Winter 2021 | Week 2 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego |
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ISPO Office Closure Monday, January 18 2021 |
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ISPO will be closed on Monday, January 18th in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr Day Holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Please visit iContact.ucsd.edu for business and closure hours and emergency contact information.
iPortal Outage: Please note, this Saturday, January 16 from 10 AM to 5 PM PST, iPortal will be down for system updates and maintenance. Students should not have any issues accessing and submitting requests in iPortal outside of these hours. If you experience technical issues, please contact iPortal@ucsd.edu.
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Deadlines, Reminders & Updates |
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Required Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test Result or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Airline Passengers Arriving into the United States Effective 1/26/21
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an Order on January 12, 2021 requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 for all air passengers arriving from a foreign country to the US. This Order will be effective on January 26, 2021 and published in the Federal Register soon. Please plan on receiving documentation to show negative results prior to making travel plans. Visit CDC’s website to learn more.
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Check-In for I-20/DS-2019 Activation: If you recently entered the U.S. and have a Winter 2021 Program Start Date listed on your Form I-20, ensure you log into iPortal to submit the Check-In for I-20/Ds-2019 Activation Request in iPortal no later than January 29, 2021.
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Address Reporting: International students are required to report any changes in current address. If you’ve recently arrived to the U.S. or have departed the U.S. for the quarter, learn more about updating your address in TritonLink.
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Deadline to Add Classes for Winter 2021 is Friday, January 15
International students are required to enroll full-time (12 units) each academic quarter at UC San Diego to maintain their student status. Ensure that you are enrolled in 12 units by this Friday, January 15, 2021.
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Deadline to Apply or Part-Time Status (Undergraduate Students) or Half-Time Status (graduate students) is Friday, January 15
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Filing U.S. Tax Forms for 2020
The 2020 tax season has arrived; here is some important information for those who were international students in 2020:
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If you are a J-1 Exchange Visitor or F-1 student and are a nonresident alien for federal tax purposes, then you must at least complete the Federal Form 8843.
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If you also have any U.S. source income from 1/1/2020 through 12/31/2020, then you must also complete a Federal Tax Return (Form 1040NR or 1040NR EZ).
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NB! Anyone with income from this time period, regardless of source (U.S. or foreign), may be required to file a state tax return if your income is above a certain threshold.
WARNING: DO NOT USE TURBO TAX OR SIMILAR SOFTWARE TO COMPLETE YOUR TAX RETURN IF YOU ARE A NONRESIDENT ALIEN FOR FEDERAL TAX PURPOSES for 2020!
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If you are a Resident Alien for federal tax purposes, then you must complete the standard Form 1040 as any U.S. citizen would (and may use any electronic tax filing software). The tax return filing deadline is traditionally April 15, 2021.
- UC San Diego switched financial systems mid-year in 2020 and thus persons with payments from UC San Diego and expecting tax forms will be receiving two W-2s and/or 2 to 6 1042-S forms, reflecting payments in the two different financial systems.
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The university has purchased a license for Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) to help student and scholar nonresident aliens for federal tax purposes complete their federal tax returns; access to GTP will become available by March 15, 2021 and those with payments from UC San Diego in 2020 and an active Glacier record by the end of 2020 will receive an automated email with instructions for accessing GTP when it becomes available.
Need More Help? Check Out These Resources:
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USCIS Modifies H-1B Selection Process to Prioritize Wages while U.S. Department of Labor Issues Final Rule to Reform Prevailing Wages
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS or the Department) is amending its regulations governing the process by which U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) selects H-1B registrations for the filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions (or H-1B petitions for any year in which the registration requirement is suspended), by generally first selecting registrations based on the highest Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) prevailing wage level that the proffered wage equals or exceeds for the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and area(s) of intended employment. This final rule is effective March 9, 2021. View the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s Final Rule published in the Federal Registrar for more information. In addition, The U.S. Department of Labor announced a Final Rule to update the wage methodology it uses to set prevailing wage rates for the Permanent Employment Certification, H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Visa worker programs. Read the Department of Labor's News Release for more information.
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Sign up for these programs happening now! Stay connected with ISPO and other Tritons by taking a look at our events calendar at iEvents.ucsd.edu
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GET Co-Curricular Record Orientation
Thursday, January 14 at 9 AM PST
The Globally Engaged Tritons (GET) Co-Curricular Record (CCR) Certificate allows UC San Diego students to earn credit on their CCR for being involved in events on campus that promote global engagement and internationalization of our campus. That could mean any events that allow students to highlight their own culture or learn about other cultures, or allow students to demonstrate or develop their global leadership skills. Learn more and apply to be a part of the program by attending a GET CCR Certificate Orientation!
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International Grad Student Social
Thursday, January 14 at 7 PM PST
ISPO welcomes all students that are joining us for the first time or continuing studies this Winter Quarter of 2021! This social will be an opportunity to meet fellow students and learn about expectations and experience coming to UC San Diego or taking classes remotely. It is also a chance for students to share their experiences and perspectives regarding the path they are initiating as international graduate students at UC San Diego amidst COVID-19 situation.
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iCafé- Your Passport to Culture: Egypt
Friday, January 15 at 12 PM PST
Join us this Friday and every Friday at noon to explore a different destination! This week the country is Egypt! A cultural ambassador will be there to educate you on the place they call home. There will also be travel trivia, a global playground to get fit over lunch, and a delicious cooking demonstration to try at home! Take a break and joins us – it’s fun and free of course!
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Intercultural Communication Workshop
Thursday, January 21 at 2 PM PST
In this workshop, you will learn about the fascinating dimensions of intercultural communication! This workshop is designed to create awareness about the intercultural dimensions themselves, where you might fall on the spectrum regarding these dimensions, as well as where others might fall and reasons for doing so. This workshop will help you better understand your time at UC San Diego as well as prepare you to be global citizens and leaders. Eligible for #GETCCR and iLead credit!
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Virtual Volunteering Opportunities
Friday, January 22 at 7 PM PST
In the current virtual environment, it may be difficult to feel connected to campus and San Diego. Learn more about ways that you can volunteer and participate in service programs wherever you are.
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Triton Trekkers: Kayaking at Scripps
Sunday, January 24 from 9AM to 12PM PST
Join the Triton Trekkers (a collaboration between ISPO & Outback Adventures) as we learn to paddle on Scripps beach, then launch your kayak into the Pacific Ocean on our guided adventure of Scripps and La Jolla. We’ll spend a couple hours paddling around just off campus, and, if we are lucky, we might even see dolphins! Come join Outback Adventures for an experience you won’t soon forget. No experience necessary!
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As we continue to shift our services to accommodate the needs of our students, this schedule may fluctuate and is subject to change. ISPO's most current advising hours can be found at iContact.ucsd.edu.
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Download the Official UC San Diego Mobile App! |
GET THE LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES FROM ISPO AND UC SAN DIEGO ON THE APP! ISPO Alerts--a new tool for receiving important updates for international students--will be available later this Fall term so don't miss out! Available for iPhone and Android. Visit mobile.ucsd.edu for more information on how to download the app.
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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 at any time from receiving updates from our office. You can do this by emailing istudents@ucsd.edu. 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
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