SEVIS System Navigation & Data Entry 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How does a DSO access the SEVIS Help system while working within a student record?
- Press F1 on the keyboard
- Click the '?' or 'Help' link in the SEVIS navigation bar (Correct answer)
- Navigate to sevis.dhs.gov/help separately
- Call the SEVIS help desk for all questions
Correct answer: Click the '?' or 'Help' link in the SEVIS navigation bar
SEVIS provides context-sensitive help through the '?' or 'Help' link available in the navigation bar on each screen.
Question 2: When a DSO registers a new student in SEVIS for the first time, which record type must be created?
- Prospective Student Record
- Initial Student Record (New Student) (Correct answer)
- Pending Admission Record
- Pre-SEVIS Record
Correct answer: Initial Student Record (New Student)
A new student who has never had a SEVIS record requires creation of an Initial Student Record in SEVIS.
Question 3: Which SEVIS screen shows the complete history of all actions taken on a student's record?
- Student > Audit Trail
- Student > History (Correct answer)
- Student > Activity Log
- Student > Record Changes
Correct answer: Student > History
The History section within a student's SEVIS record displays a chronological log of all updates and actions.
Question 4: What must a DSO do in SEVIS after a student completes their program on the expected end date?
- Nothing — SEVIS automatically updates the status to 'Completed'
- Manually update the student's status to 'Completed' within 30 days (Correct answer)
- Terminate the record immediately on the end date
- File a completion report with ICE
Correct answer: Manually update the student's status to 'Completed' within 30 days
DSOs must manually update the student's status to 'Completed' in SEVIS within 30 days of program completion.
Question 5: In SEVIS, when entering a student's funding information, which category covers money provided by the student's home country government?
- Personal/Family Funds
- School Funds
- Foreign Government Funds (Correct answer)
- International Organization Funds
Correct answer: Foreign Government Funds
Funding from a student's home government is entered under the 'Foreign Government Funds' category in SEVIS.
Question 6: A DSO realizes they entered the wrong visa type for a student (F-1 instead of M-1) in SEVIS. What is the correct resolution?
- Edit the student record and change the visa type field
- Terminate the incorrect record and create a new one with the correct visa type (Correct answer)
- Submit a correction request to SEVP via email
- The visa type cannot be changed once entered
Correct answer: Terminate the incorrect record and create a new one with the correct visa type
Since F-1 and M-1 are fundamentally different program types, the incorrect record must be terminated and a new record created with the correct visa category.
Question 7: What is the purpose of the 'Cap-Gap' indicator field available in SEVIS for F-1 students?
- It tracks the gap between Part 1 and Part 2 of the I-20
- It identifies students whose OPT authorization bridges the H-1B cap gap period (Correct answer)
- It marks students who have a gap year in their education
- It flags records with missing required data fields
Correct answer: It identifies students whose OPT authorization bridges the H-1B cap gap period
The Cap-Gap indicator in SEVIS identifies F-1 students on OPT whose status is extended while awaiting H-1B cap selection.
SEVIS System Navigation & Data Entry 5
How does a DSO access the SEVIS Help system while working within a student record?