International Student & Scholar Services Newsletter

| February 2023 Newsletter |

International Students & Scholars Newsletter

Upcoming & Future Events

Upcoming Events

African Banquet

African Student Association (ASA) is inviting you to their 2023 African Banquet on Saturday, February 25, 2023, from 6 pm - 10 pm at the SIUE Vadalabene Center. This event will showcase beautiful African cultures, with food, music, performances, and more. You can purchase your ticket in advance from the MUC Hometown Ticketing Website.

Contact Phongo Djamba (Voldie) at: pdjamba@siue.edu for more details.

Future Event

India Night

Date: Saturday, April 8

Time: 6 pm

Location: SIUE Student Fitness Center

Tickets: A link to purchase a ticket for this event will be posted on the MUC Hometown Ticketing Website later.

For more information, contact Kashish Tandoh (Kash) via email at: ktandon@siue.edu

SIUE Career Development Center (CDC) presents Cougar Closet Pop-Up Shop. Refer to the flyer below for details!

Reminders

OPT application period is now open for Spring 2023

For more information about applying for OPT, please refer to this page on our website: SIUE Optional Practical Training

Spring 2023 Graduation Application Deadline is Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

Students must RSVP to commencement if they plan to participate in commencement ceremonies. The RSVP is separate from the application to graduate. Questions? More details are available on the Office of the Registrar's website. Contact Graduation staff by calling 618-650-2263 or 618-650-2282 or by email at graduation@siue.edu.

***Inviting Family to the Ceremony

A letter of invitation is not required to apply for a nonimmigrant tourist visa per the U.S. Department of State U.S. Consular Affairs. Please see the ISSS website for more information about documents required for tourist visas.

Buy a Sprintax code and file your taxes!

Purchase your Sprintax code from the Morris University Center home ticketing website. A Sprintax code costs $3 plus a processing fee and are available to purchase online with a debit or credit card. Instructions on how to purchase your Sprintax code have been sent to all international students, so check your inbox (and your junk/spam folder), if you haven't received it yet. Email isss@siue.edu if you did not receive this information. After you purchase the code, our office will email you the unique code along with a flyer showing the instructions on how to file your taxes and use the code. Each code is unique and cannot be shared. Keep your code safe, as we are not able to retrieve it. If you lose your code, you will need to buy another one. Visit our website to learn more and to register for a free Sprintax Webinar.

Free Sprintax Webinars for Students

Each Sprintax webinar will cover the same topics and information below, so you only need to register for one. The informational webinars will cover the following:

An overview of tax for nonresident students and scholars
Who must file a 2022 US tax return
What income forms students/scholars may receive
Forms that need to be completed and sent to the IRS
We cover terms like FICA, ITIN, and Form 1098-T
What happens if students don’t file or make a mistake filing
State tax returns
IRS stimulus payments
Sprintax overview

To register, click on the link for the date below that works best for you. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Sprintax containing information about joining the webinar.

Are you receiving Scam calls and/or emails about job offers?

Follow the steps below to protect your personal information and the SIUE community if you receive any unsolicited emails from scammers:

Forward any suspicious job offer emails to phishing@siue.edu
Never share your personal information, such as your Social Security Number (SSN), address, and Date of Birth (DoB), with anyone on the phone or through email.
Contact ITS if you believe your personal information has been compromised.

Here is some additional information on how to avoid scammers. Always remember that U.S. government entities will not call you to ask for any form of payment of any kind.

Get Involved!

Do you want to get involved in Student Government and advocate for your fellow students? Applications to join the Student Government Body can be found on the Get Involved page. The deadline to apply is February 20 at 4:30 p.m. All applicants are required to attend one mandatory meeting and are asked to attend debates if schedules allow. Email Kaia Ford at kfordaa@siue.edu if you have any questions.

Links & Resources

Quick Links

International Student Services