The University of New Orleans - Office of International Students and Scholars

Welcome to all of the international students who are new for the Spring 2012 semester! And welcome back to all of the continuing international students! We wish you all a successful semester!

Have you moved recently? —International students and scholars in F or J status can fulfill their federal SEVIS requirements by reporting their change of address by filling out a change of address form: http://oiss.uno.edu/forms/FPacket/Address,%20Name%20Change%20&%20Information%20Form.doc and then dropping it off at OISS in ED 122. Student address changes will then be updated in the University's database, as well as in SEVIS.

Did You Travel Abroad During Intersession? — If you obtained a new visa or passport while you were away, please come to OISS with your passport and visa documents so we can make copies for your files. Also, please remember to make copies for your own records of your passport, visa, and I-94 card each time you are issued a new one and keep them in a safe place.

Insurance Information for spring— If you have purchased an alternate insurance plan and would like to waive the insurance charge on your UNO fee bill, please take a look at the Insurance Coverage Evaluation Form for the spring 2012 semester: http://oiss.uno.edu/forms/FPacket/F-1_Insurance_Coverage_Evaluation_Form_Spring%202012.pdf . Dates for coverage are listed on the form. Insurance forms for spring must be turned in by the fifth day of class, 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 23, 2012.

For more information on insurance, please see: http://oiss.uno.edu/UNOinsurancereq2.cfm .

Optional Practical Training (OPT) Information Session — The first OPT information session for the spring semester will be on Friday, February 24 at 2:30 p.m. in ED 202. Advisors will give a general overview of OPT and explain the application process. If you are graduating in May, you should plan on applying for OPT in March and attending one of the information sessions. If you are unable to attend the session on February 25, there is a second session scheduled for March 15 at 12:30 . Information sessions are open to all F-1 students and we encourage you to attend, especially if you will be graduating in May 2012.

Income Tax Information —International students who work are not exempt from filing income tax forms – even if the U.S. has a tax treaty with the country of origin. If you are an international student who needs help filling out your tax forms, come to one of the volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) sessions. These VITA sessions will be scheduled for the end of February and throughout March. Dates, times and locations will be announced soon.

Make sure that you are signed up for the OISS Listserv so that you receive this important information: http://www.oiss.uno.edu/subscription.cfm

Spring Semester Campus Events— For information on events taking place on campus this month, check out UNO's Event Calendar at: http://events.uno.edu/public/index.cfm?action=month&month=1&year=2012 and Student Involvement and Leadership's Calendar at: http://sil.uno.edu/currentevents/ .

Be a part of International Night 2012! — International Student Organization is recruiting committee members to help organized one of the biggest student-run events to see UNO: International Night 2012. Committee members will be given the opportunity to meet people of different backgrounds, gain leadership experience, and get involved at UNO. The first general meeting for all interested participants will be Thursday, January 26 at 12:30 in ED 202. If you are interested, please attend this meeting or request an application by emailing iso@uno.edu . For more information, contact Rasil Tuladhar at rtuladha@uno.edu .

Spring Semester 2012 University Calendar— To view the official university calendar for Spring 2012, please go to the following link: http://registrar.uno.edu/bulletin/importantdates/#spring12 .

Important January/February Dates —

January 12: Deadline to pay fees without $50 late fee (deadline is 4:30 p.m.)

January 16: Martin Luther King Holiday—University Closed

January 17: Classes begin

January 23: Deadline to pay fees for FINAL REGISTRATION / SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT (4:30 P.M.).

Final date to add courses, change sections, or change from audit to credit.
Final date to drop course(s) and receive 100% refund. After this date, there is no refund for drops.
Deadline to file an Application for Degree and to pay graduation fees for May 2012 Commencement.

February 3: Final date to drop course(s) or resign and not have course(s) recorded*

February 14: 50% REFUND. FINAL DATE TO RESIGN (withdraw from all courses) and receive 50% refund *

* You must consult with an advisor from OISS before dropping any classes

February 18-21: Mardi Gras Holidays—No classes

February 21: Mardi Gras Holiday—University Closed

OISS Spring Walk-In Hours Reminder —

Monday & Thursday       8:00 am -12:00 pm
                                           2:00 pm-4:00 pm

Tuesday & Friday            9:00 am-12:30 pm
                                          1:30 pm-4:00 pm

Wednesday                     1:30 pm-4:00 pm

Walk-in consultations are for quick 10-15 minute discussions. You will receive assistance on a first-come, first-served basis.

Appointments are at specific times and with specific advisors. If your discussion involves changing status, an OPT or CPT application, or any other complex situation, please make an appointment. Please call 504-280-6021 to schedule an appointment or send an email to oiss@uno.edu .

Please note: For past issues of OISS News please check our website under the heading “OISS News” http://oiss.uno.edu .


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