Winter 2021 | Week 5 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego |
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Maintaining F-1 or J-1 Status: Know the Rules & FAQs |
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Does having a Social Security Number (SSN) mean I can work anywhere, anytime?
It's important to remember that although international students are eligible to gain on-the-job learning that supplements knowledge gained in their academic studies while in the U.S., students must first obtain proper authorization (permission) prior to starting any paid work. In order for students to accept paid off-campus academic training during their program of study, they must first obtain the proper work authorization from the International Students & Programs Office (ISPO). Just because you have a Social Security Number (SSN), it does NOT mean you can accept work/academic training anywhere, anytime; you may only use your Social Security Number when properly paired with work authorization.
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Can I drop to less than 12 units this quarter because I did poorly on my midterm and am afraid of getting a bad grade?
Remember, international students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 units each academic quarter (Fall, Winter, and Spring) to maintain their student status. There are some exceptions to have less than 12 units, also known as a Reduced Course Load (RCL), which include medical, final quarter, and academic adjustment reasons. Getting a bad grade in a course is not an acceptable reason to apply for a RCL. To learn more about RCLs, visit iStudents.ucsd.edu.
Note: Students who began their academic programs remotely and have never entered the U.S. using UC San Diego's Form I-20 or DS-2019 are not bound to full-time enroll requirements until they physically enter the U.S.
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There's a lot to remember as an international student, what tools are available to help me remember all of these rules?
ISPO's website is a comprehensive guide to all of the regulatory requirements international students must follow. For a checklist of regulations to maintain your visa status, reference ISPO's Maintaining Visa Status Checklist on our website. If you have any questions, ISPO's friendly staff of advisors are ready to help answer any of your questions.
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Getting Ready to Graduate? Prepare for Your Next Step! |
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Graduate School Preparation for International Students Program
Wednesday, February 10 at 3PM PST
Are you nearing your final quarter at UC San Diego? This program will focus on graduate school preparation for international students. In this program, you learn about general application procedures including application timeline, recommendations, personal statements/statements of purpose and standardized testing. The program will also discuss more specific parts of the application affecting international students such as graduate school financing and visa status.
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Apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) or J-1 Academic Training (AT)
Is Winter 2021 your final graduating term? If you plan to work after graduation, you should plan to apply for post-completion work authorization known as Post-completion Optional Practical Training (for F-1 students) or Post-Completion Academic Training (for J-1 students). Students may be eligible to apply for F-1 OPT or J-1 AT to gain practical experience in their field of study after graduation. This process takes time so plan ahead and understand your timeline.
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Other Options for International Students After Graduation
Once you complete your program of study, you will have some time to plan your next steps. This is known as your grace period. F-1 students have 60 days while J-1 students have 30 days. Before the end of the grace period, students should take one of the following actions:
- Depart the U.S.
- Transfer Out to Another Institution
- Change Degree Level at UC San Diego (Pursue a new degree at UC San Diego)
- Apply for F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) or J-1 Academic Training (AT)
- Change non-immigrant status
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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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ISPO Chats
Friday, February 5 from 8-9 AM PST
Think of ISPO Chats as your monthly office hour with the ISPO Leadership team. ISPO deeply values the student voice and we want to hear from you. What is affecting you as an international student at UC San Diego? What would you like to learn more about? Do you have questions about policy updates, current events, etc? ISPO Chats is an informal time for you to share about your experience as an international student at UC San Diego as well as questions to ISPO staff. We hope that by hosting these monthly office hours, we can hear your concerns, advocate on your behalf and invest in our international student community.
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iCafe- Your Passport to Culture: Colombia
Friday, February 5 at 12 PM PST
Join us on your lunch break as we travel to the beautiful country of Colombia! Hear from UC San Diego Colombian students about their homeland, test your knowledge with travel trivia, and learn about Colombian sports and athletes in Rec's Global Playground! ArtPower will be the co-host and will screen a performance of a Colombian musical group that performed at UC San Diego! Grab a cup of your favorite cafe colombiano and take a trip with us this Friday!
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Let's Talk
Monday from 3:30-4:30 PM PST
The UC San Diego Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is pleased to offer “Let’s Talk”, a program designed to provide drop-in consultation services to undergraduate and graduate international students. The one-on-one meetings with Dr. Rina Schul (CAPS/ISPO Liaison) are for international students who are seeking informal support with issues such as stress, adjustment, cross-cultural challenges, motivation, focus, and relationships. Let’s Talk sessions are designed to provide practical strategies, information, and support.
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Triton Trekkers: Tide Pool at Scripps
Thursday, February 11 2:30-4:30 PM PST
Join the Triton Trekkers (a collaboration between ISPO & Outback Adventures) as we explore the intertidal zones next to campus and marvel at the biodiversity within just a few square meters.
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Take a Triton to Work - Spring Break
Tuesday, February 9 3:30-4 PM PST
Wednesday, February 10 10-10:30 AM PST
As a UC San Diego student, you have access to a network of UC San Diego alumni volunteers who are willing to meet and interact with you, and share more about their personal and professional journey following graduation. If you are interested in being paired with an Alumni Host for a virtual Take a Triton to Work career exploration conversation, please take a moment to update your Tritons Connect profile and register to attend this short information session.
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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 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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