Advisors & Staff
Help students navigate international education, immigration-related requirements, study abroad, global learning, and international academic opportunities.
Help Students Find the Right Resource
Academic advisors, staff, department coordinators, program directors, and other campus partners play an important role in helping Cal State LA students navigate international education and global learning.
You do not need to become an expert in every international, immigration, academic, financial, or enrollment process. The most helpful action is often recognizing when a question has an international dimension and connecting the student with the appropriate resource before an action is taken.
Refer Early
When an academic or administrative decision could affect an international student’s enrollment, immigration status, employment, travel, or expected completion timeline, encourage the student to consult the International Students & Scholars Office before the decision is finalized.
Quick Referral Guide
Use this guide to identify the office or campus resource best positioned to address the student’s question.
| Student Question or Need | Primary Referral |
|---|---|
| F-1 or J-1 immigration status | International Students & Scholars Office |
| Dropping below full-time enrollment | ISSO before the student drops the course |
| Online or hybrid enrollment and immigration requirements | ISSO |
| Internship, CPT, OPT, or employment authorization | ISSO |
| I-20, DS-2019, international travel, or visa-related questions | ISSO |
| Degree requirements, major requirements, or graduation planning | Academic advisor, department, or college |
| Registration, enrollment transactions, or academic records | Appropriate academic or Registrar resource |
| Study abroad program selection or planning | Office of Study Abroad |
| How study abroad coursework applies to the student’s degree | Academic department or college, in coordination with the Office of Study Abroad |
| Faculty-Led Program concept or development | Director, International Programs Office |
| COIL or international university partnership | Director, International Programs Office |
When to Refer F-1 and J-1 Students to ISSO
Continue advising international students on academic and University matters within your normal area of responsibility. Refer immigration questions and decisions that may affect immigration status to ISSO.
Consult ISSO Before the Student Takes Action
The timing of the referral matters.
Encourage an F-1 or J-1 student to speak with ISSO before:
- Dropping below full-time enrollment
- Withdrawing from the University or taking a leave of absence
- Changing degree level, major, or academic program
- Extending the expected graduation or program-completion date
- Completing the degree earlier than expected
- Changing enrollment modality in a way that may affect immigration requirements
- Participating in an internship, practicum, clinical experience, or employment
- Taking another academic action that may substantially change the student’s enrollment or program status
ISSO can determine whether an immigration action is required before or alongside the academic change.
Advisors and Staff Should
- Advise students within your normal academic or administrative area
- Help students understand degree requirements and academic sequencing
- Recognize when an academic decision may have an immigration dimension
- Refer immigration questions to ISSO
- Encourage students to consult ISSO before making significant enrollment changes
- Work collaboratively with ISSO when academic and immigration issues overlap
Questions ISSO Can Help With
Refer questions involving:
- Maintaining F-1 or J-1 status
- Full-time enrollment requirements
- Online-course limitations
- CPT, OPT, or employment authorization
- International travel and reentry
- I-20 or DS-2019 documents
- Program extensions or immigration deadlines
- Changes that may affect SEVIS
Academic Advising and Study Abroad
Academic advising can determine whether study abroad feels realistic and academically possible. Advisors can help students plan early, identify appropriate timing, and understand where international coursework may fit into the degree.
Academic Advisors Can Help With
- Identifying semesters that may work well for international study
- Degree sequencing and graduation planning
- Strategic use of electives, General Education, major, or minor coursework
- Helping students begin planning early
- Connecting international study to academic and career goals
- Encouraging students who may not initially see study abroad as an option
The Office of Study Abroad Can Help With
- Program exploration and selection
- Study abroad pathways and program types
- Application processes
- General cost and funding information
- Exchange and affiliate program questions
- Predeparture preparation
Academic departments and colleges retain responsibility for determining how international coursework applies to degree requirements.
Five Questions to Ask a Student Considering Study Abroad
- What are you hoping to gain academically, personally, or professionally?
- When in your degree plan might international study fit best?
- Which degree requirements could potentially be completed abroad?
- Have you completed Study Abroad 101?
- Have you met with the Office of Study Abroad to explore programs?
Help Students Discover Global Learning
A timely referral can help make global learning part of a student’s academic plan rather than an opportunity discovered too late.
Ways to Promote Global Learning
- Include study abroad links in advising resources and newsletters
- Encourage students to complete Study Abroad 101
- Share relevant study abroad and exchange opportunities
- Connect international experience to academic and career development
- Encourage students to begin planning early
- Invite the Office of Study Abroad to advising events or student programs
- Share Faculty-Led Program opportunities when available
- Help students recognize that global learning can also happen without semester-long travel
Supporting International Students and Scholars
International students use the same academic, advising, tutoring, career, health, basic-needs, and student-life resources available to other Cal State LA students. ISSO provides the specialized immigration and SEVIS support they also require.
A Good Referral Is Often the Best Support
Connect international students with the same campus services you would recommend to other students, while referring immigration and SEVIS-related questions to ISSO.
If you are unsure whether a decision may have an immigration consequence, encourage the student to consult ISSO before taking action.
Inbound Exchange Students
Exchange students attend Cal State LA temporarily while remaining connected to a home university abroad. They may need help navigating course enrollment, prerequisites, departmental permissions, and academic expectations.
Their course choices may also need to satisfy requirements established by their home university.
Visiting Scholars
Visiting scholars typically begin with an academic relationship involving a faculty member, department, college, center, or other academic unit.
Departments should begin the process early and avoid making commitments about immigration sponsorship, program dates, employment, or compensation before University requirements have been reviewed.
Chairs, Program Directors and Administrators
International Programs can assist when an international issue extends beyond an individual student or scholar or involves multiple campus units.
Looking for Faculty Resources?
Faculty can explore COIL, Faculty-Led Programs, visiting scholars, international partnerships, research and creative funding, and ways to integrate global learning into the curriculum.
Who Do I Contact?
Choose the area that most closely matches your question or proposed activity.
International Students & Scholars Office
F-1 and J-1 immigration, SEVIS, enrollment-related immigration questions, employment authorization, immigration documents, and J-1 scholar immigration processing.
Office of Study Abroad
Study abroad advising, program exploration, semester and academic-year programs, exchanges, affiliate programs, and campus outreach.
Faculty-Led Programs
Faculty-Led Program ideas, feasibility, development planning, and the Faculty-Led Program Design Studio.
COIL & Global Partnerships
COIL collaborations, international faculty relationships, university partnerships, and other global academic initiatives.
Research Funding
External research funding, proposal development, institutional submissions, research compliance, and sponsored research support.
Not Sure Where to Start?
If an issue crosses several areas or you are unsure which international resource is appropriate, contact the International Programs Office.
Campus Partnerships Make International Education Work
International education touches advising, curriculum, enrollment, student support, faculty engagement, immigration, and academic administration. Strong coordination helps students navigate Cal State LA successfully and makes global learning more accessible.
When in doubt, connect the student or issue with International Programs early. We can help identify the appropriate next step.