ISSS Sponsored Student Services provides immigration and sponsor-related support for students and their sponsors from the following:

  • Aramco Services
  • Kuwait Cultural Office (KCO)
  • Embassy of Oman
  • Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC)
  • Saudi Arabian Cultural Missions (SACM)
  • The Scholarships Office of the UAE (SCO)

ISSS Sponsored Student Services also provides support for students and scholars participating in exchange visitor programs on Fulbright grants. A webpage for exchange visitors on Fulbright grants is coming soon. Contact ISSS Sponsored Student services for assistance.

Tasks To Complete

Sponsored students must complete the following tasks.

After arrival in the U.S. as a main campus student at CU Boulder, complete the following (Or after transfer of your SEVIs record to CU Boulder main campus), complete the following:

Submit the Immigration Check-In e-form (in Arrival & Immigration Check-In section of MyISSS portal.

Submit the Immigration Essentials Quiz in Canvas.

Complete a CU Boulder FERPA Release in your Buff Portal for your sponsor, granting access to your educational records.

FERPA is a federal law safeguarding your private educational information. This release is necessary for the university to share transcripts, letters, and other financial and academic information with your sponsor.

  • Health and disciplinary records will not be disclosed.
  • Select your sponsor from the list below and follow the instructions to create a FERPA release in your Buff Portal.
  • FERPA release instructions for each sponsor

Waive your CU Boulder Health Insurance by the deadline in your first semester and every fall semester.

  • You will be charged for the health insurance if you do not submit the waiver by the deadline each fall semester.
  • Your sponsor will not pay the CU health insurance. You will be responsible for payment.

Submit proof of immunization by the deadline.

Create a Security Passphrase.

When speaking with a Sponsored Student Advisor (or any other CU Boulder office) over the phone, the advisor will ask you to give your security passphrase to confirm your identity.

  • Your sponsor does not need to know your security passphrase. It is for your use when calling a campus office.

Every semester you must:

Enroll in a full-time course load each fall and spring semester.

  • Request approval from your sponsor for any online, remote, or hybrid courses.

Email a Financial Guarantee from your sponsor to 3rdparty@colorado.edu and sponsoredadvising@colorado.edu each semester by the deadline.

  • Aramco, KCO, and Embassy of Oman provide Financial Guarantees directly to CU Boulder.

Check your financial account balance in your Buff Portal at least once a month.

  • You will need to pay for any fees that are not covered by your sponsor.

Waive your CU Boulder Health Insurance by the deadline in your first semester and every fall semester.

  • You will be charged for the health insurance if you do not submit the waiver by the deadline each fall semester. If you do not waive the insurance in the fall semester, you must waive it in the spring semester.

  • Your sponsor will not pay the CU health insurance. You will be responsible for payment.

Sponsor Documents: How to Obtain Documents Required for your Scholarship

FERPA release required for documents to be sent to sponsor:  No documents will be sent by the university to your sponsor until you have completed a FERPA Release for ARAMCO.

Registration Verification:  The Registrar’s Office, at ISSS’s request, sends the CU Boulder “Schedule of Courses Verification” to your sponsor at the beginning of the semester, usually after the add and drop deadlines.

  • Any changes you make to your enrollment after these deadlines requires you to request a new “Schedule of Courses Verification” to send to your sponsor. You can request the appropriate document from the Registrar’s office by emailing registrar@colorado.edu and requesting the “Schedule of Courses Verification” (not Verification of Enrollment, because the CU document called Verification of Enrollment includes much less information. In the email, state that it is for Aramco. You need to specify the semester, your Aramco ID number, and your Aramco advisor’s name and email address.

Study Plan: Your 4-year Study Plan must be completed in cooperation with your CU Boulder academic advisor (undergraduate) or graduate program advisor (graduate). Most advisors request that you schedule a meeting in advance and have as much of the form completed as possible before meeting with your CU advisor, but check with your advisor for their process. Please plan ahead, as this cannot generally be completed during drop-in advising and may take a few days for your CU advisor to review.

Transcripts: Transcripts will be sent directly to your sponsor by the Registrar, at ISSS’s request, after all grades are posted for the semester.

Degree Conferred Transcripts: After you graduate, transcripts showing your degree posted will be sent to your sponsor by the Registrar’s office, at ISSS’s request, after degrees post (usually about a month or more after the end of the semester). You must submit the Confirmation of Final Semester eform at the beginning of your final semester so that ISSS knows to request the transcript showing your degree.

Diplomas: Please see the Registrar’s Diploma website  for information about how to order a diploma.

FERPA release required for documents to be sent to sponsor:  No documents will be sent by the university to your sponsor until you have completed a FERPA Release for Embassy of Oman.

Registration Verification: The Registrar’s Office, at ISSS’s request, sends the CU Boulder “Schedule of Courses Verification” to your sponsor at the beginning of the semester, usually after the add and drop deadlines.

  • Any changes you make to your enrollment after these deadlines requires you to request a new “Schedule of Courses Verification” to send to your sponsor. You can request the appropriate document from the Registrar’s office by emailing registrar@colorado.edu and requesting the “Schedule of Courses Verification (not Verification of Enrollment, because the CU document called Verification of Enrollment includes much less information. In the email, state that it is for the Embassy of Oman. You need to specify the semester, your sponsor ID number, and your sponsor advisor’s name and email address.

Study Plan: Your 4-year Study Plan must be completed in cooperation with your CU Boulder academic advisor (undergraduate) or graduate program advisor (graduate). Most advisors request that you schedule a meeting in advance and have as much of the form completed as possible before meeting with your CU advisor, but check with your advisor for their process. Please plan ahead, as this cannot generally be completed during drop-in advising and may take a few days for your CU advisor to review.

Transcripts: Transcripts will be sent directly to your sponsor by the Registrar, at ISSS’s request, after all grades are posted for the semester.

Degree Conferred Transcripts: After you graduate, transcripts showing your degree posted will be sent to your sponsor by the Registrar’s office, at ISSS’s request, after degrees post (usually about a month or more after the end of the semester). You must submit the Confirmation of Final Semester eform at the beginning of your final semester so that ISSS knows to request the transcript showing your degree.

Diplomas: Please see the Registrar’s Diploma website  for information about how to order a diploma.

FERPA release required for documents to be sent to sponsor:  No documents will be sent by the university to your sponsor until you have completed a FERPA Release for KCO.

Verification of Enrollment (VOE): The Registrar’s Office at ISSS’s request sends the CU Boulder “Schedule of Courses Verification” to your sponsor at the beginning of the semester, usually after the add and drop deadlines.

  • Any changes you make to your enrollment after these deadlines requires you to request a new “Schedule of Courses Verification” to send to your sponsor. You can request the appropriate document from the Registrar’s office by emailing registrar@colorado.edu and requesting the “Schedule of Courses Verification” (not Verification of Enrollment, because the CU document called Verification of Enrollment includes much less information. In the email, state that it is for KCO. You need to specify the semester, your KCO ID number, your KCO advisor’s name and email address.

Study Plan: Your 4-year Study Plan must be completed in cooperation with your CU Boulder academic advisor (undergraduate) or graduate program advisor (graduate). Most advisors request that you schedule a meeting in advance and have as much of the form completed as possible before meeting with your CU advisor, but check with your advisor for their process. Please plan ahead, as this cannot generally be completed during drop-in advising and may take a few days for your CU advisor to review.

Transcripts: Transcripts will be sent directly to your sponsor by the Registrar, at ISSS’s request, after all grades are posted for the semester.

Degree Conferred Transcripts: After you graduate, transcripts showing your degree posted will be sent to your sponsor by the Registrar’s office at ISSS’s request after degrees post (usually about a month or more after the end of the semester).  You must submit the Confirmation of Final Semester eform at the beginning of your final semester so that ISSS knows to request the transcript showing your degree.

Online Course Audit: The Registrar’s Office, at ISSS’s request, sends the Online Course Audit to your sponsor after the end of the semester. 

Diplomas: Please see the Registrar’s Diploma website  for information about how to order a diploma.

FERPA release required for documents to be sent to sponsor:  No documents will be sent by the university to your sponsor until you have completed a FERPA Release for SABIC.

Registration Verification: The Registrar’s Office, at ISSS’s request, sends the CU Boulder “Schedule of Courses Verification” to your sponsor at the beginning of the semester, usually after the add and drop deadlines.

  • Any changes you make to your enrollment after these deadlines requires you to request a new “Schedule of Courses Verification”  to send to your sponsor. You can request the appropriate document from the Registrar’s office by emailing registrar@colorado.edu and requesting the “Schedule of Courses Verification (not Verification of Enrollment, because the CU document called Verification of Enrollment includes much less information. In the email, state that it is for SABIC. You need to specify the semester, your SABIC ID number, your SABIC advisor’s name and email address.

Study Plan: Your 4-year Study Plan must be completed in cooperation with your CU Boulder academic advisor (undergraduate) or graduate program advisor (graduate). Most advisors request that you schedule a meeting in advance and have as much of the form completed as possible before meeting with your CU advisor, but check with your advisor for their process. Please plan ahead, as this cannot generally be completed during drop-in advising and may take a few days for your CU advisor to review.

Transcripts: Transcripts will be sent directly to your sponsor by the Registrar, at ISSS’s request, after all grades are posted for the semester.

Degree Conferred Transcripts: After you graduate, transcripts showing your degree posted will be sent to your sponsor by the Registrar’s office, at ISSS’s request, after degrees post (usually about a month or more after the end of the semester). You must submit the Confirmation of Final Semester eform at the beginning of your final semester so that ISSS knows to request the transcript showing your degree.

Diplomas: Please see the Registrar’s Diploma website  for information about how to order a diploma.

FERPA release required for documents to be sent to sponsor:  No documents will be sent by the university to your sponsor until you have completed a FERPA Release for SACM

Note that you must upload documents to the Safeer2 portal for SACM yourself.  The University, including ISSS, does not have access to Safeer2.   

Registration Verification: You can request the appropriate document from the Registrar’s office by emailing registrar@colorado.edu and requesting the “Schedule of Courses Verification (not verification of Enrollment, because the CU document called Verification of Enrollment includes much less information). In the email, state that it is for SACM. You need to specify the semester and your SACM ID number. 

Study Plan: Your 4-year Study Plan must be completed in cooperation with your CU Boulder academic advisor (undergraduate) or graduate program advisor (graduate). Most advisors request that you schedule a meeting in advance and have as much of the form completed as possible before meeting with your CU advisor, but check with your advisor for their process. Please plan ahead, as this cannot generally be completed during drop-in advising and may take a few days for your CU advisor to review.

Advisor Letter to Confirm Expected Graduation Date:  You will need to request this letter from your CU Boulder academic advisor (undergraduate) or program advisor (graduate). Your advisor may use this Advisor Letter Template as a starting point for the letter. Please make sure that you notify your academic advisor of any additional information that SACM may request when you request the letter. Please plan ahead to allow your academic advisor time to process this request.  It cannot generally be completed during Drop-In Advising.

Transcripts: You will need to order transcripts through the Office of the Registrar Transcript Webpage to upload to the Safeer2 portal. These will be available after all grades have posted for the semester.

Degree Conferred Transcripts: After you graduate, you will need to order transcripts showing your degree posted through the Office of the Registrar Transcript Webpage. These are usually available about a month or more after the end of the semester.  

Diplomas: Please see the Registrar’s Diploma website for information about how to order a diploma.

FERPA release required for documents to be sent to sponsor:  No documents will be sent by the university to your sponsor until you have completed a FERPA Release for SCO

Registration Verification: The Registrar’s Office, at ISSS’s request, sends the CU Boulder “Schedule of Courses Verification” to your sponsor at the beginning of the semester, usually after the add and drop deadlines.

  • Any changes you make to your enrollment after these deadlines requires you to request a new “Schedule of Courses Verification” to send to your sponsor. You can request the appropriate document from the Registrar’s office by emailing registrar@colorado.edu and requesting the “Schedule of Courses Verification (not Verification of Enrollment, because the CU document called Verification of Enrollment includes much less information. In the email, state that it is for SCO. You need to specify the semester, your SCO ID number, and your SCO advisor’s name and email address.

Study Plan: Your 4-year Study Plan must be completed in cooperation with your CU Boulder academic advisor (undergraduate) or graduate program advisor (graduate). Most advisors request that you schedule a meeting in advance and have as much of the form completed as possible before meeting with your CU advisor, but check with your advisor for their process. Please plan ahead, as this cannot generally be completed during drop-in advising and may take a few days for your CU advisor to review.

Transcripts: Transcripts will be sent directly to your sponsor by the Registrar, at ISSS’s request, after all grades are posted for the semester.

Degree Conferred Transcripts: After you graduate, transcripts showing your degree posted will be sent to your sponsor by the Registrar’s office, at ISSS’s request, after degrees post (usually about a month or more after the end of the semester).  You must submit the Confirmation of Final Semester eform at the beginning of your final semester so that ISSS knows to request the transcript showing your degree.

Diplomas: Please see the Registrar’s Diploma website for information about how to order a diploma.

General Resources

  • Enrollment Requirements for Students in F-1 Status
    International students must remain enrolled full-time for the whole semester to maintain their immigration status for the entire semester each fall and spring.
    • Sponsors may require additional credit hours each year to maintain your scholarship.
  • On-Campus Employment
    • Your sponsor may not permit on-campus employment.
      • Contact either your sponsor, or Sponsored Student Services, to confirm if you have permission to work on campus.
  • Off-Campus Employment
    International students are not allowed to work off-campus without work authorization.
    • Your sponsor may not permit off-campus employment.
      • Contact either your sponsor, or Sponsored Student Services, to confirm if your scholarship allows you to apply for off-campus work authorization.

Types of off-campus work authorization:

  • Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS)
    • The CAPS office provides private, confidential, and counseling services for students at no additional cost.  
  • AcademicLiveCare
    • A telehealth service available to students seeking mental health or medical services from home. The service is free to CU Boulder students.
  • Campus Support Resources
  • Academic Support (e.g. faculty office hours, tutoring, academic coaching)
  • Religious Accommodation in Classes
    If you will miss a day of class for a religious event or holiday, follow these steps:
    • Check the syllabus for the “attendance policy.”
    • Speak with your professors at the beginning of the semester about any day you would miss for a religious observance.
    • Be prepared to get notes for class you missed and make up the work.

  • Scams
    • You might receive fake messages claiming to have problems with employers or your immigration status. This link highlights what to look out for.
  • Driver’s License
    • Public transportation is free for CU Boulder students but if you have a car and want to drive look into getting a drivers license.
  • Parking on Campus
    • There is no free parking directly on campus so if you are planning to drive to campus look into buying a parking pass.
  • Student Organizations and Clubs
    • Coming to a new country can feel overwhelming and lonely. Join student organizations to meet other students and form a community to help you to help you enjoy your stay at CU Boulder.
  • Alcohol and Marijuana
  • Bank Accounts
    • Create a bank account to cover personal expenses during your stay in the US.
  • Places to Pray on Campus
    • Quiet places are available on campus for students to use, these rooms may be used for prayer