Winter 2021 | Week 7 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego |
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Deadlines, Reminders and Updates |
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2/23 Tuesday: iPortal System Maintenance
iPortal will be down on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 between 9 AM and 2 PM PST for system updates and maintenance. If you continue to experience technical issues outside of these hours, please contact iPortal@ucsd.edu.
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Address Update Requirements
Is Your Address Updated in TritonLink? Due to the University offering remote coursework during the COVID-19 pandemic, many international students may reside abroad while enrolled in remote coursework. Follow these instructions to update/report your addresses in TritonLink:
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If you are residing outside of the U.S. make sure to enter your residential international address in the Current Address field.
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Due to the zip/postal code field character limitations in the Current Address field, enter your postal code per the Registrar’s foreign address instructions.
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Once you have entered the U.S., update the Current Address field to your residential U.S. address.
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You are required to update your address in TritonLink within 10 days of any move. The Permanent Address field should remain your residential address in your home country.
- Review and update your Emergency Contact information in Tritonlink. An emergency contact is someone that should be contacted in the event of an emergency who can either help you or provide information that can help you.
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Traveling to the U.S.? Check Your Documents! |
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Students with Initial I-20 or DS-2019:
Students who hold an initial I-20 or DS-2019 (those who began their programs from abroad and have not used the Form I-20 or DS-2019 issued by UC San Diego to enter the U.S.) will have various requirements in order to seek entry into the U.S. Be aware of the following:
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Form I-20/DS-2019: Ensure the program start date listed on your Form I-20 is in the future. For students planning to enter for Spring 2021, 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 or DS-2019 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.
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Travel Dates: Generally, students 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 the earliest date you may seek entry into the U.S. The latest date to enter the U.S. is April 9, 2021. If unable to arrive by April 9, 2021, you may work with your college or 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.
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Travel Support Letter: ISPO in collaboration with the Registrar's Office at UC San Diego has issued a support letter for students arriving for the first time to use during travel and if applicable, visa appointments. This letter is available on the home page of iPortal (iPortal.ucsd.edu) under Notifications. Download the letter for New Students, print it, and have it readily available at the port of entry.
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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.
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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.
Students with Active I-20 or DS-2019:
Students who hold an active I-20 or DS-2019 (have already arrived to the U.S. using a Form I-20 or DS-2019 from UC San Diego issued by UC San Diego) and are now planning to return to the U.S. should be aware of the following:
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Form I-20/DS-2019: Ensure you are not entering after the program end date listed on your most recently issued Form I-20 or DS-2019 unless approved to engage in post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) and have a valid EAD Card. Ensure you hold a valid travel signature on the second page of your Form I-20 and valid F-1 or J-1 Visa.
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Travel Support Letter: ISPO in collaboration with the Registrar's Office at UC San Diego has issued a support letter for continuing students to use during travel and if applicable, visa appointments. This letter is available on the home page of iPortal (iPortal.ucsd.edu) under Notifications. Download the letter for Continuing Students, print it, and have it readily available at the port of entry.
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Course Enrollment: Students with an active I-20 or DS-2019 may continue to enroll in all remote coursework and seek entry into the U.S. at any time during their program of study.
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2/19 Hot Topics in Immigration with Wolfsdorf Rosenthal LLP Immigration Attorneys
12-1:30 PM PST
Sponsored by the International Faculty and Scholars Office (IFSO) and ISPO, join us on Friday, 2/19 at 12pm to 1:30pm in a discussion of current topics in the area of immigration, including the current status of travel bans, proposed changes to H-1B (cap, prevailing wages, specialty occupation), public charge, duration of status, STEM OPT program, and Biden’s immigration plan.
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2/23 OPT and Beyond: Navigating the U.S. Immigration System
12-1:30 PM PST
Sponsored by the International Faculty and Scholars Office (IFSO) and International Students and Programs Office (ISPO). Join student and scholar advisors and Claudia Martorell, an immigration attorney with Larrabee Albi Coker LLP for information related to OPT, STEM OPT, changing to H-1B.
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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
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iCafe- Your Passport to Culture: Vietnam
Friday, February 19 at 12 PM PST
Take a journey with us this Friday at lunch to the beautiful country of Vietnam! Hear from a native Vietnamese student and other share stories and facts about this beautiful Southeast Asian destination! Test your knowledge with travel trivia, and learn about Vietnamese sports and athletes in Rec's Global Playground! The UC San Diego Retirement Association will be the co-host. We can't wait to travel with you this Friday!
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Art & Soul: Macramé Plant Hanger DIY-- ISPO & The Zone
Tuesday, February 23 from 3-4 PM PST
Join us for Art & Soul with The Zone & ISPO!
We will DIY a macramé plant hanger while chatting about ways to connect during the virtual world and practice self-care!
Reserve your spot and supplies FOR FREE now. Then you will pick up your supplies at the Zone between February 16 - February 19 and join us via zoom on Tuesday, February 23 for a guided workshop.
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International Student Experience Survey
In an effort to better understand, advocate for, and improve the international student experience at UC San Diego, the International Student Advisory Council (ISAC) has created the International Student Experience Survey. We will use survey results to work with campus departments and organizations to address your concerns as well as provide recommendations to campus leadership. By completing the survey, you will also be eligible to win opportunity drawing prizes in the form of Bookstore merchandise or e-gift-cards! Deadline to fill out the survey is Sunday, March 14 at 11:59pm PST.
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Spring Break Connection Program - Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Deadline to Sign Up is March 5
For the Spring Break Connection Program, we will match interested students into teams of three to participate in a Virtual Scavenger Hunt over spring break. We have partnered with UCSD Recreation to offer this virtual scavenger hunt with rave reviews! Each member of the winning team of the scavenger hunt will be awarded with visa e-gift-cards as prizes! Last day to sign up is March 5!
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New Mental Health Resource: My SSP
We are excited to introduce a new program – My Student Support Program (My SSP)! My SSP provides UC San Diego students living internationally with immediate and/or ongoing confidential, 24-hour support for any school, well-being, or general life concern at no cost to students. As a student, you can receive live and real-time support in multiple languages via the My SSP app. If you are currently living out of the country, My SSP is a mental health resource for you.
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Let's Talk
Mondays from 3:30-4:30 PM PST
The UC San Diego Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is pleased to offer “Let’s Talk”, a program designed to provide drop-in consultation services to undergraduate and graduate international students. The one-on-one meetings with Dr. Rina Schul (CAPS/ISPO Liaison) are for international students who are seeking informal support with issues such as stress, adjustment, cross-cultural challenges, motivation, focus, and relationships. Let’s Talk sessions are designed to provide practical strategies, information, and support.
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Regional Meet-Ups
Why wait until coming to campus to connect with fellow Tritons? ISPO and the International Peer Coaches are facilitating virtual and in-person meet-ups in different regions around the world!
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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.
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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 at any time from receiving updates from our office. 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
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