International Student COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

UMass Lowell (UML) has resumed full on-campus operations for the 2022-2023 academic year, including in-person learning. Students in the US are expected to return to campus to resume in-person learning. In accordance with Federal Regulations, this means that students may only take one online class per semester. The International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) is working with campus partners to identify accommodations for students outside of the US, who are unable to return to campus due to COVID-19 visa/travel restrictions. ISSO will continue to monitor CDC guidance regarding travel restrictions, visa issuance and backlogs, and vaccine requirements internationally.

Students should visit the Coronavirus Updates webpage to view current plans and protocols.

Prior to travelling to the U.S., please be sure to carefully review the CDC's International Travel webpage for the most up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements for entry to the U.S. Please note, the COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving situation and as such, these requirements are subject to change.

To find information for the U.S. Embassy in your home country, please search the embassy near you on the U.S. Embassy website.

To find information on Visa Appointment wait times or availability, please check the State Department webpage.

For UMass Lowell COVID-19 vaccination requirements, please visit the Health Services Health Requirements webpage.

For any questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements for UMass Lowell, please contact 978-934-6800 or wellness_center@uml.edu.

Please note that a student's ability to start a program remotely from abroad is at the discretion of their academic department. Some exceptions do apply, per federal regulations.* Students who are unable to arrive in the U.S. for the start of their program as listed on their visa document (I-20/DS-2019) may begin their program online (with some restrictions). They may then request a deferral of their visa document to the next available semester start date.

If you are unable or would prefer to not begin your program through online courses from your home country, we recommend you contact the Graduate Admissions or Undergraduate Admissions office to see whether you are eligible to defer your admission to Spring 2023. Once your admission is updated to reflect Spring 2023, ISSO will update your visa document to reflect a start term of Spring 2023.

Initial Students

All “new” (initial) students are required to be in the U.S. and enrolled in in-person courses (no more than one online course per term) in order to have their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record activated and otherwise maintain their status. Should an initial student not be able to arrive for the Fall 2022 semester, they must either:

1. Work with admissions to defer their I-20 to a subsequent term, at which point International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) can issue an updated I-20 reflecting the new term start; or
2. Begin their program remotely* from their home country during the Fall with plans to arrive to the U.S. for a subsequent term. You will need to work with the ISSO to amend your I-20 and SEVIS record to reflect the appropriate term start by which you will be present in the U.S.

Active Students

All students in active F-1 or J-1 status are expected to be in the U.S. and enrolled in in-person courses (no more than one online course per term) in order to be SEVIS registered for the Fall 2022 semester and otherwise maintain their status. If an active student is unable to arrive to the U.S. for the Fall 2022 semester, they have three options:

1. If you were in “active” F-1/J-1 status as of March 9, 2020 and will enroll on a full-time basis in online courses from abroad, the ISSO may permit you to maintain “active” SEVIS status;
2. If you were not in “active” F-1 or J-1 status as of March 9, 2020, you can enroll in online courses from abroad*, though the ISSO must terminate your status as an Authorized Early Withdrawal. The ISSO can later attempt to reactivate your SEVIS record no earlier than 60 days from the term you intend to return to the U.S. Should a reactivation not be possible, you may be able to return to the U.S. on a new “initial” SEVIS record;
3. Choose not to enroll in courses, resulting in the termination of your SEVIS record (a leave of absence). The ISSO can later attempt to reactivate your SEVIS record no earlier than 60 days from the term you intend to return to the U.S. Should a reactivation not be possible, you may be able to return to the U.S. on a new “initial” SEVIS record.

Newly Reactivated Students

If you are a student returning to the U.S. to resume your studies after having your SEVIS record reactivated (in “initial” status), you are expected to be in the U.S. and enrolled in in-person courses (no more than one online course per term) in order to be SEVIS registered for the Fall 2022 semester and otherwise maintain your status. The inability to arrive for the Fall 2022 semester will result in the automatic cancellation of your SEVIS record. The ISSO can later attempt to reactivate your SEVIS record no earlier than 60 days from the term you intend to return to the U.S. You must provide proof of your pre-booked flight itinerary. Please contact ISSO@uml.edu to initiate your reactivation. Should a reactivation not be possible, you may be able to return to the U.S. on a new “initial” SEVIS record.

Transfer-In Students

New transfer students are expected to be in the U.S. and enrolled in in-person courses (no more than one online course per term) in order to be SEVIS registered for the Fall 2022 semester and otherwise maintain their status, regardless of whether they were or were not in “active” SEVIS status as of March 9, 2020. The inability to arrive for the Fall 2022 semester will result in the automatic cancellation of your SEVIS record. The ISSO can later attempt to reactivate your SEVIS record no earlier than 60 days from the term you intend to return to the U.S. You must provide proof of your pre-booked flight itinerary. Please contact ISSO@uml.edu to initiate your reactivation. Should a reactivation not be possible, you may be able to return to the U.S. on a new “initial” SEVIS record.

Change of Level Students

Students in “active” F-1 or J-1 status starting a new program of study in the spring after completing a different program in a previous term (change of academic level cases) are expected to be in the U.S. and enrolled in in-person courses (no more than one online course per term) in order to be SEVIS registered for the Fall 2022 semester and otherwise maintain their status. If this student is unable to arrive to the U.S. for the Fall 2022 semester, they have three options:

1. If you were in “active” F-1/J-1 status as of March 9, 2020 and will enroll on a full-time basis in online courses from abroad*, the ISSO may permit you to maintain “active” SEVIS status, SEVIS registering at the start of the Fall 2022 semester;
   
   
2. If you were not in “active” F-1 or J-1 status as of March 9, 2020, you can enroll in online courses from abroad*, though the ISSO must cancel your SEVIS record. The ISSO can later attempt to reactivate your SEVIS record no earlier than 60 days from the term you intend to return to the U.S., though the approval of a reactivation is up to the discretion of SEVP. You must provide proof of your pre-booked flight itinerary. Please contact ISSO@uml.edu to initiate your reactivation. Should a reactivation not be possible, you may be able to return to the U.S. on a new “initial” SEVIS record;
   
   
3. Choose not to enroll in courses, resulting in the cancellation of your SEVIS record. The ISSO can later attempt to reactivate your SEVIS record no earlier than 60 days from the term you intend to return to the U.S., though the approval of a reactivation is up to the discretion of SEVP. To that, proof that you were enrolled, even from abroad, during that term may be helpful when attempting a reactivation. You must provide proof of your pre-booked flight itinerary. Please email: ISSO@uml.edu to initiate your reactivation. Should a reactivation not be possible, you may be able to return to the U.S. on a new “initial” SEVIS record once the ISSO receives confirmation from the department that you will be permitted to resume your studies.

*Please note, students in Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) countries (Iran, Cuba, Syria, North Korea, and the Crimean Region of Ukraine) are not eligible to enroll in online courses from overseas. If you're not sure if you are impacted by OFAC, please email: ISSO@uml.edu.

Under F-1 and J-1 student visa regulations, you are required to arrive to the university by the start of the semester. We are also unable to issue late arrival letters, as the ISSO cannot "approve" a late arrival to the U.S. We would refer you to the guidance below as to what you will need if arriving later than the Fall 2022 semester start date:

Arrival During the Add/Drop Period*: You must be enrolled-full time and travel with proof of registration, as well as collect a letter from your academic advisor acknowledging and approving your arrival after the start of the given semester.

Please note: that all international students are required to report to the ISSO within 30 days of a semester's start so that we may SEVIS register you for that term. Failure to be SEVIS registered will result in the termination of your SEVIS record.

*Please be advised that failure to obtain the necessary University-required immunizations in a timely manner, or demonstrate and approved exemption, will result in the University dropping you from your courses and the subsequent termination of your F-1 or J-1 visa status. Please plan to rectify any vaccination-related issues prior to your arrival in the U.S.