For those who don’t know, Penn State’s Directorate of International Student & Scholar Advising (DISSA), is the university’s office dedicated to helping international students, faculty, and scholars. 

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, DISSA continued offering typical services while adapting to any problems international students had with traveling and visa during the pandemic. Traditionally, international students head to DISSA for advising, immigration services, and questions about employment or life in the United States.

Now, DISSA keeps track of any immigration changes and restrictions to make sure that international students were able to maintain their status. In July, for example, when the now rescinded rule that international students with fully online courses would have to leave the country came into place, DISSA measured no efforts to promptly make announcements to all international students about how to proceed. 

When the pandemic grew back in March, I made the decision to go back home to Brazil. I spent the entire summer there but when fall came around, there were also travel restrictions. Since there were new rules for entering the United States, and I was coming from Brazil while the majority of my classes were online anyway, I stayed home.

DISSA helped me understand what I needed to do to not only stay fully enrolled at the university and keep my student status intact in the U.S. while taking classes abroad.

International students need a travel signature from the school to reenter the U.S. after going abroad. After leaving in such haste, I never got one. DISSA helped me with the request and mailed me one in my hometown in Brazil.

With Penn State’s plan to delay the start of in-person classes, DISSA kept international students informed by emailing students about any coronavirus testing requirements for students coming abroad. It also sent an email about how to request housing, if needed.

Plus, it is helping people with much more than just assisting students with coming back plans. As a general rule, international students can work only on campus. To be able to work there, international students need a social security number, and DISSA instructs students on how to proceed.

To be able to work off campus, students can apply to Optional Practical Training, for example, which allows you to have a temporary job for up to 12 months related to an F-1 student’s educational area. Even in the middle of the pandemic, DISSA was still helping seniors get all documentation they needed to be able to have that work experience.

DISSA also needed to take care of students who decided to take a leave of absence. This includes a few extra steps because that meant they had to terminate the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System for when the students left and reactivate it again when the student came back, making sure they would stay complying with the F1 rules.

For students who are just getting to Penn State, DISSA helped them with information regarding scheduling a visa appointment and how to request an I-20/DS-2019. For those who for some reason could not come to the U.S., DISSA also directed them to the path to remain fully enrolled at Penn State and even had cool alternatives like “Penn State First.”

DISSA also keeps informative lists that are constantly updated, which, in most cases, answer international students’ questions regarding immigration, employment, arrival, academics, taking a leave, and change of campus.

I know that this work must be a lot, especially during times when nothing is certain, rules are constantly changing, and we never know what will happen the next day. So thank you so much, DISSA, for being patient and keeping us sane. With a job so important that can help determine the student’s ability to stay legal in a foreign country to them, you help us feel safe and welcomed. 

As a Penn State international student, I feel truly confident that I do not need to worry because this amazing office has always shown me how to cares about the students. Every day, it proves that I can come its way with any concerns I have. No matter what, DISSA will have international students’ backs.