News and Alerts, Emerson College

Here you will find critical and timely news updates pertinent for our international students. Please check this page every so often to ensure you stay informed.

News Updates

Recommendation to Carry Proof of Lawful Status (February 13, 2025)

As you may be aware from news sources, the new federal administration has issued a number of executive orders and proclamations prioritizing stricter border security, accelerating removal (deportation) of undocumented migrants to the U.S., and adding additional scrutiny for visa applicants and travelers to the U.S.

It is important to note that many of these orders include comment periods by which government agencies must give recommendations for interpretation and implementation, and that some of these will face legal challenges and may not ultimately be implemented or enforced as they are currently written.

Once we receive clarification from government agencies about how these will be implemented, we will make announcements on our News and Alerts page for changes that impact international students or may communicate individually to directly impacted students.

Carry Your F-1 or J-1 Immigration Documents

In the meantime, as a student in lawful F-1 or J-1 status, make sure you carry copies of your immigration documents with you at all times including:

Unexpired passport
Most recent F-1 Form I-20 or J-1 Form DS-2019
Most recent Form I-94 showing your arrival to the U.S. in F-1/J-1 status, and
An F-1 or J-1 visa, if applicable (Note: This document is required at the time of U.S. entry, but it is not required to demonstrate your continued lawful status while in the U.S. Citizens of Canada are visa exempt.)

You should carry your original documents any time you travel — whether traveling within the U.S. or out of the U.S. — or in cases where you may encounter federal officers or law enforcement. If it is not feasible to carry your original documents in routine day-to-day life, make certain to always have access to paper or electronic copies of your documents.

New Web Page: Legal Resources

In addition, we have prepared the following new web page outlining Legal Resources, which includes:

Finding an Immigration Attorney
Know Your Rights resources

Students with individual questions about these or other legal matters are encouraged to attend our daily walk-in hours or to schedule a personal appointment with an Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) staff member.

We acknowledge the emotional toll that many of these executive actions may have on members of Emerson’s international community and are committed to providing continued holistic support to our students and alumni.

Complete Your U.S. Tax Returns for Tax Year 2024 (February 11, 2025)

This advisory is intended for Emerson international students and recent alums who were physically present in the U.S. during the 2024 tax year — between January 1 and December 31, 2024. If you were in the U.S. during this timeframe, please read on.

As a nonresident in the US, it’s crucial to know that if you earned income in 2024, you’re legally required to file a tax return by 15 April, 2025. And even if you didn’t work or earn any income, you’ll still need to submit Form 8843 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) staff are not authorized to provide any type of advising on individual international tax questions, but we have prepared the following resources to guide you through your tax filing responsibilities in the U.S.

Sprintax Tax Filing

Emerson College has partnered with Sprintax Returns to help you with your US taxes. Sprintax will guide you through every step of your tax filing. Their tax experts will help you prepare the necessary documents and even check if you’re eligible for a tax refund.

An email was sent to all current and recent international students on February 11, 2025 including a unique tax code to cover the cost of filing federal tax returns through Sprintax. If you did not receive this code, please email oisa [at] emerson.edu (oisa[at]emerson[dot]edu) with your full legal name and Emerson ID number to request the code.

Sprintax Tax Resources

You can explore the many resources Sprintax offers to help you understand the US tax system and prepare ahead.

Check out the resources below to get a head start and ensure you’re ready to file!

In addition, the Sprintax team will be happy to help via their 24/7 live chat facility by emailing hello [at] sprintax.com (hello[at]sprintax[dot]com).

Sprintax Webinars

Sprintax is hosting a number of free educational tax webinars that will be available to nonresidents prior to and during the US tax filing season. You may register using the registration links below for a session that works well for you:

Sprintax Nonresident Tax Overview

In these tax webinars, international students, scholars and professionals will be run through everything they need to know about nonresident tax for the 2024 tax season. Topics will include who must file, tax residency, FICA, State returns, implications of misfiling as well as how to use Sprintax to prepare a compliant tax return.

Select a date to register for the webinar session:

Sprintax Nonresident Tax Overview for OPT/CPT

Topics covered in these webinars will include residency for tax purposes, tax liabilities when on OPT/CPT and pre-employment tax forms when on OPT/CPT. The Sprintax team will also provide an overview of Sprintax Forms, which can be used to prepare your pre OPT/CPT employment tax documents.

Select a date to register for the webinar session:

May 2025 Grads - OPT FIling Window Now Open! (February 10, 2025)

Today is the day! If you are planning to graduate from Emerson College on May 11, 2025, the window to submit an OPT application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is now open -- beginning today February 10, 2025.

F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows up to 12 months of post-graduation work permission in your major field of study. Applications for this benefit can be submitted to USCIS up to 90 days prior to your date you finish your program of study (your graduation date).

Keep in mind that it can routinely take up to 2-4 months for OPT authorization to be approved by USCIS, so in order to start working soon after graduation, you will want to apply as soon as possible now that this application window is open!

For more information, sign up to attend an upcoming OPT Workshop, starting this week.

Questions? Check out these online resources for additional information:

Still have questions? Contact us during our daily walk-in hours or drop us an email at oisa [at] emerson.edu (oisa[at]emerson[dot]edu).

Preparing for the U.S. Government Transition in January (December 9, 2024)

Over the past few weeks, we have spoken to many in our international student community who have expressed concern about what to expect regarding the upcoming U.S. government transition occurring in January.

International students are valued members of the Emerson community and our Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) staff are committed to providing proactive and holistic support to our international students and wider community. One important support involves providing timely communication throughout this administrative change as events transpire.

Recommendation to Re-enter U.S. Prior to Start of Class and Prior to Inauguration

While many changes to U.S. legislation and regulation take time to play out, actions such as Executive Orders may be enacted quickly and have immediate effect. For this reason, we recommend that international students traveling abroad this winter — as well as international faculty and recent graduates on F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) — seriously consider returning to the United States no later than January 20, 2025, the date of the Presidential inauguration.

Boston-based students are encouraged to return to campus before the start of classes on January 13, 2025. Emerson Los Angeles students are encouraged to move onto campus during the ELA move-in times the weekend of January 18, 2025 — prior to the Inauguration, and in advance of ELA classes starting.

This recommendation is being made out of an abundance of caution and based on historical precedent, as several travel bans affecting global travelers were enacted within the first few days of the first Trump Administration in 2017. In addition, it is common for staff turnover at U.S. consulates abroad to delay the process of visa issuance following a transition in federal administration.

Additional information about preparing for travel as an international student in F-1 or J-1 status can be found on Emerson Today.

Spring Semester Support and Communication

Our priority at this time is to prepare communication channels so that we can quickly share information and offer effective support if and when changes occur that may have a direct impact on our international community.

Our spring semester support and communication plan will include:

Posting of major immigration updates to the News and Alerts page of our website
Daily walk-in hours for individual questions — in addition to the option of scheduled appointment times, OISA will hold daily walk-in hours to address students’ immediate questions. These are held Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET in person; Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET via Zoom
New communication initiatives including tabling and brown bag sessions
Workshops on pertinent topics including:
- International Study in the U.S: What to Expect from a Second Trump Presidency
- A History of U.S. Immigration Policy Towards LGBTQIA+ Migrants
- Immigration Options after OPT: H-1B and Alternatives for Artists and Entrepreneurs

Information related to U.S. immigration status and work permission, as well as international travel, can be found on our website. In addition, OISA’s experienced immigration advising staff are available to assist students in one-on-one advising appointments and walk-in hours.

Questions?

Should you have any questions related to international travel, please contact us by email at oisa [at] emerson.edu (oisa[at]emerson[dot]edu). You may also schedule an appointment or attend our walk-in hours (Monday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.)

See: OISA Contact Information/Walk-in Hours