Announcements

NEW LAWS for Students on OPT

Airport Pickups Offered by International Student Affairs for New Students

IMPORTANT NOTICE: AIRPORT PICKUP

Do you need to be picked up at the Nashville International Airport (Code BNA)? ISA will contact Southern Skies Airport Xpress to pick you up at the Nashville International Airport or you may contact them yourself at 800-726-1284 or contact Brenda Gentry, International Student Affairs office secretary at bgentry@tntech.edu to arrange the airport pickup. If you do not schedule the airport pick up ahead of time, you will have to take a taxi or arrange your own transportation to TTU's campus. The cost of the airport pickup with be assessed to your account after the pickup. Be sure to send your itinerary at least two weeks prior to your arrival date.

Airport transportation from Nashville International Airport $80.00 for each student

Transportation from McGhee Tyson Knoxville Airport for $100.00 for each student.

Any future changes in the given rate will subsequently be calculated and those cost will be carried forward to the student.

INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION

All new students are required to join the International Orientation on January 12-14.

It is very important that you update all address changes with the International Student Affairs Office immediately. By law you must update your address in 10 days with our office or you will lose your immigration status. Other visa statuses are required to submit the AR-11 to Kentucky to verify their address. If you have a special security clearance be sure to speak with the director. If we do not have an address on file we can not verify you are a student of TTU and therefore you will be out of status with the Department of Homeland Security (INS). E-mail the Director at Cwilkerson@tntech.edu or you may submit your new address here. Once your SEVIS address is updated you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

The Office of International Student Affairs is dedicated to helping you with any questions or concerns that may arise. In a continuing effort to serve you better, our office is requesting that you make an appointment through Mrs. Brenda Gentry. You can reach her by calling the office at 372-3634. If you are unabel to keep your appointment, please give at least two hours notice to the office. You can e-mail cwilkerson@tntech.edu or call 372-3634.The office is open from 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. We appreciate your cooperation and we looking forward to helping you in the future. All questions require an appointment, but most could easily be answered via e-mail. Areas which take up to one hour to complete:

Some international students during their stay in U.S. discover their currency has become devalued, a family member dies who they depend on for support, or their sponsor loses his/her job. These are all incidents which can lead a student to Severe Economic Hardship. The hardship must be beyond the student's control. For example, if a student is dismissed from an assistantship because of their attitude or absences, this will not qualify the student for severe hardship. To inquire about this, make an appointment with the International Student Affairs to speak with the director about the possibilities of applying for off-campus employment based on severe economic hardship. You can reach ISA at 931-372-3634.

To qualify: Student must be in F-1 status for one year before it is applicable; complete form I-765 (note C, 3, i) and the student must write a letter of explanation with documentation in English to support this fact. The duration of the work authorization will be one year.