All international students are required to be enrolled full time every semester. Please consult with your academic advisor and the Registrar to determine full-time status for your program. Additionally, international students may take no more than one online class within their allotment of full-time classes. Students registered for dissertation proposal, dissertation, full-time internship, or practicum satisfy the requirement for full-time study. Educational programs at the Adler University generally require year-round enrollment.

U.S. law requires international students to report to Adler University any changes in name, U.S. address, international address, educational program, or source of funding within 10 days of the change.

Your F-1 status assumes that you will remain in the United States for your studies, with only periodic and short-term absences. If you stay outside of the U.S. for more than 5 months without a valid academic reason (such as internship), your F-1 status will terminate.

If you fall out of status for failure to adhere to any of the above guidelines, you must apply for reinstatement with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. Reinstatement is costly and is only granted under limited conditions. If you think you might be out of status, please contact the director of Compliance or the Office of Student Affairs immediately for assistance.

International students are allowed to work in an on-campus job for a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session (40 hours per week during official school breaks). Any off-campus employment opportunities, whether paid or unpaid, must be authorized by the director of Compliance and the Office of Student Affairs.

Your F-1 visa status permits off-campus work which is in your field of study and connected to the Adler University curriculum. CPT may be paid or unpaid, and is used for practicums and internships. While U.S. law generally requires students to be in F-1 status for one year before they are eligible for CPT, an exception exists for graduate students whose programs require a practicum or internship in the first year. Adler University requires the Social Justice Practicum of all first year students, so CPT is permitted.

If you have been in F-1 status for at least one year and your financial circumstances have changed dramatically since the processing of your initial I-20 form, you may be eligible to apply for SEH Work Permission. There is an application fee for SEH and SEH is only permitted if the cause of the financial difficulty is significant and out of your control. Application is made to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and is not guaranteed.

If you complete a master’s or doctoral degree at Adler University and have been in F-1 status for at least one year, you may apply for OPT, which gives you permission to look for employment and work in your field of studies for one year after your academic program ends. There is an application fee for OPT and application must be completed with the assistance of the Director of Compliance and the Office of Student Affairs in a five month period surrounding your program end date. Application is made to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and is not guaranteed. Please contact the Director of Compliance and the Office of Student Affairs for more information on the OPT process. Please contact the director of Compliance or the Office of Student Affairs for more information.

Social Security Number (SSN): These serve as personal identification numbers in the U.S. They are also required before a person may be paid for employment, and are sometimes used to conduct background checks for unpaid employment as well.

You must have a practicum, internship, or job before applying for an SSN. When you’re ready, complete the SSN application form.

Most international students find it convenient to open a bank account in the U.S. while they’re studying at Adler. Having a local bank account will make it easier for you to pay bills and get paper money without paying large transaction or transfer fees.

Many banks equire individuals to have a U.S. Social Security Number before opening an account. Chase Bank, a large U.S. bank with many branches and ATM machines, does not have this requirement. They also have a location very close to campus — 10 S. Dearborn.

You will need the following items to open a bank account:

• Your passport.
• Your I-20 Form.
• A letter from the director of Student Affairs, verifying your F-1 student status.
• A deposit. For most accounts, you will need $25 in U.S. currency to open an account.

There are two main types of bank accounts — checking accounts and savings accounts. Most students are interested in a checking account.

A checking account will come with a checkbook (a book of paper checks) or a debit card so you can pay for purchases. These accounts do not usually earn interest, but they require only a small deposit to start. Most accounts will also come with an ATM card, which enables you to get U.S. currency from teller machines in many locations.

Illinois law permits students at Illinois colleges and universities to drive on a valid license from their home state or country. This means that you may not be required to get an Illinois Driver’s License in order to drive while you are a student at Adler University. Each state sets its own laws regarding driving, however, so if you plan to drive through other U.S. states, you must be sure that your foreign driver’s license will work there as well. If you need more information that what’s provided below, please visit the Illinois Secretary of State website.

International students who would like to obtain an Illinois Driver’s License have two options:

• If you have a Social Security Number you may apply for a State of Illinois Driver’s License.
• If you do not have a Social Security Number you may apply for a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License.

Please note, there is no such thing as an International Driver’s License, but there is an International Driving Permit which is issued in your home country. The International Driving Permit translates your license to make it easier for U.S. officials to read, but by itself doesn’t give you permission to drive.

State of Illinois Driver’s License
A driver’s license is an official document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle (motorcycle, car, truck, or bus) on a public roadway. As most citizens of the U.S. possess a valid driver’s license, it has also become a standard form of picture identification.

To apply for an Illinois Driver’s License, you must visit a Secretary of State Drivers Facility (also called DMV for Department of Motor Vehicles). You may take the tests to apply for a new license at the following DMV locations:

• Chicago North: 5401 N. Elston, Chicago, IL 60630
• Chicago South: 9901 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago, IL 60628
• Chicago West: 5301 W. Lexington, Chicago, IL 60644

You will need to bring the following documentation with you:

• Valid passport.
• I-94 card (If you entered the U.S. by air or sea after May 2013, you will not have a paper I-94 card. You can print your I-94 information online at www.cbp.gov/I94.)
• I-20 form.
• Social Security Card.
• Application fee of $30,
• Two of the following documents to prove residency in the state of Illinois: bank statement; cancelled check; official Adler University transcript; credit report (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion); deed, mortgage, or rental agreement; Adler University tuition invoice; medical claim or statement of benefits from health insurance company; official mail from a state, county, city, or federal government agency; pay stub or electronic deposit receipt; or utility bill. Any documents used to prove residency must include your Illinois address.

When you apply for an Illinois Driver’s License, you will be required to take a vision test, a written exam, and a road test at the DMV. You will need to provide your own car to take the road test, so have a friend drive you to the DMV. It is a good idea to read Illinois Rules of the Road, in particular, the chapter on Driver’s License Exams, to find out what you will need to know.

Note: In the United States, citizens are able to register to vote when they apply for a driver’s license. This is called the “Motor-Voter Act.” You may be asked about registering to vote while you are at the DMV; it is very important that you do not register to vote. When you register to vote you are stating that you are a U.S. citizen; if you are not a U.S. citizen, you will be committing voter fraud and will be deportable from the United States.

Temporary Visitor Driver’s License
A Temporary Visitor Driver’s License (TVDL) is issued by the Secretary of State’s Office for non-U.S. citizens who are living temporarily in Illinois and cannot get a Social Security Number. A TVDL is issued for the purpose of driving a car. It is different from Illinois Driver’s License because the words “Not Valid for Identification” appear on the TVDL.

A TVDL is issued for a maximum of 3 years or the period of time a non-citizen is authorized to stay in the U.S., whichever period is shorter. Applicants for TVDL must be authorized to stay in the U.S. for at least one year and must have at least 6 months remaining on the authorized stay when they apply for a TVDL.

To apply for a TVDL in the State of Illinois, you must visit a Secretary of State Drivers Facility (also called DMV for Department of Motor Vehicles). Please see above for the Chicago DMV locations which issue new licenses. You will need to bring the following documentation with you:

• Valid passport.
• I-94 card — If you entered the U.S. by air or sea after May 2013, you will not have a paper I-94 card. You can print your I-94 information online.
• I-20 form issued for at least one year of study, with at least 6 months remaining.
• Application fee of $30.
• Two of the following documents which prove residency in the state of Illinois: bank statement; cancelled check; official Adler University transcript; credit report (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion); deed, mortgage, or rental agreement; Adler University tuition invoice; medical claim or statement of benefits from health insurance company; official mail from a state, county, city, or federal government agency; pay stub or electronic deposit receipt; or utility bill. Any documents used to prove residency must include your Illinois address.

When you apply for a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, you will be required to take a vision test, a written exam, and a road test at the DMV. You will need to provide your own car to take the road test, so have a friend drive you to the DMV. It is a good idea to read Illinois Rules of the Road, in particular, the chapter on Driver’s License Exams, to find out what you will need to know.

Please note, two types of TVDL’s are available. If you are in the U.S. on a valid visa, please follow the instructions listed above. If you are in the U.S. without documentation you should follow the instructions found online.

Illinois State ID Card
If you do not need to drive in the United States, but want a form of identification that is easier to carry than your passport, you may apply for an Illinois State ID Card by following the application instructions listed above for obtaining a State of Illinois Driver’s License. The fee for an Illinois State ID Card is $20.

Health insurance is an important thing to have when living in the United States. Many health care providers only take certain insurance policies, and the cost of health care may be extraordinarily high if you do not have insurance when seeking medical care (even at the emergency room).

The following are some options for health insurance for international students. As always, be sure to review policies carefully. We recommend obtaining insurance designated for international students.

Insurance plan from your home country

1. Make sure that the plan includes covered providers in Chicago.
   
2. It should include:
   • In-patient treatment.
   • Out-patient treatment.
   • Mental health coverage.
   • Preventative care.
   • Emergency evacuation.
   • Repatriation of remains.
     
3. Beware of policies that exclude coverage for specific types of illness or pre-existing conditions.Also avoid policies which have low maximum payouts.

Insurance designed for international students in the U.S.

When purchasing an international student insurance plan, be sure to check for the following:

• In-patient, out-patient, and mental health coverage.
• Incident or lifetime maximums and exclusions.
• Preventative care.
• Pre-existing condition coverage.
• Prescription drug coverage.
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains.

The following companies have been vetted by international education and insurance professionals and are known to be reputable, though coverage may vary depending on the plan selected.  Read policy manuals thoroughly before purchasing and be sure that the items which are most important to you are included in the policy you choose.

• Compass Benefits Group
• PSI International Student & Scholar Health Insurance
• HTH Worldwide
• International Student Insurance

Insurance through online marketplace

• International students are also eligible to purchase insurance through the U.S. online marketplace.  International students across the country have reported some difficulty using the site without a valid U.S. social security number, even though the law permits lawful non-immigrants, with or without social security numbers, to participate (section 1101 (d) (1)).  International students who experience difficulty with the online marketplace are encouraged to seek the help of a trained Healthcare Navigator.  You can find a free navigator in your area at www.GetCoveredIllinois.gov.
  
• Please note that purchasing insurance through the online marketplace means you must file U.S. taxes, even if you do not work for pay in the U.S.