| Academic Calendar |
A calendar that defines a school's academic semesters |
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| Academic Honesty |
Ethical consideration for students, pertaining to the avoidance of plagiarism |
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| Academic Training (AT) |
Also known as AT; employment option available for international exchange visitors (those with a J-1 visa) |
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| Associate’s Degree |
A two-year degree |
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| Bachelor of Arts (BA) |
A four-year degree in a non-scientific field |
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| Bachelor of Science (BS) |
A four-year degree in a scientific field |
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| Borough |
A section/area of a city |
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| Bursar |
A college official in charge of collecting tuition and fee payments |
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| Bursar Office |
The office at a college that is responsible for the collection of tuition and fees |
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| Campus |
The location of a university's classrooms and offices |
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Citizenship andImmigration Services (USCIS) |
The U.S. Government bureau dealing with citizenship and immigration issues |
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| Credit |
(noun) Units measuring the number of hours of class one has during a semester (degrees require a certain number of accumulated credits) |
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| Credit Card |
A magnetic card given to a customer by a bank or other business for the purpose of making purchases on credit (deferred payment) |
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| Curricular Practical Training (CPT) |
Curricular Practical Training; A type of F-1 student employment which is an integral part of an established curriculum such as internship |
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| Debit Card |
A magnetic card that enables the holder to withdraw money or to have the cost of purchases charged directly to the holder’s bank account |
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| Degree Requirements |
The actual courses and other academic stipulations needed to obtain a specific degree |
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| Department of Homeland Security (DHS) |
U.S. government agency concerned with immigration and national security |
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| Designated School Official (DSO) |
The designated official at a school who works with the USCIS |
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| Doctoral Degree |
The highest degree that can be held in a field; usually obtained only after first receiving a bachelor's degree and master's degree |
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| Doctoral Student |
A student pursuing the highest academic degree, one that is higher that a Master's Degree |
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| DS 2019 |
The U.S. Department of State document issued to Exchange Visitor Program participants |
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| Duration of Status (D/S) |
A stamp placed on the I-94 card, indicating that the holder of the card may remain in the U.S. during the length of time it takes them to complete their degree |
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| Extracurricular Activities |
Activities not directly related to a student's classes, such as membership in clubs, involvement in community activities, & hobbies |
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| F-1 Student Visa/Immigration Status |
The type of U.S. visa required for international students (non-U.S. citizens) to enter and study in the U.S. |
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| F-2 Visa |
The visa given to the spouse or dependent child of an F-1 student |
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| Freshman |
A student who has completed 27 or fewer credit hours (usually someone in his/her first year of university study) |
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| Full-Time Student |
A student who is taking at least 12 credits (usually four classes) |
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| Grading System |
A scale used to translate letter grades in to point values. The grading scale used at most U.S. colleges is: A 4.0 96-100, A- 3.7 90-95, B+ 3.2 87-89, B 3.0 83-86, B- 2.7 80-82, C+ 2.2 77-79 |
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| Graduate Degree |
An advanced degree beyond the bachelor's Degree (for example a Master's or Ph.D) |
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| Graduate Student |
A person participating in post-graduate study (for example, an MA, MS, doctoral, or Ph.D. program) |
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| I-20 |
A government form institutions use to certify to the U.S. government that an international student is eligible for F-1 student status |
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| I-94 |
A form given to visitors when they enter the U.S. and stapled into their passports; Contains an "arrival number" that is used to monitor the visitor's entrance and departure from the country |
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| Internship |
A paid or unpaid job position held by a student to gain working experience and/or class credits |
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| J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa/Immigration Status |
The type of U.S. visa required for international exchange visitors to enter and study in the U.S. |
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| J-2 Visa |
The visa given to the spouse or dependent child of an J-1 student to enter the U.S. |
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| Leave of Absence |
A break in attendance from school or work |
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| Liberal Arts |
A college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum |
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| Master’s Degree |
An advanced degree awarded after obtaining the Bachelor's Degree and upon completion of a one to three year program |
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| Master’s Student |
A student pursuing a master's degree |
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| Metro Card |
A magnetic card one can purchase to ride on subways or buses in New York City |
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| Off-Campus |
Outside of a school's primary location |
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| Office of the Registrar |
The university office responsible for student enrollment/registration |
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| On-Campus |
Within a school's primary location |
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| Optional Practical Training (OPT) |
Optional Practical Training; a program that allows international students to work for up to one year after graduating from an American university |
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| Register |
The act of selecting and officially signing up for specific classes |
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| Responsible Officer (RO) |
A college official authorized by the U.S. Department of State to oversee the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program; issue the DS 2019, advise Exchange Visitors on obtaining and maintaining J-1 and J-2 U.S. Visa and Immigration status |
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| Semester |
A 15-18 week period of time constituting half of an academic year |
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| Senior |
A student who has completed 90 or more credit hours (usually someone in his/her fourth or last year of university study) |
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| SEVIS |
Student Exchange Visitor Information System A U.S. Department of Homeland Security internet database, used to collect information, issue I-20 and DS 2019 forms, request employment authorization and monitor all other visa and immigration requirements relative to F -1 and J-1 non-immigrants and their dependents |
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| Social Security Number |
A nine digit number assigned by the U.S. Social Security Administration primarily to track individuals for taxation purposes. In recent years, it has been used quite frequently as an identification number |
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| Status |
The condition of a person or thing in the eyes of the law (in this tutorial, refers to a person's student status in the U.S.) |
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| Transfer Student |
A student who changes colleges/universities prior to completing his or her degree |
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| Undergraduate Degree |
The degree received after completing a two year college program (Associate Degree) or a four year college program (Bachelor's Degree) |
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| Undergraduate Student |
A college student seeking an Associate Degree or a Bachelor's Degree |
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| U.S. Citizenship |
The quality of being a citizen of the United States |
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| U.S. Department of State |
The foreign affairs agency of the U.S. Government. Oversees the issuance of U.S. Visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates in foreign countries. Governs the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program |
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| U.S. Higher Education System |
U.S. universities and colleges |
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