International Student & Scholar Advisor (SSP II)

CSU Careers•Turlock, CA

About The Position

Classified as: Student Services Professional II Full-time position available on or after May 4, 2026 for International Education and Global Engagement. Under general supervision, the incumbent performs moderately complex professional Student Services work requiring the application of knowledge and judgment in interpreting and applying federal immigration regulations, university policies, and professional standards. The incumbent advances the university’s global engagement priorities by supporting the full F-1 and J-1 student and scholar lifecycle, from outreach and international admissions through onboarding, immigration advising and compliance, and transition to graduation or program completion. The position serves as a Designated School Official (DSO) and may be designated as an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO). Responsibilities include issuing and maintaining Forms I-20 and DS-2019, advising on status maintenance and authorized activities (e.g., CPT, OPT, Academic Training), and ensuring accurate SEVIS reporting and documentation. This role collaborates with Admissions & Outreach, Enrollment Services, Faculty Affairs, academic units, and campus partners to promote compliance and student success. Duties include providing individual and group advisement using interviewing and basic counseling techniques; coordinating moderately complex programs and compliance processes; monitoring regulatory requirements; recommending solutions to student and program-related issues. The incumbent exercises independent judgment within delegated authority and may provide lead direction to student assistants or assigned staff as appropriate.

Requirements

Experience: Two (2) years of professional experience in one of the student services program areas or in a related field; experience should give evidence of competence and indicate the potential for further growth. (A master’s degree in a job‑related field may be substituted for one year of the professional experience.)
Education: Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in one of the behavioral sciences, public or business administration or a job‑related field. (Additional specialized experience during which the applicant has acquired and successfully applied the knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year‑for‑year basis.)
Working knowledge of the practices, procedures and activities of the program to which assigned.
General knowledge of the methods and problems of organizational and program management.
General knowledge of research and interview techniques; and of the principles of individual and group behavior.
Ability to interpret and apply program rules and regulations.
Ability to use initiative and resourcefulness in planning work assignments and in implementing long-range program improvements.
Ability to obtain factual and interpretive information through interviews.
Ability to reason logically; ability to collect, compile, analyze and evaluate data and make verbal or written presentation based on these data.
Ability to advise students individually and in groups on routine matters where required;
Ability to recognize multicultural, multi-sexed and multi-aged value systems and work accordingly.
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, CSU administrators, student organizations, private and public agencies and others in committee work, and student advising and community contacts.
Ability to rapidly acquire a general knowledge of the overall operation, functions and programs of the campus to which assigned.
Demonstrated ability to make decisions and carry through actions having implications with regard to other program or service areas.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or documented post-baccalaureate professional development in higher education administration, international education, public administration, or a closely related field.
Minimum two (2) years serving as a Designated School Official (DSO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO advising F-1 and J-1 students and scholars across the lifecycle, including Form I-20/DS-2019 issuance/updates, SEVIS record maintenance, and employment guidance.
Minimum of one year in international admissions including international credential evaluation, U.S. equivalency/GPA conversion, and transfer-credit review.
Minimum of one year coordinating and delivering international student orientation/transition programming tied to enrollment and immigration milestones.
Minimum of one year developing agent and feeder-institution relationships, delivering trainings, and managing prospect/admit communications.
One (1) year of professional use of higher education student information systems or related platforms, such as CRMs (e.g., Slate, Salesforce), student information systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, Banner), advising/case-management systems (e.g., EAB Navigate360, Workday Student), or comparable systems.
Demonstrated cross-cultural competence, evidenced by study/work/living abroad and/or second-language proficiency (any language credited equally; Spanish a plus, not required).

Responsibilities

Provide ongoing advisement to international students and scholars requiring interpretation and application of federal immigration regulations, CSU policies, and university procedures.
Review and process application and onboarding materials in accordance with university policies and regulatory guidelines; coordinate with appropriate offices regarding eligibility determinations, documentation requirements, and record accuracy.
Serve as a Designated School Official (DSO) and an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) in support of institutional compliance and regulatory reporting requirements.
Conduct advising appointments involving moderately complex immigration, admissions, academic, employment, and personal adjustment concerns.
Compile and contribute data for internal and external reporting requirements related to enrollment, compliance, and program participation.
Coordinate pre-arrival communication and onboarding processes to ensure timely completion of required documentation, registration steps, and compliance checkpoints including by not limited to: communications to international students and scholars; required documents; register orientation and compliance checkpoints; immigration sessions.
Utilize interviewing and basic counseling techniques in sensitive and cross-cultural situations.
Issue and update immigration documents in accordance with federal regulations and campus procedures.
Review documentation and determine eligibility for immigration-related benefits and activities, including but not limited to employment authorization, program extensions, travel authorization, and related benefits, within established guidelines.
Document advisement decisions, rationale, and regulatory actions in case records and university systems.
Monitor enrollment and compliance alerts; identify potential status concerns and coordinate timely resolution within defined authority.
Assist students and scholars in evaluating available options and selecting appropriate courses of action to maintain regulatory compliance.
Advocate for students in matters requiring clarification of regulations or university policies with other campus offices.
Identify recurring student barriers related to compliance and recommend targeted procedural or communication improvements.
Facilitate workshops, orientations, and informational sessions for defined student populations, including but not limited to immigration compliance and transition topics.
Participate in cross-functional case discussions involving moderately complex student situations.
Coordinate resolution of student concerns involving multiple campus departments.
Independently plan and coordinate moderately complex advising programs, compliance processes, workshops, and outreach initiatives including but not limited to: developing recruitment & communications strategies; participating in virtual/in-person fairs and outreach; building and maintain agent and feeder-institution relationships; delivering agent trainings; tending the admission pipeline and records; ensuring consistent, accurate messaging to prospects and admits; preparing and issuing initial Forms I-20/DS-2019 per federal regulations and campus procedures; ensure data alignment across SEVIS and university systems
Develop implementation plans, timelines, and task assignments for student lifecycle processes, including but not limited to admissions support, onboarding, compliance tracking, and transition services.
Coordinate logistics with Admissions, Registrar, Enrollment Services, academic departments, and other campus stakeholders regarding international student and scholar matters.
Monitor participation trends, reporting timelines, and advising caseload activity; adjust processes as needed within established guidelines.
Reconcile program expenses within delegated authority, when applicable.
Conduct post-event debriefs and/or evaluations and summarize outcomes.
Draft proposed revisions to operational procedures, templates, and communication materials based on regulatory updates or program feedback.
Serve as a technical resource within the assigned program area.
Participate in committee work related to student services and program development.
Conduct ongoing evaluation of student and scholar needs and service effectiveness.
Analyze service utilization data, compliance metrics, and student outcome trends.
Prepare written summaries and reports outlining findings and recommendations.
Deliver training sessions on program procedures, compliance requirements, and related processes.
Monitor implementation of approved procedural changes.
Assess potential impacts of recommendations on related service areas and coordinate adjustments as appropriate.
Develop tracking tools within defined scope to improve monitoring and case management processes.
Other duties as assigned.