November 2023 Newsletter

International Students & Scholar Services

Academic Scheduling has published the Fall 2023 semester final exam schedule. The document attached below can be used to determine the time and location of your final exam. You can contact your instructors to make sure this information is accurate. Visit the Registrar's Office for more details.

• Fall 2023 Final Exam Schedule (pdf)

If you plan to travel outside the US over a break, make sure to get your travel signature. Travel signature requests should be submitted at least 2 weeks in advance. For more information, and to find the request form, please visit our "Traveling Outside the U.S." page.

The ISSS office will be closed the following days in November and December. Please keep these dates in mind when emailing or calling the office; you may not receive a response during this time.

• November 23-24
• December 23-January 1

Evergreen Hall and Cougar Village Apartments are open during break periods (Fall, Winter, and Spring). There is not an additional cost, because the community is still open and costs are already in the housing contract. 

Bluff, Prairie, and Woodland Halls are closed for break periods. Residents who need to request housing over the break periods can complete a request form in MyHousing. Once logged in to MyHousing, please click Housing Forms and then the link under Break Housing Requests. 

• Fall Break: closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, and reopens at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26
• Winter Break: closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, and reopens at 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7
• Spring Break: closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 1 and reopens at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 10

The daily cost for break periods are: 

• $20/night for a shared bedroom space
• $38/night for a deluxe private bedroom or deluxe suite bedroom space

Students who are approved to stay for an entire break period will be charged $100 for fall break, $300 for winter break, and $100 for spring break. Students are required to submit a break housing request form online for review and approval. Break housing requests are not guaranteed. 



In most cases, residents who are requesting break housing will have to relocate from their permanent assignment and be consolidated to Cougar Village for safety, access to a kitchen and more. Please note dining options are very limited during break periods and University closures.

Please note that dining options are limited during break periods and University closures. The Dining Services will be closed or have limited hours for Thanksgiving and Christmas break, so make sure to plan accordingly if you wish to stay on campus during breaks. Don't hesitate to contact the dining services directly at (siuedining@siue.edu) if you have any questions. See below for Fall break hours.

Friday, Nov. 17

Entrees: 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Grab n Go/Bakery: 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Garden Patch: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Sammiches: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Kamayan: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Boss Burgers: 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Chick Fil A: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Starbucks: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Union Station: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Auntie Annes: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Paavos: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Cocina: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

All other Dining Service areas are closed

November 18-19

All Dining Service areas closed

Monday, Nov. 20-Wednesday Nov. 22

Starbucks: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Paavos: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Union Station: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

All other Dining Service areas are closed

November 23-25

All Dining Service Areas: Closed

Sunday, Nov. 26

Entrees: 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Grab n Go/Bakery: 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Garden Patch: 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Paavos: 3 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Starbucks: 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Union Station: 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

All other Dining Service areas are closed

The ISSS office has received a growing number of students being contacted to fill out an AR-11 form. These are phone call scams and you should not give out any personal information!

What are scams?

Scams are when strangers target unsuspecting individuals and lie to them in order to illegally receive money or personal information. Scammers contact people in many ways, but a common technique is to call on the telephone and demand money under false claims.

Examples include:

• Caller claims to represent a U.S. government entity including ICE, FBI, IRS, etc.
• Caller has access to confidential information (your name, where you go to school).
• Caller demands personal information (passport numbers, bank or credit card information).
• Caller claims you broke an immigration law and threatens deportation or arrest.
• Caller demands immediate payment.

U.S. government entities will not call you to ask for any form of payment of any kind; therefore, you should not make any payment over the phone to anyone who claims to be a U.S. government official. Do not give out any personal information, such as passport numbers or bank information.

Always be vigilant:

• Unsolicited job offers via email are always scams.
• Be skeptical of embedded links in email and voicemail.
• Be wary of unsolicited email invitations to click on a file share or OneDrive link even if at first glance it appears to be from a familiar source. Take a moment to note the email address. Consider if it is an unusual request even from your boss, or hover over the embedded link to see if it looks strange.
• If a task or request involves money, buying gift cards or gift card codes, it is a scam.
• You can find tips to avoid scams at the USCIS's Common Scams website.

If a scammer calls, you should hang up, and you may report the scam in the following ways:

1. Email your ISSS advisor in the Office of International Affairs.
2. If you gave out personal information or made a payment before realizing the call was a scam, call the police and file a report.
3. ICE scams can be reported to an anonymous ICE tip line: 1-800-347-2423

If you receive an email scam let ITS Help Desk know about it before or even after you delete it. Call ITS Help Desk 618.650.5500, help@siue.edu

Spring 2024 registration is now open to all students. Students will have access to register via CougarNet after they have met with an academic advisor and planned their course for the upcoming semester. Students will have an advising hold on their account until they see their advisor. Students may have additional holds on your account, so check and contact the appropriate unit for removal.

For example:

• Contact Health Services if immunization hold on your account
• Contact the Bursar for an account balance hold
• Contact Academic Advising for Advising hold if you are an undergraduate student
• If you are a graduate student, please get in touch with your Graduate Program Director (GPD) for registration.



Course Load Requirements

International students (F-1 and J-1 status) must register for a full course load each semester (not including summer). Students who drop below the required course load without approval will have their immigration record terminated. For immigration purposes, full-time enrollment (during fall and spring semester) is defined as:

• Undergraduate students: 12 credit hours (4 courses)3 hybrid/on-campus and 1 online
• Graduate students: 9 credit hours (3 courses) )- 2 hybrid/on-campus and 1 online
• Graduate students with a graduate assistantship: 6 credit hours (2 courses) 1 hybrid/on-campus and 1 online

University 500

Univ 500 is a zero credit hour course required by the Graduate School. It does not satisfy enrollment requirements for international students. Enrolling in UNIV 500 allows students to access campus systems including SIUE email address. Students will lose access to their SIUE email address 180 days after they are no longer enrolled in courses. Visit our website for more information about UNIV 500 enrollment requirements.

International Education Week

This year, SIUE will be celebrating International Education Week (IEW) which will take place on November 13-17, 2023.

For a detailed schedule, check out the International Education Week page on our website.

International Graduate Celebration

International Graduate Celebration

Are you a Fall 2023 graduating student? The Office of International Affairs wants to celebrate your achievements and hard work during your program at the International Graduation Celebration. Join us for appetizers and get your International Stole to wear at commencement!

Event details:

• Date: Friday, December 1, 2023

• Time: 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

• Location: Maple/Dogwood Rooms (MUC Conference Center) - 2nd Floor of the MUC

RSVP by Sunday, November 26 to confirm your attendance!

Foreign Language Exchange Meetup

The Intensive English Pathway and The Foreign Language Department are hosting a Foreign Language Exchange Meetup! Individuals will be grouped with other students who are interested in practicing the same language using fun conversation prompts. No experience in the language is required. The last meetup will take place on December 7, from 3-4pm in Peck Hall room 2315B. Both American and international students are encouraged to sign up HERE. This is a great way for students to meet new friends and learn about other cultures!

For questions, please contact Asha Mattan at amattan@siue.edu. 

Fall Success Events

The Student Success Coaches invite you to participate in their Fall 2023 Success Events. Events include study halls, wellness walks, a murder mystery night, and a health & wellness group. For more information and to find out how to get involved, CLICK HERE.

English Workshops

SIUE's international students are invited to attend English workshops to practice their verbal and written skills. Workshops are held on Tuesday and Wednesday of each week, with the same lesson available to suit different students' schedules. All international students are invited to join any day at no cost, and can stop by anytime without registration.

Details can also be found at siue.edu/english-workshops. 

International Hospitality Program

The International Hospitality Program is happy to assist international students with obtaining household goods and furniture items. To make a request, please fill out THIS FORM. Requesting an item does not guarantee that IHP has it or that you will receive all of the requested items.

You can find out more about the organization on our website.

Cougar Cupboard

The Cougar Cupboard is a non-profit food pantry located at SIUE serving students, faculty, and staff members.



Students must register for an individual appointment – EVEN if you see few or no reservations. This ensures staff knows you are coming. Summer sign-up will be available soon on the Cougar Cupboard webpage.

Questions? Email the Cougar Cupboard at cougarcupboard@siue.edu 

Follow the Cougar Cupboard on Facebook and Instagram for updates! 

Learning Support Services

Learning Support Services (LSS) is an instructional support unit for all students at SIUE. Learning Support Services is home to the Tutoring Resource Center, Writing Center, and Supplemental Instruction. The center is dedicated to helping SIUE students prepare and excel in the classroom. You can make an appointment with the Learning Support service by calling (618) 650‑3717 or email learningsupportservices@siue.edu.