International Student Services

PAU enthusiastically welcomes and supports international students. If you are an international student and have questions about your status or about applying to PAU, please contact the International and Veteran Student Success Specialist at 650-433-3851. Visit PAU's International Students webpage for information pertaining to both current and prospective international students.

Maintaining Legal F-1 International Student Status In order to maintain their legal F-1 status, students:

Keep their passport valid for six months into the future at all times;

Maintain a valid I-20: have their I-20 updated by the International and Veteran Student Success Specialist if they have changes such as major, change of name, and/or completion of degree date;

Enroll in a full course load every quarter. Full time for undergraduates is 12 units per quarter. Full time for graduates is 9 units per quarter, except during practicum and internship; F-1 students are limited to one 3 unit online class per quarter;

NOT work on- or off-campus without appropriate authorization from the International and Veteran Student Success Specialist or the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as required. See the F-1 Employment, Practica & Internships webpage for more information.

Contact the International and Veteran Student Success Specialist if you need to transfer to another institution, extend your program or if you have a new address.

Have your passport, visa and I-20 checked by International and Veteran Student Success Specialist before traveling internationally.

International Students & Health Insurance

While no Federal regulatory requirements exist for F-1 students to have health insurance, PAU strongly encourages all students, including international students, to have personal health insurance plans. See Living in the U.S. for a list of international student insurance providers.

International Students & Employment

F-1 International Students are permitted to work on campus jobs at PAU. F-1 students may work up to 20 hours per week. Unfortunately, F-1 students are not eligible for Federal Work Study jobs.

F-1 International Students must have immigration authorization to work off-campus.
International students must apply for CPT for required practicum and internship. Please be sure to review the information on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Optional Practical Training (OPT) before pursuing any off-campus employment.