Maintaining Status

To maintain immigration status, the student must carry a full course of study (minimum of ??? Ball State University credits in both semesters of the academic year. Students do not need to enroll in summer school. If a student falls below the minimum number of credits, they will be considered "out of status" by Immigration (INS). The student must then apply to INS to be reinstated to status. Students are encouraged to come to the Center for International Programs for help in this matter.

Some students nearing the end of their program of their authorized stay in the U.S. find that they need extra time to complete a degree program. In this instance, the student will need to extend his/her stay or fall "out of status." Again, Students are encouraged to come to the Center for International Programs for help in this matter.

When a student has violated his/her status to such an extent that the Immigration and Naturalization Service must take action, the student may be subject to deportation or "removal." Or, the student may be given the privilege to "voluntary departure" within a certain stated amount of time, usually thirty days. In this case, INS will stamp the I-20 ID "under docket control." The student then has thirty days to leave the country.