Welcoming International Students and Scholars

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

Rutgers is home to more than 9,000 international students and scholars from about 125 countries around the world. They bring rich perspectives to campus that help to globalize our classrooms, labs, and clinics, contributing significantly to advancements in education, research, and service. 

Rutgers Global - International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is committed to providing superior services and enriching experiences for our international community. We are here to support the journeys of our international students and scholars, from arrival to graduation/completion and beyond. Our core services include providing advice and counsel on US immigration regulations and compliance, immigration application processing, cross-cultural programming, advocacy, and outreach.

If you are an international student at Rutgers University–Camden, please visit the Office of International Students. If you are an international student or scholar at Rutgers University–Newark, please visit the Office of International Student Services. All RBHS international students and Rutgers–Camden international scholars are serviced by Rutgers Global–International Student and Scholar Services, regardless of campus location. 

Updates and Reminders

PLEASE NOTE OUR UPDATED ADVISING SERVICES AND WALK-IN HOURS

New Brunswick Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30am-5pm (Closed on Wednesdays)
New Brunswick Walk-in Advising Hours: Monday & Thursday 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm; Tuesday & Friday 10:00 am-2:00 pm

ISSS will be hosting the International Student Orientation Program from Monday, August 26 to Friday, August 30. During this time, there will be no walk-in hours or appointments. ISSS operations will resume per our regular schedule on Tuesday, September 3. Continuing students are requested to hold off their requests, emails, and visits during this week as we welcome our new international students.

OPT PROCESSING DELAYS
F-1 students who have applied for OPT are facing unprecedented delays in receiving their EADs (employment authorization documents). These delays are being experienced across the country and can affect all recent graduates or those looking to receive their degrees in the near future. F-1 students are not permitted to begin working until they get their EADs. They cannot travel outside the US and reenter without their EAD and a job offer. Therefore these delays can result in loss of opportunities or jeopardize a student’s legal status in the U.S. While in previous years, OPT applications have taken an average of 2-3 months to be processed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), processing times this year are much longer than in previous years. Recent estimates are that OPT processing times could take as long as 5+ months.

Follow these links for more information on these delays:
-- Check USCIS Case Processing Times
-- Contact USCIS for a status update (if your OPT/STEM application has been pending for more than 90 days)

Once an OPT application goes to the USCIS, Rutgers has no control over the progress of the application. We would like to advise all our students who are considering applying for OPT, to plan well in advance. OPT applications can be sent to the USCIS up to 90 days before the end of a student’s coursework, and for up to 60 days after. This means that with enough advance planning, a student can apply in a timeline such that they receive their EAD card in time and can begin working according to their plans. Please attend a post-completion OPT workshop offered by ISSS to learn more about the process and also review the information on our website. It may also help to inform potential employers about the possibility of a delay in receiving work authorization. Finally, it is important to note that students still have legal status in the U.S. during the OPT adjudication period as long as they filed in the correct time frame.

Feel free to contact an international student adviser during our advising hours or via email us with any questions or concerns.

See Employment Workshop Schedule >

Check our Deadlines and Alerts page frequently for the latest information related to immigration regulations, deadlines, and alerts >

Our office was previously known as the Center for Global Services of the Centers for Global Advancement and International Affairs (GAIA). You may choose to visit our archived Center for Global Services website or our archived Center for Global Services (RBHS) website.