International Student Services

Whitworth University provides comprehensive international student services through formal admissions support, orientation, employment guidance, immigration advising and documentation, and campus programming.

Important Update: Federal Courts Pause Proposed DHS Regulations

Background

In fall 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a federal rule change that would impact various important elements of international student immigration. In particular, the proposed rule would end “duration of status” for individuals granted entry to the U.S. in F-1 status. F-1 is the status held by nearly all Whitworth international students.

"Duration of status" refers to the period of lawful stay a F-1 student is granted upon entry to the U.S. The DHS rule would replace "duration of status" with a fixed end date that aligns with the academic program length.

Current Status of New Regulation

On Sept. 14, 2026, a federal U.S. court issued an injunction against the Department of Homeland Security's proposed regulations. This effectively pauses the implementation of these proposed changes. However, DHS may appeal this court's decision, and the regulation changes may go into effect in the future. Currently, they are halted, and no change has occurred to F-1 immigration regulations.

What You Need to Know Now

• The current "duration of status" system remains in place.
• Your existing immigration documents and any authorized employment (on-campus work, CPT, OPT) continue under the current rules.
• Review your current I-20 end date and make sure it is accurate. If you need more time to complete your degree, discuss your degree plan with your faculty advisor and the registrar's office.

What to Expect from Whitworth

We are monitoring the ongoing litigation in this case and will notify students as soon as any change occurs. Should there be a change to immigration regulations, we will continue to notify students directly via email, post guidance on this webpage, and hold in-person Q&A sessions.

International Student Advisors

The following Whitworth officials are recognized by the U.S. government as Designated School Officials (DSO) and as such are the only administrators authorized to provide formal immigration guidance and documentation:

• Nick McKinney | Assistant Provost for Academic Administration
  • Office: McEachran Hall 219
  • Phone: 509.777.4596
• Trina Allen | Associate Director of International Admissions
  • Office: Undergraduate Admissions (Viren House)
  • Phone: 509.777.3385

Resources

Current students are encouraged to utilize the following resource pages to learn more about key topics relevant to international students.