From: VISA Office
Date: February 1, 2023
Subject: ISS News, February 1, 2023: OPT & CPT Workshops Scheduled, Important Tax Filing Information, Call for Global Citizen Nominations, Therapy Dogs at KSL, Study Abroad Info, Upcoming Career Fairs, Winter Weather Tips, Good Vibes, and More

February 1, 2023

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in this issue:

OPT & CPT Workshops
OPT & STEM OPT Students- Follow These Simple Steps for Reporting Updates
Winter Weather 101
Orientation with ISS
Features
Campus Happenings
Other Opportunities
Good Vibes Only
New Students, Look Around Your New Homes
Winter Weather Tips
Tax Information for 2022 Filing Year
Support Resources
Check In with ISS
Meet with ISS Staff During Advising Hours

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ISS staff members are here to support you!

Please visit our website to learn about the advising options that are available and connect with us so that we can assist you.

Check In with ISS

Students New to CWRU or Beginning a New Program at CWRU:

If you are new to CWRU or beginning a new program at CWRU this semester, you need to check in online as part of the process to maintain your visa status.

To Check In:

If you are on campus this semester to begin your program, please access the Instructions on How to Check In with ISS and complete the process immediately. Check-in is a time-sensitive process.

We cannot process any on-campus employment or Social Security Number paperwork until you have been checked in.

If you will not be coming to the United States this fall, do not check in using the instructions above. It is critical that you complete the survey instead. If you have not done so yet, please do so immediately.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation!

Meet with ISS Staff During Advising Hours

Have a question? Need Support? Connect with an ISS staff member during Advising Hours.

Advisors are looking forward to chatting with you online and in-person!

Orientation with ISS

Did you miss Orientation with ISS? The orientation session reviews the most fundamental rules and regulations as well as resources that ISS provides in order to help you maintain your status and enhance your time at Case Western Reserve University

Log into Terra Dotta (visas.case.edu), find your Check In Record marked "Committed," and then look for the item called "ISS Oreintation Presentation."

OPT and CPT workshop branding telling students that workshops are available online

OPT & CPT Workshops

ISS is offering Optional Practical Training (OPT) and CPT Workshops to go over in detail the application process, student responsibilities, and other important considerations.

Being well informed before applying for either authorization is extremely important and applying early is critical!

USCIS is publishing that it takes 3-5 months to process submitted OPT applications. Plan to complete a required OPT workshop as early as possible to be best prepared. Remember, you do not need to have a job offer to apply for OPT!

You do need to have a job offer before applying for CPT authorization and you are not eligible to begin your experience until you have proper authorization in place. It can take several days to become authorized.

Virtual workshops led by an advisor have been scheduled and information about required registration, attendance, and the application process can be found on our website under the OPT and CPT sections.

OPT & STEM OPT Students- Follow These Simple Steps for Reporting Updates

Reporting related to your personal contact and employment information is a critical part of maintaining status while authorized for either OPT or STEM OPT. Here are instructions for you to follow to ensure that both ISS and the U.S. Government receive the information that they need. Follow these simple steps to ensure that your visa status is protected!

New Students, Look Around Your New Homes

Living spaces in the US may be very different from those in your home countries. Please pay attention to the differences to avoid problems with landlords or the University.

Common differences:

There are no drains in the floors of bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc.
Water on the floor will damage carpet and wood floors
Water on the floor will likely go down the walls into apartments on lower floors and damage walls, ceilings, etc.
Windows may be sealed shut. If they are, do not open them
Walls are usually painted drywall, not cinder block and whitewash
Appliances may be electric or gas
Quiet hours may be strictly enforced
Heat may be controlled by the landlord or management company rather than by you
Pet policies are strictly enforced
You may be held financially responsible for any damage you cause, even if you cause it by accident

Lease agreements are binding contracts for the length of the lease—follow the terms of your lease agreements carefully

If you encounter a problems with on-campus housing, please notify your RA or the Housing Office immediately. If you encounter a problem with a landlord or management company, please feel free to contact ISS for help.

Support Resources

The Dean of Students Office and the Case Western Reserve University community are committed to helping students overcome challenges during their academic careers. A website has been developed to host a variety of resources and services, including information about various food pantries for students who are facing food insecurity.

Winter Weather Tips

winter weather infographic from weather.gov/cold

6 Tips for Winter Driving in Northeast Ohio

Tax Information for the 2022 Filing Year

Sprintax Offers Tax Webinars to Prepare for Tax Filing Season 2022

ISS partners with the tax experts at Sprintax who offer tax filing services to international students that are considered non-resident aliens for tax purposes. The Sprintax team will be hosting a series of free open tax webinars to provide helpful information about non-resident tax filing obligations.

You can find the details and registration links below for each:

Thursday, February 9, 1pm ET – Register here
Tuesday, February 21, 12pm ET – Register here
Thursday, March 2, 4pm ET – Register here
Wednesday, March 22, 2pm ET – Register here
Wednesday, March 29, 1pm ET – Register here
Thursday, April 6, 3pm ET – Register here
Wednesday, April 12, 12pm ET – Register here
Friday, April 14, 2pm ET – Register here

The informational webinars will cover the same topics on each occasion:

An overview of tax for nonresident students and scholars
Who must file a 2021 US tax return
What income forms students may receive
Forms that need to be completed and sent to the IRS
Terms like FICA, ITIN, and Form 1098-T
What happens if students don’t file or misfile
State tax returns
Sprintax overview

Features

Education Abroad Announcements

Campus Happenings

EVENT

Therapy Dogs @ KSL

Wednesday, February 1
12:00pm - 2:00pm

Private Location (sign in to display)
Link

Add to Google Cal,Outlook,Yahoo,iCal

Come say hi and hang out with some friendly pups in the KSL atrium! Stay for as little or as long as you would like.

RSVP

University Health & Counseling Services Offers Timely Care and a Variety of Other Wellness Programs to Consider

Thursday, February 2
Start	End	Event	Location
12:00pm	1:00pm	T.H.I.N.K. Suicide Prevention Training (Virtual)	Online Event
1:00pm	2:00pm	BIPOC Support Space	Online Event
Monday, February 6
6:00pm	7:30pm	I'm Fine, It's Fine, Everything is Fine.	Private Location (sign in to display)
Tuesday, February 7
1:00pm	4:00pm	Mindful Activity Hour	Private Location (sign in to display)
3:00pm	4:15pm	Koru Mindfulness	Online Event
Wednesday, February 8
2:00pm	3:00pm	Rethinking Anxiety and Depression	Online Event
Thursday, February 9
1:00pm	2:00pm	BIPOC Support Space	Online Event
Monday, February 13
3:00pm	4:00pm	BIPOC Support Space	Private Location (register to display)
6:00pm	7:30pm	I'm Fine, It's Fine, Everything is Fine.	Private Location (sign in to display)
Wednesday, February 15
12:00pm	1:00pm	Wellness Wednesday	Private Location (sign in to display)
2:00pm	3:00pm	Rethinking Anxiety and Depression	Online Event

Upcoming Career Fairs

For more information about these upcoming events- open to current and former CWRU students- visit the Post-Graduate Planning and Experiential Education website.

2023 Virtual Career Fair, Friday, February 17 — Noon to 4 p.m.

2023 Career, Education and Inspiration Expo, Friday, March 3 — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Other Opportunities

PNC's Financial Wellness Offerings in February

Webinar 1: Managing Debt

Date: February 9, 2023 at 4 pm ET

Description: Learn about the most common types of debt, view various debt management strategies and learn how to begin a personal plan for managing your debt.

Webinar 2: Budgeting 2.0: Making Budgets Work

Date: February 22, 2023 at 7 pm ET

Description: Learn to identify your personal obstacles to budgeting, decide short and long-term goals, and manage your day-to-day spending to increase your financial security.

Good Vibes Only

In this section, we are including some things that we hope will make you laugh and smile, help you relax, be entertaining, give you something to do, etc.

This is a good vibes only section and we're sending them out to you!

Parodies of Popular Songs featuring Tik Tok Cat

If you would like to promote your event or opportunity through ISSNews, please make a complete submission (including flyers, images, details, etc.) for consideration by noon on Monday to international@case.edu. ISS cannot guarantee that all submissions will appear in the newsletter, as space is limited, but staff will review all timely submissions fo