International Student Resources

The best way to obtain assistance is by email. Your assigned DSO will always send you an introductory email. Make note of your DSO’s name and email. Save it and use it as often as you need to obtain help, resources, F-1 advice, and make SEVIS requests.

• For an arranged Zoom meeting: just email for an appointment.
• For an arranged face-to-face meeting: just email for an appointment.
• For an Open Advising session: please watch for invitations from your DSO

If you do not remember your DSO, you may use international@nec.edu

The International Students and Programs office is at 20 Main Street, lower level. Email ahead for an appointment. Drop-ins may not be possible, especially during high volume times. If you do drop in, look for the door pictured below, behind the 20 Main Building. Access is from the back of the building.

It is possible to transfer in up to eight credits, from courses in which you receive a B or better, and if the courses match NEC program curriculum.

If you wish to transfer credits, please order your master’s transcript to be sent to New England College. If you have not already contacted your school, please ask them to send NEC an official transcript.

After your transcripts have been received by NEC, our Registrar’s Office will review the transcript.  Accepted transfer credits will be recorded in your myNEC/DegreeWorks portal.

Once Graduate Admission has received all your required official transcripts, any earned master’s credits will be evaluated. The outcome of the evaluation will be posted in your Degree Works portal.

If you want to know if your transcripts were received, please contact Graduate Admission at graduateadmission@nec.edu or 603.428.2252.

For your FIRST TERM only, you will be registered by an Academic Advisor. There are REQUIRED first-term course(s) that you will need to take.

Going forward, you will be able to self-register. Directions will be sent out from Academic Advising (Student Services: studentservices_GPS@nec.edu). Please be aware your student bill must be paid before you have access to registration in subsequent terms.

If you are struggling with registration, please email Student Services at studentservices_GPS@nec.edu or Bethany Jones at bjones1@nec.edu.

Choose from the following options:

Option 1: Pay in Full

• MyNEC → Student Services & Financial Aid → Online Account → Make a Payment
• ACH, Credit Card or International Bank Transfer

Option 2: Payment Plan

• MyNEC → Student Services & Financial Aid → Online Account → Set Up a Payment Plan
• ACH or Credit Card
• $65 Payment Plan Service Fee per Term

NEW Students are required to come to campus on the assigned Orientation Day (communicated by Student Services). Additionally, you are required to come to campus on the day of your class, as the classes meet face to face.

The first class is specific based on the program you are in. If you are in the MS CIS, ADA, or HIM program, you can follow the pathways as outlined in the Academic Catalog.

Email: studentID@nec.edu

To obtain a Student ID card, please complete the Student ID form. Send the completed form and your photo (JPEG format) to the email address above.

Email: NECSafety@nec.edu

To obtain a parking pass, complete this form. Once the tag is processed, you will be emailed/notified, and you can pick it up in the John Lyons Building. The tag must hang from the rear view mirror.

Email Registrar’s Office: registrarsoffice@nec.edu

Email IT Office: Helpdesk@nec.edu

Email IT Office: Helpdesk@nec.edu

If You Are Working

For F-1 students who have been offered employment (all employment must be within F-1 regulations and authorized by an NEC DSO prior to employment), the Social Security Administration will accept an application for a Social Security Number. Below are important links.

• Instructions: International Students and Social Security Numbers (ssa.gov)
• Application: Application for Social Security Card (ssa.gov)

Students should read the instructions carefully, fill out an application, collect required documents, and go to a local Social Security office with the proper documentation, for example: Passport, I-20, I-94, DSO letter, employer offer, etc.

Find a local Social Security Administration office.

For questions and before accepting employment, reach out to your NEC DSO or international@nec.edu

If You Are Not Working

For F-1 students who have not been offered employment and have been told they need a Social Security Denial Letter for licenses or other financial business:

• Complete the portions of the application (see links below) that you can complete, gather all your documents, go to a Social Security Administration appointment and request a Denial Letter.

Instructions: International Students and Social Security Numbers (ssa.gov)

Application: Application for Social Security Card (ssa.gov)

• Use the Denial Letter for applications that require you to have a Social Security Number.

Find a local Social Security Administration office.

For questions, reach out to your NEC DSO or international@nec.edu

Driving without a driver’s license in the U.S. is illegal.

Visitors to the U.S. may use their English Language foreign driver’s license for up to one year.

After that, you will need a U.S. based driver’s license. However, if your driver’s license is not in English, apply for an International Driving Permit that translates your home country license into English. How to Obtain an International Driver Permit | DMV.ORG

If you need a U.S. driver’s license, each state in the U.S. has its own Department of Motor Vehicles (often called RMV or DMV). Access the RMV/DMV in the state where you temporarily reside in the U.S. Follow the specific instructions from your state of temporary residence.

Important information Driving in the United States | Study in the States (dhs.gov)

• Talking with your designated school official (DSO) about driving rules and regulations in your state or territory
• Confirming with your DSO that your student record is active in the SEVIS
• Waiting 10 days after arriving in the United States to apply for a driver’s license so that your Form I-94, “Arrival/Departure Record” information can update in all the government systems
• Obtaining a Social Security Number or Social Security Administration Denial Letter, if required by your state or territory
• Visiting and submitting the proper documentation to the RMV/DMV

Documentation you will need

• All signed versions of your SEVIS I-20s
• A valid passport and your most recent student visa (Please note that you do not need a visa if you are from a visa-exempt country, such as Canada or Bermuda.)
• Proof of residence. This varies from state to state and you should check your local DMV’s website to ensure you understand what is needed to fulfill this requirement.
• If your state requires it, a Social Security Card or a Form SSA-L676, “Refusal to Process SSN Application”
• If you are on optional practical training, bring your Form I-766, “Employment Authorization Document.” The DMV will use the A number on this card to verify your status.

Additional considerations
A driver’s license applicant may also need to pass both a driving and written test. Depending on your state, if you have a license from your home country or another state, the DMV may not require you to take the tests. However, not all states accept driver’s licenses from other countries.

For questions, reach out to your NEC DSO or international@nec.edu

F-1 students are highly regulated for employment. If there is an open position at NEC, on-campus employment is an opportunity that you may be qualified for. You do not need special USCIS permission to have an on-campus job, but you must discuss it with your NEC DSO.

On-campus employment is not guaranteed to any F-1 student. The U.S. government requires that an F-1 student not displace a U.S. student for on-campus employment.

You would start by looking for an open position through the Career and Life Planning office’s Handshake platform. Go through the process for application. If you are offered a position, you must disclose that information immediately to your NEC DSO so that your DSO can ensure you maintain your status and discuss the limits to employment.

For example, here are some maintenance of status issues:

• You may only work for an office on campus, not for an office or company off campus.
• You may only work 20 hours or fewer per week while classes are in session.
• You must obtain a Social Security Number if you do not yet have one.
• You must have a signed offer letter with supervisor contact information, working schedule, signed and dated by both you and the supervisor for your DSO’s files.

You will need to file a U.S. tax return for any earnings from on-campus employment. You should look up assistance such as Sprintax – Cloud-based Tax Software for US Nonresident Aliens to understand your tax liability.

For questions, reach out to your NEC DSO or international@nec.edu

Reach out directly to your New England College Designated School Official (DSO) who was assigned to you upon enrollment. Check your NEC email for the introductory email. If you are concerned that you did not receive that email, contact international@nec.edu.

How do I secure CPT?
F-1 students are highly regulated for employment. Curricular Practical Training is only possible after a year of studies, unless an internship is required immediately in a degree program.

Please reach out to international@nec.edu to speak with your NEC DSO about CPT.

Do not accept any employment without speaking first with a DSO and ensuring you have the proper authorization.

Diplomas are typically mailed two–three weeks following the conferral date. You will receive a confirmation/congratulations email once your degree is officially processed and awarded. This email will contain further diploma mailing information and a timeline.

When you fill out the Intent to Graduate form, you will indicate there whether or not you plan to attend. The Intent to Graduate form can be found at our website here.

These instructions can be found at our website here.