ISSS Advising Services
ISSS looks forward to helping you achieve your goals at Illinois State! We are here to provide support and help you be successful, and we offer a variety of ways for you to get in touch with us and ask questions or voice your concerns.
If you would like to ask a question via email, please send it to internationalstudents@ilstu.edu. You should receive a response within 3 business days.
Phone
If you would like to ask a question via phone, please call 309-438-1931 during regular office hours, Monday through Friday from 8am-4:30pm.
Chat
You can now chat live with your ISSS Advisor!
ISSS Advisor Caseloads
Your ISSS Advisor is based upon your degree program. The following chart shows the caseload division by Academic Department. If you are in a Pathway Program, your ISSS Advisor is based upon your intended degree program.
Sarah Van Alebeek |
Lindsey Schmedt |
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Walk-in Hours
In general, walk-in hours for ISSS will be held Monday and Tuesday mornings and Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. However, due to scheduling conflicts, these times may vary. Please refer to the ISSS Portal Staff Listing page for your ISSS Advisor's most up-to-date availability.
When you come for walk-ins, please sign in at the kiosk in front of 221 Fell Hall and be seated until your ISSS Advisor calls you. If you do not know who your ISSS Advisor is, please see the chart above under the "Caseloads" section of this page.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID-19, all ISSS staff are working remotely. To schedule a phone or zoom appointment with your ISSS Advisor, please visit the ISSS Portal Staff Listing page, choose your advisor's name, and click on the "Request an Appointment" link.
Appointments
Appointments are generally reserved for complex questions/issues and can be held over the phone, via zoom, or in-person.
If you have a situation you would like to discuss in-person, please come during walk-ins hours. The Walk-in Advisor will determine whether your specific case requires an appointment, and assist you with the scheduling process during your walk-in.
If you are unable to come to the office and would like to discuss your case over the phone, please call 309-438-1931. During the conversation, if it is determined you need an appointment, one can be scheduled at that time.
Applications
Many immigration-related issues require that you submit an application to ISSS. Applications are processed by the ISSS Advisor assigned to processing applications for the academic department associated with your degree. If you are in a Pathway Program, your application will be processed by the advisor associated with your intended degree program. See the chart below for details.
All applications are processed within 5 business days from the date ISSS has all application materials on file. If your application is missing documentation or needs corrected in any way, your clock does not start until that new documentation is on file or the correction has been made. The same is true for applications that require an Academic Advisor's approval. Your application processing clock will not start until your Academic Advisor has submitted their approval.