Spring Break 2020 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego
Reminders and Upcoming Deadlines
Congratulations to the International Student's Graduating Class of 2020!
To our 2020 International Student Grads: It's time to celebrate! We are so proud of each and every one of you as you take your next step into the world as a UC San Diego Grad! Stay in touch with ISPO and the International Community here at UC San Diego through Instagram and Facebook !
Planning Ahead in Times of Uncertainty
With so many questions remaining unanswered as you begin to plan for the fall quarter, many of you may ask, "...how am I supposed to make plans with so much uncertainty? What's the point?". When the future is unknown, planning ahead can seem counterproductive, but it isn’t! When planning -

  • Plan for ONE quarter at a time: If you know that fall quarter will be another quarter of remote instruction, focus on making sure you have remote learning strategies to succeed academically. If you are outside the U.S. or are unable to return in person for the fall, coordinate with your department and college advisors or graduate coordinators, about how you can continue to receive support while outside the U.S. and methods of communication.

  • Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C: It's important to take a look at various outcomes depending on which actions you take. Be realistic and accept that change is upon us. Create contingency plans for any possible outcome! Visit ISPO's COVID-19 FAQ Page to stay up to date with new changes and impacts to your student status.

  • Plan with ISPO: Whether you are here in the U.S. or in bed having a cup of tea on the other side of the world, ISPO continues to support you and is ready to help you plan ahead. We also offer support services for students through our iTable Program who remain in the U.S. experiencing financial hardships due to impacts of COVID-19.

The bottom line is, you are NOT alone. ISPO Advisors are here and ready to help!
ISPO Office Hours: Virtual Advising

While ISPO's Office (Student Center B) is closed to the public for in-person service through Summer 2020, we continue to provide all advising services through virtual Zoom advising!
isit iContact.ucsd.edu for various ways to contact an ISPO Advisor!
Maintaining Your F-1/J-1 Status: What Are Your Summer 2020 Plans?

It's finally summer! Studying full-time (12 units) for three academic quarters is required before taking a vacation quarter. At UC San Diego, the summer term is typically considered the vacation term. Vacation terms do not require full-time enrollment. What are your summer plans?


  • Enrollment: Students can choose not to enroll in any units in the summer and still remain in the U.S. and maintain their student status. Students can also take courses during the summer but do not need to enroll in any minimum units.

  • Working: International students that have not yet graduated are eligible to work more than 20 hours during vacations and breaks. Students who are maintaining their F-1 record may choose to work on-campus or off-campus after obtaining prior work authorization (CPT or Academic Training).
Stay Connected from Home | iPrograms and iEvents
Stay connected with ISPO this summer by taking a look at our events calendar at iEvents.ucsd.edu
Wednesday, June 17 from 1-2 PM PST (Weekly)
Friday, July 17th at 8 AM PST
ISPO Community Building Circles.
Wednesday, July 1 at 7pm PST. The ISPO Community Building circles are a shared space for international students to have supportive conversations about various topics that are relevant to the international student experience at UC San Diego. Co-facilitated by ISPO staff, these circles will allow your voice and experience to be heard, while at the same time provide you with the opportunity to share resources and make actionable steps forward to support your success at and beyond UC San Diego. 
ICafe: Your Summer Adventure.
Starting Friday, July 10th at 12pm PST (Weekly). International Friday Café and Study Abroad have teamed up and gone virtual for Summer 2020! Join us online Fridays from 12-1pm and learn about the week's featured country or region. An international Triton will be there to answer questions and tell you about their home. You will also have the opportunity to e-meet and greet others for a fun hour of conversation and community building. We hope to see you there!
Intercultural Social Hour. Wednesday, July 8th at 6pm PST. Join us for cross-cultural conversations and games - online! At Intercultural Social Hour you can share your international interests and experiences while making friends in a relaxing and fun environment. Join from wherever you are and let's play across time-zones!
English In Action. Join the English-in-Action (EIA) conversation program to help you improve your conversational English language skills and exchange cultures with your conversation partner. After you fill out an application, you will be matched with a native English speaker to meet with for 1.5 to 2 hours per week at a day/time that is convenient for both of you. Volunteers are UCSD students, staff and community members. Currently, the meetings are remote over your desired app until the campus re-opens again. Apply HERE NOW !
Questions? Email Shelly at  eia@ucsd.edu
iTable. The iTable program has been expanded to include additional emergency and special relief funding for students experiencing hardships due to COVID-19 which include but is not limited to Food Insecurity, Housing Insecurity, Technical and Academic Support Needs, Tuition & Other Financial hardships, Support Forums & Mental Health Resources. ISPO is here to listen and offer our help! If you are seeking assistance, please fill out the  iTable Referral Form  for support.
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