Is there someone at the school who actually looks after international students?

Short answer: yes — Five Branches doesn't leave international students to figure out F-1/SEVIS matters on their own. The school specifically designates an International Student Officer (ISO), whose role is described on Five Branches' own international-applicants page (checked 08/2026): among other things, if you're transferring in from another U.S. school, the ISO is the one who contacts the ISO/DSO at your current school to confirm your SEVIS record before your file can be released to Five Branches.

The worry underneath a question like this is usually less "does a person exist" and more "will I be a name on a spreadsheet, or will someone actually walk this with me" — and the school routes this through a real office, not a self-serve form:

For an international student currently on an F-1 visa at another U.S. school, the documents the ISO process runs on are:

• A copy of your visa (in your passport)
• A copy of your I-20
• A signed Transfer Release Form from your current school's admissions office, confirming your status is in good standing

One dated heads-up worth knowing if you're planning this now: DHS finalized a rule (effective 2026-09-15) replacing the old open-ended "Duration of Status" with a fixed F-1 admission period of up to 4 years, with formal Extension-of-Stay filing required to go beyond it. That's general orientation, not advice on your specific case — your eventual DSO, USCIS, and a licensed immigration attorney are the ones who can speak to how it applies to you.

Are you currently studying in the U.S. on a visa already, or applying from abroad for the first time?