Fall 2020 | Week 3 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego
Deadlines, Reminders & Updates
Full-Time Enrollment for International Students
Needing to Drop a Class This Quarter?
Remember that International students are required to enroll in at least 12 units every Fall, Winter and Spring Quarter at UC San Diego, unless they are authorized by ISPO for a Reduced Course Load. Make sure that you are enrolled in 12 units this term. International students must qualify for a Reduced Course Load prior to dropping below 12 units in order to maintain their immigration status. 
How Are You Managing Your Time?
Taking classes virtually, especially if you are living at home, can be very challenging. It may require you to adopt better time management techniques or have difficult conversations with your loved ones. This week’s section of Student Success in Virtual Environment will give you tips and tricks to create a balance between your school and home lives. Sound interesting?
Check it out on UC San Diego Online!
Accessing TritonLink - Holds & Address Reporting
Is Your Address Updated in TritonLink?
Did you know that updating your current address is a requirement to maintain your F-1 or J-1 status? Check your current and permanent/ international addresses by logging into TritonLink and reviewing your address information. Regulations require international students to report any change of address within 10 days of moving to a new residence. Learn more about address reporting requirements for international students...
Do you have a Hold your TritonLink Account?
A hold on your student account can delay your financial aid disbursement, payments, transcript request, or other University services. Holds that are not resolved can have serious impacts on your ability to continue your program at UC San Diego. Check for holds on your account. Learn about the different types of student account holds and how to resolve them.
Immigration Updates
2022 Diversity Green Card Visa Lottery
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (also known as the Green Card or DV Lottery) provides immigrant visas each fiscal year for persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Essentially, this program provides certain nationalities with the opportunity to win the chance to apply for a green card, without having to qualify in one of the family-based or employment-based categories. For fiscal year 2022, 55,000 diversity visas will be available. It begins at Noon EDT on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 and ends at Noon EST on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. For detailed eligibility requirements, instructions for the application, and FAQs please click on the following link - 2022 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
10/07/20 U.S. DOL and DHS Publish New Interim Final Rules on the H-1B Classification
On October 7, 2020, the U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) issued interim final rules (DOL, DHS) regarding the H-1B classification, and on Oct. 8th DOL made public the new prevailing wage rates in it OES database, which are considerably higher than previous wage rates. The DOL rulemaking focused on prevailing wage rates, and the DHS rulemaking focused on tightening regulatory definitions and procedures. While these are interim final rules with a 30-day public comment period, the DOL rule is effective immediately, and the DHS rule effective 12/7/2020. Learn more here....
Know Your RIGHTS!
The safety and security of our students is a top priority. It is important that you know your rights as a student and how you can be proactive in having a safe and enjoyable program of student at UC San Diego. Learn tips for interacting with U.S. law enforcement and government agencies and understanding your rights..
Career Planning & Employment for International Students
Alumni 101: International Students – Securing an Internship at Home or Abroad 
Date & Time: Thursday, October 29 from 7pm to 8pm PST
Location: Register via Zoom
Join us for a career exploration conversation with UC San Diego alumni and advisors. Gain real-world guidance as well as resources, tips and tools to find the perfect internship and gain valuable work experience in your home country. Alumni Panelists include Nick Li ’14, IT Recruiter at Randstad and Jason Jiang ’18, Business Strategy Planning and Customer Experience (CX) at Cisco 
F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Webinar 
Date & Time: Thursday, November 5th from 12pm to 1pm PST
CPT is a type of work authorization for F-1 students while they are in the academic program of study at UC San Diego and will participate in a paid position off-campus. Learn about eligibility and requirements. 
Fall 2020 OPT Group Advising
Are you in your final quarter or final year of your program at UC San Diego? Graduation is just around the corner so it's important to plan ahead and understand what options are available to you after you complete your program of study. F-1 International students may be eligible to apply for work AFTER graduation through Optional Practical Training (OPT). To learn more, join ISPO's Fall 2020 OPT Group Advising Sessions happening now!

Join our online OPT Group Advising sessions to ask general questions about the 3 stages of F-1 OPT Work Authorization:
  • OPT Stage 1: Requesting OPT I-20 from ISPO
  • OPT Stage 2: Compiling and Mailing OPT Application to USCIS
  • OPT Stage 3: Maintaining F-1 Status while on OPT 

Come to these sessions after reviewing our opt.ucsd.edu website or after viewing our OPT Stage 1, 2, and 3 videos first. You don’t have to wait in line to ask your questions! An ISPO advisor will be answering your questions live!
Stay Connected 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
ISPO Community Building Circle: Election
Tuesday, October 27 at 7pm

This ISPO Community Building Circle will focus on the fact that it's an Election Year. What does it mean to be an international student studying at a U.S. university during an election year? What does that experience look like for you? Many international students wonder what their rights are when it comes to political representation, voicing opinions, advocacy, etc.in the United States. Join us for a conversation where we will explore these questions and more on Thursday, October 27th.
 iThrive: Exploring
Culture & Identity
Wednesday, October 28 at 7pm

iThrive is a series that provides students with an opportunity to explore identity and culture through group discussions, activities and presentations. This series will also highlight resources on campus that support cross-cultural exchange and communication. Through cultural and identity exploration, we can THRIVE. On Wednesday, October 28th we will be exploring how to build social confidence with Dr. Tiffany O'Meara from Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS).
 Alumni 101: International Students – Securing an Internship at
Home or Abroad
Thursday, October 29 at 7pm

Want to build your network with alumni who work all over the world? Join us for a career exploration conversation with UC San Diego alumni and advisors. Gain real-world guidance as well as resources, tips and tools to find the perfect internship and gain valuable work experience in your home country. Alumni Panelists include Nick Li ’14, IT Recruiter at Randstad, Pavi Maris '16, Materials Engineer at Intel, and Jason Jiang ’18, Business Strategy Planning and Customer Experience (CX) at Cisco
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.
Virtual Walk-in Advising
ISPO has expanded virtual advising hours to accommodate different time zones for the fall quarter.

MON: 9 AM - 4 PM PST
TUES: 1 PM - 6 PM PST
WED: 9 AM - 6 PM PST
THU: 9 AM - 6 PM PST
FRI: 9 AM - 4 PM PST

Appointments In Person
ISPO will be available for physically distanced in-person appointments this fall. Students can schedule an appointment to meet with an advisor on campus at Student Center B to discuss a case or even schedule to pick up a document. Appointments will be offered each Thursday between 9 am – 1:00 pm PST (days/times are subject to change).
Contact Form
Send ISPO an email through our Online Contact Form. These inquiries are directed to specific advisors depending on nature of the request. This is not meant for urgent/emergency requests.

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 Fall term so don't miss out!  Available for iPhone and Android. Visit mobile.ucsd.edu for more information on how to download the app.
International Students & Programs Office | iStudents.ucsd.edu
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 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