Winter 2021 | International Students & Programs Office @ UC San Diego

2/23: iPortal System Maintenance

Please note that iPortal will be down on Tuesday, February 23 from 9 AM-1 PM PST for system updates. If you have any issues accessing iPortal after this time, please email iportal@ucsd.edu.

Dear Incoming Triton, Welcome to UC San Diego! The International Students & Programs Office (ISPO) is here to support you as you begin your journey as a new student at UC San Diego and are here to help you navigate the ins and outs of your program as an international student. Please review important information below about mandatory trainings, orientation and ways to get involved at UC San Diego.

Orientation Sessions, Trainings and Webinars

iTriton Online Training To help guide you through the adventure ahead, we have created an online training that will map out your journey as an international student here at UC San Diego. There are 20 modules which cover various topics. We have arranged these modules in the order you may encounter them during your program. However, you can explore the modules in any order you'd like!  Newly admitted international students are required to complete the iTriton Online Training during their first quarter at UC San Diego.   All new Spring 2021 students will have until April 9, 2021, to complete this REQUIRED training.*   Access iTriton Online Training now!   *Please note that the iTriton training, immigration regulations are only applicable once you enter the United States in F1/J1 status. If you are participating in fully remote learning and DO NOT enter the United States, these regulations will NOT apply to you.

Register for Orientation Sessions Please register for the following orientation sessions:*    Understand Your Immigration Documents & Prepare for Arrival  Thursday, March 11th, 2021 @ 7 PM PST  Register here Welcome and Know the Rules - Inside the U.S.  Thursday, April 1 @, 2021 @ 7 PM PST   Register here *Please note that the iTriton training, immigration regulations are only applicable once you enter the United States in F1/J1 status. If you are participating in fully remote learning and DO NOT enter the United States, these regulations will NOT apply to you.

Webinar Resources PRE-RECORDED WEBINARS  Meet ISPO & Understand Your Immigration Documents  Studying in the U.S. - Know the Rules   Studying outside the U.S. - Know the Rules   Working as an International Student – Undergraduate   Working as an International Student – Graduate   Student Financial Resources (Multiple Videos)

Spring Course Offerings, Immigration Documents and Travel Updates

Your Immigration Documents Check your travel dates and make sure it aligns with your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019! Spring 2021 Program Start Date: Locate your ‘Program Start Date’ listed on your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 and ensure that it states March 24, 2021. If your most recently issued Form I-20 does not have a March 24, 2021 program start date, it is no longer valid. You must request a new Initial I-20 from ISPO by logging into iPortal and submitting the NEW ADMIT: I-20 or DS-2019 Amendment/Reprint Request.

In-Person Component for Spring 2021 Spring enrollment for students has begun via WebReg. To seek entry into the U.S., international students cannot be enrolled in a full-course load that is 100% online. In other words, you will need to register for at least one hybrid or in-person course for the Spring 2021 Term to seek entry into the U.S. Students who are unable to find a course with an in-person or hybrid component are urged to contact their colleges or departments directly. Learn more about Spring 2021 Enrollment.

Preparing for Arrival - Travel Updates   Travel Plans: Generally, student may enter the U.S. 30 days prior to the start of the quarter. For Spring Quarter, plan to enter the U.S. no earlier than Monday, February 22, 2021. Learn more about your earliest date of arrival. All students with a I-20/DS-2019 which shows March 24, 2021 as your program start date must arrive by Friday, April 9, 2021. If unable to arrive by April 9, 2021, you may work with your department to get written permission to arrive at a later date and ISPO can issue a late arrival support letter to you. Students should anticipate delays at the port of entry if planning to enter after April 9, 2021 and admittance is not guaranteed. Contact ISPO at iNewStudent@ucsd.edu if you intend to seek entry after April 9, 2021, you may need to adjust the program start date on your I-20/DS-2019.  Travel Restrictions: Prior to planning your arrival, check for Travel Restrictions and Health Advisories. To reduce introduction and spread of new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an Order effective January 26, 2021 requiring all air passengers arriving to the U.S. from a foreign country to get tested for COVID-19 infection no more than 3 days before their flight departs and to provide proof of the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight.  Check-In Upon Arrival: Upon your initial arrival to the U.S. using a Form I-20 from UC San Diego, you are required to log into iPortal and submit the Check-In for I-20/DS-2019 Activation. This ensures you have a local U.S. Address in TritonLink, have a valid Form I-94 reflecting entry into the U.S. in F-1 or J-1 Status, and have an active Form I-20 or DS-2019. Failure to submit the Check-In can result in problems with your immigration status.

Return to Learn is UC San Diego's comprehensive strategic plan to bring back the entire Triton community in a safe and responsible way. For important information on campus operations in Spring 2021 and for resources on succeeding in a virtual environment, click HERE.

Connect with Fellow Tritons | iPrograms and iEvents

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

Student Success in a Virtual Environment   This course is for international students at UC San Diego to support their academic success and facilitate access to campus resources. In collaboration with various campus resources, ISPO has created a course to serve student needs and answer questions. Throughout the course, you will learn about technology and system support, intercultural communication with faculty and peers, navigating remote, hybrid and in-person courses and time management to help you be successful at the university. Students can review short modules and videos at their own pace or reference multiple times throughout the year! Learn More Here!

Meet Other Students- Stay Tuned   In April, we will be hosting a series of meet-ups and events to provide an opportunity to meet your fellow Tritons, specifically other international students who will be starting in Spring 2021. These meet-ups will be posted to ievents.ucsd.edu so stay tuned!

WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER? As a campus partner, your collaboration is important to us in supporting our international student community. The information sent in this Newsletter is available on ISPO's website, iStudents.ucsd.edu. You have the right to unsubscribe from receiving updates from our office at anytime. You can do this by emailing inewstudents@ucsd.edu.