ISSS News: Support Future International Terps on Giving Day

isss.umd.edu

March 5, 2024

ISSSNews is a weekly e-newsletter sponsored by International Student & Scholar Services with the purpose of communicating news and updates on immigration regulations, opportunities and events of interest to the international UMD community.

ISSS Announcements

Giving Day 2024 & International Student Support Fund

Tomorrow's the day, March 6th, 2024! Every year in early March, the University of Maryland community comes together for a 24-hour fundraising event. This year, help ISSS launch a new International Student Support Fund, created to provide students facing global crisis access to vital resources. Learn more at our #GivingDayUMD page here. Please share our fund with friends and family and encourage donations tomorrow!

ISAB Accepting Applications for 2024-2025

Apply by March 15th

International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) applications are open and due by March 15th, 2024. The ISAB at UMD is a group of international student representatives selected to provide insights on pressing student issues to the International Student& Services (ISSS) office and other campus units. Members are expected to foster and maintain strong relationships with international student organizations and the UMD international student population to understand their experiences and challenges. In turn, members can collect and share information as necessary. Grounded in improving international student support on campus, this board seeks to empower students to develop creative solutions to the identified challenges.

USCIS to Increase Government Filing Fees

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that they will increase the government filing fees of government forms and petitions that may be relevant for your future applications. The new fee will be required for petitions/applications postmarked on or after the effective date. In regards to OPT applications, the effective date of increase is April 1st, 2024. Students planning on applying before the fee increase takes place should have their I-20 OPT Request to ISSS no later than March 15, 2024. Find a helpful chart on fee increases and effective dates here.

All international students and scholars have a federal tax filing requirement

even if you do not have U.S. source income.

Everyone (including F1/J1 students) must file US taxes. The deadline for filing tax returns for 2023 is April 15, 2024.

If you receive income from a job or scholarship in the U.S., taxes will likely be taken out of the check. Some of these deductions could be refunded.
Even if you have not worked or received any source of income (including scholarships) while at American University, you still must file a tax return with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Need help filing your taxes ?

TerpTax provides free tax preparation services to the UMD community.
Glacier Tax Prep(GTP) offers LIVE weekly General Nonresident Tax Sessions and Q&A with a tax professional through June.

Visit our U.S. Taxes webpage for more information.

ISSS EVENTS

International Student Career Series

Off-Campus Internships for F-1 Students: CPT

Thur, Mar 7th, 12-1:00pm Virtual

This session, led by an International Student Advisor, will assist International Students on how to apply for work authorization, known as CPT, which allows F-1 students wishing to participate in an off-campus training program that is an integral part of an established curriculum. CPT authorization must be obtained BEFORE you begin working.

The international student career series is a group of workshops/programs facilitated and curated by professional staff that focus on specific career needs of international students. Mark your calendars! More info on each session can be found here.

International Coffee Hour

Thursday, March 7th 2:30 - 3:30pm

McKeldin Library Steps

International Coffee Hour is a great way to connect with other students/scholars (both domestic and international) and meet UMD staff and faculty while enjoying coffee, tea, and snacks! International Coffee Hour takes place Thursdays from 2:30pm - 3:30pm at various locations around our beautiful campus.

Around Campus

Summer Global Classrooms Courses Open for Registration

Enroll in one of our Summer 2024 Global Classrooms courses to stay globally engaged from wherever you are this summer! The need-based International Education Scholarship is available to fund your courses.

International Students In Your Course: Supporting Academic Belonging

Maryland Global & the Teaching & Learning Transformation Center are hosting a workshop! This event will cover strategies for fostering a sense of belonging, effectively communicating academic culture, and supporting a diverse classroom environment. Learn more and register here.

Summer Session at the University of Maryland

Summer at the University of Maryland is just around the corner!

Did you know that the University of Maryland offers over 1,000 courses in Summer Session, many of which are online? Summer Session is a great opportunity to complete a major or General Education requirement.

International students are eligible to enroll in online courses during the Summer Session (May 28 - August 16, 2024), and registration is open now! Choose from flexible 3 or 6-week sessions. For more information, see the Summer 2024 Schedule of Classes.

Have questions? Contact summer@umd.edu.

Key Resources for Ramadan

The MICA office and the multifaith Memorial Chapel affirm their commitments to accommodating religious observations as part of a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Ramadan is the holy month where observing Muslims abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset for the lunar month (usually 29 or 30 days). Click here to find on-campus resources including Iftars in STAMP.

The UMD Campus Pantry is open to help students, faculty, and staff experiencing food insecurity. You must swipe your University ID before entering and check out before leaving. It is recommended that you bring your own reusable bag. Learn more about hours and services here.

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