INFORMATION FOR CURRENT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

IUPUI's realignment: What it means for current international students

Page last updated: May 3, 2024

As of July 1, 2024, IUPUI will officially transition to two separate campuses: Indiana University Indianapolis (IUI) and Purdue University in Indianapolis (PUI). This transition presents incredible opportunities for our students, institutions, and State, and general information for all students can be found on IUPUI's Next Chapter webpage. 

This  will impact F-1 and J-1 international students in a variety of ways. The Office of International Affairs (OIA) is working with IU and Purdue leadership to coordinate a smooth transition. Below are frequently asked questions to help students plan for Fall 2024 and beyond. These FAQs will continue to be updated as planning progresses, and OIA will stay in communication with impacted students about action steps needed.

Our office is your primary resource for these questions. The advice we provide to one student does not always apply to the next student. Please contact us if you have questions about your situation. Information found on social media or passed along from other unofficial sources can me incorrect and misleading. It is essential that you rely on information provided by OIA.

Additional FAQ information for specific students can be found on the following webpages:

Visas and Immigration

As of Fall 2024, Purdue University will assume student visa management for students in PUI programs. IUI and Purdue will follow the established protocol for transferring SEVIS records to a different school when students transfer programs. OIA will communicate with impacted students about their SEVIS transfer timeline and actions they need to take. In the meantime, all international students will continue to receive visa services from OIA, and current SEVIS records will remain valid.  

 Students maintaining continuous full-time enrollment, as required for student visa holders, will retain their current SEVIS record for the duration of their degree program.  Additionally, students will maintain eligibility for CPT and OPT practical training employment authorization.   Below are additional details to help you plan for your specific situation. 

  • Students in Purdue programs scheduled to complete in Summer 2024

    If you are an IUPUI student in a Purdue degree program who will complete your academic program during Summer 2024, you will not transfer your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record to PUI. Your SEVIS record will remain with IUPUI (or IU Indianapolis as of July 1) through the end of your academic program in Summer 2024. 

    Learn more in the "Employment and Practical Training" FAQ below to learn more about students graduating from Purdue programs in Spring or Summer 2024 who plan to apply for F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) or J-1 Academic Training.

  • Students who will remain IU Indianapolis students as of Fall 2024

    Following the July 1 realignment, a request will be made to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to officially update IU Indianapolis’s name in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). It is unknown how long it will take for DHS to update IU Indianapolis's name in SEVIS. In the meantime, IUPUI will still be listed as your F-1 or J-1 school of attendance, and your I-20 or DS-2019 will continue to be valid. Once DHS has officially updated the name change from IUPUI to IU Indianapolis, all IU Indianapolis international students will receive an updated I-20 or DS-2019 reflecting the name change. All other information will remain the same on your I-20 or DS-2019. 

    OIA recommends that you use the letter that we have made available upon request in your Atlas menu for official purposes (visa application, travel, applying for a driver’s license, etc.) to verify IUPUI’s transition to IU Indianapolis as of July 1, 2024. You can immediately receive a digital PDF copy of this official letter by submitting the IU Indianapolis Transition Verification Letter eForm in the Virtual International Office menu in Atlas.

    More information about which academic programs will remain with IU Indianapolis or move to PUI can be found on the Purdue University in Indianapolis FAQ, Luddy School Computer Science program, and School of Science's realignment information for undergraduate students webpages. Be sure to contact your academic advisor if you are uncertain whether you will remain an IU Indianapolis student or become a PUI student in Fall 2024.

  • Students who will transition to Purdue University in Indianapolis for Fall 2024

    You will be considered an IUPUI (or after July 1, IUI) student until your SEVIS record transfers to PUI. You will need to submit a request in Atlas for OIA to transfer your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record to PUI after the completion of your coursework at IU Indianapolis. See the FAQs below for details about when and how you should request your SEVIS transfer.

    Your SEVIS record will transition from being managed by IUPUI (IU Indianapolis) to PUI on your scheduled SEVIS transfer date. Purdue's ISS team will need to take a few final steps in order to issue your new I-20 or DS-2019 for Fall 2024 study at Purdue Indianapolis. Please contact them if you have any questions about your transfer-in process.

    After your SEVIS record transfers to PUI, OIA will no longer maintain your SEVIS record or provide your international student advising.  You will be issued a new I-20 or DS-2019 by Purdue’s International Students & Scholars team once the SEVIS transfer process is complete, and they will become your primary international student advisors. 

    If at any point after Fall 2024 you decide that you would like to earn a degree from IU Indianapolis rather than from PUI, contact OIA's International Admissions team. 

    More information about which academic programs will remain with IU Indianapolis or move to PUI can be found on the Purdue University in Indianapolis FAQ, Luddy School Computer Science program, and School of Science's realignment information for undergraduate students webpages. Be sure to contact your academic advisor if you are uncertain whether you will remain an IU Indianapolis student or become a PUI student in Fall 2024.

Travel

  • Visas

    Visas are issued by the U.S. Department of State and remain valid regardless of the institution that a continuing student attends.  

    Remember that a visa is the stamp/sticker issued and placed into a person's passport that allows them to arrive to US port of entry and request entry in a nonimmigrant (temporary) immigration category. Your immigration status (sometimes referred to as "visa status") is the immigration category that you were granted when you entered the United States, such as F-1, J-1, or H-1B.

  • Travel documents

    As always, continuing F-1 and J-1 students must have a valid passport, visa, and I-20 or DS-2019 with a current travel endorsement in order return to the U.S. after international travel. 

     

    Be sure to carefully read our complete F-1 student or J-1 student travel guidance and prepare in advance in order to avoid any unnecessary complications. 

     

    It is also recommended that IUI international students print and carry with them a copy of OIA's IU Indianapolis Transition Verification Letter when re-entering the U.S. This letter can also be used for other official purposes (applying for a new visa, driver's license, etc.) to verify IUPUI’s July 1 transition to IUI . You can access IU Indianapolis Transition Verification Letter in the Virtual International Office section of your Atlas portal.

     

    Purdue Indianapolis students should review the guidance provided by Purdue’s International Students & Scholars team and reach out with any questions. 

SEVIS Transfer Process

If you are a Purdue transition student, please follow the steps below to request the transfer of your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record to Purdue Indianapolis in time for the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester.

  • Obtain your PUI admission letter.
  • Complete the Transfer Out Request eForm in Atlas at least two weeks prior to your desired SEVIS transfer date.
    • Select a date on which you would like for your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record to be transferred from IUI to PUI.
    • The earliest possible SEVIS transfer date is July 1 or immediately following your final day of IUI classes and/or employment (on-campus or CPT)
    • Your SEVIS record must be transferred to PUI by the time Fall 2024 classes begin (see PUI academic calendar here).
    • Keep in mind that during Summer 2024 you will maintain authorization to work on IUI's campus - even after July 1 - as long as your SEVIS record remains with IUI. Any authorization to work on IUI’s campus ends on the day that your SEVIS record transfers to PUI.
    • Contact your OIA International Student Advisor if you have questions about selecting a date for your SEVIS transfer to PUI.
  • Submit a SEVIS transfer-in request and required supporting documents to Purdue's International Student Services (ISS) and await your new I-20 or DS-2019, which will be delivered electronically.

 Practical Training and Employment

  • On-campus employment

    As of July 1, 2024, IU Indianapolis and PUI will be considered separate campuses. International students will only be eligible for on-campus employment on the premises of the campus that issues their immigration document, paid by that campus. 

    Be sure to review on-campus employment requirements for F-1 students and J-1 students on our website. Working off-campus requires CPT (F-1), Academic Training (J-1), or another form of off-campus work authorization.

    For example: As of July 1, 2024, an F-1 student with an IU Indianapolis I-20 would be eligible to work as a student employee in the IU Indianapolis Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in University Library but not as a peer tutor at the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology’s Technical Communication (TCM) Writing Center. 

    In all cases, students should communicate with on-campus employers as early as possible to clarify which campus they will align with as of July 1, 2024, and clarify whether they will be eligible to continue working in the current position. Students should contact OIA with any questions.  

    For students transitioning to Purdue University in Indianapolis (PUI)

    Once your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record is transferred to PUI, you must stop any employment paid by IU and are only eligible work in on-campus positions if you are hired and paid through Purdue. Review Purdue’s on-campus employment requirements for F-1 and J-1 students and contact the Purdue International Student Services team if you have any questions about on-campus employment.

  • Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

    Both IU Indianapolis and PUI students will maintain eligibility for CPT and OPT practical training employment authorization as long as they continue to maintain valid F-1 status in the U.S.  

    Students who will continue studying at IU Indianapolis should follow OIA's standard procedures to apply for CPT for Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and beyond.

    Below are some special notes about CPT for international PUI transition students.

    Summer 2024 CPT: If you would like to request CPT authorization for Summer 2024 (full Summer session, Summer 1 only, or Summer 2 only) will need to enroll in a CPT-eligible course offered through IUPUI (IU Indianapolis) for the duration of their CPT authorization period. Your F-1 SEVIS record should be scheduled to transfer to PUI after the conclusion of your CPT activities and last day of summer courses at IU Indianapolis.

    Fall 2024 CPT: Any CPT requests for the Fall 2024 semester will need to be submitted to and authorized by Purdue's International Student Services office. It is important that you inform yourself about Purdue's CPT policies and request process. CPT can only be issued for you by Purdue's ISS team once your F-1 SEVIS record has been transferred to PUI. Please note that Purdue does not approve requests for CPT in the final semester of an F-1 student's academic program.

  • Optional Practical Training (OPT)

    Both IU Indianapolis and PUI F-1 students will maintain eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment authorization as long as they continue to maintain continuous F-1 status in the US.

    Spring and Summer 2024 graduates from Purdue programs: If you are an F-1 IUPUI student in a Purdue degree program who will complete your academic program during Spring or Summer 2024, you will not transfer your F-1 SEVIS record to PUI. Your SEVIS record will remain with IUPUI (or IU Indianapolis as of July 1) through the end of your academic program and for the duration of your 12-month Post-Completion OPT period, including the 24-month STEM OPT Extension period for qualifying students.  OIA will continue to provide you with international student advising and services throughout your OPT period, which means that you will request OPT authorization from OIA and report updates in address, contact information and employment to OIA. Learn more about OPT requirements and application process.

    If you graduate from PUI in Fall 2024 and beyond: F-1 students who transfer their SEVIS record to PUI and complete their academic programs in Fall 2024 or beyond will apply for and remain an F-1 student with PUI throughout the OPT period.

  • J-1 Academic Training

    Both IU Indianapolis and PUI J-1 students will maintain eligibility for Academic Training (AT) employment authorization as long as they continue to maintain continuous J-1 status in the U.S.

    Spring and Summer 2024 graduates from Purdue programs: If you are a J-1 IUPUI student in a Purdue degree program who will complete your academic program during Spring or Summer 2024, you will not transfer your J-1 SEVIS record to PUI. Your SEVIS record will remain with IUPUI (or IU Indianapolis as of July 1) through the end of your academic program and for the duration of your AT period.  OIA will continue to provide you with international student advising and services throughout AT, which means that you will request AT authorization from OIA and report updates in address, contact information and employment to OIA. Learn more about J-1 AT requirements and application process.

    If you graduate from PUI in Fall 2024 and beyond: J-1 students who transfer their SEVIS record to PUI and complete their academic programs in Fall 2024 or beyond will apply for and remain a J-1 student with PUI throughout the AT period.

Insurance

Below is information about how the transition to IUI impacts international student insurance coverage and procedures. 

  • IU Indianapolis students

    No major changes are planned to the IU International student insurance plan. Learn more about on-going insurance policies, procedures and resource here. 

  • Purdue University in Indianapolis students

    Both IU and Purdue use the same periods of coverage for international student insurance: 

    • Fall coverage: August 1 – December 31 
    • Spring/Summer coverage: January 1 – July 31 

    If you are enrolled in the IU International Student Insurance plan during the Spring/Summer 2024 coverage period, your insurance coverage will still be valid through July 31, 2024, even if your SEVIS record transfers before that date to PUI. 

    Be sure to inform yourself about Purdue’s student insurance policies, procedures and deadlines to ensure that you have continuous insurance until Purdue’s coverage begins on August 1, 2024. 

Definition of common terms

  • SEVIS record

    This is a record in the U.S. government’s SEVIS database. To maintain the SEVIS record, an F-1 or J-1 student has to be maintaining all of the U.S. government’s status requirements, including the enrollment requirements.

    Please note that neither F-1 nor J-1 status requirements are requirements of the OIA or of IUPUI. They are the requirements of the U.S. government directly to each F-1 or J-1 student in the U.S. If the status requirements cannot be maintained, there is a SEVIS violation and the SEVIS record has to be ended.

    If the SEVIS record is ended while an F-1 or J-1 student is inside the U.S., this reflects that there is a problem with the student’s status in the U.S. If the SEVIS record is ended while the student is outside the U.S., a new SEVIS record has to be created before the student can return to the U.S. again in either F-1 or J-1 student status.

  • F-1 status

    Your F-1 status is what allows you to remain legally inside the U.S. and continue to remain in the U.S. even with an expired F-1 visa stamp. Your F-1 status is shown by your I-94 that indicates you’ve been granted F-1 status and you are admitted in F-1 status for “D/S”. “D/S” means duration of status. That means you can continue to remain inside the U.S. in F-1 status for as long as you have a valid I-20 and you are continuing to meet all of the F-1 status requirements.

    Otherwise, your F-1 status stay in the U.S. only ends once you’ve completed your study for the degree listed on your I-20 or until your OPT authorization ends. As you are on OPT, your F-1 status would remain valid as long as you continue to meet the F-1 status OPT requirements including working full-time in your field of study and reporting that employment.

  • J-1 status

    Your J-1 status is what allows you to remain legally inside the U.S. and continue to remain in the U.S. even with an expired J-1 visa stamp. Your J-1 status is shown by your I-94 that indicates you’ve been granted J-1 status and you are admitted in J-1 status for “D/S”. “D/S” means duration of status. That means you can continue to remain inside the U.S. in J-1 status for as long as you have a valid DS-2019 and you are continuing to meet all of the J-1 status requirements.

    Otherwise, your J-1 status stay in the U.S. only ends once you’ve completed your study for the academic program listed on your DS-2019 or until your Academic Training (AT) authorization ends. As you are on AT, your J-1 status would remain valid as long as you continue to meet the J-1 status requirements including engaging in full-time employment/training in your field of study and reporting that activity.

  • I-20

    The document created by the university’s Designated School Officials in the U.S. government’s SEVIS database. A valid I-20 is required to: apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate for an F-1 visa stamp; enter the U.S.; and to maintain F-1 status while inside the U.S.

    The I-20 is issued for a specific program of study for a specific length of time for study in that program. If a student is maintaining F-1 status requirements, the I-20 ends on the date the student completes the final academic requirements for the degree program listed on the I-20, even if that is earlier than the estimated program end date printed on the I-20. If a SEVIS record is ended, that also ends the validity of the I-20.

  • DS-2019

    The document created for J-1 exchange visitors and their dependents by the university’s Alternate Responsible Officers (AROs) in the U.S. government’s SEVIS database. A valid DS-2019 is required to: apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate for an J-1 visa stamp; enter the U.S.; and to maintain J-1 status while inside the U.S.

    Upon admission to a student program, the DS-2019 is issued for a specific academic program for a specific length of time for study in that program. If a student is maintaining J-1 status requirements, the DS-2019 ends on the date the student completes the final academic requirements for the academic program listed on the DS-2019, even if that is earlier than the estimated program end date printed on the DS-2019. If a SEVIS record is ended, that also ends the validity of the DS-2019.

  • Visa stamp

    The U.S. visa stamp in your passport is just a stamp/sticker that you show at the U.S. border to ask to enter the U.S. in a nonimmigrant status. It has no purpose again unless you choose to travel outside the U.S. and want to apply again to re-enter the U.S. in F-1, J-1 or another nonimmigrant status for which you are eligible. Your visa is not required to remain valid for the full length of your stay inside of the United States. You do, however, always need a valid U.S. visa stamp to enter the U.S. in a nonimmigrant visa status.

    A U.S. visa stamp can only be obtained at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside of the U.S.