Section Four
UNIVERSITY RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS

This section includes:

BECHTEL INTERNATIONAL CENTER

422 Lagunita Drive
Phone: (650) 723-1831
Fax: (650) 725-0886
http://icenter.stanford.edu/

The Bechtel International Center (I-Center) serves as a focal point for interaction among international and U.S. students and visiting scholars at the University. It houses the offices of advisers to international students, scholars and their families, international visitors, and U.S. students preparing to apply for scholarships for study and research abroad. Among the services offered to the Stanford international community are immigration advising; new international student arrival and orientation programs; workshops; academic, personal, and cross-cultural consulting and referral; community information regarding housing, public transportation, schools, banking, etc.; International Speakers Bureau, as well as electronic publications:

• the International Focus newsletter (http://www.stanford.edu/dept/icenter/new/focus.html) addresses visa-related issues, and
• a list of I-Center events and programs is available at http://www.stanford.edu/dept/icenter/new/this_week.html#social.

The I-Center also has meeting rooms, which are available upon request, to all campus organizations.

Services for international student families include advice on educational opportunities in the Bay Area, scholarship awards for spouses, professional liaison for spouses, social activities, and classes in English language, international and local cuisines, and handicrafts.

The I-Center publishes an orientation handbook for international scholars that provides useful information about the campus and surrounding community. It also contains important information on visa regulations and other topics of particular interest to students and scholars from other countries. The handbook is available online (http://www.stanford.edu/dept/icenter/info/handbook.html) and at the Bechtel International Center. Information specifically for foreign graduate students is also available at the Bechtel site (http://www.stanford.edu/dept/icenter/InternationalStudents/).

The Overseas Resource Center provides comprehensive information and advice for Stanford students interested in scholarships for study and research overseas. It administers, for Stanford, the campus process for such programs as Fulbright, German Academic Exchange, Marshall, Rhodes, Gates, Mitchell, Free University of Berlin Exchange and the Luce.

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International Student Visas

Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must have a non-immigrant visa that allows study in the United States. There are only two types of non-immigrant student visas sponsored by Stanford University, the F-1 and the J-1 student visa. F-1 students use a document called the "I-20" (Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 Student Status) to enter the U.S. with F-1 status. J-1 students use a document called the "DS-2019" (Certificate of Eligibility or Exchange Student Visitor Status) to enter the U.S. with J-1 status. These documents must be used by students to obtain the F-1 or J-1 visa in their passport from the U.S. Consulate/Embassy in their home country.

The initial I-20 documents for new graduate students are issued by the Graduate Admissions Office. All DS-2019 documents for J-1 students sponsored by Stanford University are issued by the I-Center. Travel signatures for F-1 or J-1 students planning to re-enter the U.S. after travel outside the US, can be obtained by an international student adviser at the I-Center. Students who are away from the U.S. for 5 months or more must request a new I-20 (or DS-2019) from the I-Center before re-entering the U.S.

WARNING: New and continuing F-1/J-1 should NOT enter the U.S. on a tourist (B-1/B-2) visa or under the visa waiver ("90-day" visa) program. Doing so invalidates F-1/J-1 visa status. If you forget to have your I-20 or DS-2019 signed by an I-Center adviser before leaving the US, you may mail your document to the I-Center from abroad. It will be signed and returned to you. Please note that travel signatures are valid for one year.

The I-Center also provides information, through advising, email and the web, concerning current immigration issues, travel and re-entry and current federal policies and regulations that affect F and J visa holders. These updates are important for international students and scholars and can help to minimize difficulties around travel, work authorization and maintaining legal status.ties around travel, work authorization and maintaining valid visa status.

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