isss.umd.edu

Feb 13, 2024

ISSSNews is a weekly e-newsletter sponsored by International Student & Scholar Services with the purpose of communicating news and updates on immigration regulations, opportunities and events of interest to the international UMD community.

ISSS Announcements

English Conversation Partners Spring 2024

ECP is starting up for the spring semester! We will be holding orientations from February 6 to February 13 and start the 10 week program the week of February 26th. ECP is a wonderful opportunity to improve your English skills in an informal manner and a great way to build community. The program is open to students, scholars, faculty, staff, spouses, and anyone else in the UMD community. Click here to learn more, and reach out to ecp@umd.edu with any questions.

Register for an orientation here.

USCIS Announces Inflation Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees

Considering filing for premium processing for an OPT application? U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a final rule that will increase the filing fee for Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, to adjust for inflation. The fee change will go into effect on Feb. 26, 2024. If USCIS receives a Form I-907 postmarked on or after Feb. 26, 2024 with the incorrect filing fee, USCIS will reject the Form I-907 and return the filing fee. The new filing fee to request premium processing for Form I-765 will be $1,685. To learn more about Premium Processing for OPT/STEM, visit our webpage here.

ISSS EVENTS

International Coffee Hour

Thur, Feb 15th 2:30 - 3:30pm

H.J. Patterson Global Crossroads Lobby

Register

International Coffee Hour is a great way to connect with other students/scholars (both domestic and international) and meet UMD staff and faculty while enjoying coffee, tea, and snacks! International Coffee Hour takes place Thursdays from 2:30pm - 3:30pm at various locations around our beautiful campus.

The next coffee hour this term will be Thursday, February 15th at the Global Crossroads in HJ Patterson Hall. We will be joined by both the Department of Transportation Services and the Office of Sustainability. Register here. 

International Student Career Series

Fri, Feb 16th 3pm

Register

The international student career series is a group of workshops/programs facilitated and curated by professional staff that focus on specific career needs of international students. Mark your calendars! More info on each session found here. 

Our third installment of the series, Networking for International Graduate Students, is Friday, February 16th. You can register for this event here. 

Maryland Global Student Panel

Wed, Feb 14th 2 - 3pm

Register

Join us for a panel that brings together International Students from across campus so we can elevate their stories to help us create a more inclusive and global campus environment. ISSS will share key information regarding our international student community, followed by a student panel inviting you to interact with international students to learn about their pathways through education, community building, and intercultural engagement at the University of Maryland.  

Around Campus

UMD Campus Pantry

The UMD Campus Pantry is open to help students, faculty, and staff experiencing food insecurity. You must swipe your University ID before entering and check out before leaving. It is recommended that you bring your own reusable bag. Learn more about hours and services here. 

Registration Open for Talk2Me Spanish Program

More Information

Interested in practicing Spanish with a native Spanish speaker? Register for the Spring 2024 Talk2Me program, hosted by our international partners at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile), to get paired up with a Chilean student for weekly conversations.

• Program dates: April 2- May 28. 
• Register by March 3. 

Applications open for U21 Global Citizens Program

More Information

A three-week experiential online course designed to help you develop the leadership skills needed to advance your understanding of the most pressing global challenges of our time. Earn a Global Citizens micro-credential upon successful completion.

• Program runs March 10-29.
• Applications open Jan. 29 - Feb. 18. 

Language House Language Chats

Everyone is welcome to come and practice, improve, or maintain language skills in a casual setting with drinks and snacks. Every Monday, from 4:00 to 5:30 PM, we open the doors of St. Mary's Hall, home to the Language House Living-Learning program, to invite members of our campus community who wish to share or practice any language they are learning or have learned.

Regularly available language tables include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. This spring, we are also introducing ASL!

The Language Chats take place in the Multipurpose room and Lounge on the ground floor of St. Mary's Hall.