Dear international students,

We are writing with good news. Today, ICE issued clarifying guidance for the fall 2020 semester. It is essential to understand this guidance as it distinguishes between continuing students who have had active SEVIS records since March 9, 2020, and new or incoming students.

Continuing F-1 students may remain or re-enter the U.S. and take a full course of study online if preferred. In contrast, new F-1 students cannot have a 100% online course of study. Therefore, new students will need to enroll in at least one hybrid course for the fall semester.

The guidance offers flexibility to both continuing and new F-1 students, within the U.S., should Cornell University find it necessary to move from the hybrid to a fully online mode of instruction.

Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs
Brandon Lanners, Executive Director, Office of Global Learning
Laura Taylor, Senior Associate Director, International Services, Office of Global Learning