Completing the F-1 visa process and arriving on-campus in time for the International Welcome Program/Semester Start will be a true challenge this year. Students/Parents, please post here if you wish to discuss/share your experience.
I’m not sure exactly the process for international students, but this isn’t their fault at all. I saw on reddit that ND reportedly set August 24th as the deadline for international students to be on campus. I also heard they were not planning on providing an online option for at risk students and faculty this fall. IF true, ND should be ashamed. I am very proud to be here, but they need to show more care for their students. I am friends with an international student who is unlikely to be able to physically be on campus until September at the earliest. This isn’t an ND issue, it is a federal government issue. ND administration needs to wake up and listen to their students. Be lenient with international students and provide an opt in online option for fall.
@irish2022 I am afraid you misunderstood the information you mentioned above: that posting and date refers to a specific international graduate program. International undergraduate students will need to be on campus long before August 24th this year. You also misinterpreted the information on online course availability, the information there referred to the fact, as determined by the Department of Homeland Security, that international students may not begin their studies online and arrive in the US after the official start of the program on their I-20, if on a F-1 visa.
Of course there will be appropriate accommodations and online offering for undergraduate students who are unable, for health or other reasons, to access lectures in person. In fact, Notre Dame is in the process of putting respective plans in place as we speak.
@hpcsa can you share the plans for an online opt in? I have not heard anything about it. Perhaps I misinterpreted the international students message. I am not an international student, so I am not familiar with the process. However, if ND does not provide an online option for at least the fall they are endangering many students and faculty. That would be irresponsible.
@irish2022 This specific Notre Dame sub-thread has been set up in order to discuss/ share experiences of international students and their parents related to the I-20/F-1 visa process of international students, which will be especially challenging this year given current circumstances. It therefore would be preferable to keep postings focused accordingly.
Students seeking additional detailed information is very understandable, it will be best if you could please set up a dedicated thread on the subject. My 2 cents worth on the matter: an overview of the latest policy information on Notre Dame Fall 2020 course instructions is listed here:
https://here.nd.edu/academics/course-instruction/
Notre Dame surely will announce additional information once it will become available - it will then automatically apply to all ND faculty and students, no opt in/out will therefore become necessary. All the best!
“International (undergraduate) students should plan to arrive Saturday, Aug. 1 to participate in orientation with Notre Dame International.”
sadly, you happen to be very mistaken. as an intnl first year student trying to get to campus, i can say the experience has been awful. they are giving no helpful information and no help in terms of how we should navigate the process. they are extremely late with everything and taking into account that intnl students need to be there august 1st (which is extremely soon) we should know by now if there are online or deferral options (like other universities with much later start dates have announced already). nd should be ashamed.
The first problem for international students is getting the US embassy open and hopefully getting an appointment to process the visa. That is by itself a nightmare right now. If August 1st is when your expected to be there then your visa appointment should be by July 15 max to avoid any delays in receiving the visa. I would recommend deferring to spring if possible. The second problem is flying and entry to the US. Good luck to all international students.
@girdie Some questions, given that your posting is not quite clear:
- who is mistaken in saying what exactly?
- who are "they" giving no helpful information/help?
- who is late providing to you what?
- why are you unclear whether a gap year option is available to you?
- who are you in contact with at ND?
- have you received your I-20 from ND?
- have you been able to set up your visa appointment with the US Consulate in your country? In which country is your US Consulate located?
- do you have a workable understanding of the F-1 visa process?
- presuming you would receive an F-1 visa in time, will you be able to travel from your country to the US, given current COVID-19 travel limitations, by the end of July?
We may possibly be able to provide advice, yet it is important to share relevant information, not just general complaints, in order to understand the issues you seem to be wrestling with - the very reason this thread was created in the first place. ND could possibly support you in receiving an emergency appointment at the US Consulate, if this were the issue, and otherwise assist you in taking a gap year. You are not the first international student and you won’t be the last one to do get through this successfully, albeit your challenges are undoubtedly higher this year.