COVID-19 Fall 2021 FAQ - University of Houston
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International Student and Scholar Services Office

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COVID-19 Fall 2021 FAQ

According to the CDC website:

Vaccinated people before and after travel to the U.S.:
  • All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.
    • Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
    • Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
    • Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel.
Unvaccinated people before and after travel to the U.S.:
  • All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 viral test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.
    • Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
      • Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
      • If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
    • If you don't get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
    • Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
    • Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
    • Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.
UH Health Center has simplified the information for any returning or new student coming back from international travel. You must either:
  • Self-quarantine for 10 days OR
  • Get tested 3-5 days after travel AND stay home for 7 days after travel.
  • Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days.
  • If your test is positive, stay home and follow the COVID-19 Diagnosis protocols.

The restrictions to enter the U.S. are continuously being updated as new information and data is provided. We recommend that you follow the requirements given on the U.S. Embassy’s website for your home country in regards to travel. NAFSA is also a great resource to share all the updates for travel and how it relates to each country. You can view this here: https://www.nafsa.org/regulatory-information/covid-19-restrictions-us-visas-and-entry.
Please refer to the question above. Even though you may legally have all the required documents to reenter the U.S. such as your I-20 with travel endorsement within one year, valid passport and F-1 VISA, there are still the COVID-19 restrictions that may bar entry unless followed.
U.S. VISA application interviews are hard to get at this time due to the US consulates not operating at full capacity because of COVID-19. If you are unable to get a VISA prior to studies, you may need to defer your admissions to the next semester or study online for that term.
Please fill out the travel form. Submit this to isssohlp@central.uh.edu so we can process a new I-20.
If you are an alumni on OPT, there is a $10 fee associated with a reprint. You will also need to submit the payment along with the payment coupon directly to our office. https://uh.edu/oisss/resources/forms/issso_payment_coupon.pdf
As of this time, UH will continue with allowing online courses for summer and fall 2021.
If you entered the U.S. prior to March 2020 and you are still maintaining your status, then you can take full online courses for fall 2021 or a mixture of F2F and online.
If you entered the U.S. after March 2020, you have to take at least one class F2F/Hybrid for fall 2021. This includes newly admitted F-1 students for summer and fall 2021 as well as students from Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 who entered the U.S. for the first time.
It depends.
If you began studies in the U.S. before March 2020, then yes, you can study online from outside the U.S. for fall 2021. If you have an active SEVIS record, you can remain abroad and the five-month rule will not be in effect. You will still need a valid travel endorsement to return to the U.S. for spring 2022.
If you are not able to get the required classes to maintain a full course load remotely, you have to either make arrangements to return to the U.S. or do an authorized early withdrawal and come back on a new I-20 for the following semester.
If you began studies in the U.S. after March 2020, you cannot study abroad with an active SEVIS record.
You should have a new initial i-20 to begin studies for fall 2021 by Admissions. After this is processed, you can enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days from the program start date on your i-20. Please be prepared to follow instructions regarding quarantine. You will need to complete the ISSSO check-in by submitting documents on the checklist items in your student center. Questions regarding uploading documents can be sent to isssohlp@central.uh.edu
Both The Graduate School and Undergraduate Admissions are the offices that handle processing of a new I-20. Please follow the procedures as required by these offices for document submission and processing.
https://uh.edu/oisss/resources/forms/transfer_to_uh_procedures.pdf
You have to arrive to the U.S. by the program start date on your I-20. If you are unable to arrive to the U.S. by this day, but before the start of classes, you may contact admissions regarding any late arrival.
Undergraduate students: admissions@uh.edu
Graduate students: gradschool@uh.edu
Yes, you can study online if you began studies in the U.S. prior to March 2020. If you arrived after March 2020 to begin studies, you will be required to take at least one F2F or Hybrid course for fall 2021.
You should plan to arrive at least 10 days prior to the start of classes to meet the quarantine requirement as posted.
Yes, ISSSO is working with UH Health Center to set up the logistics for providing vaccine shots to those who need one.
No. UH will not require students to be vaccinated to attend class on campus.
If you began studies in the U.S. prior to March 2020, you can continue working remotely while taking your courses online. If you began studies after March 2020 in the U.S., you cannot work remotely outside of Houston as you have be available to attend your required F2F/Hybrid course(s).
In order to be eligible for on-campus work, you have to enter the U.S. on a valid F-1 status prior to the start of classes, be registered in SEVIS, and then request a social security letter from our office through isssohlp@central.uh.edu for the application. The information is here: https://uh.edu/oisss/social-security-and-itin/#f1-oncampus-employment. You cannot begin working while starting your program abroad. If you began studying in the U.S. after March 2020, you cannot leave the U.S. to continue working remotely.
The Social Security Administration will require the original documents to apply, as they do not accept photocopies at the application appointment. You will need to arrange with our office to pick up the social security letter and get a digitally signed i-20 from admissions.