Our aim is to serve you and provide you with the resources and information needed to enhance your student experience and to help you maintain your visa status.

As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact the Center for International Education. Contact information:

Center for International Education
Grand Canyon University
3300 W. Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
Phone: (602) 639-6354

• Maintaining Status
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  FORM I-20

  The Form I-20 authorizes you to attend Grand Canyon University (GCU). Be sure to read page 2 of the I-20 thoroughly and sign and date at the bottom of page 1 if you haven?t done so already. The I-20 along with the I-94 Arrival and Departure Record card given to you at the port of entry will be proof of your legal F-1 status in the U.S.

  Keeping Documents Valid

  Passport - Know your passport expiration date. You are required to have a valid passport at least six months into the future unless your country has an agreement with the US. To find out how to extend the validity of your passport, contact your country's consulate in the US. CIE has a list of foreign consular offices in California You may also find a list of foreign consular offices in the U.S. at www.state.gov. Do NOT let your passport expire!

  I-20 - The normal length of study time for your degree program is listed on your I-20 in section #5. The length of time for your program allows you sufficient time to complete your degree, if you maintain full time enrollment each term. If you do not finish your program by the end date, you will be in violation of your visa status. If you discover you will not be able to complete your program by the end date, contact the Center for International Education (CIE). If you are eligible for an extension of the program, it must be done before the end date on the current I-20.

  F-1 VISA - It is possible for your F-1 visa stamp in your passport to expire while you are attending school. This is not a problem unless you plan to travel outside the US and re-enter. In that case, you would have to obtain a new F-1 visa while outside the US.

  Saving and Storing Your Documents

  Do not lose or destroy these or any other document you receive from the U.S. government or school officials. You should keep all documents issued to you in a safe and easily accessible place, in the event that you need to show them to the authorities. We further suggest that you make copies of all relevant documents and keep the copies in a separate safe place in the event that you lose any original documents.

  Full Time Enrollment

  Students are required to be registered for full time credits during the Fall and Spring semesters (12 credit hours for undergraduate students, 9 credit hours for graduate students) and be making satisfactory progress toward the degree. ONLY 3 CREDITS OF ON-LINE COURSES CAN BE COUNTED TOWARD FULL TIME ENROLLMENT. A student in the last semester of the program CAN take less than full time credits, but must be approved through CIE.

  Change of Address

  You are required to report a change of residence to CIE within 10 days of your moving so we can change it in SEVIS.

  Employment

  DO NOT WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION. Students may work up to 20 hours per week on-campus without special permission during the regular school terms. Any off-campus work must have authorization. See CIE.

  TRAVEL

  If you plan to travel outside the US during your program of study, be sure you take the correct documents with you for reentry. These include:

  • Unexpired passport
  • Unexpired F-1 visa
  • Unexpired I-20 with validating signature from CIE

  You might also be asked to show your letter of admission, scholarship letter (if applicable) and financial guarantee showing you have funds to pay for your program.

• Social Security
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  Social Security was created as a pension program for citizens of the U.S. Over time, however, the Social Security Number (SSN) has become somewhat of an identification number routinely requested by places of business and other institutions. After 9/11 the issuance of these numbers has been limited particularly for international students.

  A Social Security Number (SSN) is required in order to be employed in the U.S. For F-1 students to obtain an SSN, they must have a job on-campus or have other work authorization like Curricular Practical Training or Optional Practical Training.

  To apply for a SSN on the basis of an on-campus job, student must provide a letter from the department on campus and from the Center for International Education verifying the job and eligibility. The following documentation will be necessary to present when applying:

  • Unexpired passport containing F-1 visa
  • Form I-94 Arrival/Departure record (small white card received at port of entry)
  • I-20 form
  • One other piece of identification - a student ID card, driver's license, etc.
  • Letter of eligibility from the Center of International Education
  • Letter from campus department where you will be working

  To apply on the basis of Curricular Practical Training or Optional Practical Training, please see staff in the Center for International Education.

  To apply for a Social Security Number, go in person to the Social Security Administration office, located at:

  Social Security
  5907 W Kings Ave
  Glendale, AZ 85306

  1 block south of Bell Rd., SW corner of 59th Ave. and Kings Ave.

  The office is open MONDAY - FRIDAY, 09:00 AM - 04:00 PM, except for Federal holidays At the time you apply, you will be given a receipt as proof of your application. The Social Security card will be sent to you by mail. If you have questions about your application you can call Social Security toll-free number: 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm.

  For more information see www.ssa.gov/pubs/10181.html

• Driver's license
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  If you plan to drive a motor vehicle while at GCU, you may need to obtain a driver's license. If you do not already hold a driver's license in another state of the U.S., you may be asked to take a vision, written and possibly driving exam. If you purchase a car in Arizona, you will need to register it here and have an Arizona driver's license to obtain car insurance, which is mandatory. Please view the information at www.azdot.gov/mvd/azwelcome.asp for more detailed information.

  Documents to Take

  Arizona state law requires applicants show at least two forms of identification - one must have your photo. These documents should be in English. Recommended documents include:

  • Unexpired passport containing F-1 visa
  • I-94 Arrival/departure record (receive at port of entry
  • I-20
  • School Identification card

  Driver's Manual

  See the Driver's Manual to study for written exam: www.azdot.gov/mvd/custsvcguide.asp.

  If you purchase a car in Arizona, you will need to register it here and have an Arizona driver's license to obtain car insurance, which is mandatory.

  Nearest Motor Vehicle Department location:

  Phoenix West
  4005 N. 51st Ave.
  Phoenix AZ 85031
  Get Map

  Tue Wed Thu: 8:00am - 5:00pm
  Fri, Sat: 8:00am - 5:00pm
  Sun, Mon: CLOSED

  NEVER drive a car in the United States without a valid driver license or car insurance. It is against the LAW.

• Travel
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  Just think, you'll be studying just a few hundred miles from one of the Seven Wonders of the World! You can enjoy landscapes from desert to mountain and ocean beaches all within a few hours time. There are more things to do in Arizona than you will have time to do!

  Please visit these websites and plan to take in some of the scenery and activities abounding in our state:

  • www.arizonaguide.com
  • www.visitphoenix.com
• Reduced courseload (PDF)
• Practical Training
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  Immigration Regulations & Procedure

  Practical Training (PT) is a benefit available to F-1 students who have been lawfully enrolled in a Department of Homeland Security approved academic institution. Students who have been granted PT may accept employment in the U.S. to work in their fields of study in order to enhance and put into practice what they have learned in the classroom. There are two types of PT available - Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Requirements and limitations vary for each of these types of PT.

  Curricular Practical Training (CPT): Students may be authorized for CPT to engage in for-credit training programs which are an integral, but not necessarily required, part of an established curriculum. To be eligible, students must:

  • Have an internship that is approved by the college in which they are studying
  • Be enrolled in an internship course (1 to 3 credits)
  • Be in legal F-1 immigration status at the time they request CPT
  • Provide CIE with letters of approval from college and from employer listing job duties

  Authorization to work on CPT is given by the Designated School Official (DSO) in the Center for International Education (CIE). Once CPT has been approved and a new I-20 issued with the work authorization noted, students may begin working. Students MUST NOT WORK UNTIL I-20 WIITH CPT AUTHORIZATION HAS BEEN ISSUED.

  Students taking MORE than 12 months of full-time CPT are not eligible for OPT. Students who have taken less than 12 months may be eligible for the full 12 months of post-completion OPT. Participation in part-time CPT does not affect eligibility for optional practical training.

  Optional Practical Training (OPT): Students may be authorized to work in the United States for up to twelve (12) months in paid professional-level employment that is directly related to their degree program. It is not necessary to have a job to apply for OPT and while on OPT, students may change jobs without penalty or without having to reapply for work authorization. To be eligible for OPT, students must:

  • Be in full-time student status for at least one academic year (2 consecutive semesters)
  • Be in legal F-1 status at the time they request OPT
  • Be in good academic standing
  • File application BEFORE the completion of study

  Please note: Authorization to work on OPT is given by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in California, based on the recommendation of the DSO. Obtaining the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card, proof of authorization to work in the United States, from USCIS takes approximately 90 - 120 days from the time the application is received in the USCIS office. Therefore it is recommended that students apply early. If a student graduates and has waited longer than 90 days, an application can be made for an interim EAD in the downtown Phoenix office.

  Travel outside the U.S. and reentry to the country: Students on practical training may leave the country and reenter while on OPT. To reenter the country after a trip abroad, students must present to the Customs and Border Protection inspector at the port of entry a valid passport, a valid F-1 visa stamp, I-20 validated by the DSO's signature within the last 6 months, and a valid EAD card. It is also advisable to carry a letter of employment offer or contract, if available. Students are advised not to travel outside the U.S. before receiving the EAD from USCIS.

  Caution: Students who are outside the U.S. for more than five consecutive months will be considered to have abandoned their status, thus voiding the OPT and rendering them ineligible to work in the United States even if their work authorization date has not expired. To maintain eligibility to work, students who travel abroad must return to the U.S. within five months. Proof of this entry will be stamped on the I-94 card by the INS agent at the port of entry.

• Taxes
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  U.S. and State Income Tax Reporting Responsibility for International (Nonresident Alien) Students

  The Center for International Education (CIE) is supplying this information sheet to assist international students with tax reporting obligations. All international students present in the U.S., at any time during 2005 must submit a tax report each year regardless if they were employed in the U.S., or not. CIE staff are not trained in tax laws therefore cannot assist you with your tax forms.

  Filing Deadlines - postmarked by midnight:

  • 17 April 2006 if taxes were withheld from wages (8843 with 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ)
  • 15 June 2006 if taxes were NOT withheld from wages (8843 with 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ)
  • 15 June 2005 if you did not earn income or have scholarship (8843only)

  If you cannot meet the filing deadline for some reason, you may file an extension. Use Form 4868, which can be obtained from the IRS web site.

  Send completed tax forms to:

  Internal Revenue Service Center
  Philadelphia, PA 19255

  IMPORTANT! You should make copies of everything you send to IRS or the state.

  Social Security Number (SSN) and Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)

  • You need either an SSN or an ITIN to file your tax reports
  • Anyone (principle and dependents) mentioned on the tax return must have a number
  • Only students who have an on-campus job or have CPT or OPT can qualify to apply for a SSN, otherwise students need to apply for the ITIN in order to comply with tax reporting. To apply for the ITIN, complete a W-7 form and send along with the other tax forms.

  Forms

  Information, forms and publications may be found on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website at www.irs.gov.

  Form 8843: ALL F-1 students who were present in the U.S. during 2005 and want to file as nonresident aliens must file form 8843 whether or not they earned income in the U.S. An 8843 form should also be completed for each dependent (spouse and children) regardless of age and should be mailed separately.

  Form 1040NR & Form 1040NR-EZ

  • All F-1 students who are nonresident aliens for tax purposes, and who had U.S. source income in 2005, must file a U.S. Income Tax Return
  • Dependents (spouses and children) should file separately from student
  • Those who earned U.S. source wages in 2005 must file EITHER the 1040NR (U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return) OR the 1040NR-EZ (a shorter, easier form to use. See form to see if you qualify)

  Employment and scholarship

  If you worked (on-campus, on CPT or OPT) during 2005, you will receive a W-2 form indicating total earnings for 2005. This information should be included in the 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ. If you received a scholarship from GCU, you will receive a 1028T form from the GCU's Accounting Services office showing the amount of scholarship for that year. This amount should be included on the 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ.

  The appropriate portion of the W-2 and the 1098-T forms should be included or attached to the tax report.

  Tax Treaties

  The U.S. has tax treaties with some countries, which might give students a tax advantage. Publication 901 contains a list of U.S. Tax Treaties and explanations (available from IRS site). Windstar Technologies also provides a site which includes tax treaty text of all income tax treaties at: http://www.windstar-tech.com/public/treaties.html

  State Filing Requirement

  If you earned income in Arizona during the current filing year, you may be required to file an income tax form, most likely Form 140NR. You may access information and download forms from the following web site: http://www.azdor.gov

  If you earned income in any other state, you may access information and links to state tax forms (including the District of Columbia) from the following: http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/link/forms.html

  Other internet sites that may be of use to you:

  • U.S. Social Security Administration
  • Office of International Policy - Site includes booklets on the social security (totalization) agreements, information on benefit payments to persons living abroad and telephone numbers to call for information.
  • University of Arizona tax information for foreign students

  Assistance with Tax Forms

  For on-site assistance with federal tax forms, you may contact the following:

  Internal Revenue Service (Phoenix area office)
  210 E. Earll Drive (south of Indian School Road and north of Thomas Road, northwest corner of Earll Drive and 3rd St)
  Monday - Friday: 8:30am - 4pm
  Telephone: 800.829.1040 or 602.207.8031

  For on-site assistance with Arizona state tax forms, you may contact the following:

  Arizona Department of Revenue
  1600 W. Monroe St.
  Phoenix, AZ (south of Van Buren and north of Washington)
  Monday - Friday: 8 am - 5 pm (phone assistance from 7am - 6pm)
  602.255.3381

  Disclaimer: Please be aware that the staff of the CIE is not trained in international taxation and cannot assist you with your tax forms. This information is not intended to provide legal or certified tax advice.