Winter 2020: Week 5
Hello International Triton,

Greetings from the International Students & Programs Office (ISPO)! Stay up to date by reading our iStudents Newsletter for the latest of immigration updates, deadlines, reminders, and fun programs and events for international students at UC San Diego!
UPDATE! Novel Coronavirus
UC San Diego continues to be vigilant in monitoring the progression of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) worldwide. Our leadership and health care experts are in continuous contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, and the San Diego County Public Health Department to monitor recommendations for how to prevent and respond to any cases of 2019-nCoV. UC San Diego has compiled updates and resources regarding the Coronavirus  here .   
 
To further protect the health of persons in the U.S. during the emergence of this new coronavirus, the CDC began entry screening of passengers on direct and connecting flights from Wuhan to the main ports of entry in the United States.  
UC San Diego is working with UC San Diego Health Infection Prevention to identify students that may have an infection due to the Wuhan coronavirus, in order to expedite their care and to minimize the risk of transmission to other students. Visit the  Student Health Services   website for important information. If you have been to Wuhan within the past 14 days and you develop a fever with cough or difficulty breath, call Student Health Services directly.  
 
The University will continue to communicate with you as new information is learned. Please visit the  CDC website , which is updated daily, for the latest information.  

U.S. Supreme Court Rules on Public Charge
On January 27, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted an October 11 2019 nationwide preliminary injunction that had prevented the administration from enforcing its public charge rule . The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now permitted to implement and enforce its  public charge rule  while litigation continues in lower courts. For a short summary of this rule, see the  2019 posting  on ISPO’s website regarding  Immigration Policy Updates .   

How to Maintain your Visa Status
As an F-1 or J-1 student, you are responsible for maintaining your visa status for the duration of your stay in the U.S., this includes full-time enrollment each academic term (except in cases where you may be approved for a reduced course load by ISPO) and keeping your I-20 or DS-2019 information current.
Winter 2020 Graduates: Submit your OPT Application NOW!

If you are graduating in the Winter and plan to apply for F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) you should submit your OPT documents as soon as possible. 
 
Remember, it could take USCIS more than 90 days to process your documents, so you should already be thinking about your timeline to start working. 
Register for Spring 2020
Quarter Classes!

Spring 2020 course enrollment for all continuing students begins on February 12, 2020. Keep in mind that F-1 and J-1 regulations require all students to enroll in at least 12 units every Fall, Winter and Spring Quarter with few exceptions.
Tax Season Resources for International Students
To understand international student/scholar state and federal tax filing obligations for Tax Year 2019, please read the information on our tax resources website at: 

FORM 8843 FOR ALL NONRESIDENT ALIENS FOR TAX PURPOSES: 
All Internationals who are Nonresident Aliens for Tax Purposes and were present in the U.S. for at least one calendar day in 2019 in F or J status must at least file the federal Form 8843. If you only need to file this one form to meet your federal tax filing obligations, see internationaltaxhelp.ucsd.edu for quick instructions. 
 
FEDERAL AND STATE TAX FILING: 
If you had any income from a U.S. source, you are responsible for reviewing tax filing requirements. The workshops below may be helpful to you if you are required to file. Glacier Tax Prep, a tax filing software solution for federal tax filing obligations for Nonresident Aliens for Tax Purposes, will be available on approximately March 15th. Federal and State Tax Workshops are scheduled for the following dates and locations: 
 
RSVP to one of our Tax Workshops!
3/16/20 -  Federal Tax Workshop  
3/19/20 -  State Tax Workshop   
Important:  These workshops are sequential. You will need to have completed your federal tax return in order to begin your state tax return. 
OPT and Beyond: Navigating the U.S. Immigration System
Come learn about the following topics: 
  • OPT (Optional Practical Training for F-1 students) 
  •  STEM OPT (OPT for students in STEM fields) 
  •  H-1B (specialized employment visa status)
 
Tuesday, February 4, 2020, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ISPO Large Conference Room, Student Center B

Presented by:
Carol Robertson, International Student Advisor, ISPO, Marie Manlapaz, Senior Immigration Advisor, IFSO, AND Claudia Martorell, Attorney, Larrabee Albi Coker LLP 
Weekly Webinar Series: February 4, 12:00PM
The iStudents Weekly Webinars is a series of webinars to update and inform F-1 and J-1 students on topics that may impact their visa status while they are in the U.S. Visit iWebinars.ucsd.edu to learn more about the upcoming webinar. OPT Stage 1 Information Session.
COFFEE HOURS AT ISPO
Join us Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11AM at ISPO Coffee Hours!   
  • Meet ISPO Staff & Other Students!  
  • Enjoy Free Coffee & Tea  
  • Pick up AWESOME ISPO Swag such as bags, SAVR Cups, Stickers, and more!  

Learn more at iprograms.ucsd.edu 
Writing Discussion Groups for ESL/EAL Graduate Students
The Writing Hub has a new pilot program for graduate students who identify as “EAL” (English as an Additional Language) and want to develop their skills in written academic English. Writing Discussion Groups meet once per week (Weeks 4-9) to share their writing and get peer feedback on drafts in progress. Each group is facilitated by a Graduate Writing Consultant from the Writing Hub, and each meeting creates space for two group members to share their writing and get positive, constructive feedback. Groups prioritize clarity and coherence over “correctness.” Together, participants support each other in the writing process while also gaining confidence with academic writing. 

Participation in a Writing Discussion Group does not require any reading or work outside of the regular weekly meeting time. 

To learn more about Writing Discussion groups, please visit The Writing Hub  information page.

To sign up for a group,   fill out the group sign-up form .  

CONTACT ISPO
Visit our website at iStudents.ucsd.edu or send us a message through our Online Contact Form
FOLLOW ISPO ON SOCIAL MEDIA
WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER? All international students studying at UC San Diego are automatically subscribed to the iStudents Newsletter to ensure they receive proper immigration updates from our office. The information sent in this Newsletter is available on ISPO's website, iStudents.ucsd.edu, or may direct students to other external resources. You have the right to unsubscribe from receiving updates from our office at anytime. You can do this by clicking the 'unsubscribe' link below. Note, all international students at UC San Diego are responsible for staying up to date with immigration regulations that may affect them. To learn more, visit our website at iStudents.ucsd.edu