On December 31, 2021, the Chancellor announced that the Spring 2022 semester will start remotely and that at this time in-person classes are expected to resume on January 24, 2022. ISSS wants to assure our international students that this shift will not impact their immigration status. Our international students currently in F-1 and J-1 immigration status will still be able to maintain their immigration status as CU Boulder begins the Spring 2022 term with fully online learning. Because the Spring 2022 semester will have in-person instruction for a portion of the term, both continuing and new international students will be able to maintain their immigration status if they maintain full-time enrollment (or the authorized equivalent) for the duration of the Spring 2022 term.
Normally, there is an expectation that international students in F-1 status arrive by the start of semester. However, due to the announcement from the Chancellor on December 31, 2021, international students in F-1 status should use their best judgment and exercise caution when making their travel arrangements. CU Boulder asks that all students with the flexibility to remain in their permanent-home communities to delay travel to Boulder until CU returns to in-person instruction. It is important to always have the required travel documents when requesting admission to the U.S. It is important to remember that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) makes entry determinations at the U.S. port of entry (POE). Each port of entry is different, and students report having different experiences entering the United States. ISSS can never guarantee that a student will not have any issues at the POE.
Maintain Status through In-Person Credits
ISSS has a Spring 2022 webpage which explains that all new and continuing international students in F-1 status attending the University of Colorado Boulder must enroll in a full course of study as defined by the immigration regulations to maintain F-1 status. To maintain F-1 status all students (new and continuing) must enroll in the required number of in-person credits to maintain F-1 status. ISSS wants to again assure our international students that the temporary shift to remote instruction will not impact their immigration status if they are enrolled in the requisite number of in-person courses for the Spring 2022 semester.
ISSS Providing Remote Services: How to Contact ISSS
ISSS will be working remotely during the temporary shift to remote instruction. Students and scholars can contact ISSS by email at ISSS@colorado.edu (sponsored students should email sponsoredadvising@colorado.edu), through scheduled virtual advising appointments, or by phone at 303-492-8057. ISSS plans to resume in-person advising on January 24, 2022. The resumption of in-person services date is tentative and subject to change. Please monitor the ISSS website for updates.
Housing and Student Fees
Residence halls will remain closed until January 21, 2022. The University Housing office will reduce room and board rates and pro-rate other fees to account for the two weeks of remote instruction and operations. University Housing recognizes some students, who may have been impacted by the fire or are experiencing other unique circumstances, may need to return to on-campus housing sooner, and they should email University Housing by January 4, 2022. If you have questions about your specific housing situation, please email University Housing.
In order to further support our community during this time, students living in off-campus housing are strongly encouraged to delay their return to the Boulder area until January 21, 2022, in advance of the start of in-person classes.
Please stay safe and healthy.