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COVID-19 Resources

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July 14, 2020
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DHS Rescinds Rules on Foreign Students Studying Online​​​​ this Fall

​On July 14, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in a hearing involving litigation filed by Harvard and the Massachusetts ​​Institute of Technology (MIT) challenging ​DHS's July 6, 2020, international student guidance, DHS ​agreed to fully rescind the July 6, 2020, ICE guidance and July 7, 2020, Frequently Asked Questions, and rescind all implementing guidance. The status quo based upon the agency's March 13, 202​0, guidance will remain in force.

Source:​ AILA - ​​Featured Issue: Guidance for Fall 2020 Semester for International Students​

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What does this mean for our F-1 students?​

This changes the enrollment requirements for F-1 students attending Fall 2020. This includes students no longer being required to depart the country if all​ their courses are fully online. Official guidance will be communicated by SEVP in the upcoming days. 

We appreciate the open communication you have kept with our office. Santiago Canyon College is working diligently to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding your F-1 status. This story is still developing and more updates will follow as we learn more.


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​​Frequently Asked Questions

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A majority of our courses will be online. There are three different instructions methods for online courses: Online (O), Remote Live (RL), and Remote Blended (RB). For details, please visit Online Instruction Options. 

To determine how a class is going to be taught, please review the “Section Details” of the course on WebAdvisor.​

  • Students currently in the United States: YES, they will be able to start classes in Fall 2020 with an updated Form I-20 from Santiago Canyon College. 

  • Students currently outside the U.S. will not be able to re-enter the country using your new Form I-20 from SCC. 

  • For first-time students in Initial status, the Form I-20 will be deferred for Spring 2021. 

  • For new transfer student​​s, the Form I-20 will be corrected to allow for your re-entry once classes resume on-campus. Students may continue to take courses online and can return to the U.S. once our campus returns to having classes on-campus.​ 

International Students are still required to enroll and complete 12 units each semester. During the fall semester, courses will primarily ​​​​​​​​be offered online; some classes may have a few on-campus meetings. Until the campus returns to normal on-campus instruction, students are able to use online courses towards their 12-unit minimum. 

F-1 students may enroll in less than 12 units if they meet one of the conditions indicated below and have prior written approval from the International Student Office. 

  • ​Academic Difficulties
    • Difficulty with the English language and American teaching standards
    • Only available in a student’s first semester
  • Improper course placement
    • The student has been placed into the improper course level
  • Medical Reasons: Illness or Medical Condition
    • A recommendation for a reduced course load must come from a licensed medical doctor or licensed clinical psychologist. Students are eligible for a total of 12 months of RCL for medical reasons.​

Reduced Course Load (RCL) is only available if the student gets approval from the International Student Office. Please contact international@sccollege.edu for assistance.

 ​Students not wanting to take online courses should then request for a temporary absence with the International Student Office. This is called an Authorized Early Withdrawal. Students are expected to depart the U.S. within 15 days of withdrawal. Once classes resume, students can notify the International Student Office and request an updated Form I-20 so they may return to the U.S.​

During the COVID-19 emergency, continuing students are maintaining F-1 status as long as they are making normal progress in their studies. This means students are expected to continue to enroll full-time, while in their home country. Once classes resume on-campus, students are expected to return to the U.S. within 30 days of the new session (semester) start date.

For transfer students currently outside the U.S., the International Office will request a correction request to SEVIS; because of COVID-19, SEVP is making exceptions to the 5-month rule on a case-by-case basis.


​​On July 14, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in a hearing involving litigation filed by Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) challenging ​DHS's July 6, 2020, international student guidance, DHS has agreed to fully rescind the July 6, 2020, ICE guidance and July 7, 2020, Frequently Asked Questions, and rescind all implementing guidance. The status quo based upon the agency's March 13, 2020, guidance will remain in force.

​Source:​ AILA - ​​Featured Issue: Guidance for Fall 2020 Semester for International Students​


What does this mean for our F-1 students?

This changes the enrollment requirements for F-1 students attending Fall 2020. This includes students no longer being required to depart the country if all their courses are fully online.
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Rancho Santiago Community College District provides all Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College students with college Email addresses. ​ Your Login Information:
  • To Log in: please visit www.office.com​
  • Student Email Address: ​your student email address is in this format: 
    • ​WebAdvisorID@student.sccollege.edu or @student.sac.edu  (e.g. jd12345@student.sac.edu or jd12345@student.sccollege.edu). 
  • Default Password: Use your current WebAdvisor Password. 
Having trouble logging in? For assistance with the WebAdvisor password go to WebAdvisor (http://sis.rsccd.edu) and click the “What is my Password?” link on the home page. For new students, the default WebAdvisor password is your birthday in the Mmmddyyyy format, with the first letter of the month capitalized (e.g. if your birthday is November 15, 2015 the default password would be Nov152015).​
Helpful Links:
To set up a mobile device to receive or sync the student Email account, download the Outlook App from the Apple or Android store. The App is free, and allows you to access your student Email on your phone.​

Online Counseling Services are offered by Live-Chat in Cranium Cafe.  Live-Chat Services are designed to address each student's most immediate needs in a quick and efficient manner.  Live-Chat sessions with a counselor last up to 15 minutes max.  **Due to increased demand, Live-Chat wait times will be longer than typical**

Live-Chat services include:

  • Abbreviated Student Education Planning (Fall 2020 semester planning)
  • Interpretation of placeement recommendations in English, math, and reading
  • Prerequisite Clearance(s) for classes at SCC
  • Graduation Petitions
  • Requests to Change your Course of Study/Major
  • Overload Petitions
  • Petition to Substitute a Major Requirement
  • Pass/No Pass questions
  • Withdrawal questions
  • Questions about Fall 2020 Class Planning / "I need to select one more class"
  • General Questions/Other

TO LIVE-CHAT WITH A COUNSELOR, CLICK HERE:    LIVE CHAT.png ​
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Resources
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Fall 2020 Flyers​



​​​​​​​​Fall 2020 Flyer-class options for international students at SCC                    July 07 Announcement​

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