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| Traveling this Spring Break or Summer? |
| Check your documents NOW |
Check if your entry visa will be valid for your return, and please be sure to get a travel validation signature.
The ISO has a number of resources available to guide students on preparing for travel.
Please be sure to consult the ISO “Visas and Travel” webpage for details on requesting a new Form I-20 or DS-2019 with travel signature, guidance on “Entering the U.S.” to verify documents to carry when traveling, and links on how to apply for a new entry visa, if needed, from the U.S. Embassy/Consulate.
*Please also check each time you return to the US that your I-94 is valid upon arrival (should be in F-1 D/S or J-1 D/S). If you accidentally enter in tourist status and do not get it corrected, your immigration status may be interrupted and could affect your future employment plans. |
| ISO TRAVEL WEBSITE |
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| Request Extensions Now |
| Check Your Form I-20 or DS-2019 for expiration date |
If your Form I-20 or DS-2019 is expiring this spring and you will not be completing your degree by the program end date on the document, you must request an Extension on iMIT.
Review more information at the Extending your Current Program webpage under Maintaining Status. |
READ MORE
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| Working Off-Campus this Summer? |
Attend live Employment Information session [virtual]
Sign up on iMIT |
Planning to pursue an internship or work off-campus this summer? Please read the ISO employment webpages and highlight link to Employment Information Sessions; (2)
Reminder: for students who are looking to pursue internships or post-degree employment this summer, you are required to attend/watch an F-1 Employment Information Session for guidance on application timelines and procedures.
Next Spring 2022 F-1 Employment Information Sessions
- Tuesday, March 15 from 10am to 12noon
The information session will discuss F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT), F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT), and F-1 STEM Optional Practical Training authorizations, how a student can be eligible for CPT, OPT or STEM OPT, and the application procedures to obtain the appropriate authorization for their off-campus activity.
Students should fully review the ISO Employment webpages before attending.
PLEASE NOTE: If you cannot attend the live sessions, you can review the recording and slides instead of attending an employment session.
To access slides/recording:
Student Content Access page (Kerberos login required)
Click on ISO F-1 Employment Information Session recording and slides for the latest materials.
When you request CPT or OPT on iMIT, please indicate you completed your session “Online.”
AFTER you have attended a session or reviewed the slides/recording, if you still have questions, you can email you ISO advisor directly.
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| ISO EMPLOYMENT WEBSITE |
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| Tax Filing Resources and Tax Workshops |
Deadline is April 15, 2022 to file taxes
Sprintax is available NOW for federal income tax returns on the ISO website (you MUST access the Sprintax Portal from our website)
Workshop recordings will be available on the VPF website March 7
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The ISO has updated our Taxes webpage to reflect updated links to MIT and additional resources on filing income tax returns for the 2021 calendar year.
The recording/slides of the live Tax Workshops on March 1 is available now on the VPF website.
ISO has made available for free (for filing U.S. Federal income tax returns) a new nonresident income tax return preparation software this year, Sprintax (replacing Glacier Tax Prep). The ISO sent out a notification to all international students on March 1 that the software is available for use, along with instructions on how to access the software.
- Current MIT International Students must log in to Sprintax via the ISO website. **Please note that you must have an MIT Kerberos ID and password to log in to this site.
- Alumni and students who attended MIT in the previous tax year and do not have an active Kerberos username may contact their ISO Advisor for a temporary access code (*spouses and dependents are also eligible to request an access code from the student's advisor)
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ISO TAX WEBSITE
MIT SPRINTAX WEBSITE |
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| USCIS Provides Limited Resources on Online Filing for F-1 OPT and F-1 STEM OPT Extension |
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While USCIS has not provided a detailed, step-by-step set of instructions for Online filing of Form I-765 for F-1 OPT and F-1 STEM OPT applications, the ISO has posted on the F-1 Pre-Completion OPT, F-1 Post-Completion OPT, and F-1 STEM OPT Extension webpages resources provided as part of USCIS and CIS Ombudsman’s Office webinars on Online Filing (held in May and November 2021). This includes a recent update to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on online filing.
The ISO will post additional resources/guidance as they are made available by USCIS. |
| ISO EMPLOYMENT WEBSITE |
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Spring 2022
Navigating MIT Series |
First session next Thursday March 17:
Discover Boston in the Spring/ Summer |
- Discover Boston in the Spring/Summer - Thurs, March 17 at 12noon (tentative) in E19-202
- Imposter Phenomenon - Tues, March 29 at 5pm in 32-124
- Dating and Long-term Relationships - Fri, April 8 at 12noon in E19-202
- Cooking and Meal Prep for the Week - Tues, April 12 at 4pm via Zoom
- Finish Strong: End-of-Semester Hacks - Fri, April 29 at 12noon in E19-202
*MOST SESSIONS ARE IN PERSON, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. SPACE IS LIMITED. |
| REGISTER |
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| LCE: Conversation Groups |
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Join a small group for language practice and conversation exchange!
Our enthusiastic volunteers are leading small groups for Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, Portuguese/Spanish, and German!
Find dates and times in our LCE Community Slack Space and by subscribing to our newsletter. Interested in starting a group for another language? Reach out to the LCE team at lce@mit.edu.
If you are interested in another language, please fill out the form. We are also looking for new group leaders.
Link to interest Form here |
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| MIT EVENTS & PROGRAMS - IAP |
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| "Heritage Meets Heritage”: a gathering for MIT students |
Friday, March 11, 2022 from 5pm - 6pm
14E-310 |
Do you consider yourself a “heritage speaker” of a language other than English? Do you find yourself navigating between two (or more) languages and cultures? Maybe you’ve wondered if you can consider yourself “bilingual.” Whatever the language or culture of your home environment, this event aims to provide a space to explore your experiences and share with others who have had common experiences, even though they speak a different heritage language.
Let’s celebrate our languages, cultures, and communities! Creating a space to have fun and be proud of who we are.
Discussion, games, prizes, and goody bags.
This event is brought to you with the support of Global Languages, MindHandHeart, and Hermanas Unidas |
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| MITaly Welcome Aperitivo |
Sunday March 13th from 6PM
Student Stratton Center room W20-306 |
Dear MIT graduate students,
As the pandemic seems to be winding down and activities are re-starting, we’d like to invite you all for a (slightly delayed) kick-off of the new year. We look forward to re-connect with the MIT community. As usual, we will have food and (non-alcoholic) drinks!
The even is going to be on Sunday, March 13th, in Stratton Student Center of MIT , room W20-306, starting at 6pm.
You can find more details regarding the event here on Facebook.
If you plan to participate, please sign-up for the event using this form and click “going” on the Facebook event. |
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| International Women’s Day - highlighting Maria (Kivisild) Ogrydziak ’69 |
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For this International Women’s Day, we highlight Maria (Kivisild) Ogrydziak ’69, Slice of MIT highlights Maria (Kivisild) Ogrydziak ’69, an MIT alumna who made a name for herself thinking outside the walls. Ogrydziak was one of about 50 women in a class of 1,000 at MIT, and often the only woman in her classes. “It was a big part of my MIT experience to break through what I perceived as being the same old, same old,” she says. In one project, she designed her own classroom off the Infinite Corridor, filling it with brightly colored furniture and floor tiles. She was also elected Undergraduate Association president — the first architecture student, first international student, and first woman to hold the post. Now an architect living in the Central Valley of California, Ogrydziak frequently builds projects that connect people to the landscape and to one another.
Full story via Slice of MIT |
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| GSC Taste of Australia |
Tuesday March 15 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Morss Hall, Walker Memorial 50-140 (northwest entrance) |
- Taste of series continues with Australian affairs: savory pie! Choose from meat pie, sausage roll and spinach roll.
- We will also have an aussie dessert: lamington, for everyone.
- Open to all MIT graduate students and their guests (with Tim Tickets App). Complete Attestation at least 10min beforehand.
- Check in at the northwest entrance, have your QR code in your Covid-pass app ready. Mask required unless actively eating or drinking.
- We thank the Australian students for the help. Eat a different and better pie on the day after pi day.
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| Womxn Leading Social Change |
Beginning Keynote - March 16 from 6 - 7 pm
Virtual |
Don’t miss out to join us for an exciting three part conference called “Womxn Leading Social Change” on March 16th, March 17th, March 29th at 6 pm in collaboration with SOLE, PKG, and Women’s & Gender Studies. Come learn about women’s roles and responsibilities when it comes to leading social change efforts, increase your awareness and commitment to how feminism plays a role within leadership and get inspired to be social change leaders within your own communities!
Womxn Leading Social Change:
- Keynote-March 16th 6-7 pm
- Panel-March 17th 6-7 pm
- Workshop-March 29th 6-7 pm
Link to RSVP |
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| GSC Battle of the Bands performer registration |
| Register by March 16th |
- GSC Battle of the Bands returns on April 1, 2022, 5pm Walker Memorial. All types of musical performance <=6 people are welcome.
- At least half of the band/team members must be MIT graduate students.
- Each band/team will receive Tech Cash as rewards, actual rate TBD (but will be >= $20/person).
- Free food from Bertucci's will be served for performers and audience.
- Actual length of performance depends on the number of registrations, but <=20min. We will try to finish performance by 8pm.
Link to register |
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| OGE: Parenting Students Lunch & Learn Series |
Next session on March 17 at Noon
Virtual via Zoom |
2022 MIT: Office of Graduate Education
Parenting Students Lunch & Learn Series
Tony Lim
March 17, 2022 at Noon
Tony will share a parent teaching moment with a humorous outcome and his role as a dad. Join us for your lunch break to be part of the conversation and meet other grad student dads.
Carole Ann Penny
April 28, 2022 at Noon
Leadership and Parenting - Carole Ann Penny runs a strategic career coaching business while parenting two kids. She will guide a conversation about what it means to be a leader in the workplace as well as a parent!
Link to register
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| MIT Ibero-American Film Festival 2022 |
Next session: Thursday March 17, 7pm
Building 6-120
Monos (2019, Colombia) |
The Latino ERG is co-sponsoring the MIT Ibero-American Film Festival 2022 taking place in March and April 2022. Please go to: https://languages.mit.edu/mit-ibero-american-film-festival-2022/ for full details.
The MIT Ibero American Film Series 2022 features five critically acclaimed films by directors from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Guatemala:
All events are on Thursdays 7pm (and all in room 6-120, except for April 7, which is in 4-370).
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Celebrate Nowruz with the Persian Student Association
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Saturday March 19th from 7-11PM
Student Stratton Center
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Nowruz is the celebration of the Persian New Year, which marks start of the spring. This year, we will gather to celebrate the resurrection of nature and a new beginning with Persian food, music, and dancing.
This event is free of charge to all MIT students and open to non-MIT people with a small fee.
Make sure to get your ticket as soon as possible, since the event has limited capacity and tickets are selling fast. Purchase a ticket even if you are an MIT student and the price is $0. We want you on our guest list.
Student IDs will be checked at the door.
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| MIT GradHillel offers Purim event |
Sunday, March 20 at 3 PM
Virtual |
MIT GradHillel offers Purim event for those interested in Jewish grad life
Newly admitted graduate students are invited to join MIT GradHillel for “quarantaschen” baking (Zoom hamantaschen) on Sunday, March 20 at 3 PM. It will be an opportunity to celebrate Purim, meet each other, and learn about Jewish grad life at MIT. The form will close end of day March 9.
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| Upcoming Events from Open Space Programming |
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- Family Friendly Yoga with Marlene
Saturday, March 26 at 9:30-10:15am
(VIRTUAL)
Start the weekend with a yoga practice geared towards kids & families, led by Marlene Boyette.
Link to RSVP
(IN PERSON)
Tuesday, April 5 at 12:15-1pm
Grab a slice and meet the dogs of MIT Puppy Lab!
Link to RSVP
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| Join the GSC ARC cross-institutional networking event! |
March 29th from 5-7pm
Virtual |
On March 29th, 5-7pm, GSC ARC is co-organizing a cross-institutional networking event, bringing together students and alumni from MIT, Yale, Harvard , Columbia, and Cornell.
The aim of this program is to go beyond LinkedIn connections; instead we aim to build relationships. The program consists of small group meet-and-greets, large group lectures, and discussions.
If you are interested in pursuing careers in consulting, venture capital, nonprofit, tech or academia, come and join us! To meet our mission, groups will be pre-assigned based on shared interests and program seniority. As such, attendance and participation is critical. Please keep that in mind when deciding to sign-up.
Please register here by March 20, 2022. Feel free to see our flyer for more information. We will provide more information about the specifics of the event once you finish the registration. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me, Zenan Wang or Nicholas Surdel.
Hope to see many of you at the event! |
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Meet employers & explore career options at the Master’s, PhD, and Postdoc Career Fairs
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- In-person: March 31st, 12-4PM at the Johnson Ice Rink
- Virtual: April 1st, 12-4PM
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Graduate students and postdocs: Whatever career stage you’re in, come learn about job/internship opportunities, explore careers in your field, and network with potential employers. This fair represents a unique chance to connect with and learn about employers who are actively recruiting advanced degree candidates and postdocs from MIT.
Different employers (all actively recruiting advanced degree candidates) will attend the virtual & in-person events! You can attend either or both.
Attending VIRTUALLY? Register and schedule your chats early — windows will fill up. Attending IN-PERSON? Conversations will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Learn more: https://capd.mit.edu/mpp-fair-candidate/ |
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| ESL TA Peer Mentoring Program |
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Are you a graduate student who considers English to be your second (or third, or fourth…) language? Join the ESL TA Peer Mentoring Program. The program is open to all ESL grad students, whether you are an experienced teacher who hopes to mentor new TAs, or a newer teacher looking for a friend to provide feedback and support throughout the semester.
For more information and to sign up, please check out this form, or reach out to Michelle ( michp@mit.edu) with questions.
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| Guide to Graduate Funding @MIT |
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Click to enlarge the flowchart from OGE to learn more about options if you are having financial difficulties.
Check out our Fellowships page! https://oge.mit.edu/finances/fellowships/
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| The Writing and Communication Center continues its free consultations during Spring 2022! |
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| The Writing and Communication Center (WCC) continues its free one-on-one consultations on different types of written, spoken, and visual communication. You can receive in-person and remote support there at all stages of the writing and communication process, from brainstorming to the final version, on such projects as research papers, fellowship applications, cover letters, personal statements, dissertations, presentations, or posters. The WCC can also mentor you through writer’s blocks including procrastination, perfectionism, demoralization, and imposter stress. To learn more about the WCC, check their website and make an appointment through this link: https://mit.mywconline.com. Don’t wait, schedule today! |
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| Flipping Failure |
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Flipping Failure is a collection of stories told by MIT students about their path towards resilience when faced with a wide variety of challenges at MIT. Whether you are struggling to adjust to the culture in the United States or at MIT, bracing yourself for your first Boston winter, or stressed about final exams, know that you are not alone.
You may find many of the Flipping Failure stories valuable, and we especially encourage you to check out stories and coping strategies from Annie and Jessica, who share challenges they faced as international students at MIT.
Learn more here |
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| Guide to Food @MIT |
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| The Food Security Action Team has shared guides to food @ MIT. Click on the flyers to access. |
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| Wellness Events & Resources |
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| Take Care of Yourself During Challenging Times |
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The unfolding news of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine has been horrific. Our thoughts are with students from the region or have loved ones in the region who are impacted. Please do not hesitate to be in touch with the Student Support Services or GradSupport dean who has been in contact with you. Or, contact ukrainehelp@mit.edu and a support staff member will respond to your email. MIT is here for you.
Even if you are not from the region or have family in the impacted area, these times can still feel unsettling. During times like this, it is important to take care of yourself in ways that work for you. Finding healthy practices to manage your stress, process your feelings, or connect with others can be a great way to focus on your wellbeing.
Check out this page from DoingWell at MIT for some tips if you need help getting started.
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| Know Your Resources! |
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We have launched a new course, Mental Health and Wellbeing for Graduate Students, in the Atlas Learning Center to help graduate students understand common challenges of the graduate student experience and how to navigate support and resources to prioritize their wellbeing. This course, which is also valuable to any faculty and staff who work with graduate students, was developed in partnership with the Division of Student Life, Office of the Vice Chancellor, and MIT Medical.
You shouldn’t have to think about where to turn for help. Just ask. Leave a question and a Student Support and Wellbeing team member will get back to you within 1 business day. |
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| Boston Symphony Orchestra MIT Discount |
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| Subsidized $5 BSO College Cards are now available for MIT students! This program is supported by the Bobko BSO Ticket Fund. With a BSO College Card, students can reserve free tickets to Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts each week during the entire 2021-22 season. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test required—make sure to review the BSO public health policy: Safe in Sound. |
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MIT International Students Office
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
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Office Hours:
9:00-16:00 (M-F)
Closed (W) 10:00-11:30
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