Glossary

Glossary

Glossary of Terms

The following list includes important terms and acronyms for members of the campus community.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

  • Academic Advisor: a staff member assigned to students by their major or program to assist with academics, including course registration, course selection, major and career guidance, offering information about university policies and procedures, and adding or dropping majors, minors, and certificates.
  • Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO): the exchange visitor program's Alternate Responsible Officer to the RO who is also authorized to conduct business with DoS on behalf of the program. Multiple AROs may also be designated for a program. 
  • Affidavit of Support: a document signed by an individual to accept full financial responsibility on behalf of an applicant coming to live in the U.S.

B

  • Banner: a software application that maintains student, faculty, course, alumni, financial, financial aid and personnel data.
  • Banner ID: a Rowan student's ID number. It is a 9-digit number that begins with 916XXXXXX.
  • Bursar: the office on campus responsible for tuition and fees, billing, payment, and student health insurance.

C

  • Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code: DSOs use CIP codes when issuing I-20s. It refers to the student’s program/degree. It is defined as a taxonomy of academic programs developed by the US Department of Education. Colleges and universities across the country assign CIP codes to their academic programs.
  • Compliance: individuals who are in the U.S. on a visa must abide by the conditions of their visa
  • Curricular Practical Training (CPT): an alternative work/study, internship, or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school; Student are required to take a course that coincides with their CPT
  • Customs and Border Protection (CBP): U.S. law enforcement organization that is in charge of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. while facilitating lawful international travel and trade.

D

  • Designated School Official (DSO): a government-approved official who is certified to issue the Form I-20 and other immigration requests for a SEVP-certified school.
  • DS-2019: a document used by the Department of State to administer the Exchange Visitor Program; used to apply for nonimmigrant J-visas at U.S. embassies or consulates.

E

  • E-Verify: a web-based system used by employers to determine if a newly hired employee is authorized to work in the U.S. 
  • Employee Authorization Document (EAD): a document to prove that a non-U.S. citizen has authorization to work in the U.S.

F

  • F-1 visa: a visa that allows a person to enter the U.S. as a full-time academic student at an accredited institution or in a language training program. Learn More
  • F-2 visa: a visa that allows a spouse and/or qualifying child to accompany an F-1 nonimmigrant to the U.S.

G

H

I

  • I-20: multi-purpose document issued by a government-approved, U.S. educational institution certifying that a student is admitted to a full-time program of study in the U.S. and also demonstrates sufficient financial resources to stay in the U.S. (officially titles a “Certificate of Eligibility”).
  • I-94: electronic record of proof of legal entry into the U.S.
  • I-901 SEVIS fee: Congress-mandated fee for all nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors, which funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees.
  • Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): a nine-digit number issued by the IRS used for tax processing. ITINs are given to individuals who are  not eligible to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN).
  • Immigrant: a non-citzen who intends to permanently live in the U.S.
  • Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE): a federal agency that enforces immigration laws and combats transnational crime. Learn More
  • International Student Advisor: provides advising on immigration, I-20/DS-2019 issuance, cultural adjustment, and regulations related to maintaining visa status.

J

  • J-1 visa: a visa that authorizes those who intend to participate in an approved program for the purpose of teaching, instructing or lecturing, studying, observing, conducting research, consulting, demonstrating special skills, receiving training, or to receive graduate medical education or training. Some examples are J-1 teachers, professors, summer camp counselors, summer work travel, au pairs, trainees, specialists, etc. Learn More
  • J-2 visa: a visa given to an accompanying spouse and/or minor children of an exchange visitor (J-1) to temporarily etner the U.S. with the J-1 visa holder

K

L

M

N

O

P

  • Passport: an official document issued by a government, certifying the holder's identity and citizenship and entitling them to travel under its protection to and from foreign countries
  • Program End Date: the expiration date of a student's I-20/DS-2019. This is the date that the student is expected to complete their program of study
  • Program Start Date: the date a student is expected to begin full-time student listed on their F-1 or J-1 visa. Students can enter up to 30 days earlier than this date

Q

R

  • Registrar: the office on campus that provides information about and services related to academic programs, degree requirements, registration, and maintenance of academic records

S

  • SEVIS ID: a unique identifying number assigned to you by the government. All SEVIS ID numbers start with the letter N
  • Social Security number (SSN): a 9 digit number used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to report wages to the government and other identification purposes. International students must have a SSN to work in the U.S.
  • Social Security Verification Request: a request made by an international student who needs a letter of authorization from a DSO allowing them to obtain a social security card for part-time, on-campus employment. A student submits this request in their Terra Dotta Portal
  • Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS): web-based information system that tracks and monitors F, M, and J nonimmigrants and dependents throughout the duration of approved participation within the U.S. education system or designated exchange visitor program. SEVIS Login
  • Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP): a program within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to manage foreign students and exchange visitors in the United States through SEVIS. Learn More

T

  • Terra Dotta: Rowan University's International Student Portal. Access Terra Dotta
  • Travel Signature: an endorsement from a DSO that an F or J student has maintained their immigration status and is eligible to re-enter the United States. You can request a travel signature in your Terra Dotta Portal

U

  • United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): the federal agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. They are a component of the Department of Homeland Security. USCIS is responsible for approving Optional Practical Training (OPT) requests. Learn More

V

  • Visa: a document issued to a foreign national by a U.S. Consulate which which authorizes the individual to request admission into the U.S. with a specific type of immigration status (ex. F-1, J-1, etc.)

W

X

Y

Z