Services and Requests
ISS Services
International Students & Scholars (ISS) provides support to F-1/J-1 international students. Eligibility to remain in the U.S. is contingent upon knowledge of and compliance with immigration law. ISS staff will assist in the clarification of regulations and processes required to maintain F-1/J-1 status as well as serve as a resource for interpretation of immigration laws as they apply to your status. It is important to maintain your status once you arrive in the U.S.
For help with immigration and other matters, contact ISS staff members via email, or join Zoom during our Walk-in Advising. We also host workshops and social events throughout the year. We look forward to working with you!
ISS Connect is your International Student Portal. During your time at Pace, all requests to International Students and Scholars (ISS) will be submitted in ISS Connect. You will use ISS Connect to check in as a new student after arriving to the U.S. and to submit requests for travel signatures, letters, new I-20s, off-campus employment, and more. New students receive access to ISS Connect around 30 days before their program start date.
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- Letter Request
- Travel Signature
- Change of Address and/or Phone Number
- Report Change to SEVIS Record
- Add New Dependent
- I-20 signed with 'wet signature' for DMV
- Program/I-20 Extension
- Request Authorization for Reduced Course Load (RCL)
- New I-20 for Second Degree Program (same level)
- SEVIS Transfer Out
- Leave of Absence (LOA)
- Resumption of Studies/Status (ROS)
Employment Requests
- OPT
- Report OPT Employment and Request a New I-20
- Replacement of Lost of Stolen EAD
- STEM OPT Extension
- STEM OPT Employer Update
- Report STEM Participation (6, 12, 18, & 24-Month Validations)
- Final Evaluation (Form I-983 Training Plan)
- Report a Material Change to Current Employer Form I-983
- New I-20 Request for Cap-Gap Extension
Stages in ISS Connect
Students move through different stages in ISS Connect depending on whether they are new, continuing, or graduated. Requests vary based on the stage you are in ISS Connect.
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- New Students who have been issued an I-20 have access to ISS Connect around 30 days before their program start date.
- In the Check-in Stage, requests are limited. Students can only access the mandatory New F-1 International Student Check-in and the required new student modules in this stage.
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New students who have completed the mandatory New F-1 International Student Check-in and required modules move from the Check-in Stage to the Continuing Stage once ISS has activated their SEVIS record during the first 30-days of the semester.
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Students on OPT and STEM OPT and students in their 60-day grace period following program completion or a period of OPT or STEM OPT are in the Post-Completion/Graduated Stage.
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Students with completed, cancelled, deactivated (transferred), or terminated SEVIS records move into the Archived Stage.
Statuses of Requests in ISS Connect
Students can check the statuses of their requests in ISS Connect. Keep in mind that all requests are processed in the order they are received. Processing time is 7-10 business days from the date the request is in Submitted status. You can read more about each status below.
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A student has created a request and has saved the request, but has not yet submitted the request.
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A student has successfully submitted the request.
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When ISS staff has reviewed a submitted request and that request is approved by ISS, but it is too early to process and mark as completed (i.e. New F-1 International Student Check-in or RCL requests reviewed prior to SEVIS-registration cycle).
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ISS has processed the request.
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Corrections are required. ISS will email the student the corrections which need to be made. Student will make the corrections in the same request and then submit.
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ISS will dismiss a duplicate request or a request which does not apply to the student.
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Certain requests, such as Program/I-20 Extension, Request for Reduced Course Load Authorization (RCL), and OPT, require that the student's Academic Advisor complete an Approver Form. Students will enter their academic advisor's name and email into the Approver Form in the request. When the student clicks "Submit" on these requests, the Approver Form will be sent to the advisor's email. The status of the request remains "Approver Review" until the advisor completes the Approver Form. After Approver Form is completed, your request changes from "Approver Review" status to "Submitted" status.
- Program/I-20 Extension Request: Academic Advisor completes an Approver Form to explain the reason for the extension.
- Request for Reduced Course Load Authorization (RCL): Academic Advisor completes an Approver Form to explain the reason for the RCL.
- OPT Request: Academic Advisor completes an Approver Form to confirm the student's final semester.
International Student Navigator
In our efforts to assist you in easily navigating useful information across different Pace departments, we have created a one-stop shop navigator for you. Explore the International Student Navigator website in the event you have questions about non-visa related matters, such as academics, housing, health services, tuition and billing, and the like.