Related Information |
The registration deadline for F-1 and J-1
students is thirty (30) days after classes
have begun each semester. If a student has
not registered by that time, the student's
SEVIS record will automatically terminate and
the student will lose their legal status in the
U.S., unless approved for withdrawal by
Berkeley International Office.
Registration at UC Berkeley is defined as:
- Enrolled in at least one course (see Full-time Registration Requirements)
- Fees are paid, either in full or, if on the Deferred Payment Plan, at least the first installment.
- No blocks against your registration.
- Your current U.S. residential address is available in Bear Facts
You can check the status of your registration at any time at https://students.berkeley.edu/regstat/regstat.asp.
Consequences of Late Registration
Shortly after the semester has begun, students who have not yet registered will receive email messages from Berkeley International Office reminding them of the approaching 30-day deadline. If we do not receive a response from you, we will begin making phone calls to your home and to your academic department. In some cases, we have made overseas calls to a student's permanent home in an effort to prevent termination of a SEVIS record.
We make these efforts to help you avoid problems with your legal status in the U.S. It is critical that you communicate your circumstances to the Berkeley International Office office so we can have a better understanding of the problems you are facing. We are here to guide you with your legal options. It will be helpful in your response to us if you can tell us:
1. Do you intend to register?
- If yes, what is causing the delay in your registration?
- If no, what are your plans or circumstances for the semester?
- If you completed your studies at UCB, when did you finish/graduate?
2. Where are you now?
- If you are outside of the US, where are you and what plans do you have for return to the US?
- If you are in the US, what are your plans during the semester? What is your current residential address?
If you have fee payment problems....
If you are not able to get registered because of delays in fee payment by an academic department, fellowship, or sponsor, we urge you to contact the department or office responsible for the fee payment to resolve your registration as soon as possible. If you can foresee that it will not be resolved by the deadline, see an Adviser at Berkeley International Office.
If you have not registered due to a fee payment problem, you can register with a minimum payment of $650 at the Cashier's Office in University Hall. If necessary, you can also apply for a short-term emergency loan at the Cashier's Office to make the payment.
SEVIS Reporting Requirements
U.S. Federal law and regulations require schools to update and maintain the SEVIS records of nonimmigrant students in F and J visa categories. There are certain "automatic functions" that will occur on a student's record in the SEVIS database system if these updates are not made in a timely manner. For example, if a student's record is not updated to show registration each semester, that record will automatically "terminate." A terminated record means that the student is considered to be out of status or illegal in the U.S.
Berkeley International Office is the designated office on campus to manage SEVIS reports for the University. It is our intention to be as proactive as possible in preventing the automatic termination of SEVIS records. We have put into place certain protocols to alert students of impending deadlines. It is extremeley important for you keep your email, telephone and address information updated in Bear Facts as much as possible so that we can contact you in urgent situations where your SEVIS record may be in jeopardy.