The Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) uses an online platform called MyOISS that stores records for all international students at WashU.
The information on this page is intended for WashU departments.
Before an international student can begin their studies at WashU, they must receive a status eligibility document and apply for a visa stamp at a U.S. consulate abroad. The most common statuses are F-1 and J-1. Status eligibility documents for these two statuses are issued by OISS. Before these documents can be issued, however, the student record must be created in the MyOISS platform.
Students are granted access to the MyOISS platform after the admitting department creates the student’s record and uploads required documents, and after OISS issues the appropriate immigration document for the student. In MyOISS, students can see basic information pertaining to their status, access their status eligibility documents, submit requests, and review important notes and reminders.
New student data entry
Explore MyOISS and enter data to create new student records.
Instructions for students
Learn about MyOISS and how it is used from the student perspective.
MyOISS for new students
Admitting department contacts who are designated to create MyOISS student records and upload required documentation for issuance of immigration documents should follow the steps listed below when working in MyOISS.
For detailed information about the MyOISS Portal, please refer to the OISS Admissions Box Folder. Up-to-date instructions, copies of relevant forms, video guides, analytics resources and more is available in Box. If you have trouble accessing the Box folder, please email OISS Admissions.
The first step is in the process involves the student accepting the admission offer from WashU. Each department and school will have specific ways of handling this part of the process.
Most MyOISS records are created through an integration with another system. For most graduate students, student records will need to be active and available for integration in Slate. For degree-seeking undergraduate students, records will be created in SIS first before they are linked with MyOISS.
If your specific admission process (or the specific process for a specific program) does not involve the record being active in Slate or SIS before the I-20 or DS-2019 is created, the MyOISS record can be created manually (i.e., without utilizing the integration feature). To check the specific method for creating a record, contact OISS Admissions.
The admitting department creates the MyOISS student record. The record is now visible as part of the Student List in MyOISS.
Each record will automatically generate a request. This request will need to be assigned to OISS as part of step 5.
The admitting department enters or updates required data fields within the student’s MyOISS record. For a comprehensive list of required data fields and required documents, please refer to the documentation located within the Box folder.
The admitting department must take action to assign the request for creating the immigration document to OISS. Requests will not automatically route to OISS for processing. For students in F-1 status, the request will be called “Create I-20” or “Create I-20 (transfer).” For students in J-1 status, the request will be called “Create DS-2019” or “Create DS-2019 (transfer).”
Once a member of the OISS staff is assigned to a request, they will review all the data and the documents. If required information or documents are missing, OISS will send the request back to the admitting department contact who initiated the request. If all required information and documents meet the eligibility criteria, OISS will process the request and issue Form I-20 (for F-1 students) or Form DS-2019 (for J-1 students).
Once the I-20 or the DS-2019 is ready and available for the student to retrieve, OISS will invite the student to the MyOISS platform via email. The email will explain to the student what the MyOISS platform is, provide login instructions and give the student directions on how to retrieve their I-20 or DS-2019.
MyOISS for continuing students
MyOISS tracks biographical information, addresses, program information, work authorizations and SEVIS transactions. Students will use MyOISS throughout their time at WashU and after, using it to apply for benefits such as reduced course loads, program extensions and work authorization.
If you are an academic adviser, faculty adviser or PI for international students, you may be asked to approve student requests within MyOISS. The following requests require adviser approval. We ask that you take your job as an approver seriously, as your approval or rejection of a request helps to inform our office if a student is eligible for an immigration benefit.
- Academic training work authorization
- CPT work authorization – An approver form is required, but approver will not receive an email from MyOISS.
- OPT work authorization
- Program extension
- Reduced course loads
- Study or research abroad
Once you have been listed by the student as an approver in their MyOISS request, you will receive an email with a link for you to view the request and “Approve” or “Reject” it. Your action to “Approve or Reject” the request helps inform our office if a student is eligible for an immigration benefit. It does not connect directly with the immigration system (SEVIS). You may also leave notes that the student and OISS staff can see. Final approval and authorization is given by OISS.
If you are not the adviser for a specific student, please include notes and “Reject” the request. If you have questions or are unsure how to access information you need, contact OISS.