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| Update on Remote International Appointments |
| For Summer and Fall 2021 |
The following information is included in a series of notes from the Vice Chancellor about important information about remote international appointments for the Summer and Fall 2021.
A specific draft of an email to Newly-Admitted International Graduate Students and to Undergraduate Students can be viewed on the OVC website, along with a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
More information available on the ISO website.
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| IRS warns university students & staff of impersonation email scam |
ISO Scams and Fraud Alert webpage
Beware of ICE Imposters Flyer
Current Scam Alerts on US government website |
The Internal Revenue Service warned of an ongoing IRS-impersonation scam that appears to primarily target educational institutions, including students and staff who have “.edu” email addresses.
The IRS’ phishing@irs.gov has received complaints about the impersonation scam in recent weeks from people with email addresses ending in “.edu.” The phishing emails appear to target university and college students from both public and private, profit and non-profit institutions.
Taxpayers who believe they have a pending refund can easily check on its status at “Where’s My Refund?” on IRS.gov.
The suspect emails display the IRS logo and use various subject lines such as “Tax Refund Payment” or “Recalculation of your tax refund payment.” It asks people to click a link and submit a form to claim their refund.
The phishing website requests taxpayers provide their:
- Social Security Number
- First Name
- Last Name
- Date of Birth
- Prior Year Annual Gross Income (AGI)
- Driver's License Number
- Current Address
- City
- State/U.S. Territory
- ZIP Code/Postal Code
- Electronic Filing PIN
People who receive this scam email should not click on the link in the email, but they can report it to the IRS. For security reasons, save the email using “save as” and then send that attachment to phishing@irs.gov or forward the email as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and IRS Criminal Investigation have been notified.
Taxpayers who believe they may have provided identity thieves with this information should consider immediately obtaining an Identity Protection PIN. This is a voluntary opt-in program. An IP PIN is a six-digit number that helps prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns in the victim’s name.
Taxpayers who attempt to e-file their tax return and find it rejected because a return with their SSN already has been filed should file a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, to report themselves as a possible identity theft victim. See Identity Theft Central to learn about the signs of identity theft and actions to take. |
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| Income Tax Filing Deadline Extended to May 17, 2021 |
| Tax Workshop: Recording & Slides available here |
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has announced the Federal income tax filing deadline for 2020 returns has been extended to May 17, 2021.
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue, in response to the IRS announcement, has published that it also has extended the Massachusetts State income tax filing deadline for 2020 returns to May 17, 2021.
Please note that each State may adjust (or not) its own State income tax filing deadline. If you will be filing an income tax return in a State other than Massachusetts you will want to check that State’s department of taxation or revenue to confirm the State deadline.
Every international student, individuals in certain other nonimmigrant visa statuses, as well as American Citizens and Permanent Residents, are required to file a Federal income tax return with the U.S. Government (and in some cases also need to file a State income tax return in each state that the individual resided) based on any physical presence in the U.S. during the previous calendar year. Students are required to file income tax returns for all who had been physically present in the U.S. during the 2020 calendar year. Students physically inside the U.S. during 2020, whether they worked or not, are required to file an income tax return.
MIT provides a number of resources to support international students completing their required income tax returns. Links to the available resources are available on the ISO Taxes webpage (https://iso.mit.edu/maintaining-status/taxes/).
A brief overview of the available tax resources are as follows:
Tax Guidance for Non-Resident Tax Filers
The MIT Office of the Vice President for Finance, in cooperation with the International Scholars Office (ISchO) and the International Students Office (ISO), created a website for foreign nationals to provide resources and links related to receiving payments from MIT and guidance on income taxes. This is the best place to start with any questions about taxes and filing your income tax returns.
MIT Tax Workshops Presentation Recordings/Slidedecks Now Available
On March 2, 2021, MIT hosted Tax Workshops for MIT students and scholars regarding the filing the 2020 calendar year income tax returns.
The Workshop recordings and slidedecks are now posted on the MIT VPF “How to Get Tax Help” webpage.
Additional tax information for international students and scholars is available on the VPF website.
Glacier Tax Prep Software
The ISO makes available to MIT international students for free a license for the Glacier Tax Prep software to assist in completing the Federal income tax return. The software is available now.
By the end of February 2021, any students who have worked at MIT during 2020, including receiving assistantships or fellowships, should have received the necessary documents needed to complete their income tax returns by the May 17 deadline. |
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| Navigating MIT Series - Spring 2021 |
| Next Session on April 8, 2021 at 1 PM EST
Stress Management during COVID-19
Sign up for each virtual session at this link |
Various topics to support international students with adjustment to MIT and the U.S. during the spring semester. Most topics are repeated from the fall semester since some students have newly arrived for the spring. Open to all international students.
All sessions will be held virtually over Zoom. Even if you cannot attend the session, if you register, you will receive the slides (a recording may not be possible). |
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| Language Conversation Exchange "Conversation Cafe" |
Next Event on Thursday, April 13
12:00 - 1:00 PM EST |
Co-sponsored by LCE & ISO
Advance registration for each event is required at this new link: http://bit.ly/LCECafeSpring21
After a short opening culture or language presentation, language learners will be sorted into breakout rooms by language where you can practice with native speakers.
Participants, please start arriving at 11:50 AM so that presentation can start promptly at 12noon.
Subscribe to the LCE email list |
| Registration Link |
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| Zoom Break: Codenames |
Thursday, April 15, 2021
1:00 - 2:00 PM EST |
Join your fellow students and have some fun playing Codenames!
Sign Up requested.
Open to entire MIT community during IAP
Co-sponsored by ISO and Postdoc Association (PDA) |
| SIGN UP |
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| Zoom Break: Among Us |
Thursday, April 29, 2021
1:00 - 2:00 PM EST |
Join to play an hour of Among Us with us!
The game can be found here for Android and here for iOS.
A quick introduction video to how the game works is here! |
| Sign Up |
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| Cook with Antoinette |
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
12:00 Noon ET |
Join ISO staff member Antoinette as she teaches us how to make multiple simple and fun recipes. You don't have to cook all the recipes, only what you are most interested in. Or just observe! See ingredient flyers.
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| Sign Up Here |
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| Stand with the MIT AAPI Community |
Saturday, April 3, 2021 at Kresge Oval
7:00 - 9:00 PM |
Stand with the MIT AAPI Community
In light of the attacks in Atlanta last week and the growing wave of attacks on the AAPI community, we invite the MIT community to join our candlelight installation.
3,795 candles will be laid out at Kresge Oval to recognize the 3,795 (and counting) reported anti-AAPI hate incidents in the last year alone. Members of the MIT community (students, faculty, affiliates) with COVIDPass eligibility are invited to come between 7-9 PM to reflect and show their solidarity.
Join us and register here for your time slot between 7-9 PM to ensure social distancing and COVID-safe capacity limits. Masks must be worn and social distancing will be enforced. Please note that COVIDPass eligibility and campus access will be checked. *For those that cannot come in person, RSVP to our FB event for our livestream info and virtual interaction with other participants.*
Can you help volunteer? Sign up here to help with set-up and take-down of candles. |
| Register Here |
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| OGE Spring Financial Literacy Workshops- Investing series |
Part-II on Tuesday, April 13, 2021
11:30 - 12:30 PM EST |
OGE will be hosting a virtual workshop series on investing brought to you by Fidelity Investments. This three-part series will help guide those interested on the path to investing.
Introduction to Investing Part 1- Recording HERE.
Introduction to Investments Part II- April 13, 11:30-12:30 PM EST, Part 2 of this series will be slightly more advanced and will build on the knowledge offered in Part 1. Hayley Newhall will discuss asset allocation, asset location, and understanding the market and economic business cycle. An announcement with the RSVP link will go out closer to the event.
Introduction to Investments Part III- April 22, 11:30-12:30 PM EST, Hayley Newhall will return for Part 3 of this series to discuss choosing investment vehicles and offer tips for fund selection. This workshop will build on topics covered by Part 1 and 2. An announcement with the RSVP link will go out closer to the event. |
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| Distilled Wisdom: Practices for Prospering in the Pandemic |
Thursday, April 8, 2021
7:00 - 8:30 PM |
Exploring time-tested practices for cultivating gratitude, resilience and love through a series of conversations between seasoned practitioners of the world’s great religious, spiritual and ethical traditions.
Installment #5: LOVE
Featuring:
Greg Epstein - MIT Humanist Chaplain
Valarie Kaur - Sikh racial justice activist, civil rights lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, educator, founder of the Revolutionary Love Project and author of SEE NO STRANGER: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love.
REGISTER • facebook • MIT Calendar |
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| Apply for the 2021-2022 MIT Addir Fellowship |
Deadline: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 11:59 PM
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Undergrad and Grad students are encouraged to apply for the 2021-2022 cohort of the Addir Fellows. Apply here.
More information about the Addir Fellows:
Do you want to talk about life’s big questions and hear other people’s perspectives? Are you curious about people’s life experiences in different religious, spiritual and secular traditions? Do you want to make new friends with a diverse group of your MIT peers? Then Addir, MIT’s only interfaith dialogue program, is for you!
'Addir' is an ancient Sumerian word for ‘bridge’, which represents Addir’s mission is to build bridges of understanding, friendship and solidarity between people of different religious, spiritual and secular traditions. Addir Fellows agree to participate in weekly 1-hour small group discussions and a 24-hour retreat every semester. Small groups decide both the topics to explore and the time to meet each week, while Addir provides the meeting space and yummy snacks.
Addir fellows may be diverse in their backgrounds but they are united by their commitment to curiosity, kindness, and community where there is appreciation for difference |
| Apply Here |
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| The Personal Empowerment Series |
Visit ENGAGE.MIT.EDU to RSVP for each workshop
Next event on April 6, 2021 at 6:00 PM ET:
Connect, Convince, and Collaborate: Networking and Public Speaking to Build a Legacy, Career, and Brand
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| Sponsored by Student Organizations Leadership Engagement (SOLE), in partnership with MCR, DUSP, Political Science, ISO, MITAA, VPR, PKG, CAPD, LGBTQ@MIT, and OMP |
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| Graduate Student Appreciation Week |
| April 5 -10, 2021 |
MIT will celebrate Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation Week with a calendar of fun, stress-relieving virtual experiences and giveaways. Please share this information with your students!
Started in 1993 by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, this week gives us a great reason to demonstrate our gratitude for the contributions, impact and value of our grad students. They inspire us every day with their passionate curiosity, visionary research, and bold innovations.
The OGE is coordinating a number of virtual events for the week, which include:
* Pick up free coffee at Darwin’s
* Skip the Small Talk “speed-friending”
* A Paint Night
* Three virtual fitness classes offered by Healthworks Gym instructors
* A talk by Anthony Abraham Jack, author of The Privileged Poor (and free books)
* Trivia Night
* Raffles
Please find the full schedule online |
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| Writing Together Online with the WCC: April Edition |
April 1 - 30, 2021
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Please join the Writing and Communication Center in Writing Together Online to work on your writing projects starting April 1st through April 30th. Our 90-minute sessions create a community of writers who connect, set realistic goals, and write together to motivate each other and to make progress on their academic projects. This program is open to graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, researchers, and all, who are actively writing their proposals, manuscripts, or thesis/dissertation chapters.
Feel free to register for any number of 90-minute sessions:
- Every Mon 3-4:30pm ET
- Every Tue, Thu, Fri 9-10:30am ET
- Every Wed 5-6:30pm ET
Click here for more information and to register, or check the WCC website. Please spread the word and join with friends and peers. |
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| MIT Commencement 2021: Submit your video |
Submit via Dropbox by Friday, May 7, 2021
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Please submit video for consideration in the online Commencement festivities!
Commencement Day schedule
- Noon–1 pm EDT | Pre-program
- 1–2 pm EDT | Online Commencement Celebration Program and Degree Conferral
- 2–3 pm EDT | Graduate Recognition
Why send video?
The hour prior to the online Commencement celebration program will be hosted by two students and dedicated to reflecting on your MIT experience: we’re interested in anything you would like to share, from your early days on campus to the phenomenal adaptations and achievements of the last year. Video may show individuals or groups—and it’s fine to include anyone who is part of your life…classmates, lab mates, friends, teachers, family, supporters…with their permission, of course.
What to send?
Video may be either
- Clips of up to 30 seconds or
- Edited pieces of up to 4 minutes
Consider showing
- Your work and research
- Anything you have created
- Collaborative projects and adventures
- Competitions, games, matches, and performances
- Travels and homecomings
- Service and social events
You may submit your material via Dropbox between now and Friday, May 7; multiple submissions showing different people and activities are welcome. Please be sure to label the file(s) clearly (with your name, in case we need to follow up with you) and either include a text file with a caption or put the necessary details in the metadata. Note: Copyrighted music may prohibit us from using the piece. It is not necessary to set your video to music, but if you do, please choose carefully.
Video questions? Please contact MIT Video Productions
Commencement 2021 FAQ |
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| MIT Center for WorkLife and WellBeing Seminar Series |
Spring Seminar Offerings Here
Open to grad students, postdocs, & staff |
Check out the MIT Center for Worklife and Wellbeing's webinar series for the Spring '21.
These expert-led webinars are free, but registration is required.
Seminar highlights:
- Living your Life and Managing Your Debts
- Investing 201: Continuing the Conversation
- Applying Mindfulness to Manage Challenges and Resolve Conflicts
- Positive Psychology: Combat Negativity Bias & Optimize Your Happiness
- Coping With Worries
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| Sign Up |
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| Wellness Events & Resources |
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| Daily Table Grocery Store |
| Recently opened in Central Square |
| No one should have to choose between their health and their budget when it comes to food. That's why Daily Table sources nutritious, delicious food at prices that every budget can afford --an average of 30% less than other local supermarkets. |
| READ MORE |
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| iREFS Weekly Office Hours |
CONFIDENTIAL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SESSIONS
Wednesdays, 5 - 6 PM |
MIT iREFS (institute-wide Resources for Easing Friction and Stress) is a student group that offers confidential peer-to-peer support to fellow graduate students. Our mission is to ensure graduate student wellness, especially in times of uncertainty, stress, and conflict.
During these office hours, an iREFS will be available on a zoom call. Please feel free to join the call if you are looking to talk to a fellow grad student regarding an issue that is a cause of concern/ stress for you. We are here to provide a listening ear, inform you about key student resources that you could benefit from, and help brainstorm ways to come out of such challenging situations.
All sessions are confidential and no calls are recorded. Also, you can always email us at irefs-contact@mit.edu if you'd like to talk to us at a time that is convenient for you.
MIT iREFS mailing list: http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/mit-irefs
MIT iREFS webpage and google calendar |
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READ MORE
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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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