Please visit the CDC website for any updated requirements for traveling to the U.S.

The restrictions to enter the U.S. may change for each country. We recommend that you follow the requirements given on the U.S. Embassy’s website for your home country in regard to travel.

NAFSA is also a great resource to share all the updates for travel and how it relates to each country. You can view this by visiting COVID-19 Restrictions on U.S. Visas and Entry.

U.S. VISA application interviews are hard to get at this time due to the US consulates not operating at full capacity because of COVID-19. If you are unable to get a VISA prior to your studies, you may need to defer your admission to the next semester or study online for that term if enough online courses are offered.

Please fill out the travel form. Submit this to isssohlp@central.uh.edu so we can process a new I-20.

If you are an alumnus of OPT, there is a $10 fee associated with a reprint. You will also need to submit the payment coupon directly to our office. Payment Coupon

UH is still operating under the SEVP guidance for COVID19.

If you entered the U.S. prior to March 2020 and you are still maintaining your F-1 status, there are no restrictions for online courses.

If you entered the U.S. after March 2020, you have to take at least one class F2F/Hybrid towards the full course load requirement for spring 2022. This includes all admitted F-1 students, not just Spring 2022, but also those who began their studies in the U.S. in Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Fall 2021. The F2F course requirement is not just for the first semester but all subsequent semesters you are studying.

J1 Graduate Students: Any J1 students who began studies after March 2020 have to take F2F classes for a full course load. There is an exception to allow one course out of the 9hrs to be online.

If you began studies in the U.S. before March 2020, then yes, you can study online from outside the U.S. for spring 2022. If you have an active SEVIS record, you can remain abroad and the five-month rule will not be in effect. You will still need a valid travel endorsement to return to the U.S. for summer/fall 2022.

If you are not able to get the required classes to maintain a full course load remotely, you have to either make arrangements to return to the U.S. or do an authorized early withdrawal and come back on a new I-20 for the following semester.

If you began studies in the U.S. after March 2020, you cannot study online and thus you cannot be outside UH to take your classes with an active SEVIS record.

You should have a new initial i-20 to begin studies for spring 2022 by admissions. After this is processed, you can enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days from the program start date on your I-20. Please be prepared to follow instructions regarding quarantine. You will need to complete the ISSSO virtual check-in by submitting documents on the checklist items in your student center. Questions on uploading documents can be sent to isssohlp@central.uh.edu or you can learn more by visiting New International Student Orientation and Check-In Information.

You have to arrive in the U.S. by the program start date on your I-20. If you are unable to arrive in the U.S. by this day, but before the start of classes, you may contact admissions regarding any late arrival.

Undergraduate students: internationaladmissions@uh.edu

Graduate students: gradschool@uh.edu

Yes, you can study online if you began studies in the U.S. prior to March 2020. If you arrived after March 2020 to begin studies, you will be required to take at least one F2F or Hybrid course towards your full course load requirement for spring 2022 (as F-1) or take all your courses as F2F (as J-1).

You should plan to arrive at least 10 days prior to the start of classes to meet the quarantine requirement as posted.

UH will not require students to be vaccinated to attend classes on campus.

UH has required all staff to return to campus and work should be done on campus.