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Welcome to News and Updates from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). This message provides useful information for the international student and academic communities.

New Courses Available in SETA

In November, SEVP launched the SEVP External Training Application (SETA), an online learning management tool for current and prospective school and sponsor officials. SETA courses primarily teach about the rules and regulations governing SEVP and the Department of State’s Exchange Visitor Program. SETA is a part of SEVP’s broader effort to ensure compliance among all public Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) users. For more information on how to access SETA and for additional resources, visit the SETA resource page on Study in the States.

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DSOs: SEVIS Upgrades to Release 6.49

SEVP recently upgraded SEVIS to Release 6.49, which allows designated school officials (DSOs) to upload the Form I-983, “Training Plan for STEM OPT Students.” This release also introduces new alert lists and SEVIS notices for designated school officials (DSOs). For more information on this release, watch the pre-release webinar on SEVIS Release 6.49 on the SEVIS webinar page, which can be found on the SEVIS Help Hub, or read the SEVIS Release 6.49 planning guide on Study in the States. 

School Officials: Annual Verification Begins Dec. 2

The SEVIS annual verification period starts Dec. 2, 2019, and closes March 2, 2020. Each year, principal designated school officials (PDSO) and responsible officers (RO) must verify that all PDSOs, ROs, DSOs and alternate responsible officers (ARO) are still employed by the organization; continue to be the selected PDSO, DSO, RO or ARO; and require continued access to SEVIS. Failure to verify by March 2, 2020, will result in all unverified school or sponsor officials losing access to SEVIS on March 3, 2020. Visit the PDSO/DSO Annual Verification User Guide for step-by-step instructions to complete the mandatory annual verification.

Students: Read the Travel Resource Page Ahead of Holiday Vacations

As an F or M student studying in the United States, you may be able to travel during your time of study. If you travel internationally for annual vacation or during a school break, make sure you take the appropriate steps before you travel to ensure a smooth re-entry into the United States. Visit the Study in the States resource page, “Traveling as an International Student,” to learn more about the steps you should take before traveling outside of the United States.

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