Letter to international students

Dear Binghamton University International Student,

On Monday, July 6, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued updated guidance for international student enrollment for the fall 2020 academic semester. We understand that this has generated many questions and a great deal of concern. International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is carefully reviewing this newly issued guidance, in coordination with other departments on campus, in an effort to provide the most comprehensive guidance as quickly as possible.

Here is what we can tell you now. Binghamton University will not be fully online in the fall. That means international students with F-1 and J-1 visas may attend and remain in compliance with the latest guidance. Our schedule of classes will allow international students to maintain their non-immigrant status while pursuing their course of study. We will offer courses in various formats; some will be fully in-person, many others will be hybrid (partially in-person and partially on-line), and some fully on-line. We will work with all students who plan to be on campus to create schedules that include fully in-person and hybrid courses to keep them in good status. The week after Thanksgiving, all hybrid and in-person courses will have a one-week on-line component, and, therefore, will not affect the status of students. In addition, courses such as thesis, dissertation, final project, and many independent study classes remain unchanged by the new guidance and, therefore, continue to be viable options for our international students. Our advisors and program directors will work with students to provide them a schedule that conforms with the updated SEVP guidelines.

Should newly admitted or continuing international students find themselves unable to arrive/return to campus to pursue their studies for the fall 2020 semester, the university will work with them to identify online course offerings that can be taken from abroad. Advisors and program directors will work directly with students to answer questions they may have about the impact of taking online courses while not in the U.S.

We are asking every international student to please complete this short survey at their earliest convenience. The purpose of this survey is to gather information on international students’ plans for the fall 2020 semester, in an effort to ensure we can provide the best possible support and course options. This survey is for informational purposes only, and your responses are not binding. We understand that your plans may still change between now and the start of the semester. We will send you a follow-up form in August to report your final decision for the fall 2020 semester. 

As more detailed information becomes available, we will keep you informed, and continue to update the FAQs on our website. Binghamton University is fortunate to have such a wonderful international student population that brings so many valuable perspectives to our classrooms, labs, and social life. We value you and support you, and we are here to serve you, especially in times of uncertainty.

Kind regards,

Patricia Bello, Assistant Provost for International Education and Global Affairs

Donald G. Nieman, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs