From: VISA Office
Date: February 16, 2022
Subject: ISS News, February 16, 2022: Nominate for Global Citizen Awards and Student Leadership Awards, Travel During Spring Break, Telehealth Medical Options, Career Planning Events, The Engineering Game, Good Vibes, and More


IS

February 16, 2022

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in this issue:

  1. OPT & CPT Workshops
  2. Winter Weather 101
  3. Features
  4. Campus Happenings
  5. Other Opportunities
  6. Good Vibes Only
  7. Tax Information for 2021 Filing Year
  8. Traveling During Spring Break?
  9. ISS is OPEN During Spring Break
  10. Telehealth Services Now Available
  11. DHS Adds More STEM Degrees to the List

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ISS Staff is available to students, without an appointment, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday during advising hours:

11am to 1pm- through virtual advising available online

1pm to 3pm- through in-person advising in the office

There are no advising hours on Wednesday.

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If you need to speak with an advisor outside of our advising hours, please send an email to international@case.edu to schedule an appointment. Please provide your full, legal name and a brief description of the nature of your appointment when you contact us.

health professional sitting with a client

CWRU Care Launches Telehealth Medical Services

University Health and Counseling Services is excited to announce that CWRU Care, the free, 24/7/365 virtual health program for students, has launched medical services (telehealth). If you haven’t already, register through the TimelyCare app with your case.edu email address to take advantage of these free services.

In addition to your current TalkNow (on-demand mental health support) and scheduled counseling services, you will also be able to have unlimited medical visits to diagnose non-emergent conditions from anywhere in the United States.

Students can have medical visits on-demand or schedule them in advance to address common issues like:

  • cold;
  • sinus infection;
  • sore throat;
  • rashes and bug bites;
  • bladder infection (UTI);
  • and much more!

Have questions? Visit timelycare.com/CWRU to find FAQs or to chat with technical support.

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.

winter weather infographic from weather.gov/cold

Winter Weather 101

We want you to stay warm this winter! Be sure that you're dressing appropriately for the Cleveland weather.

STEM clipart

Department of Homeland Security Adds More Fields of Study to its STEM Designated Program List

Check the CIP code on your I-20 to see if your field of study appears on DHS' list as eligible for an OPT STEM extension.

More information about the OPT STEM extension can be found on ISS' website.

Tax Information for 2021 Filing Year

Sprintax logo

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.

You can find the details and registration links below for each:  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
Sprintax also released a new blog, How to Prepare for the 2021 US Tax season, which you are welcome to view.

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.

spring break sign

Traveling During Spring Break

**If you have concerns about how the pandemic could impact your travel plans, ISS strongly encourages all students to consider the risks that might come with traveling and to plan accordingly.  We understand that traveling may be necessary and just want you to be best prepared.**

If you plan to travel outside of the U.S. during the break, be sure to check the entry requirements for all of the places you will visit.  As a visitor, it is necessary to comply with all of the laws put in place by a host country’s government.

To enter the US from abroad, proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test are currently required.  As you get closer to your return date, be sure to check the CDC's website for the most current information related to entry requirements.  You should also familiarize yourself with university policies related to returning to campus after international travel.

In addition to vaccination and testing requirements, a valid travel signature on your I-20 (if you are in F-1 status) or your DS-2019 (if you are in J-1 status) is required to enter the United States.  Before leaving campus, ideally 2 weeks before you leave campus, check your I-20 or DS-2019 for a valid travel signature. 

A travel signature is valid for up to one year with just two exceptions: (1) If you will be traveling to Canada, you should have a travel signature that is no more than six months old. (2) If you have applied for or are currently approved for post-completion OPT as an F-1 student, a travel signature is valid for only six months.

To request a travel signature, log into Terra Dotta (visas.case.edu), submit the electronic Travel Signature Request, and follow the instructions to receive your signature.

For more information related to travel and your F-1 visa status, visit this website.

For more information related to travel and your visa J-1 visa status, visit this website.

Spring break written in the sand next to sunglasses

Spring Break- ISS is OPEN

While we hope you'll be resting and relaxing over Spring Break (March 7-11), please know that ISS will be open and available during regular advising hours if you need us.

Features

Global citizen award flyer
isac office hours flyer
Cleveland Bucket List Flyer

Campus Happenings

teacher and student looking at something

Meet Co-Op Employers at Upcoming Events

The Co-op Office has two exciting employer events coming up that you won’t want to miss. If you have questions about either of these events, contact Genine Apidone at gma19@case.edu.

Virtual Employer Networking Panel

Meet with medical engineering firms like Xellia Pharmaceuticals, Innovative Delta Technology,  Bayer Pharmaceuticals/Radiology and Siemen's at a Virtual Employer Networking Panel. This event is co-hosted with the Biomedical Engineering Society.

Tune in to the virtual event Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. for an overview of companies as well as a chance to network. You’ll want to have an electronic copy of your resume on hand for when you make a great impression.

Register for the panel via Handshake.

Tesla Co-op Info Session

Meet with representatives from Tesla at an information session Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. Learn about  hardware and cell engineering co-ops at Tesla as well as tips and tricks to navigate the application and recruiting process.

Whether you have specific interests within Tesla or would like some pointers on applying to west coast tech companies, there will be some takeaways for all participants. This session will have content for undergraduate engineering populations with early development tips included for first and second year students.

Register for the session with Tesla on Handshake.

students at a conference table meeting

Check Out a Career Workshop Series Designed for Humanities Students

The Humanities@Work program is offering a series of career preparedness workshops for Case Western Reserve University humanities students. The four-part series will provide you with the foundational skills needed to thrive in today's job market.

These workshops are designed to benefit students at all stages of their undergraduate studies—whether you are a graduating senior who is looking to improve your networking skills, a junior preparing for medical school interviews, or a rising sophomore who is searching for a summer internship.

The career workshop series will be held in-person. Although you will benefit from attending as many of these workshops as possible, students can attend any combination of events within the series.

Food and refreshments will be served at each workshop, so register in advance for the workshops you want to attend. If you have any dietary restrictions, email the event organizers.

EVENT

Retirement 101 - It's never to early to think about planning for your future!

Friday, February 18
12:45pm - 1:45pm
Add to Google Cal,Outlook,Yahoo,iCal

TBD
RSVP
3MT flyer
student leadership award winners

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!

Other Opportunities

nba all start banners on brick building

2022 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland

NBA All-Star Weekend 2022 returns to Cleveland Feb. 18–20 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and locations throughout the city. The NBA’s brightest stars will be out in force all weekend at the NBA Crossover fan event, Rising Stars game, All-Star Saturday Night and of course Sunday’s main event, the All-Star Game.

Check out the guide so you don't out on anything!

the engineering game image

The Engineering Game

An encore presentation of The Engineering Game will highlight Engineers Week 2022. Tune in at 7 p.m. on February 24 and see why the show was such a hit last year. Alumni, faculty and student teams will compete in a TV game show-style showdown. Questions will challenge their knowledge of engineering and Case history. Time is tight. Pressure and laughs run high.

Good Vibes Only

During this very challenging time, ISS staff wants you to know that we are thinking about you- hoping you are safe, healthy, staying positive- and sending out good vibes!

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!

humming bird

28 Best Animal Photos of 2021

bread with tree artwork

Bread as artwork