Events and Programs
OISA hosts events and programs throughout the year to help students make the most of their time at Wesleyan and prepare for life after university. Mark your calendars with important dates of sessions focused on choosing the right majors, employment (CPT, OPT, STEM OPT Extension, career planning), and other topics that will help you take advantage of the opportunities available to you and plan for the future.
Consider opportunities to get involved in campus-wide internationalization programming, such as International Education Week (IEW) in the fall and Power of Language Week in the spring, and participate in OISA programs such as International Student Orientation (ISO), International Buddy Program (IBP), Wesleyan Africans Thriving Together (WATT) peer mentorship program, and the Wesleyan International Speakers Program (WISP) that offer unique student leadership opportunities!
Events and Programs - Fall 2024
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) Workshop: Overview of Eligibility, Applying & Maintaining F-1 Status during Your Post-Completion Employment
Thursday, September 26: 3:30pm-5:00pm EST in Exley 309
Intended Audience: F-1 international students graduating in Fall of 2024 or Spring/Summer of 2025 who wish to work in the United States after graduation
Session Description: In this workshop, OISA staff will provide an overview of OPT eligibility, the application process and timeline, and requirements for maintaining your F-1 visa status during your post-completion employment. Please carefully read through OISA’s Post-Completion OPT guidance prior to attending this workshop. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the session.
- Sprintax Webinar: Everything A Non-Resident Should Know About U.S. Tax Filing Requirements
Friday, October 4: 12:00pm EST
Sprintax is offering a webinar exclusively for Wesleyan foreign nationals on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 12:00pm EST. During this virtual session, a Sprintax representative will provide an overview of Sprintax Calculus. You will learn about U.S. tax residency status, tax withholding, forms, treaties and more. The session will end with an introduction to Sprintax Returns, provide information about your annual IRS filing obligation, and what you should look out for in early 2025. Register here now!
- Choosing Majors & Careers for F-1 Status International Students
Tuesday, October 8: 4:00-5:00 p.m. EST in Usdan 110
Intended Audience: Classes of 2028 and 2027 F-1 visa status international students
Session Description: In this in-person session, you will learn about important factors (personal interests, career prospects, immigration-related benefits/regulations) to consider when choosing a major as an F-1 visa status international student. Class Deans from the Office of Academic Advancement, staff members from OISA and Gordon Career Center, and current international student panelists will facilitate this informational workshop, which will include an overview of the major selection process, post-completion employment as an F-1 international student, and STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension-eligible programs of study at Wesleyan. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the session.
Register for the session on Handshake: https://wesleyan.joinhandshake.com/events/1615776/share_preview
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Workshop: Overview of Eligibility, Applying & Maintaining F-1 Status during Your Off-Campus Employment
Wednesday, October 30: 3:00pm-4:00pm EST in Fisk 413
Intended Audience: F-1 status international students who will have completed two semesters of full-time study and declared a major by the end of the Fall 2024 Semester or the Spring 2025 Semester, and who are considering an off-campus practical training opportunity
Session Description: In this workshop, OISA staff will provide an overview of CPT eligibility, the application process, and requirements for maintaining your F-1 visa status while engaging in this type of off-campus employment during your degree program. Please carefully read through OISA’s Curricular Practical Training (CPT) guidance prior to attending this workshop.
- Travel Signature Clinics in Usdan
OISA is offering in-person Travel Signature Clinics on the first floor of Usdan University Center at the base of the stairs leading up to Marketplace on the following dates and times during the Fall 2024 Semester:
- Tuesday, October 15: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Thursday, November 21: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Thursday, December 5: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 10: 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Please bring a printed paper copy of all three pages of your current I-20 and a photo ID to receive a travel signature from an OISA staff member.
If you are not able to come to one of these clinics, please see the guidance on our Visa & Travel page for instructions on how to submit a Travel Signature Request in the ISS Portal.