic advisor when it is complete.
Sponsor-Specific Information
Expand each section below for information and resources/links for students by sponsor.
AMIDEAST Student Registration Hold
A Service Indicator which restricts changes to enrollment is placed on the PAWS account of AMIDEAST-sponsored students after initial enrollment. This is to comply with the terms and conditions of the AMIDEAST and UWM Memorandum of Understanding, which states: “Students must have permission from their home school in Egypt to switch classes from their original course selection. Please inform AMIDEAST if such a request is contemplated.”
A Service Indicator that restricts changes to enrollment is placed on the PAWS account of AMIDEAST-sponsored students after initial enrollment. This is to comply with the terms and conditions of the AMIDEAST and UWM Memorandum of Understanding, which states:
“Students must have permission from their home school in Egypt to switch classes from their original course selection. Please inform AMIDEAST if such a request is contemplated.”
In order to ensure compliance with this condition, a Service Indicator (hold) will be placed on the PAWS account of each AMIDEAST-sponsored student after the published add deadline.
To seek approval for enrollment changes, a Sponsored Student Registration Change request must be submitted through ISSS Connect. The request is found in your ISSS Connect portal. Note that the Registrar’s Office’s Registration Change Form is also required if instructor/department or school/college approval is needed for the change. After submitting the online request, if approved, the Registrar’s Office will process the change.
Questions regarding this service indicator can be emailed to isss@uwm.edu or addressed in person at Garland 138.
Fulbright/IIE sponsored students are required to work closely with their sponsor. Any questions regarding enrollment and degree major declaration and changes must be directed to the sponsor.
SABIC-sponsored students are required to work closely with their sponsor. Any questions regarding enrollment and degree major declaration and changes must be directed to the sponsor.
Students who will be completing a SABIC internship in the United States must meet with a Center for International Education’s Immigration Advisor prior to the internship.
SACM Scholarship Extension, Request to Change Major, and Online/Hybrid Course Permission Letters
SACM letters for Scholarship Extension, Request to Change Major, and Online/Hybrid Course Permission must be written by the student’s Academic Advisor.
Graduate Students must contact the program advisor directly to request a SACM letter and have them contact isss@uwm.edu with any questions.
Undergraduate Lubar School of Business majors must complete the following form to submit a letter request.
Undergraduate College of Engineering and Applied Sciences majors must complete a SACM letter request in person at the CEAS undergraduate advising office.
Undergraduate College of Health Sciences majors must complete a SACM Letter Request Form in person at the CHS office or email the academic advisor directly to request a form.
All other Undergraduate majors should contact their primary academic advisor directly to request a SACM letter and have the advisor contact isss@uwm.edu with any questions.
SACM Students Enrolling in Online/Hybrid Courses
As outlined in each SACM Financial Guarantee, condition #7 states:
“Online/hybrid and other such courses are not allowed and will not be covered under this financial guarantee. Under certain circumstances, SACM may choose to pay for no more than 6 online/hybrid credit hours per degree, subject to SACM written preapproval. If needed, it is the student’s responsibility to seek prior approval; SACM will issue a separate financial guarantee letter to cover the online/hybrid tuition.”
Any SACM students needing to enroll in an online course must have their academic advisor complete the SACM Online/Hybrid Course Permission Letter and once received, submit the letter to their SACM portal for review.
Questions regarding online and hybrid course permissions should be directed to the student’s SACM advisor.
SACM Student Registration Hold
SACM-sponsored students must comply with the terms and conditions of SACM’s Financial Guarantee. Condition #6 states:
“If already paid by SACM, tuition fees related to dropped courses within the time allowed should be refunded directly to SACM; otherwise, such fees should not be invoiced to SACM, but rather invoiced directly to the student. SACM should be notified in writing when a student drops or withdraws during a semester.”
In order to ensure compliance with this condition, a Service Indicator (hold) will be placed on the PAWS account of each SACM-sponsored student after the published add deadline.
To seek approval for enrollment changes, a Sponsored Student Registration Change request must be submitted through ISSS Connect. The request is found in your ISSS Connect portal. Note that the Registrar’s Office’s Registration Change Form is also required if instructor/department or school/college approval is needed for the change. After submitting the online request, if approved, the Registrar’s Office will process the change.
Dropping a course after the published refund deadlines may result in additional charges and will be the student’s responsibility to pay.
Questions regarding this service indicator can be emailed to isss@uwm.edu or addressed in person at Garland 138.
SACM Student Change of Major
SACM students looking to change a major, add a second major, or add a minor must first request permission from SACM. The Financial Guarantee Condition #11 states:
“This financial guarantee provides funding coverage only to the degree and major specified above. Any changes in the student’s assigned major, degree or failure to enroll in consecutive academic terms related to the assigned major shall render this financial guarantee null and void.”
To request approval to change a major, add a second major, or add a minor, SACM students must request a Change of Major letter to be completed by their academic advisor and submit the letter to their SACM portal for review. If SACM approves the change or addition, a new Financial Guarantee will be created. This must be submitted to isss@uwm.edu immediately. Upon approval, the student must follow the process established by their School or College to make the official change or addition.
Questions regarding approved majors and the SACM requirement must be directed to the student’s SACM advisor. Questions about the Change of Major letter should be directed to the student’s academic advisor.
Sultanate of Oman Student Registration Hold
A Service Indicator that restricts changes to enrollment is placed on the PAWS account of Sultanate of Oman-sponsored students after initial enrollment. This is to comply with the terms and conditions of the Financial Guarantee condition #4, which states:
“The student is not permitted to take correspondence/online courses under any circumstances without a written approval from the Cultural Attache.”
In order to ensure compliance with this condition, a Service Indicator (hold) will be placed on the PAWS account of each Sultanate of Oman-sponsored student after initial registration.
To seek approval for enrollment changes, a Sponsored Student Registration Change request must be submitted through ISSS Connect. The request is found in your ISSS Connect portal. Note that the Registrar’s Office’s Registration Change Form is also required if instructor/department or school/college approval is needed for the change. After submitting the online request, if approved, the Registrar’s Office will process the change.
Questions regarding this service indicator can be emailed to isss@uwm.edu or addressed in person at Garland 138.