Winter 2021 | Week 6 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego

Deadlines, Reminders and Updates

2/15 ISPO Office Closure: President's Day Holiday ISPO will be closed on Monday, February 15 in observance of the President's Day Holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. Please visit iContact.ucsd.edu for business and closure hours and emergency contact information.

Download the Official UC San Diego Mobile App to Receive iPortal Status Updates! 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 term so don't miss out!  Available for iPhone and Android. Visit mobile.ucsd.edu for more information on how to download the app.

2/13 Enrollment for Spring 2021 Begins for Continuing Students International students are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 units every academic term. There may be exceptions for students who are eligible for a Reduced Course Load (RCL). Graduate Students: Starting Saturday, February 13th, graduate students may begin enrolling in classes via WebReg. Clear any holds that may prevent you from registering for classes now! Requests that require pre-authorization can be submitted via EASy Take the above steps now while university staff are available to assist you; administrative offices will be closed on Monday 2/15 due to the President's Day Holiday.    Undergraduate Students: Undergraduate students can view their first pass and second pass enrollment appointment times available on WebReg. Clear any holds that may prevent you from registering for classes now! Submit necessary EASy requests so you can enroll in classes on time! Requests can be submitted prior to your first pass appointment time. Take the above steps now while university staff are available to assist you; administrative offices will be closed on Monday 2/15 due to the President's Day Holiday.

2/16 Tuesday: Tax Webinar: Form 8843 - Register Now!   This upcoming workshop is for all F students and J Exchange Visitors who were present inside the U.S. for at least one day during 2020 in F or J status, are Nonresident Aliens for federal tax purposes, AND have no U.S. source income. To understand your U.S. tax reporting responsibilities as an international student, view and register upcoming tax workshops here. Check out ISPO’s Tax Guidance for International Students for additional tax information.

2/19 Immigration Webinar Hot Topics in Immigration with Wolfsdorf Rosenthal LLP Immigration Attorneys   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.  Sign Up HERE

Judge Rules STEM OPT Program Lawful On January 28, 2021, a U.S. district court judge issued a summary judgment order finding that the STEM OPT (Optional Practical Training for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students) program is a valid exercise of authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This means that both the 12-month OPT and STEM OPT extension programs are lawful.  Read the opinion here.

Change of Academic Degree Level

If you have been accepted into a higher degree level at UC San Diego, you will need to update your I-20/DS-2019 to maintain your visa status. You must apply for a Change of Program Level I-20/DS-2019 prior to the start of your new academic program and no later than 10 days before the end of your grace period. Learn more about changing your degree level at UC San Diego.

International Travel for International Students to Mexico or Canada For travel information and travel restrictions in place during COVID-19, visit iTravel.ucsd.edu. International students attempting to reenter at the U.S. Mexico or Canada land borders should print out the U.S. Department of State guidance that is referenced above as well as any proof that they are a continuing student at UC San Diego. Land borders are tightening up entry into the U.S. and you may need to be prepared to explain that entry to the U.S. to attend an educational institution is deemed essential per the U.S. Department of State. Entry to the U.S. is at the discretion of the Customs & Border Protection Officer.  Guidance for U.S. - Mexico Border Guidance for U.S. - Canada Border Guidance for travel to other countries

Mental Health and Wellness Support for Students Outside of California

My Student Support Program (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.  Watch the video for more information!

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

Volunteers Needed at the RIMAC Vaccination Station! UC San Diego Health is looking for student volunteers to help with registration, running supplies and observing individuals who receive the vaccine. No medical experience required! Shifts are 4.5 hours each and are accepting volunteers on a rolling basis. If you're interested in volunteering, watch this video. More Information and Sign-Up Information Here

iCafe- Your Passport to Culture: Italy Friday, February 12 at 12 PM PST Join us on your lunch break as we journey to the land of pizza, pasta and polenta perfection, Italy! Hear from native Italian students about their homeland, test your knowledge with travel trivia, and learn about Italian sports and athletes in Rec's Global Playground! Geisel Library will be the co-host and will share information how how to virtually celebrate our iconic landmark's 50th anniversary! Grab a cup of your favorite ESpresso (never expresso) and take a trip with us this Friday! Register at iCafe.ucsd.edu

iTable Food Security Q&A for International Students Tuesday, February 16 from 4-5 PM PST Join our Zoom Q&A to learn about food security resources for international students. iTable specifically serves the unique needs of our international student population by providing them with immediate food security resources that are otherwise not available via other means (for example, CalFresh). Our goal is to minimize food insecurity amongst UC San Diego international students in order to support them in pursuing their academic, personal, and professional goals. Learn more at itable.ucsd.edu. Register below for a chance to win one of five Target gift cards! Register Here!

Intercultural Social Hour Tuesday, February 16 at 8 PM PST Sometimes you just need a break. At Intercultural Social Hour, you can hang out, relax, and play games while meeting new people in a fun environment. Now that we have taken Intercultural Social Hour online, join from wherever you are and let's play across time-zones! Intercultural Social Hour is hosted by our International Peer Coaches. Sign Up Here!

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. Sign up Here! Questions? Email zrubio@ucsd.edu

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! Head to the iEvents calendar for regions, dates and times!

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 Advising  ISPO has expanded virtual advising hours to accommodate different time zones. 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.

International Students & Programs Office | iStudents.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