Build connections with your peers and become successful students through events, excursions, and workshops designed for international students in the UC Santa Cruz community.
Events
Workshops
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
OPT workshops are MANDATORY for all F-1 students who will apply for OPT, and you MUST have attended the OPT workshop within 9 months of applying for OPT. You must attend the full workshop to receive credit. Be sure to arrive on time and stay until the end or you will not receive credit and will need to attend another workshop.
Fall 2024 Schedule
Beyond OPT Workshop Recording – This presentation covers various immigration-related options moving forward and beyond OPT.
International Graduate Student Support Workshops
Join our International Grad Peer Mentors for a summer series dedicated to answering your questions about what it’s like to be an international graduate student at UC Santa Cruz. Click here to send us your questions/topics you’d like covered by our grad mentors.
Fall 2024 Schedule
Workshop 1 – Moving to Santa Cruz
- Date: Friday, August 9
- Time: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Pacific Time
- Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 934 7549 2145 | Passcode: 340288
- Topics covered:
- Pre-arrival necessities (what to pack, finding housing)
- Finances
- Worries before coming
- Social networks back home
Workshop 2 – Life as an International Graduate Student
- Date: Friday, September 6
- Time: To be determined (date/time and link will be emailed to all new international grad students)
- Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 919 0550 5689 | Passcode: 803844
- Topics covered:
- Living in Santa Cruz (housing, transit, social security numbers, etc.)
- Quarter system overview (registering for and starting classes)
- Basic needs (bank accounts, mobile phones, etc.)
- Campus resources
2024 Recordings & Summaries
Recordings & summaries will be available after the live workshops.
Workshop 1 – Moving to Santa Cruz
Workshop 2 – Life as an International Graduate Student
International Grad Student Support Workshops Slides (Combined)
Federal Taxes for International Students
Join us for a Zoom workshop hosted by Glacier Lead Administrator, Lana Ballow. Register for a workshop below.
2025 Federal Tax Workshop Schedule
- TBD
2024 Recordings
Graduate Student Association (GSA) Tax Workshop
The Graduate Student Association is sponsoring special tax workshops through the Graduate Student Commons. The meetings will feature a 30-40 minute presentation by a tax professional followed by a tax workshop in which tax professionals will go over your tax forms with you and give you personalized advice. Bring your tax forms (1098-T, W-2, 1042-S, 1099-Misc) if you have them.
2024 GSA Tax Workshop Schedule
- Monday, March 4 at 5 p.m. for Non-Resident/International students
(Zoom link) & (2022 Video Recording) - Wednesday, March 20 at 5 p.m. for Domestic students
(Zoom link) & (2022 Video Recording) - Tuesday, April 2 at 5 p.m. as a Last Chance
(Zoom link) & (2022 Video Recording)