Every year, American University hosts more than 2,000 international students, faculty, and visiting scholars who come from 150 countries from all over the world to receive quality education or provide their international expertise to the university community. All organizations in the United States, including American University, are subject to audits performed by the federal or local government. In particular, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have laws affecting international students, employees, and faculty. It is important that the university has clear policies and consistent procedures to protect the institution from possible penalties, while making sure that our international students, employees, and faculty are in compliance.

The following webpages serve three types of audiences: 1) for administrators and department managers to gain a basic understanding of federal rules and regulations and communicate effectively with our international students and faculty; 2) for international students, employees and faculty as the federal regulations have direct implications for their residency and/or taxes; and 3) prospective international students or faculty expecting to earn money at American University.