International Students

Orientation for international students is hosted by the Office of Global Education and is mandatory for every new international student at Kent State University, including undergraduate, graduate, sponsored, exchange, transfer and ESL (English Second Language) students. At orientation, you will receive important information – beyond academic advising – including how to stay in legal visa status, get a bank account, work while you are here, safety, staying healthy and many other topics. In addition, you will have the opportunity to meet other international students, as well as the ISSS advisors and other OGE staff. If you do not attend, a registration hold will be placed on your account.

To be a full-time student and meet the enrollment requirements to maintain valid F-1 student status, undergraduate students must be enrolled a minimum of 12 hours total with 9 of those credit hours being in-person classes. Graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 8 credit hours total with 5 of those credits being in-person classes. “Hybrid” classes are considered in-person classes for visa purposes.

Only in certain situations. Do NOT drop any classes before going to the Office of Global Education to speak with an ISSS advisor and the College of Aeronautics and Engineering Building to speak with your CAE academic advisor. If you drop below full time without our approval, you will be considered out of status and your immigration record could be terminated.

If you are enrolled full time in the fall and spring semesters, and intend to continue your studies full time, you are eligible to take the summer term off.

The College of Aeronautics and Engineering is not able to give any advice on entering a foreign country; you need to check the entry requirements with that country's embassy. However, to return make sure you have a valid passport, valid entry visa (not expired, issued for multiple entries), and that you have had your I-20 or DS-2019 endorsed for travel by an ISSS advisor. International students are not required to register for summer unless it is their first or last semester so there are no registration issues when traveling over summer. Note: If you plan to be out of the country for more than five months, please see an ISSS advisor.

No. Academic advisors and other CAE staff/faculty are not permitted to give or sign off on official sponsorship letters. If you are a student needing an official sponsorship letter please contact KSU’s International Admissions Counselor by emailing intlspon@kent.edu. For more information visit the Sponsored Students page.

If you are an undergraduate student, please contact your assigned advisor.
If you are a graduate student, please reach out to Jill Garst, Academic Program Officer.
If you are not a CAE student or do not have an assigned undergraduate advisor, please contact Jared Brown, Academic Advisor I. 

Please contact the Office of Global Education (OGE) for additional resources. The OGE is responsible for many processes related to international students' and scholars' experiences in the U.S., including but not limited to:

• Issuing I-20s and DS-2019s
• Planning programming and activities for international students and their families
• Hosting workshops on compliance with immigration regulations
• Assisting international students in applying for benefits and changing immigration status, if necessary

International students interested in CPT must:

• Have completed 1 full academic year of studies at Kent State University (at least 1 Fall and 1 Spring semester).
• Be enrolled as a full-time student or have special approval to be enrolled in less credit hours if the student intends on applying for CPT in the fall or spring semester (Not required for the summer term).
• Have earned a minimum 2.0 overall GPA at the time of their CPT request.
• Have no holds on their student record from any source (financial, academic, conduct).
• Must register for their internship or co-op experience for credit before the registration deadlines for their intended semester pass.
• Must show that their desired internship or co-op is directly related to the student's major or minor concentration by providing an official offer letter and job description from their intended employer to the College of Aeronautics and Engineering.
• Maintain the same projected graduation date. If an internship or co-op course is not part of the student’s academic roadmap, international students are not permitted to enroll in CPT if the experience delays their projected graduation.

For internships, please fill out the Internship Approval Form on the College of Aeronautics and Engineering’s website.

For co-ops, please fill out the Electronic Application on the Career, Exploration, and Development department’s web page.

After filling out the appropriate form, a KSU staff member from the respective department will reach out to the international student and give additional instructions.