News

Summer in Stamford

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Have you considered staying in Connecticut this summer? UConn Stamford is offering summer housing with first priority for UConn students taking a class or interning for a company. 

About Stamford

Stamford is a small, vibrant city only a short train ride from New York City! With a population of 130,000, it is the third-largest city in the state and the seventh-largest in New England. Downtown Stamford hosts numerous restaurants, theaters, shopping centers, and a thriving nightlife.  

Internships

Find an internship in the city (just be sure to get CPT or OPT for any internships you do!). Stamford is home to dozens of large corporations, including NBCUniversal, the WWE International Headquarters, and Vineyard Vines.

Housing

For more information, visit Summer Housing for UConn Students. 

ISSS/UConn Airport Shuttle Canceled

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Dear Students and Scholars,

Due to the anticipated bad winter weather on Sunday, we need to cancel the ISSS shuttle. We anticipate that flights scheduled to arrive at Bradley on Sunday could be rescheduled. The following information will help you to plan for your arrival to Connecticut.

Alternate Transportation Options

  • Taxi – Look to the Bradley Airport Taxi stand to find available taxis. The current one-way rate from Bradley Airport to Storrs, Connecticut is $79.00 USD. Taxicab drivers are also tipped at a rate of 15-20% of the fare. You can tell the taxi driver the total amount you want to give them, including tip, when you arrive at your dorm/residence.

 

  • Public Transportation – City buses provide cheaper transportation, but require cash. Depending on the severity of the weather, they may not be operating during the storm. Take the 30-Bradley Flyer bus from Bradley Airport to Union Station in Downtown Hartford (fare $1.75). Pick up is from Terminal A, and the International Arrivals terminal. Have exact change ready. https://www.cttransit.com/services/bradley-flyer

 

From the Hartford train station, take CT Transit Bus 913 to Storrs. The route schedule is posted here.  If you are a new student, you will need to have cash ($5.00). This hourly bus service runs from 6:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m. stopping in Manchester at Buckland Hills Mall and Union Station Bus and Train Station in Hartford.

 

Hotels at the Airport

If you are stuck at the airport due to the storm, there is a hotel at the airport – the Sheraton is connected to the airport. There are other hotels nearby that may be less expensive, with hotel shuttles that leave from the airport. Check at the airport information desk for information on other hotel options nearby.

 

We wish you all safe travels and sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

8-Hour Safe Driving Program Offered @ Storrs Campus

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If you will apply for a Connecticut Driver’s License, you must take an 8 Hour Safe Driving course before you can obtain your license. Please see full license procedures on the ISSS webpage.

ISSS is excited to announce that we have collaborated with AAA Driving School to offer the 8-Hour Safe Driving program at the UConn Storrs campus. We anticipate that the course will be held monthly through the end of the academic year.

AAA will provide the course and handle all registration directly. Students may register and pay for the course online at www.aaa.com/drivingschool . Please direct any questions to AAA.

Courses in 2018 will take place:

Nov 17 & 24: 9 am – 1 pm, Chemistry Building A120

Dec 8 & 15: 9 am – 1 pm, Chemistry Building A120

You must attend both dates in the month to complete the course (for example, attend both November 17 and November 24).

We hope this will make it a bit easier for international students who live on campus to obtain their driver’s license. Students and scholars who live in neighboring towns may also use the services of local driving schools in your towns.

ISSS Sponsors Airport Shuttle – BDL to UConn Storrs – January 20

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ISSS will sponsor a shuttle to help new and returning students get from the airport to campus for Spring 2019 semester. The shuttle will run only on January 20 (move in day for residence halls) between Bradley Airport and Storrs campus. The shuttle will pick up every 2.5 hours at Bradley Airport between 10 am and 8 pm, and drop off at the UConn Storrs campus (pick up/drop off locations still to be determined). This service will be free for UConn students, visiting scholars and accompanying family members. If you anticipate using this shuttle, please complete a Bradley Airport Arrival Form. This is not a reservation form, but will notify ISSS how many students may use this service. We will send detailed information on pick-up and drop-off locations to students who complete the form.

SEVP Portal for OPT Students

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On Friday, March 23rd the U.S. Department of Homeland Security implemented a new online tool for students on OPT to keep your information up to date in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Remember, all F-1 visa students on OPT are required by law to report any changes in their address, employer or employment status within 10 days to ISSS.  ISSS, in turn, updates these changes in SEVIS.

The new SEVP Portal allows students to view certain information from their SEVIS record, and update some information directly to the SEVIS record. However, even though the Portal enables you to update some information directly, you are not required to use it. You are still required to update your information changes using the ISSS OPT Information Form, and we will update the information for you in SEVIS.

SEVP Portal FAQ

Who can use the SEVP Portal?

Students who are on active post-completion OPT or STEM OPT extension may access the portal. This means your EAD has been approved and your OPT start date has been reached.

How will I access the SEVP Portal?

Once your OPT has been approved and your state date has been reached, you will

receive an email from do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov.  If you have applied for OPT, but it has not yet been approved, you are not able to access the portal yet. Your portal account invitation will come when your OPT is approved, and the requested start date has been reached. The language in the email makes it sound like you are required to use the SEVP Portal to report your information, but this is not the case. As long as you report your OPT Information updates to ISSS you will still meet your federal visa reporting requirement.

Am I still required to report my information on the ISSS OPT Information Form?

Yes. All students on OPT are still required to report any changes in name, address, contact information and employer/employment information to ISSS directly through the OPT Information Form on the ISSS webpage. Link to ISSS OPT Information Form. You must do this even if you have also reported your information directly through the Portal.

Who can use the portal?

F-1 students with active, approved post-completion OPT and STEM OPT Extension may use the portal to view and update certain biographical and employment information from your SEVIS record. Your SEVIS record is your electronic immigration record which contains information about you, your program of study, and your OPT employment information. It is required to be kept accurate and up to date. The government has access to the information in your SEVIS record, and your University DSO (ISSS staff) can make changes to your SEVIS record. Now you, too, can update certain information directly in your SEVIS record using the SEVP Portal.

What can I see in the portal? What can I update in the portal?

You can view in the SEVP Portal your name and date of birth, address, telephone number, terms of your OPT authorization, and your employer information. Students on standard post-completion OPT may update your physical address, telephone number, and you can add/remove employer and employment information.  Students on STEM OPT may not add employers, but you can edit current employers. This is because you need to submit an I-983 form to ISSS any time you leave/add employers while on STEM OPT Extension.

Am I required to use the portal?

No, using the portal is completely voluntary. In fact, at ISSS we recommend that you only use the portal to view your SEVIS information, since we already update your other required information based on your OPT Information Form.

How long after I report updates through the ISSS OPT Information Form can I see those updates in the portal?

Please allow at least 2 weeks after you submit your ISSS OPT Information to see those updates to your SEVIS record through the portal.

Where can I learn more about the SEVP Portal?

Learn more on the DHS Study in the States website.

Who do I contact if I have problems using the portal?

This depends on the nature of the problem. If you did not receive an email inviting you to create your account, or if you are locked out of your account, you may contact international@uconn.edu for assistance. If you are having technical difficulties using the portal, you may contact the SEVIS Response Center at 703-603-3400.