January 8, 2025

In this issue:

1. New and Improved Terra Dotta System
2. Registration & Visa Status
3. Waiver of Registration Information
4. Remember to Apply for CPT
5. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
6. Tax Information for 2024 Filing Year
7. OISRE Updates
8. Welcome (Back) Party
9. Testandgo Kiosks
10. Donate or Receive a Winter Coat
11. Winter Bucket List
12. Call for Papers - Writing Prize
13. Campus Act Grant!

VISA Office Information

The VISA Office is open 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday. We are located in Crawford Hall, Suite 215.

We have virtual chat advising available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11am to 1pm. Access virtual chat from our website here.

You are also welcome to contact us for an in-person, phone, or virtual appointment. Please email visa@case.edu to request an appointment or schedule from our website here.

New and Improved Terra Dotta System

All F-1 and J-1 students should receive (or have received) an email titled "New & Improved Terra Dotta Student Experience Now Available" from the VISA Office this week.  Please log in to the new system using the link provided in that email when you receive it.  You will use the updated system to make all requests from the VISA Office.  Let us know if you have any questions by email at visa@case.edu.

Registration, Visa Status, & You

As international students, you are required by U.S. federal regulations to be properly registered for a full-time course load while you're studying in the United States as an F-1 or a J-1 student. 

For undergraduates, full-time is 12 credit hours.

For graduate and professional students, what is considered full-time may vary by program. Please contact your department to confirm what full-time enrollment is for your program.

Online and distance limits: You may only enroll in one online or distance course to meet your full-time enrollment each semester.  Once you meet your full-time enrollment, you may take additional online/distance courses.  

There are very few exceptions to full-time registration requirements and only the VISA Office can determine whether you qualify for one of them. Always register for full-time and never drop below a full-time courseload without first speaking with an advisor in the VISA Office. Improper registration could have serious consequences for your visa status, including termination.

We will be verifying each student's registration over the next several weeks. If we detect a problem with your registration or have questions, we will be contacting you by email. It's extremely important that you follow up with us promptly and work to quickly resolve the matter so that your visa status is not negatively impacted.

If you have questions, email us at visa@case.edu or stop by our office during business hours.

Graduate Students: Waiver of Registration Information

If you are a graduate student planning to submit a Waiver of Registration for the Spring 2025 semester, it is essential that you understand the impact of this decision on your visa status. The Waiver of Registration is an administrative process of the university, but does not count as registration for F-1 and J-1 students. Proper registration is required to maintain your visa status.  If you are not properly registered, you need to take other steps to maintain your visa status.

F-1 students:

• If you submit a Waiver of Registration, the VISA Office will shorten the length of your I-20 to reflect the Drop/Add deadline. Your legal status in the US actually becomes shorter because it is now based on this Drop/Add deadline rather than your future intended graduation date.
• In order to maintain your visa status after submitting a Waiver of Registration, you must apply for OPT or maker other arrangements in a timely manner.

Please note:

OPT applications must be submitted within 90 days before or 60 days after the new I-20 end date (based on the drop/add deadline). Don't forget, it takes at least 90 days for an OPT application to be processed.

If you do not intend to maintain your status either through OPT or other action on your I-20, you are required to leave the United States within 60 days of the Drop/Add deadline (which is your 60 day grace period).

If you are a J-1 student, please contact the VISA Office with questions related to Waiver of Registration.

F-1 Students:
Considering an internship, co-op, or other practical training this spring? Remember to apply for CPT!

F-1 students are required to obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) in order to begin off-campus training or employment, such as internships and co-ops. You must obtain the authorization BEFORE you start working. If you have any questions about CPT, contact us at visa@case.edu.

Also see our website for our CPT presentation and  application: https://case.edu/visa/forms-and-resources/student-forms-and-resources

Coming soon: Spring semester CPT workshops! Look for more information in VISA News, including dates and times, in the coming weeks :)

Engineering students: Please note that if you are interested in a summer 2025 co-op, you can start the process with the co-op office now.  Please see their webpage for more information: https://engineering.case.edu/engineering-coop-program/training-international-students

January 20th - University Closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Monday, January 20: The university will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 20.

Note:  The VISA Office closes when the university closes for scheduled breaks and inclement weather. If you're ever in doubt about VISA staff availability, please call in advance of visiting the office; we don't want you to be out in the cold, snowy weather if we're not available to help you! If you have an immigration-related emergency when VISA staff members are not in the office, contact CWRU Security at 216.368.3300 and dispatch will know how to reach a VISA staff member.

Tax Information for the 2024 Filing Year

Important Tax Info: Make Sure You Get Your W-2

The W-2 is a critical document for properly filing taxes. Every year between January and February, the university generates W-2 documents for individuals who have earned income from CWRU.

When your W-2 is generated, it's sent to your Permanent Address as listed in SIS.  For international students, this is often a foreign address.  

If your Permanent Address is correct, but you would prefer to have your W-2 sent to another address, for example a US address, it is necessary for you to include that address under the W-2 Override option in SIS no later than December 31. Using the W-2 Override function will maintain the integrity of your Permanent Address information and ensure that you receive your W-2 at the different, preferred address.

See more W-2 information here: https://case.edu/controller/payroll

Please contact Payroll if you have questions about receiving your W-2.

OISRE Updates

OISRE Office Information

The Office of International Student Resources & Engagement (OISRE) helps international students adapt to life in the US. They offer support services and plan events for international students and the campus community.

OISRE is open Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. They also have drop-in hours on Thursdays from 11 am to 1 pm in Tomlinson Hall, Room 143.

You can reach them at international@case.edu or call 216-368-2517.

Check their website for events. If you see an activity of interest, click on the link and pre-register in CampusGroups so they can get an accurate headcount for shuttles, etc.

Testandgo Kiosks

Do you have a cold, headache, or need other wellness items? These kiosks (vending machines) offer a variety of products such as first aid kits, nasal sprays, and over-the-counter medications. The machines are refilled three days a week once classes are in session. Visit the Testandgo website for kiosk locations around campus: https://www.testandgo.com/kiosk-locator

Donate or Receive a Winter Coat

As announced in The Daily, Campus Ministry, United Protestant Campus Ministries, Muslim Student Association and the Office of International Student Resources and Engagement are hosting a coat drive through the end of January.

Those who need a winter coat or who would like to donate can stop by the Creche at Church of the Covenant during drop-in hours Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. To visit, enter through the bell tower doors.

For more information, contact Katherine Chilcote at kchilcote@covenantweb.org.

Winter Bucket List

Even though there's a chill in the air, you can still enjoy many activities in Cleveland this winter.  Take a look at the Cleveland Bucket List here:
https://theclevelandbucketlist.com/blog/2024-25winter-cleveland-bucket-list?mc_cid=05d52fd741&mc_eid=a5448a288b

Other Opportunities

Call for Papers- Writing Prize

Call for Papers - Inamori International Writing Prize in the Ethics of Existing and Emerging Technologies

The Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence will award two prizes for the best papers in the ethics of existing and emerging technologies from current graduate and professional students and recent graduates. We aim to promote active consideration of the ethical, legal, and societal implications (ELSI) in the research and development of technology, including:

• robotics
• computer science
• data science
• engineering
• biomedical engineering
• medicine
• human enhancement
• augmented/virtual reality
• novel materials
• artificial intelligence

Campus Act Grant!

Recognized student organizations in good standing at Case Western Reserve University are invited to submit applications for the Ohio Department of Education’s Campus Community Grant Program. With an availability of up to $1 million for institutionally recognized student organizations in Ohio, each grant could provide a maximum of $25,000 per awarded proposal.

This grant program is available through Senate Bill 94, which included the CAMPUS Act. Learn more and apply here.The deadline to apply is January 22, 2025.

If you have questions or would like assistance in applying to the grant program, please reach out to deanofstudents@case.edu or call 216.368.1527.