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SPRING 2021 - WEEK 8

We want to hear from you! We've published our Feedback Form and will include it in all email correspondence. Please help us by providing feedback whenever you're interacting with our office - be that during drop-in advising, emailing with our staff, or after an appointment. The feedback form is available here.

NEW THIS WEEK

Last week, UW President Ana Mari Cauce hosted a virtual town hall to discuss plans for a return to campus in Autumn 2021. President Cauce and the panel of UW leaders discussed campus safety, vaccines, in-person operations, among other relevant topics.

In addition to the town hall, the autumn quarter 2021 website is a great resource for all of your questions about returning to campus in September.

We're continuing to work on deferral I-20s for students who have not yet traveled to the U.S. If you still have not requested your deferred I-20 for Summer 2021 or Autumn 2021, do so using our deferral form. If you were admitted for Autumn 2020 as a transfer student or a student changing to a higher degree level, there will be additional delays in processing your request. We are unable to manually make changes to transfer and changes of education level I-20s and must work with the government help desk, the SEVP Response Center, for technical assistance with these requests. We appreciate your patience as we work on these records! If you have questions or concerns, please contact us!

REMINDER: UW VACCINATION REQUIREMENT, EXTENSION OF NATIONAL INTEREST EXCEPTIONS

The UW will require that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19. Please review our blog post about autumn 21 planning and COVID vaccination requirement for more information.

The U.S. State Department updated it’s National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland on April 26, 2021. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if you are not sure whether you qualify for an NIE exemption.

The April 30, 2021 Presidential Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease 2019 extends National Interest Exceptions (NIE) to students whose presence in India, China, Iran, Brazil, or South Africa may otherwise subject them to travel suspensions. Students with valid F visas who will begin or continue an academic program on August 1, 2021 will be automatically granted the NIE and may travel to the United States up to 30 days before the program start date on their Form I-20.

ON CAMPUS VACCINE POP UP - TOMORROW!

Are you in the Seattle area and still waiting for a vaccine appointment? The UW will hold walk-in vaccination clinics with the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine at Madrona Hall (3rd floor) from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17 and Tuesday, May 18. Walk-in during open hours or make an appointment. Everyone who gets vaccinated at the clinic will receive a …

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GRADUATING THIS QUARTER? START THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT!

Many students apply to graduate in spring quarter - now is a great time to start thinking about what's next!

Be sure to review the final year checklist - this checklist includes reminders for ALL graduating students, including:
We know that these transitions can be highly stressful, so we have prepared thorough checklists and resources for, wherever your path may lead!

UPCOMING EVENTS & DEADLINES

  • IRS Deadline to file taxes - TODAY! May 17, 2021
    ISS has a website with tax information and links to the Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) software.
    Please do not use off-campus software. Most of the software you can purchase online or in the store is designed for U.S. citizens and will not work for most international students. This software also does not check for tax treaties with your country of citizenship.
    Students who used Glacier Tax Prep last year may have learned that they can now file taxes as a “resident alien for tax purposes.” If this is you, you may file using software designed for U.S. citizens and residents.
  • Upcoming events with our campus partners, CIRCLE:
    • Transferable Skills Workshop for International Graduate Students: Physical and Biological Sciences (May 19th)
      “List your relevant experience.”
      “What makes you a good fit for this job?”
      “Tell us about some of your skills”

      These are just a few examples of questions that employers often ask when you apply for a job. But what are the best ways to answer these questions as a graduate student transitioning into the professional world?

      Join UW CIRCLE for a workshop about transferable skills, how to highlight your strengths, and the best strategies to prepare for your future career. This session will focus on the fields of physical and biological sciences, providing insight into transitioning from graduate education into professional employment.

      This workshop will be taking place on Wednesday, May 19th from 7-9 PM PST!

      Register for this event through the link:
      https://tinyurl.com/un4zwzpj

      Link to the Facebook event (https://fb.me/e/3OYmVo49m)
  • FIUTS Ambassador Program - Application deadline 5/19
    • FIUTS is seeking up to 10 UW undergraduates to serve as Ambassadors during an upcoming virtual exchange with students from Liberia, Namibia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. This is a very limited time commitment, requiring one 1-hour synchronous meeting along with asynchronous communication and 2-3 asynchronous activities between May 24-June 18.

      Interested students can apply at www.fiuts.org/paylp-uw-ambassador. Contact Kailyn Swarthout (kailyn@fiuts.org) with questions. Application deadline is May 19.





  • Drop in advising cancellations
    • Drop in advising will not be available at the Virtual Front Desk the week of May 31st - June 4th.
Spring VFD 2021

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.

virtual advising
ISS Recordings