International Student Advisor

Salary: $48,000 - $52,000, commensurate with experience.

Illinois Institute of Technology’s Office of Global Services seeks an International Student Advisor who will primarily serve the diverse international student population at Illinois Tech. The advisor will also be expected to provide support to international scholars as needed.

The selected candidate focuses on providing accurate, compassionate, individualized advising and processing to incoming and present international students and Illinois Tech departments while ensuring institutional compliance with federal regulations governing Illinois Tech sponsored statuses.

The International Student Advisor provides support and assistance to the Office of Global Services. This position is responsible for advising international students on F-1 and J-1 immigration regulations and cultural adjustment and will serve as a Designated School Official (DSO) and Alternate Responsible Officer(ARO) in compliance with federal regulations. The role will assist with SEVIS operations, document and application processing, support general office needs, and coordinate and lead educational programs for students, faculty, and staff.

Advising staff regularly interpret regulations and university policy to ensure compliance, recommend and implement policy based on analysis of immigration regulations, government guidance, and best practices.

Provides customer service to internal and external customers. Positive relationships and customer service are extremely important when dealing with the IIT community, especially international students. A survey is sent to all international students every other year to evaluate the office’s services. Informal feedback is given from other IIT departments, faculty, and staff.

• Advise F-1 and/or J-1 students/scholars on immigration regulations, cultural adjustment, academic and English language difficulties, financial concerns, and general orientation to life in the U.S.
• Participate in bi‑weekly advisor meetings.
• Provide consistent and correct information.
• Serve as on‑call advisor on a rotating basis.
• Keep abreast of current issues affecting the student population.
• Oversee and process student documents including program extension, CPT, OPT, OPT Extension, Transfer Out, Academic Training, and workflow.
• Keep abreast of changes in visa regulations.

• Act as a Designated School Official (DSO) and/or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO).
• Monitor international student and/or scholar compliance with government regulations.
• Evaluate university policy and ensure compliance with immigration regulations.
• Remain current with SEVIS‑related and regulatory updates pertaining to international students and scholars.
• Assist management team in compliance reporting, including SEVIS registration, address and employment updates, and maintenance of status.

• Other duties as assigned by Supervisor, Division, or University.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field required.
• Two years or more of relevant work experience in higher education or a combination of education and experience.
• Experience with international student and exchange scholar populations and regulations, including understanding of SEVIS and F/J visa requirements.
• Very strong preference for experience with Terra Dotta and Banner.
• Expertise in MS Office applications, especially Word, Excel, and Outlook. Experience with university students and personnel information systems.
• Familiarity with FERPA regulations.
• Strong interpersonal, collaborative, organizational, analytical, and oral/written communication skills.
• Ability to multitask, work independently, and manage complex projects.
• US Citizenship or Permanent Residence required to access SEVIS Database.