If you need to speak or meet with an advisor outside of our advising hours, please send an email to international@case.edu to schedule an appointment. Please provide your full-name and a brief description of the nature of your appointment when you contact us.
IMPORTANT: Working as an International Student
Found a job on campus? Thinking about gaining experience off-campus? Wondering what to do now? ISS is here to help!
ISS wants to remind all international students that you must be properly authorized to work by our office before you begin any kind of work. NEVER WORK until you’ve finalized all processes with ISS.
It is very important that you follow all steps as described and do so in a timely manner. Failure to complete the required paperwork can result in you not being paid for work you've done, loss of work permission privileges, or even the termination of your visa status!
You will find a lot of helpful information about working on our website.
And please remember, only ISS can advise you about employment and the impact it can have on your immigration status.
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 and view the presentation materials here!
Chat With ISS Staff Online or In-Person During Advising Hours
Virtual Advising is available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., EST.
If you have a question or concern that you need to address during that time frame, reach out to an advisor through the chat box. The chat box (it looks just like the picture) will be available on our website.
Please keep in mind that the advisor may be assisting multiple students, so we do appreciate your patience!
In-person advising is available 1 to 3 p.m., EST. Come by the office then (no appointment needed) to meet with an ISS advisor.
Please keep in mind that your situation may still require a visit to the office or even an appointment if an advisor determines that that is how best to serve you.
You can request an appointment by emailing international@case.edu. Please be prepared to briefly describe the nature of your appointment when you contact us so that we can prepare. Same-day appointments are not generally available; an appointment for the next business day is typically the earliest we can schedule.
Outside of Advising Hours, students can drop off and pick up paperwork related to work permission, I-20 issuance, and other basic requests at the front desk, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Anything that requires interaction with an advisor needs to happen during Advising Hours, through whichever method is most appropriate.
Advisors are looking forward to chatting with you online and in-person!
Tax Information for 2019- Get Your W-2
If you worked and got paid during the previous calendar year, you should receive a W-2 from your employer within the next several weeks. This W-2 is required to file taxes, which all persons in the US (international students too!) must do by April 18. More information about how to file your taxes will be made available on the ISS website in mid to late February. It is currently unavailable.
Current Students: If you worked at CWRU and got paid during last calendar year, the university will generate your W-2 and send it to the US W-2 address you listed in the Student Information System (SIS). You must make sure that that address is listed in SIS to ensure that your W-2 is sent to the proper address.
Alumni: If you received payment from CWRU during the last calendar year, you must also make sure that your address is properly listed in SIS to receive the W-2.
If you have not received your W-2, you'll need to contact Payroll by email to request an appointment to pick up your W-2 in person.
ISS wants to make sure that international students are aware of these scams and know how to protect themselves. Visit our website for more information.
OPT Workshops
ISS is offering Optional Practical Training (OPT) Workshops to go over in detail the application process, student responsibilities, and other important considerations.
Being well informed about OPT before applying is extremely important and applying early is critical! USCIS is publishing that it takes 4-6 months to process submitted OPT applications. Plan to complete a required OPT workshop- either in-person or online during the semester that you intend to apply for OPT- as early as possible to be best prepared. Remember, you do not need to have a job offer to apply for OPT!
For more information about completing a required OPT workshop and other details about OPT, visit our website and scroll down to the OPT section. Please be sure to very carefully read all of the information there.
ISS is offering Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Workshops to go over in detail the application process, student responsibilities, and other important considerations.
Being well informed about CPT before you apply is a must. ISS feels very strongly about this, which is why we require all students to complete a workshop prior to applying for each CPT authorization. ISS will not accept CPT applications from students who have not completed a workshop in a timely manner.
For more information about completing a required CPT workshop and other details about CPT, visit our website and scroll down to the CPT section. Please be sure to very carefully read all of the information there.
During your time as a student at CWRU, you may want to invite family members to visit you and/or attend commencement ceremonies.
ISS staff are unable to write letters of invitation to your family members for the purpose of a visit or to attend commencement.
Visitors apply for a B-2 visa at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy in their home country. For more information about how to prepare for the application, please visit ISS website and scroll down to the heading titled Inviting Family Members to Visit the U.S..
Wittke and Jackson Award Nominations Now Being Accepted
Nominations are being accepted for the J. Bruce Jackson, MD, Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring and the Carl F. Wittke Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching through February 15.
For more information, contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies at ugstudies@case.edu.
Featured Events
EVENT
Career Fair Prep - International Student Success Series
Join CIA and PGP-EE staff to prepare for the Career Fair! In this session you will learn the basics of networking and elevator pitches. Staff will help students with their pitches and practice their networking skills. Space is limited! RSVP on Campus Groups to reserve your place!
Searching and applying for positions can feel daunting, but ISS and PGP-EE staff are here to help! Join us for a workshop on the basics of searching for jobs online, building a professional network, best practices for applying, and how to respond when you hear back from that dream employer!
Beginners and experienced skiers and snowboarders are invited to join the Center for International Affairs for a trip to Brandywine Ski Resort!
Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather! This includes a hat, gloves, scarf, winter coat, and warm clothing! Jeans are not recommended.
Lessons will be available for those who have never skied before or those just looking to brush up on their skills! The instructors will go over basic ways to stop, how to get up if you fall and some basics for skiing/snowboarding. It is VERY helpful to have a lesson, especially if you have not skied or skied very little before.
There will be separate instructors for skiing and snowboarding, but if your friend is doing the opposite, you can join together after the lesson, which will last about an hour to an hour and a half.
Skiing Lesson: Best for beginners. After one lesson you may be able to go down one of the green hills.
Snowboarding Lesson: Best for people interested in continuing to snowboard. After one lesson you will learn the basics but this typically takes more practice to go down a larger hill. The recommendation is to wear snow pants during the first lesson!
For more information, be sure to visit the event page!
As our students look toward graduation, ISS wants to help them prepare for job search and career success! Job interviews often include eating dinner with potential colleagues, and many companies ask employees to take clients out for nice meals. Employers want to know their employees can be professional, even in social situations, and dining with others can be very challenging. Learning Western expectations of politeness can help you feel more comfortable eating unfamiliar foods, and mastering dining rules can help you make a great impression on others!
Attendees will receive hands-on training from Etiquette Consultant Catherine Holloway and will be served a 3-course meal including soup, a main dish, and dessert.
Registration notes:
By registering to attend this event, you are committing to attend, arrive on time and stay for the duration of the dinner. Please visit the event for more information.
THANK YOU to our sponsors!
International Club (co-host), Office of Global Legal Studies, Office of Residence Life, School of Medicine Graduate Education, Post-Graduate Planning & Experiential Education, International Development Initiative, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, The Alumni Association of CWRU, and Division of Engineering Leadership and Professional Practice
There is no better way to start a new academic year/ semester than being surrounded by friends and the possibility of new friends. ISF is going to give you the opportunity to do just that!
ISF is hosting a “Calendar Party”
Friday, January 31, 7pm
2509 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland Heights, OH
There will be Birthday Months Trivia, a birthday celebration for January babies, fun games, and a prop-filled photo booth to capture your magical moments.
Please join ISF for this fun evening of great food and great company.
Learn about all things finance to prepare for life after college! Come listen to a representative from PNC Bank discuss how to read a credit report and how to build and repair your credit history once out of college! Participants will be able to describe the purpose of a credit card, find out ways to obtain a copy, analyze the report, and identify ways to repair credit history.
This event is a part of the You Beyond CWRU series in collaboration with the Interfraternity Congress/Panhellenic Council, the Office of Residence Life - Upperclass Experience, and University Health & Counseling Services. The You Beyond CWRU series offers opportunities for skill development, networking, and post-college preparation.
Celebrate Vietnamese Lunar New Year with VSA! This will be a semi-formal dinner with performances and interactive activities, bringing you an authentic experience of how the biggest moment of the year is celebrated. Tickets will be on sale starting January 29, 2020 - follow VSA on Facebook and Instagram for more updates.
Put away laptops and phones and play old fashioned board games with friends. Refreshments will be provided to keep you fueled and competitive through the night.
For a full list of games offered by KSL can be found here: https://researchguides.case.edu/KSLGameNight
