Welcome back!

OISS is happy to assist you in returning to Rice after a leave of absence.

All returning students require new immigration documentation in order to return to the United States. Returning students will be given the first day of the academic semester as the start date on their I-20/DS-2019. Students on the F-1 or J-1 visa can enter up to 30 days prior to the start date on their immigration documentation, but should not enter after the program start date. If living on-campus, please make sure to contact your College or Housing & Dining for move-in dates.

Upon receipt of the required documents outlined below, OISS will begin to process your I-20/DS-2019.

Process for reporting to OISS when returning from leave

Here are the steps required for OISS to process your return to Rice, and issue an updated Form I-20/DS-2019, if necessary:

1) Undergraduate students: Email OISS (oiss@rice.edu) your letter from the Dean of Undergraduate's office indicating readmission to Rice University.
Graduate Students: Work with your Academic Department to secure your readmission/return to Rice University. Your Academic Department will then provide the necessary readmission documents to OISS.

2) Once your return has been confirmed, OISS will initiate or reactivate your OISS Portal account to process your readmission. The OISS Portal is where you will be able to update OISS with your current address/emergency contact information, as well as upload the required supporting documents needed to process your Form I-20/DS-2019 for F-1/J-1 status, as applicable.

3) Please visit the OISS Portal webpage for steps on what to prepare and how to access your OISS Portal account. Please note that you will need to upload all new admissions documents, even though you have been a student at Rice before.

Once your I-20 or DS-2019 is ready, you will receive it by email.

While returning students will not need to attend Undergraduate International Orientation (UIO) or Graduate International Orientation (GIO), they are still required to complete a mandatory Immigration Check-in with the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) upon arrival. For information on the Immigration Check-in process, please see https://oiss.rice.edu/orientation. Failure to properly check in will result in termination of your immigration status. Please keep in mind that the check-in requirement also applies to students on a visa status other than F-1 or J-1.

We are so excited that you are returning to Rice University! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the process or requirements, as we are here to help you. You may contact us by email at oiss@rice.edu or by phone at 713-348-6095.