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.

Beware of Student Job Scams

Scammers are actively emailing students with a fake job opportunity to swindle students out of money. Please take a moment to read the daily article about this so that you are prepared.

For more information about other types of scams and how to protect yourself, visit our website.

Tax Deadline in April: Forms & Sprintax Availablity

Sprintax is a tax-return-preparation software program designed primarily for international students and other educational visa holders. It can help you prepare your U.S. federal income tax return, which you are legally required to file to the Internal Revenue Service.  ISS has arranged free access to Sprintax for your federal tax filing needs.

You may access Sprintax and begin preparing your tax return by following these steps:

1. Register and follow the simple instructions
2. Complete the online questionnaire
3. Enter Case Western Reserve University’s unique code. This code was sent to you via email on February 1.
4. Sprintax will prepare your tax return

If Sprintax determines that you are required to file state taxes, you will have the opportunity to prepare those state taxes. You are not required to use Sprintax to file state taxes but, remember, it is your responsibility to comply with the law and properly file all taxes.

If by now, you haven't received your W-2 from CWRU, contact Payroll at payroll@case.edu. If you were authorized to work for another employer, you should contact their payroll department.

For more information regarding the 1098-T, please visit Financial Services website to download the Nonresident Alien 1098-T Request Form.

1042-S forms will be prepared by mid-March and sent to students by Payroll. Please contact Payroll if you have questions about the issuance of your 1042-S.

For more information, visit our Information on Filing Taxes page and if you have any questions, the Sprintax team will be happy to help via their 24/7 live chat function or email hello@sprintax.com. ISS staff members cannot advise you on your questions, which is why we partner with the experts at Sprintax.

Sprintax Offers Tax Webinars to Prepare for Tax Filing Season 2021

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 around non-resident tax filing obligations.

• Monday, March 14 @ 3pm EST – Register here
• Tuesday, March 22 @ 2pm EST – Register here
• Thursday, March 31 @ 12pm EST – Register here
• Tuesday, April 5 @ 1pm EST – Register here
• Monday, April 11 @ 12pm EST – Register here
• Thursday, April 14 @ 1pm EST – Register here

• 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

Back by popular demand…

Sprintax is offering users the chance to win a $500 Amazon Gift Card along with some cool Sprintax merch.

For your chance to win this amazing prize, all you have to do is show Sprintax a photo of where in the world you’re filing your US taxes from.

Visit Sprintax's Instagram page for full details

Nominations Due March 2 for the 2022 Wittke and Jackson Awards

Nominations are being accepted for the J. Bruce Jackson Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring and the Carl F. Wittke Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

The Jackson Award celebrates faculty and staff who have developed sustained mentoring relationships with students. These individuals have guided a student in their academic and career paths; fostered the student's long-term personal development; challenged the student to reflect, explore and grow as an individual; and supported and/or facilitated the student's goals and life choices.

The Wittke award is given to outstanding classroom teachers who have demonstrated excellence in undergraduate teaching and who are engaging, invested and stimulate enthusiasm for their area of study.

To nominate a faculty or staff member for one of the awards, please complete the following nomination form. Nominations are due March 1, 2022.

For more information, contact The Office of Undergraduate Studies at ugstudies@case.edu

Submit Nominations for the Student Leadership Awards

The Student Leadership Awards were created by Dr. Dorothy Pijan in 1986 to recognize and honor Case's outstanding undergraduate student leaders. Dr. Pijan had worked at Case as the director of Thwing Center and Student Activities from 1982-2003. Dr. Pijan was a well-respected and nationally known student union professional. She had an incredible passion, drive and dedication to student leadership. After her death in 2003, the awards were named in her honor to recognize her many contributions to student life at Case Western Reserve University.

The Office of Student Activities & Leadership is officially accepting nominations for the annual Student Leadership Awards! The nomination deadline is March 4.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to complete the nomination form recognizing outstanding students, programs, organizations and advisors. To nominate, you select an award, name a person, program or organization that should be considered for the selected award and write a short paragraph stating why the nominee is deserving of the award and answer one or two questions supporting your stance. The entire nomination process should only take about 10 minutes!

Vitalitas

Ticket Prices:
$15 General Admission
$12 Faculty/Staff
$10 Students with ID's

Online Ticket Reservations for Vitalitas:

• Thursday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.
• Friday, March 25, 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 26, 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 27, 2:30 p.m.

Modern Love's College Essay Contest

Modern Love is a weekly New York Times column, a book, a podcast — and now, in its 17th year, a television show — about relationships, feelings, betrayals and revelations.  Modern Love’s college essay contest invites undergraduate students to talk about what love has been like during these unprecedented times. To learn more about the contest and its prizes, check out the website.  Submissions are due no later than March 27 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. 

Beatbox Brilliance with Tom Thum