Winter 2020: Week 4
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!
Check Your Program End Date on Your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019
Always be mindful of your current program end date listed on your Form I-20/ Form DS-2019. If you need more time to complete your academic program, you must apply for an extension in iPortal PRIOR to the program end date listed. Failure to extend your I-20 or DS-2019 in a timely manner may cause immigration issues so please act accordingly!

If your I-20 or DS-2019 program end date has already expired, please visit the International Students & Programs as soon as possible.
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. 
Last Day to Drop Without a "W" (Withdrawal): Friday, January 31, 2020!
F-1 and and J-1 regulations require all students to enroll in at least 12 units every Fall, Winter and Spring Quarter at UC San Diego. Students must apply and receive a reduced course load authorization from ISPO before dropping to less than 12 units. The deadline to change grading options, change units and drop classes without a W on your transcript is Friday of Week 4, January 31.
DIPLOMA MAILING ADDRESS
If you are graduating this term your diploma will be sent to your permanent address in TritonLink. Undergraduate students are also required to submit their Degree and Diploma Application (DDA) to their college before the end of the graduating term. The permanent address for international students in F-1 and J-1 status must be their foreign home address outside the United States; however, if you would like your diploma mailed to a U.S. address rather than the permanent address, follow the instructions under " Diploma Mailing Address . "
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
UC San Diego continues its commitment to student-centered mental health resources by expanding student well-being resources. On January 9, 2020 the University sent out the Campus Notice, Commitment to Student-Centered Mental Health Resources. Learn more about recent updates and the many services and programs available to you both on and off campus.
Weekly Webinar Series: January 28 at 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. to learn more about the upcoming webinar:
OPT STAGE 3 INFORMATION SESSION

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 
Claudia Martorell, Attorney, Larrabee Albi Coker LLP 
INTERCULTURAL SOCIAL HOUR
ISPO welcomes all international and domestic students on the last week of every month to share their cultures and make new friends through conversation, games and light refreshments! Join us this Wednesday, January 29th at 4:30PM in Student Center B!
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 
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