International Student Advisor for Admissions, International Students & Scholars Office

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) admissions team is responsible for completing immigration processing for approximately 6,000 new international undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree students admitted annually by all BU schools and colleges. The International Student Advisor for Admissions must maintain expertise in F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrant student regulations to ensure institutional compliance and serve as 'Designated School Official' and 'Alternate Responsible Officer' in the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Directly reporting to the Assistant Director of Admissions and Student Services, the International Student Advisor for Admissions will perform detailed credential and immigration review and analysis, create new student profiles, issue immigration documents, and advise incoming students to facilitate their arrival in the US in the appropriate immigration status.

 

• Evaluate undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree admission materials to determine appropriate immigration sponsorship strategy to facilitate new international student arrival to support enrollment
• Review immigration and financial documents in Onbase.
• Process complete files and return incomplete files to departments. 
• Coordinate with newly admitted student directly if necessary. Create and maintain the initial electronic records for all new international admissions.
• Review SIS data in ISSS and enter required information to batch record to SEVIS to create new immigration record.
• Sign, upload and notify new admits of immigration document and instruct them to initiate visa application.
• Assist student advising team as assigned.
• Assist with student advisor team duties immigration record review, I-20 signatures for travel and other cyclical immigration processing like RCL, auto-shorten during fall and winter Provide immigration advice, customer service, and assistance to newly admitted students concerning arrival to the US, visa application issues, SEVIS transfers, changing programs at Boston University, reinstatement, and other related subjects.
• Prepare and disseminate materials to coach new student through their visa application at US DOS consular posts.
• Answer specific questions on this process from newly admitted students. Manage student record maintenance and data entry during new student check-in.
• Review immigration documents in ISSS and enter required information to batch registration to SEVIS.
• Follow up with new students to troubleshoot incomplete or missing check-in cases. 
• Communicate with undergraduate and graduate admissions offices regarding admission documents and immigration processing requests for new admits.
• Assist with department trainings regarding ISSO processing for newly admitted students.
• Answer questions from university departments regarding immigration processing for certain newly admitted students. Provide contribution to analysis and development of policies, procedures and projects assigned to the ISSO admissions team.
• Assist supervisor in projects, training and overall communication to facilitate immigration processing for newly admitted students.
• Serve as International Student Advisor to students enrolled in BU Summer Term.
• Provide immigration advice and assistance to approximately 500 international students enrolled in summer term each year.

Required Skills

• Graduate degree preferred.
• Bachelor's degree required in a field related to intercultural communication, international relations, cross-cultural advising.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in foreign student or scholar advising.
• Knowledge of SEVIS and student immigration regulations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to manage, analyze and resolve complicated immigration cases required.
• Superior communication skills to educate students, university faculty and administrators on matters pertaining to nonimmigrant regulations and institutional policies.
• Ability to understand, interpret and follow complex government regulations and institutional policies to non-native speakers of the English language.
• Ability to maintain detailed immigration records, perform intricate immigration processing and ensure institutional compliance with student immigration regulations.
• Patience, professionalism, and high level of sensitivity when advising students in crisis required.
• Ability to facilitate cross-cultural trainings, deliver effective group presentations and work effectively in a team setting required.
• Adherence to Boston University's compliance policies and guidelines; sensitivity to highly confidential material required.
• This position must clear CORI screening as well as standard HR background check in accordance with federal regulations.

 

Required Experience