Spring 2021 | International Students & Programs Office @ UC San Diego
Dear Incoming Triton,

Welcome to UC San Diego!

The International Students & Programs Office (ISPO) is here to support you as you begin your journey as a new student at UC San Diego and to help you navigate the ins and outs of your program as an international student. Please review important information below about mandatory trainings, orientation and ways to get involved at UC San Diego. 
Announcement
Fall 2021: ISPO's Coronavirus Information Page Updated

ISPO has recently updated its Coronavirus Information page to provide guidance to continuing and new international students on a variety of topics related to UC San Diego's return to in-person instruction this fall. Updated and newly-added frequently asked questions (FAQS) are available to help guide you through common topics of interest specifically as an international student, including:

  • Enrollment 
  • Maintaining your F-1/J-1 Status 
  • Vaccination Information 
  • Employment 

You can also find more information on Fall 2021, vaccinations, and on-housing information through the 5/4 Student Town Hall recorded webinar and the Return to Learn FAQ page.

For further information about UC San Diego's Fall 2021 plans, we encourage students to also continue checking the Return to Learn website.  
Pre-Arrival Webinar Recordings
Missed some of our Pre-Arrival Webinars? Don't worry! We recorded them all so you could go back and reference these great resources. We have listed a few key ones below but for all of the recordings, head to iwebinars.ucsd.edu.

Get Involved!
You can already start getting involved at UC San Diego as an international graduate student. Check out the following opportunities.  
Grad Pals Program
Grad Pals matches incoming graduate students with current graduate students at UC San Diego – most commonly within their same department. This program aims to help new students settle in by giving them the opportunity to ask non-academic related questions, provide them with support during the first few weeks, and ease their transition into graduate life at UC San Diego. 
Student Organizations
Student organizations are a great way to connect with other students with similar interests and build your community at UC San Diego. We encourage you to check out studentorg.ucsd.edu to learn more about all the different student organizations at UC San Diego.  

Below we have listed some of our most active student organizations in our international student community at UC San Diego. Check them out! 
UC San Diego Podcast for Students With Dependents
The recent episode of the podcast series Triton Tools and Tidbits focuses on students with dependents! This is an excellent way to hear about how UC San Diego supports our students with dependents population and lists different resources and ways to connect with fellow students with dependents.

Important Information for I-20/ DS-2019 Issuance
iPortal is now LIVE!

International students requiring an F-1 or J-1 visa to study in the U.S. must request a Form I-20 (certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant F-1 students) or Form DS-2019 (certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant J-1 exchange visitors). The I-20 or DS-2019 is required to apply for the F-1 or J-1 visa from abroad.

International students who are currently in the U.S. in F-1 or J-1 status and plan to transfer their SEVIS record to UC San Diego are ALSO required to submit the I-20 or DS-2019 request. 


  • Processing time for complete iPortal applications is 15 business days. Apply early to avoid visa delays.  
I-20/DS-2019 Details

  • Funding Requirements for I-20/DS-2019 Issuance: F-1 students must show nine months of financial support to obtain an I-20. J-1 students must show financial support for the entire duration of their program to obtain a DS-2019.
  • Refer to this link for required funding for your program. 

  • I-20/DS-2019 standard start dates: All students admitted for the Fall 2021 quarter should expect to receive a Fall 2021 Program Start Date (September 20, 2021) on their Form I-20 or DS-2019. 

  • Early-start program information: Only students who have been admitted into a degree program which requires enrollment or participation in the Summer 2021 term will be eligible to apply for a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 with an earlier start date. Your department will communicate with you if you have been admitted into a program which requires an early start date. Students who are eligible can request an I-20 by submitting the NEW ADMIT: I-20 or DS-2019 Special Start Programs in iPortal.

For more information regarding early start programs, visit iNewStudent.ucsd.edu.
Are you Transferring from Another U.S. University to UC San Diego?

If you are currently in F-1 status at a U.S. university and plan to transfer to UC San Diego this fall, you still need to request an I-20 from ISPO! This is required in order to maintain your F-1 status, and you cannot begin classes here without it. 

Transfer students have two options when requesting an I-20: 

Want to learn more about your options? For more information watch our SEVIS Transfers pre-recorded webinar on iwebinars.ucsd.edu.
Applying for Your U.S. Visa
Scheduling Your Visa Interview

If you are able to schedule a visa interview, after receiving your I-20/DS-2019 document you will need to complete the DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form. You will need your SEVIS ID (number starting with “N” located at the top of your I-20/DS-2019) to complete this. In addition, J-1 students will need to provide UCSD’s J-1 Program Number. This number is: P-1-02849. 
 
When asked for UC San Diego’s contact information for the DS-160, you may put down the following: 
  • Contact name: Name of the advisor listed on your I-20/DS-2019 document 
  • Contact phone: 858-534-3730 
  • Contact email: istudents@ucsd.edu 

For more information, click here.  
Cancelled or Delayed U.S. Visa Appointments

ISPO is aware of the delays and/or sudden cancellations of nonimmigrant visa appointments in particular regions of the world due to the public health situation caused by rising COVID-19 rates. We know how much this impacts your ability to plan for Fall 2021 and can understand the concern it must cause.  

With this in mind, ISPO will continue to issue Forms I-20 (F-1) and DS-2019 (J-1) as quickly as possible to allow you to book or re-book an appointment as soon as you are able to. Our team is hard at work to ensure that these are issued promptly. In order to maintain our prompt I-20 and DS-2019 issuance pace, at this time, we are only able to facilitate expedite requests if you have a visa appointment booked for less than one month away from your iPortal date of submission. 

For any questions about your visa paperwork, please contact the ISPO Pre-Arrival Team at iNewstudent@ucsd.edu.  
New Student Resources
Visit the iNewStudent Website!

This comprehensive site is designed just for new international students to help you understand the different steps you need to follow before you arrive! Go to iNewStudent.ucsd.edu now and click on Graduate Students.   
Missed an iNewStudent Newsletter? Visit iNews.ucsd.edu!

ISPO has archived our iNewStudents newsletters on our new page inews.ucsd.edu. Reference this page for all iNewStudents that were sent out this Spring!
iTriton Online Training

To help guide you through the adventure ahead, we have created an online training that will map out your journey as an international student here at UC San Diego. There are 20 modules which cover various topics. We have arranged these modules in the order you may encounter them during your program. However, you can explore the modules in any order you'd like!  
 
Newly admitted international students are required to complete the iTriton Online Training during their first quarter at UC San Diego. All new Fall 2021 students will have until October 20, 2021, to complete this REQUIRED training.*  
*Please note that the iTriton training, immigration regulations are only applicable once you enter the United States in F1/J1 status. If you are participating in fully remote learning and DO NOT enter the United States, these regulations will NOT apply to you.    
Zoom Advising Hours

Questions about requesting your immigration documents from UC San Diego? Newly-admitted international students are able to speak to an ISPO Advisor during Zoom advising hours.

For more information, visit iContact.ucsd.edu:
 
  • Mondays: 9 – 10:30 AM PDT  
  • Tuesdays: 4:30 – 5:30 PM PDT 
  • Wednesdays: 9 – 10:30 AM PDT and 4:30 – 5:30 PM PDT 
  • Thursdays: 9 – 10:30 AM PDT and 4:30 – 5:30 PM PDT 
  • Friday – Sunday: NO Advising. Visit iContact.ucsd.edu for other ways to contact ISPO.  
Contacting ISPO

Our friendly and knowledgeable ISPO Staff are here and ready to help you!  

Follow Us on Social Media!
Congratulations New Triton! We have put together an Instagram Filter Pack to celebrate our new class of international Tritons. Try it out, tag us (@ispo.ucsd), and let everyone know you are our newest iTriton! 
WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER?
You have been identified as an F-1 or J-1 International Student. To ensure you receive important regulatory information to maintain your immigration status while studying at UC San Diego, you have been automatically added to this newsletter to receive updates. You have the right to unsubscribe from receiving updates from our office at anytime. You can do this by clicking 'Unsubscribe...." at the bottom of this email block. If you are NOT in F1 or J1 status and believe you have been subscribed in error, please email iStudents@ucsd.edu.