Global Support
The Office of Global Support and Student Engagement (OGSSE) strives to provide an environment, services, and programs to ensure that our global students will thrive and succeed at Gannon. The OGSSE works closely with departments across campus and with the broader local community to design opportunities for global students to establish friendships and meaningful connections with their classmates, professors, and other members of their new community in the U.S. Examples of such programs and resources include:
Pre-arrival correspondence and registration information on and Global Student Orientation
Social Media and the OGSSE Website
Cultural Programming
Workshops on global student topics
Advocacy, Referral, and Global Student and Family Resources
Student Organization Support and Advising
The Office of Global Support and Student Engagement is responsible for student and University compliance with U.S. immigration regulations, as well as reporting required data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). To understand and maintain federal regulations governing their immigration status and attendance in school, all new students coming to Gannon University on F-1 and J-1 visas are required to attend Global Student Orientation.
Enrollment Requirements
Global students are required to enroll each semester in a full course of study. For graduate students, 9 credits per semester is considered full time. In the event a student needs to drop below a full course load, s/he must contact the Office of Global Support and Student Engagement for assistance in following SEVIS processes to maintain status.
Employment Benefits
F-1 and J-1 students are eligible to work on-campus up to 20 hours per week while school is in session, and full time (up to 40 hours/week) during break periods, including summer. In general, F-1 students are not eligible for off-campus work authorization except in extreme circumstances.
CPT or Curricular Practical Training
CPT or Curricular Practical Training is the work authorization available to F-1 students to work off-campus in paid or unpaid positions that are an integral part of students’ academic program (such as internships and co-ops). Proper paperwork must be filed with the OGSSE to authorize CPT as it must be documented on a student’s I-20 prior to starting. Current students in active status are eligible for CPT after one academic year (two semesters) of full-time study, not including summer sessions.
OPT or Optional Practical Training
OPT or Optional Practical Training is off-campus work authorization provided to F-1 students following graduation as an opportunity for employment directly related to students’ field of study for up to 12 months (36 months if in a STEM-eligible program). The OGSSE assists students in applying to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for OPT authorization to work in the US.
NOTE: Spouses and dependents of F-1 students (F-2 visa holders) are not legally allowed to work in the U.S.
Health Insurance
Gannon University has a policy that man-dates that all enrolled global students must have health insurance coverage. Students will be subscribed to Gannon’s contracted health insurance provider and charged accordingly. Students who do not want to be charged for health insurance must demonstrate coverage through an approved alternative before the deadline set by the OGSSE.