International Student Adviser

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Building: Armstrong Hall
• Salary Range: $70,000 - $75,000

Position Summary

The International Student Adviser delivers immigration services to the international student community at Columbia University. Specifically, the incumbent advises on opportunities, rights, and responsibilities under the immigration laws of the United States, and confers with other University departments, legal counsel, or governmental agencies as necessary; advises international students on all immigration matters related to their presence at Columbia University; acts as Designated School Official (DSO) and Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) in issuing required US government documents to international students in order to obtain student or exchange visitor visas abroad, extend stay, apply for employment authorization, travel abroad, and re-enter the US successfully; collaborates with staff, schools, departments and outside organizations (including vendors) to plan and coordinate collaborative events as needed.

Responsibilities

• The International Student Adviser (ISA) acts as appropriate to issue required US government documents for international students to obtain student or exchange visitor visas, extend the students’ stay, apply for employment authorization, travel abroad, re-enter the US, and other benefits as appropriate;

• Consults with SEVIS Help Desk and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resolve processing or status problems;

• The incumbent will act as Designated School Official (DSO) and Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) in issuing required US government documents for international students to obtain appropriate F-1 or J-1 visas; and consult with the Associate Director on current federal regulations, policies, the Code of Federal Regulations, secondary references, and more complex immigration cases;

• The ISA advises and provides guidance to F-1 and J-1 students related to their opportunities, rights, and responsibilities on immigration regulations and university policies, including maintaining their legal status, extensions of stay, travel, transfers, and off-campus employment;

• Evaluates immigration documents and academic records to determine students’ eligibility for off-campus employment (Curricular Practical Training, Pre/Post-Completion Optional Practical Training, and STEM extension of OPT, and Academic Training);

• Prepares and issues all the necessary immigration documents needed for off-campus employment;

• Serves as a University liaison and works directly with the State Department, US Department of Homeland Security, consular officers, and immigration officials on matters relating to non-immigrant foreign students as needed;

• The International Student Adviser (ISA) assists in creating applications, forms, hand-outs and other types of communication materials related to various immigration procedures, and helps in streamlining and improving ISSO processes and services;

• The ISA makes recommendations for process improvements related to non-immigrant matters such as work authorization;

• Maintains and enhances in-depth knowledge of US immigration and school policies as they affect international students; evaluates complex regulations and applies them to individual cases;

• Presents at various school-specific orientations and immigration workshops, including Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training; refers students to the appropriate campus and community resources as needed, including immigration attorneys, tax professionals, admissions officers, Student Health Services, housing, CUIT, banking, cell phones, Student Financial Services, and Career Center;

• Responds to general and specific questions, inquiries, and correspondence from incoming and current international students and their academic departments in-person, in group settings, and via phone and emails;

• The incumbent complies with federal SEVIS reporting and record keeping requirements including address updates; ensures regulatory information is up to date on the ISSO web site;

• Cultivates a professional presence on campus and in the field through local and national partnerships and associations; and participates in regional and national international education conferences and meetings.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and or its equivalent. 
• Minimum 2 years relevant immigration regulation, advisement, and compliance experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of F-1 and J-1 student immigration regulations, and SEVIS.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in cross-cultural communication, counseling, area or cultural studies, foreign language, international education, or TESOL.
• 3 years administering and advising federal F-1 and J-1 immigration regulations as DSO/ARO in a higher education setting.
• Fluency in at least one foreign language.
• Experience living abroad.
• Experience teaching/training/presenting, familiarity with Word, Access, PowerPoint.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.