 Capstone English Mastery Center Portland Oregon USA Since 1929 (503) 228-6346 |
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
for Capstone English Center Students and Sponsors
There are often many misunderstandings among international students about United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) formerly called the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) regulations. Some of these are caused by misinformation about USCIS regulations for students with F-1 visas, and some are a result of the unique nature of Capstone English Center itself and our requirements. We hope some of this information will help you understand your rights and responsibilities to make your time in this country and at Capstone as productive and trouble-free as possible.
- Q: How do get an I-20 form to apply for a student visa?Q: May students work in the United States?
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Most of our students are in the United States on F-1 foreign student visas. These visas require students to be continuously enrolled, full-time, at an approved school, and deny the right to employment (work for money) except under very specific, special conditions (and only after written approval by the INS).
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Capstone expects students to call each day if they cannot attend. Again, ask what an employer would expect, and behave accordingly. We certainly do not wish you to come to school if you might spread your illness to others, or if you might interfere with their studies, but staying out of school simply because one might be uncomfortable is not adequate excuse. If an illness persists for more than a few days, we might require a doctor's statement that a student is too ill to attend.
Please Beware: Although it might not seem fair, Immigration does not consider illness to be sufficient reason for repeated or extended nonattendance.
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They don't. It can be, however, a matter of perception.
Other colleges or universities might only require students to enroll for 10 or 12 "credit hours" (in a school using 9 to 10 week quarters) of classes to be full-time, while Immigration requires students in a school like Capstone to attend at least 18 hours every week. However, you must remember that for every hour students spend in a university lecture class they must expect to spend between 1 and 3 hours studying outside class. If you register for 12 credit hours, plan on spending 24 hours studying each week, in addition to the 12 hours you spend in class. You might do that studying at home, in the library, in the hall in front of your instructor's office (waiting for their office hours), or anywhere else you can find time and space.
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Some students attending Capstone do not have F-1 visas. Some might be in the U.S. on visitor (tourist) visas, while others might be here as dependents on a spouse's or parent's visa. Naturalized American citizens or permament residents might enroll to study ESL and/or vocational subjects. They might choose to study English while they are here, but they are not required to attend for any specific length of time or minimum number of hours.