Student Life Policies

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Disabilities and Accommodations

Johns Hopkins University is committed to providing an accessible and welcoming learning environment for students with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its 2008 Amendments, as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Johns Hopkins University Disability Services collaborates with students, faculty, and staff to provide equitable, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments that promote academic success for all. Johns Hopkins University is committed to making academic programs, support services and facilities accessible.

To begin the registration process with Student Disability Services and to establish eligibility for disability related accommodations and services, please complete and submit the SDS Online Registration Form and upload supporting documentation. Once your form and documentation are received, the next step in the process will be to meet with an SDS professional staff member to discuss your needs and potential accommodations. If you have any difficulty providing documentation or need more information about any aspect of the process, please contact the Office of Student Life in Washington, DC or the SAIS Europe Office of Student Affairs.

Please consult the JHU Documentation Guidelines for Individuals with Disabilities or contact the appropriate Student Affairs team for your campus for further specification. Johns Hopkins University reserves the right to request or require more current or updated documentation. Documentation may be submitted to us at any time; however, students should leave a margin of at least three weeks prior to the intended start of the accommodation in order to provide adequate time for review and processing of the request.

Student Life will inform the student of the status of the request within five business days from the intended beginning of the accommodation. Accommodations take effect upon approval and apply to the remainder of the time for which a student is registered and enrolled. 

The Johns Hopkins University Executive Director of Student Disability Services reviews student documentation and reserves the right to determine the most effective and timely accommodations after consultation with the student. There are detailed procedures for use of the services and accommodations. (Back to top)

Health Insurance

University policy requires that all active degree-seeking SAIS students maintain comprehensive health insurance coverage to provide protection against unexpected accidents and illnesses. Students must purchase the university’s student health insurance or complete a waiver demonstrating health insurance coverage comparable to the university plan. Waiver forms are available a few weeks prior to the start of the semester in SIS Self-Service. The plan must be U.S.-based if studying at the Washington, DC campus. At SAIS Europe, students may waive from the plan if they are an EU citizen who is already enrolled in their EU country's national health service. All active degree-seeking students will be automatically enrolled in the university health insurance plan unless their waiver is approved. Students whose waivers have been denied may contact the Office of Student Life at their campus of study to appeal. Degree-seeking students must be enrolled in at least one course to be eligible for the university’s health insurance plan. Per Johns Hopkins University policy, students on an F1 or J1 visa in the United States as well as non-European Union citizens in Italy are ineligible to waive out of the student health benefits. For more information, visit the Student Health Benefits page on the JHU Human Resources website. (Back to top)

Housing

Students studying at the Washington, DC campus or SAIS Europe are responsible for securing their own housing arrangements; neither campus has residential facilities. The Off-Campus Housing website may assist students in their housing search in Washington, DC. SAIS Europe collaborates with various rental agencies, property managers, and student residences to minimize the difficulty of finding housing for incoming students. (Back to top)

Lockers

At the Washington, DC campus, daily use lockers are available for use on the B1 level of the Hopkins Bloomberg Center.

At SAIS Europe, one locker may be claimed freely by full-time students. Locker assignments are on a first-come, first-served basis. Lockers are located in the basement of both campuses. Students are responsible for providing their own locks. Students must empty their lockers at the end of May each year. The school claims no responsibility for items left in or above lockers that may be disposed of by a future tenant or by the school. On June 15, all lockers are opened and cleaned. Lockers are reassigned to current students each year.  (Back to top)

Mailboxes

SAIS Europe students who wish to have a mailbox may ask at the Reception Desk to have a mailbox assigned to them and obtain the key at the same time. The first key is free, but if it is lost or broken during the year, copies cost €10 each.  The mailboxes are used for incoming postal mail and for returning exams and/or papers. They are located at the foot of the stairs going up to the Student Lounge (next to cafeteria/copy center). Students are requested return the key to the Reception Desk prior to departure. The mailboxes will be cleared out after June 15 and contents will be discarded.

Mailboxes are not provided at the Washington, DC campus. (Back to top)

Media on Campus

Students at the Washington, DC campus who want to bring outside media personnel to campus must request permission by sending an email request to JohnsHopkinsSAIS@jhu.edu. Violations will be subject to Student Conduct Code procedures. Students at SAIS Europe should consult with the Director of Communications and Marketing. (Back to top)

Student Government Association

The Student Government Association (SGA) serves as the primary interface between students and the administration. The SGA is an advocate between the administration, faculty, alumni, and other student groups, and strives to enhance the quality of student life at the school. The SGA seeks continuous improvement of key SAIS performance indicators, including career placement, student satisfaction, academic satisfaction, and alumni participation, and engages students in social activities and functions.

At the Washington, DC campus, elections are held in early April for the President, Treasurer and Programming Chair who take office the subsequent academic year. Each September an election is held for the remaining seats that include two first-year MAIR students, one MAGP student, one MIEF student and one MIPP student.

At SAIS Europe, the SGA consists of five members. Elections are held in early May for the President who will take office the subsequent academic year. The remaining four members are elected throughout Pre-Term and the first few weeks of the fall semester.  Details pertaining to candidacy and elections will be shared with students throughout the summer.

The number of SGA members, voting time period, and cabinet positions may vary depending on the current cabinet and cohort sizes. Any changes to SGA membership will be made by the sitting SGA and will be determined by a majority vote. (Back to top)

Student Health and Well-Being

The Student Health & Well-Being (SHWB) team is comprised of nurse practitioners, counselors, dietitians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, health educators, and other experts who understand that well-being is fundamental to both academic and personal growth. They are committed to providing students with tools and knowledge that empower them to prioritize their well-being and thrive mentally, physically, and emotionally.

The Student Health and Well-Being team emphasizes the understanding and support of the eight elements of wellbeing that are inherently interconnected and symbiotic, and that knowledge and engagement with bettering all the elements will support personal health:

  • Emotional & Mental
  • Physical
  • Social
  • Sexual
  • Spiritual
  • Environmental
  • Financial
  • Professional

The following offices are affiliated with SHWB:

On the Student Well-Being Website, you will find a searchable database of resources that can be sorted by school, campus location, or one of the eight elements of well-being.

Through a partnership between SAIS Europe and the University on Bologna counseling center, students in Bologna may meet an English-speaking psychologist up to four (4) times per academic year. Students may access the UNIBO Counseling Center by emailing psi.hopkins@unibo.it or by contacting the SAIS Europe Director of Student Affairs. (Back to top)

Travel by Students

Students often travel internationally for internships or pursue other educational opportunities. Such travel may take them to places where personal safety and security are potentially at issue. All students contemplating travel are urged to take advantage of available resources to monitor safety conditions in other countries.

Students traveling on a university-sponsored activity (including those funded by the Student Internship Fund) outside of the country where their campus is located are required to complete the International Travel Protocol Packet located under the Student Services tab on the Insider Portal. Students must complete this form at least two weeks prior to departure.

If students receive institutional funding for any travel, sponsoring school academic programs and administrative offices will verify submission of this information before authorizing release of funds. (Back to top)

Visas and Other Immigration Matters

The Office of International Services (OIS) at the Washington, DC Campus is charged with monitoring legislation, regulations, and policies at the federal, state, and local levels that affect international educational exchange, and with interpreting and applying those directives in the school environment in support of The Johns Hopkins University’s teaching, research, and community service goals.

OIS serves as the main resource for information regarding maintenance of a student’s legal status in the United States and their employment options. OIS staff does not work for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and is not an agent of the U.S. government. The position is however, charged with administering the F and J federal visa programs and is responsible for university compliance with federal regulations governing those programs.

International students are personally responsible for maintaining their immigration status throughout their stay in the United States and are encouraged to seek advice from OIS staff to ensure compliance with the appropriate regulations. (Back to top)

Registration with U.S. Immigration

Students need to understand their responsibility for maintaining their legal status in the United States especially with respect to reporting to immigration authorities.

Students are required by immigration law to report to OIS.

  • F-1 students must report to OIS no later than 30 days after the program start date listed on the student’s I-20 Form.
  • J-1 students must report to OIS within 30 days of the program start date listed on the student’s DS-2019 Form.
  • Students should report sufficiently in advance of the 30-day deadline to allow the school to complete the initial Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) registration process before the deadline.
  • SEVIS records of students who do not register with immigration authorities within the stated timeframe will be automatically invalidated. (Back to top)

Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for maintaining their legal status in the United States. This includes:

  • continuously enrolling in a full-time status while an F or J student and the conditions under which a reduced course load is permitted with prior authorization from OIS.
  • maintaining valid documentation such as I-20/DS-2019, passport, and I-94 record.
  • obtaining an updated immigration document for a student and/or any dependents when there is a significant change in funding source, level of study, leave of absence, withdrawal, etc.
  • following the employment guidelines associated with the particular immigration status with respect to the number of hours per week a student may legally work and the types of employment in which a student may legally engage.
  • requesting a new immigration document if traveling outside the United States for more than five months.
  • making reasonable progress toward the degree and to request any needed extensions before the current student status expires.
  • informing OIS of any changes of the residential address within 10 days of the move while in the United States in F or J status.

Additional information may be found on the OIS website. (Back to top)

Work Authorization in the United States for International Students (CPT/OPT)

Students on an F-1 or J-1 visa must meet certain criteria in order to receive work authorization from OIS. Prior to pursuing any outside employment, including internships and practical training, international students should consult the guidelines for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) on the OIS website. Eligibility for CPT and OPT will be determined by the Office of Academic Advising in conjunction with the Office of International Services. (Back to top)

SAIS Europe

All non-EU/EEA students attending SAIS Europe are required to obtain a permesso di soggiorno, a temporary residence permit for study in Bologna. Students who do not comply may have a registration hold placed on their record. Students with a hold will not be able to register for courses or add/drop courses that are currently in their record until the permit is obtained and the hold is removed.

Non-US MAIR students at SAIS Europe who plan to continue for the second year of the MAIR at the Washington, DC campus usually apply for the US student visa toward the end of the second semester at SAIS Europe. In early spring, OIS staff will facilitate information sessions and office hours to provide all relevant information and guidance. Students should be aware that they must provide proof of financial means to cover the full cost of attendance at the Washington, DC campus. (Back to top)