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International Graduate Employee Support

Attorney Referral List

A list of attorneys and other resources for referral about immigration issues unrelated to an international graduate employee’s relationship with the University may be found here.

International Graduate Employee Support Fund

An International Graduate Employee Support Fund has been established to ease the financial burden of visa-related expenses for graduate student employees on F-1 or J-1 visas and their dependents on F-2 or J-2 visas. This fund provides reimbursement for visa processing-related fees and associated expenses, including airfare and travel costs for visa renewals, up to $1,500 per academic year per eligible employee and their dependent(s) combined.

This fund supports visa renewal costs for those covered in F-1 or J-1 status (F-2/J-2). It cannot be used to change from F-1 or J-1 to another visa status. In addition, it cannot be used for Optical Practical Training (OPT) application fees as it is not a visa renewal.

For the current fiscal year (September 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025), $300,000 has been allocated to the fund per Northwestern’s agreement with the union. Applications will be considered until these funds have been exhausted.

Your visa appointment must be on or after September 1, 2024 in order to qualify for a request in the 2024 fiscal year. Return flights to the U.S. after September 1, 2024 are not eligible for reimbursement if your visa appointment was before September 1, 2024, as that is the qualifying event.

To qualify for reimbursement, you must:

  • Be an international graduate student on an F-1 or J-1 visa;
  • Be a bargaining unit member at the time the expenses were incurred;
  • Have incurred visa processing-related fees and associated expenses for yourself and/or a dependent sponsored on an F-2 or J-2 visa between September 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025; and
  • Seek reimbursement only for expenses that have not been reimbursed and/or covered by any other source.

International graduate employees who meet the eligibility requirements may:

  1. Submit an application to the OISS Inbox (intoff@northwestern.edu) with the subject: “International Employee Support Fund Application: [Your Last Name, Your First Name]” and include the following information in a single PDF attachment:
    • Personal information (name, student ID, visa type, name(s) of any dependents and their visa types);
    • Proof of a visa appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate;
    • Detailed breakdown of expenses with supporting documentation/itemized receipt(s);
    • Ensure all expenses align with the University's Travel and Expense Policy;
    • Total amount requested (up to $1,500).
  2. Submit your application within 20 days after your visa appointment.
  3. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) and The Graduate School will review your application and notify you of their decision via email within 20 days of submission.
  4. If approved, the email will contain a link to instructions on how to submit an expense report and a chartstring you will use in that process.
  5. You must submit an expense report in NUFinancials within 20 days of receiving approval, using the provided chartstring and including all relevant receipts and documentation. If you have a valid US-based bank account established in myHR, payment will be deposited directly into your account.

If you have any questions about the International Employee Support Fund or the application process, please email the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at intoff@northwestern.edu.

For any inquiries related to the disbursement of funds, please email The Graduate School at tgs-fit@northwestern.edu.