International Advisor

The International Advisor for Sponsored Students is a key member of the International Support Services (ISS) staff. This position reports directly to the Immigration Advisor Senior and is the primary point of contact and primary advisor for sponsored students and their sponsors. Sponsored students in this context refers to international students with third party billing, usually through a foreign national government, an international agency, or a corporation and students participating in the Jayhawk Semester program. The Jayhawk Semester is a 1-2 semester program for non-degree international students, often coming through partner institutions. The priority is sponsored-student-related support; however, this person will advise and counsel all international students and scholars served by the office. This position will primarily provide immigration advising and reporting for F-1 students and be a primary backup for J scholars. This international advisor serves as a Designated School Official (DSO) with the Department of Homeland Security for the F-1 student program and as an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) with the Department of State for the J-1 exchange visitor program. The U.S. government requires DSOs and AROs to have U.S. permanent residence or U.S. citizenship.

45% Advising and Counseling

• Counsel, advise and consult with international students and scholars on matters related to F-1, J-1 and occasionally other non-immigrant status regulations.
• Interpret non-immigrant status regulations, policies and practices for students, scholars, faculty, and staff of the university community.
• Serve as the primary advisor for sponsoring agencies, partner schools, students, and university units that work with sponsored students including Jayhawk Semester program participants.
• Interact with appropriate government agencies including Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration and Kansas Department of Revenue (for Kansas Driver's Licenses).
• Provide workshops and presentations for students, scholars, sponsors, university departments and partners including, but not limited to various immigration advising topics.

35% Process Documents and Report Data

• Process data and create immigration documents for F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants in the Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS), a government database.
• Analyze data and report accurate and timely information to SEVIS to maintain Federal compliance requirements.
• Facilitate necessary reporting to partner sponsors including the ordering and dissemination of transcripts.
• Coordinate with Student Accounts and Receivables to maintain up-to-date documentation and timely billing processes for sponsored students.

10% Serve as Primary Liaison for Sponsors, Sponsored and Jayhawk Semester Students

• Develop and maintain relationships with potential and current sponsors and Jayhawk Semester partners.
• Inform and encourage targeted populations to attend cultural events and programs.
• Serve as a resource advisor for on campus services, policies and procedures for sponsored students and Jayhawk Semester students.
• Provide comprehensive advising and guidance for Jayhawk Semester student program participants, including but not limited to the application process, housing, pre-arrival info, academic advising, personal concerns and immigration advising.

10% Miscellaneous

• Support other projects and populations that KU ISS serves.
• Assist the ISS team in daily administrative duties and other designated responsibilities.
• Serve on departmental and university-wide committees.

U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident to comply with Federal regulation requirements to be a DSO and ARO (to issue and sign immigration documents).

1. Master's degree, OR Bachelor's degree plus one (1) year of relevant experience.
2. Work experience that required a strong attention to detail as evidenced by application materials.
3. One (1) year of experience working in international education and/or living, studying or working abroad.
4. Excellent written communication skills as evidenced by application materials.
5. One (1) year of experience with Microsoft Office Suite to include Outlook, Word, Powerpoint, and/or Excel.
6. One (1) year of experience working with data management systems.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

1. Cover letter addressing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
2. Resume.
3. Contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor).

Application review begins Monday, October 27th and will continue until a pool of qualified applicants is identified.

Regina Sherrill
rsherrill@ku.edu
785-864-3617

$43,888 to $45,000

Monday October 27, 2025

Sunday November 30, 2025