Office of International Programs

F-1 students and J-1 Exchange Visitors who wish to obtain a North Carolina driver’s license may be able to do so.

The documents you will need to present to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are:

All international students who have been approved for either on campus or off campus employment will need to apply for a Social Security number. You must apply in person at the Social Security Administration office in Wilkesboro.

If you are a F-1 or J-1 student and need a social security number for employment, you will need to bring the following documents with you:

ALL students on post-completion OPT MUST report their employer information to Appalachian State University every time there is a change. Please click on the link below "Report my OPT Employment" to do so. Failure to report your employer information can result in a loss of legal  visa status. If you are currently a student on active post-completion OPT and need to update your employer information, please do so here.

IMPORTANT: All types of employment authorization require permission of International Student and Scholar  Services and Outreach. Engaging in unauthorized employment is a violation of your student visa and can result in the termination of your visa.

J-1 Students:

For J-1 students, the primary types of employment authorizations include:

IMPORTANT: All types of employment authorization require permission of International Student and Scholar  Services and Outreach. Engaging in unauthorized employment is a violation of your student visa and can result in the termination of your visa.

F-1 Students:

For F-1 students, types of employment authorization include:

"Employment" is any work performed or services provided (including self-employment) in exchange for money or other benefits or compensation (i.e. free room and board in exchange for babysitting or a free meal in exchange for volunteering).

International students in F or J status are eligible to transfer their immigration records in SEVIS to a new U.S. school. This is a separate process from the academic transfer and involves sending the new U.S. school your active SEVIS F or J record.

If you change your physical address, you must inform ISSSO within ten days. Failure to do so is violation of your visa status. To report a change of address, please update it in Appalnet self service.  

You must apply for an extension of your program prior to the expiration date on your Form I-20 or DS-2019 if you cannot complete your program by that date. Requests for extensions should be submitted prior to the expiration date of the Form I-20 or DS-2019 so the extension process can be completed prior to the expiration date on the document F-1 or J-1. 

Students must obtain a new Form I-20 before changing their academic program from one degree level to another (e.g., from Bachelor's to Master's level) or one major/field of study to another (e.g., from Chemical Engineering to Physics). International students must receive a new I-20 or DS-2019 from ISSSO before beginning the new program/degree level. To request a new I-20 or DS-2019 because of changes to your academic program, complete and submit a request online (Link Coming Soon)