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NEW THIS WEEK:

This week, we will be hosting our next session of drop-in advising. Join us Friday November 12 from 9 AM - 11 AM for OPT-specific drop-in advising. You'll find the link to the zoom meeting and more information in the body of the email below.
Winter registration is now open! If you are attempting to register for classes and notice an ISS hold, it's likely that we are missing some critical information from you and have been trying to contact you. Book a "MyUW Hold Removal" appointment to meet with staff to resolve hold issues. Note: we can only resolve holds placed by the ISS - we cannot resolve holds placed by other offices or departments.

HAPPENING NOW:

If you have a major change effective for autumn quarter, we have begun emailing out major update I-20s this week. As a reminder, students do not need to contact ISS to request an update to the I-20 with new major or minor information — it will happen automatically.

Likewise, if you transferred to the University of Washington in Autumn 2020 or Autumn 2021, we will be emailing you an updated I-20 indicating that your SEVIS transfer has been completed successfully.

UPCOMING OFFICE CLOSURES:

  • Thursday, November 11, 2021: Veteran's Day - the ISS office will be closed for all business, including Virtual Front Desk services, appointments, and in-person hours. Federal holidays are not included in our regular processing times.
  • Wednesday, November 24, 2021: the ISS office will be closed for in-person services; we will be available remotely for appointments and our regularly scheduled Virtual Front Desk service.
  • Thursday, November 25, 2021 and Friday, November 26, 2021: Thanksgiving Day and Native American Heritage Day - the ISS office will be closed for all business, including Virtual Front Desk services, appointments, and in-person hours. Federal holidays are not included in our regular processing times.
    • If you will be traveling internationally over the Thanksgiving holiday, make sure to check your most recent I-20 or DS-2019 for a valid travel signature! Travel signatures are valid for 1 year for enrolled students - if you need an update, request one online today!

ISS SERVICES DURING AUTUMN 2021

ISS staff are excited to be back on campus and we look forward to welcoming all of our international students back or to campus for the first time! Although staff will be returning to campus, all advising and student services will be offered virtually this quarter.

ISS Reception Desk Hours

Monday - Thursday
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Virtual Front Desk
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Schmitz Hall 459
Friday
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Virtual Front Desk
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Virtual Front Desk

Advising Appointments

Students are now able to book appointments with our advising team using our new appointment management tool.

The link to book appointments is published on our website.
Students should prepare to choose the type of appointment they need - your first step in booking will be choosing the category of question you'd like to discuss with an advisor or member of our staff.
You will be prompted to log into your Outlook account when you access our booking calendar. Use your @uw.edu credentials to log in and view available appointment types and times. We do not offer same day appointments or cancellations.

Virtual Front Desk

Staff are available to help you navigate the website, connect you to important resources, and provide general assistance. Staff will admit one student at a time to the Virtual Front Desk – we appreciate your patience!

Drop-In Advising

Drop-In Advising will look different this quarter. During autumn 2021, we will host three Drop-In Advising sessions. Each session will be focused on one specific topic.

This week: Optional Practical Training (OPT) - November 12, 2021 - 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) - December 10, 2021 - 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

REMINDERS

LATE COURSE DROP PERIOD & THE ADVISOR ASSISTED DROP

Week 3 of the quarter marked the beginning of the Late Course Drop period. This means that there are additional steps involved if you need to drop courses.
You now have two options:
Please review the detailed instructions on the university registrar's website for more information.

WORKING ON CAMPUS?

F and J students must be aware of the rules that cover the basics of on-campus employment for their visa categories - make sure that you have the

Here are some helpful links:

SIGN UP FOR UW ALERT

The University of Washington has developed UW Alert to disseminate information via email, text messages, loudspeakers, website banners and other means, as needed, to keep the campus community informed during emergencies and situations that might disrupt normal operations.
We strongly encourage all students to sign up for UW Alert today!

REPORT CHANGES TO EMPLOYMENT

All F-1 students with authorized CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT are required to report changes to their employment - this includes any name changes made by a company. With the announcement to rebrand as Meta, any student working for the company formerly known as Facebook must report this new employment information. Please contact us if you have questions about how to report this information.

ISHIP VIRTUAL FRONT DESK

Through Autumn 2021, the ISHIP Office is offering remote services through the Virtual Front Desk. The Virtual Front Desk will be open daily. Our Drop-in Advising will be primarily through the Virtual Front Desk times indicated below. You may also book one-on-one virtual appointments with the ISHIP Counselor by emailing the front desk staff at stdins@uw.edu.
Virtual Front Desk Schedule – Autumn 2021
  • Monday – Friday from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST
Staff will be available to help you navigate the ISHIP website, connect you to important resources, and provide general assistance. Staff will admit one student at a time to the Virtual Front Desk – we appreciate your patience!
Drop-In Advising
Sessions with the ISHIP Counselor will be available through the Virtual Front Desk at the following times:
  • Monday from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST
  • Thursdays from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST.
During these blocks, the ISHIP Counselor will be available for 10-minute consultations. There will be no counseling staff at the Virtual Front Desk outside of these hours.
ZOOM LINK:https://washington.zoom.us/j/8197411645

UPCOMING EVENTS & DEADLINES

  • As we begin a new quarter, be sure to review the add/drop deadlines & tuition deadlines.
  • CIRCLE Events:
    • Tuesday, November 9, 7-8 PM: Community Conversations: Queer, Questioning, and LGBTQ+ (Virtual Panel)
      • How do perceptions of gender and sexuality change in an international context? What challenges arise when we exist in these spaces across borders? A panel discussion will allow us to reflect on the experiences of students and scholars whose queerness intersections with their international identity. Anonymous questions and commentary will be accepted from participants, and participants may also watch anonymously. We will be defining “international identity” broadly, so whether you came to the US recently or have lived here for as long as you remember, we welcome you.
        To watch, please click on the Youtube link and then click on the livestream.

Need more information? We offer on-demand and live resources to help answer your questions! Let us know how we're doing by filling out our feedback form.

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