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International Student Services

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As an international student at F&M, you will find an essential, reliable partner in our International Student Services (ISS). ISS offers professional immigration support, advocating for your academic success at F&M by ensuring you are compliant with U.S. immigration laws and processes.

Guiding the Immigration Process

ISS works with F&M’s community of F-1 student visa holders, the visa that allows international students to study in the U.S. ISS also manages the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, providing immigration assistance to incoming international professors and researchers.

As soon as you commit to F&M, you will be assigned an adviser who will guide you through the F-1 immigration process beginning before you arrive on campus and continuing into your first few years after graduation. With the expert support of your designated school official (DSO) by your side, you will feel empowered to focus on your studies and fully immerse yourself in everything F&M has to offer. 

International students stand with their home countries' flags during F&M Convocation.

Administrative Immigration Services

ISS offers several services to ensure your compliance with U.S. immigration laws.

  • Assistance with immigration documents required for the F-1 visa
  • Social Security Number applications
  • Campus employment authorization for international students
  • Off-campus work or internships and curricular practical training (CPT) authorization
  • Immigration consequences of leaves of absence or withdraw from the College 
  • Post-graduate optional practical training (OPT) work authorization and monitoring 
  • Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record transfers or record terminations 
  • Assistance with J-1 visa exchange visitors (professors, research scholars, and international interns coming to work for F&M)
  • F&M’s F-1 compliance

 

“This Is Me” fashion show held by the Writers House and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Campus Experience

Championing your experience at F&M, ISS oversees several international initiatives on campus.

  • Orientation for first-year international students, an event that introduces you to campus and helps you adjust to living and studying in the U.S.
  • The international peer mentor program, an initiative that connects you with an F&M international student mentor
  • The International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), an appointed group of international students that represent various backgrounds and address issues specific to the international student population and advocate for changes in campus policies in favor of inclusion and diversity.
  • Select cultural programming on campus
  • Collaborations with DipCares for students who need extra support

EXPLORE THE EXPERIENCE

 

Introductory Course for International First-Years

F&M Liberal Arts and Beyond (F&M LAB) is a unique course for incoming first-year international students. Designed to help you begin your F&M career with confidence and a sense of community, F&M LAB begins with a four-week online discussion class taking place the summer before you arrive on campus. 

F&M LAB has three main goals:

  • To introduce you to your new community, including a community of international classmates, F&M faculty and staff, and the community of Lancaster
  • To prepare you for the expectations of the F&M liberal arts curriculum and the experience of living in the U.S.
  • To practice the reading, writing, study, and discussion skills that will be crucial for success in your first-semester coursework

While the course is optional, you will earn a course credit for taking F&M LAB. If you are interested in learning more about the course, you can reach out to Dr. Nadia Mann, F&M’s assistant dean for international & multilingual student success, at nadia.mann@fandm.edu.

International and Multilingual Academic Support

As an international or multilingual student, you will find unrivaled academic support at F&M. No matter your academic goals, we offer support tailored to your specific needs. 

LEARN MORE

Joseph International Center 

The heart of F&M’s global community is the Joseph International Center (JIC), a campus space dedicated to bringing the F&M community together across borders, cultures and languages. The JIC is the primary hub for off-campus study planning, international student services, and the international studies academic program.

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Apply to F&M

Do you have questions about applying to F&M? We are here to help if you have any questions or need guidance during the application process. Email us at intladmissions@fandm.edu.

Begin your application »