As an international student considering graduation, please take the following information into consideration before you graduate, at the graduation ceremony and after graduation.

Before you graduate

F-1 Students

If you plan on working in the US after graduation, you should apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and make sure that USCIS received your OPT application BEFORE you graduate.  For example, if you graduate August 10 and the USCIS receives your application on August 11, your application will be denied.  For more information concerning OPT, click here and go to the section on work authorization.

If you plan on starting another degree at Texas A&M following your graduation, please click here and go to the section on Change degree level.

If you plan on staring another degree at another university after graduation, please click here and go to the Miscellaneous Handouts section and fill out the Transfer Out Form.

If you do not plan to work in the US, change degree levels, go to another school after graduation AND you have maintained your F-1 status, then you have 60 days to remain in the US AFTER graduation.

Summer Graduation If you will be graduating in Summer, your last semester cannot be a vacation period. You need to be enrolled full-time in the Summer 10 week courses or full-time in Summer II.  If your academic advisor allows you to only enroll in Summer II, then you may use Summer I as your vacation period.  If your degree plan allows you to register less than full-time during your last semester, then you are required to submit a full course waiver letter from your academic department to ISS prior to the start of the summer session in which you will be enrolled.  If you are enrolled less than full-time and do not have an approved full course waiver by an ISS advisor, then you may lose your immigration status.

J-1 Students

If you plan on working in the US after graduation, you should apply for Academic Training.  For more information concerning Academic Training, please click here and go to the section on work authorization.

If you plan on starting another degree at Texas A&M or another university after graduation, please meet with an ISS advisor prior to graduation.

If you do not plan on working in the US or starting another degree after graduation AND you have maintained your J-1 status, then you have 30 days to remain in the US AFTER graduation.  Please inform ISS when you will leave the US.

 

Summer Graduation If you will be graduating in Summer, your last semester cannot be a vacation period. You need to be enrolled full-time in the Summer 10 week courses or full-time in Summer II.  If your academic advisor allows you to only enroll in Summer II, then you may use Summer I as your vacation period.  If your degree plan allows you to register less than full-time during your last semester, then you are required to submit a full course waiver letter from your academic department to ISS prior to the start of the summer session in which you will be enrolled.  If you are enrolled less than full-time and do not have an approved full course waiver by an ISS advisor, then you may lose your immigration status.

Graduation Ceremony

We are pleased to congratulate all the international students graduating and let you know that there is a new tradition starting with this graduation ceremony:  flags representing the countries of students enrolled at Texas A&M University will be displayed as decorations in the Reed Arena hallways through which all the guests coming to graduation will have to pass in order to enter the seating area. 

The flags have been selected for display based on the population of enrolled students and their countries of citizenship as indicated in their official enrollment records and the passports under which they are studying at Texas A&M.  The placement of flags in Reed Arena has been determined by using alphabetical order and maximizing the use of the limited spaces available to display them. 

Because we know that many of the graduates may wish to take photos of themselves with their nation’s flag, click here for a list of flags and click here for a map of Reed Area.  The flag locations are marked as red circles on the map.  Refer to the separate list of flags to identify the location along the inside or outside walls of the Reed Arena hallways. 

If you have any questions about the use of flags at the graduation ceremony, please direct them to the Director for International Outreach, Ms. Linda Edwards, at l-edwards@tamu.edu or 979-862-6700.     

After Graduation

While you are in the US after graduation, you need to keep your physical US address up-to-date with the Department of Homeland Security.  If you move, you need to up date your address within 10 days.  If you are an F-1 or J-1 student, then you need to up date your address at MyRecord.  If you are on any other visa category, then you need to up date your address at https://egov.immigration.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa.