Fall 2020 | Week 7 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego
Prioritizing Your Health & Safety:
Information about Fall/Winter Break, Traveling, and Campus Housing
Fall 2020 Course Modality Changes Effective Monday 11/23
Based on new guidance from the State of California and the San Diego County Public Health Department, all courses that have an in-person element must now transition to remote or outdoor teaching no later than Monday, November 23rd.

  • Students Outside of the U.S.: Students who are physically located outside of the U.S. may continue their remote instruction during the fall term. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has not yet released any guidance for the winter term regarding eligibility for students with initial/new I-20 or DS-2019s to request entry to the U.S. for winter term. ISPO will update you once SEVP releases guidance for winter term. Please reference the FAQ for the Winter 2021 schedule of classes for more information.

  • International Students Inside of the U.S.: Students who are physically located inside of the U.S. may continue to remain in the U.S. and maintain their F-1 or J-1 status as per the latest guidance from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) released on August 7, 2020. Ensure that you follow-up directly with your instructors and departments for updates and expectations moving forward if your course modality will change due to the public health guidance. 
Travel Advice for Fall Break and Winter Break
Because of the continued concerns regarding the global pandemic, ISPO continues to discourage students from international and domestic travel if possible. In addition to the risk of exposure, travel bans and travel restrictions are expanding with little notice. You can find the latest travel updates and other immigration news here. 
 
If you are considering travel, be sure to review the latest CDC Travel Notices, which currently recommend avoiding nonessential travel to certain regions of the world. Keep in mind that the situation is fluid and other countries can add or change travel restrictions, flights may be canceled, embassies and consulates may restrict visa services and new re-entry restrictions or quarantines could be imposed. Please be sure to provide family and friends with your itinerary and contact information before you travel. 
Did you know you can get a COVID-19 and/or antibody test at UC San Diego?
Many airlines and countries such as China require that passengers present a negative COVID-19 test and an antibody test before boarding a flight. Student Health Services (SHS) is offering antibody (IgG and IgM) tests to students. Call SHS at 858-534-3300 and request a COVID-19 antibody test. SHS can also write a letter confirming your test results for you to print off and present to airport and immigration officials. All test results and documents will be uploaded to your MyStudentChart account. Please note there is a $57 charge for antibody testing.
 
You should receive your antibody test results within 24-48 hours, but it might be longer due to high demand. ISPO recommends you plan accordingly to give yourself enough time to receive the results before your departure date.
 
If you require a COVID-19 Nucleic Acid PCR test that shows you are negative, you can get a free test in the Price Center and at any of the UC San Diego Health drive-up test sites. SHS can also administer this test but if it is only for travel purposes there will be a $65 charge. For more information, visit returntolearn.ucsd.edu.
If traveling out-of-state or internationally, are you required to quarantine upon return to campus?
At this time, students returning to campus are not required to quarantine, however, they will be required to sequester and conduct additional testing. In light of the significant increase in viral activity and in response to the state’s new guidance, UC San Diego has updated campus requirements and recommendations. 

  • Masking requirement reinstituted for campus residents and visitors. Effective immediately, students living in campus-operated housing are required to maintain distance and wear masks at all times within their apartments and suites, except in their own bedrooms and the shower. Anyone visiting campus for class, research, work or to purchase essential goods (grocery or pharmacy) is required to maintain proper physical distance and wear a mask at all times.

  • Sequestration following unmasked off-campus activity. Any student who resides in campus-operated housing and who engages in any off-campus unmasked activity (sharing a meal, recreational activities, gatherings, etc.) is required to sequester for 14 days within their residential unit upon returning to campus. Sequestration requires the individual not only to be masked and distanced within the residential unit (with the exception of their personal bedroom and the shower) and to complete the daily screener, but also undergo additional COVID-19 testing on days 1, 5 and 10 after returning to campus.
Will on-campus housing remain open during breaks?
On-campus housing will remain open during winter break at no additional cost for students who cannot return home. If you're interested in applying for on-campus housing for Winter Break, apply though Housing, Dining and Hospitality's Undergraduate Waitlist Portal before November 30 to receive preference. Please be aware that availability is limited so housing is not guaranteed.

Café Ventanas and Seventh Market will remain open during winter break but with different hours and resume normal operating hours on January 3, 2021.
Café Ventanas

  • Thursday, Nov 26: 12 - 6 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov 27: 12 - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov 28: 12 - 8 p.m.
Market @ Seventh College

  • Thursday, Nov 26: 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov 27: 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov 28: 9 a.m. - 5:30p.m.
Weekly Deadlines, Reminders & Updates
Is Winter Quarter Your Last Quarter?

If so, it’s time to start thinking about your plans after graduation. Take the following steps to make sure you’re on track to graduate!  
Office Closures for Fall Break:
(Thursday 11/26 and Friday 11/27)

Please note that ISPO’s virtual office will be closed on Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 in observance of the Fall Break. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, November 30. Please visit iContact.ucsd.edu for business and closure hours emergency phone lines.  
Are You Satisfied with ISPO's iPortal? Could it Be Improved? We Want to Hear from You!

Please take this brief survey and share with us your experience as an iPortal user! Our office is regularly updating iPortal to make is as user-friendly and accessible as possible. Take the Survey Now!
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
Fall Break Connection Program
Sign Up by Friday, November 20 to be Matched!

Instead of our traditional Thanksgiving Exchange Program, this year we will be matching students who would like to connect with other students over the fall break - because a global pandemic should not be reason enough to prevent us from connecting and celebrating gratitude. We will match each student with two other students to connect virtually over the fall break. 
Triton Tools and Tidbits Podcast
Season 3 Episode 6: Your Network is Your Net Worth - Out Now!

Get tips on how to grow your network through informational interviews. Fellow Tritons, including international students, share their experience.
Triton Trekkers:
Sunday, November 22 from 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Join the Triton Trekkers (a collaboration between ISPO & Outback Adventures) as we explore this 4-mile group hike that will take us around to the far corners of campus to visit the art of the Stuart Collection. Join us to explore some hidden gems on campus! This is a free event!
International Education Week Forum: Various Impacts of Energy Transition in Latin America
Friday, November 20 at 4PM PST

Join experts Professor David Mares and Professor Jeremy Martin as they share their research regarding the various impacts of energy transition in Latin America. This event is co-sponsored by the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) at the School of Global Policy (GPS) in collaboration with the International Students & Programs Office (ISPO). This event is also eligible for #GETCCR credit.

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 Zoom Walk-in Advising 
ISPO has expanded virtual advising hours to accommodate different time zones for the fall quarter. See the exact advising times/hours on our website.
Online Contact Form
Send ISPO an email through our Online Contact Form. These inquiries are directed to specific advisors depending on nature of the request.
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