RISD International Student & Scholar Affairs - RISD ISSA

Optional Practical Training (OPT) season has begun! Eligible international students graduating this December can apply for OPT work authorization. The OPT application period is from September 14 - December 13, 2023. We strongly recommend that you apply EARLY! Please see our website for more information.

ISSA wishes you a blessed Eid al-Adha!

Are you planning to do an internship this summer? You must register your internship with the Career Center by Wednesday, June 14. If you are an F-1 student you also must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization to work while physically in the US. See our website for more information about the process!

Congratulations to the Class of 2023! ISSA wishes you all the best in your post-grad endeavors. For all other students, we wish you a long, restful summer! ☀️

As Ramadan ends, we wish happy celebrations to all who observe Eid al-Fitr!

Happy Easter from ISSA!

Spring break is here! Please know that ISSA will remain open for normal business hours during spring break. We hope you all enjoy your break! 😊

To all those who observe, ISSA wishes you a safe and blessed month of Ramadan!

Happy Spring Equinox! This marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Nowruz, also known as Persian New Year, takes place on this day as well. Happy new year to those that celebrate ☀️

If you are interested in learning more about freelance work or self-employment in the United States, please join us for our Guidelines for Self-Employment & Freelancing in the U.S. Workshop with Immigration Attorney, Eileen Morrison, this Wednesday. The session will focus on the legal guidelines around freelance and self-employment, specifically during the post-Graduation Optional Practical Training (OPT) period. Registration has been sent by email to all F-1 students.

REMINDER: You MUST have the appropriate work authorization through International Student & Scholar Affairs (ISSA) and/or U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) to legally work in the United States if you are a non-resident visa holder.

For all those who celebrate this festival of colors, ISSA wishes you a very happy Holi!

ISSA Student Staff Spotlight ✨

We are very happy to introduce the newest addition to our team- Siya Katyal! Siya will be joining our current Office Assistants- Sahil, Sara, and Roxy. We are very grateful for our wonderful student staff, and you will see them around our office at our front desk!

Gain information and guidance on which visas might be available to F-1 visa holders after OPT! Immigration attorney, Eileen Morrison, will present visa eligibility details for visas such as the H-1B, O1, EB2, TN and more. Join us tomorrow night for this informative session and bring any questions that you have related to what you hope to do after graduation. Registration has been sent by email to all international students.

Please note: ISSA holds separate sessions specifically on OPT and the application process. This session is open to all US visa holders.

The internship registration deadline is one week away! If you are planning to do an internship this spring, you will need to register your internship with the Career Center by next Wednesday, February 22 ⏰ If you are an F-1 student, you will also need to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization in order to work while physically inside the US. See our website for more information about the process!

There will be two tabling events held this week to bring attention to the recent earthquake in Turkey & Syria and in support of our Turkish and Syrian community at RISD. We hope to see you there!

There will be food & prints offered. Information on reputable donation sites will be provided.

Are you an F-1 student graduating this spring? Come to our Information Session to learn more about Optional Practical Training (OPT)! OPT is a work authorization that allows eligible students to work for 12 months in the US. We will be holding both Zoom and in-person sessions from 12pm-1pm. Swipe to see all session dates!

Please note that you must register in advance to attend a session. Eligible students have been sent an email with the registration form.

Get ready for Tax Season! All international students that were physically present in the U.S. at any point during 2022 are required to file a U.S. tax form. Even if you did not work or receive income in the U.S., you are still obligated to file a Form 8843 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). International students will receive email reminders and instructions throughout the next months until the tax filing deadline- April 18, 2023 ⏰

Happy Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year to those who celebrate! ISSA wishes you health, happiness and prosperity in the new year 🐇

Merry Christmas from ISSA! We hope you have a wonderful holiday season ☃️

Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! We wish you a festival filled with joy.

Winter break is almost here! As you finish up with any last finals/crits, we hope you have had a great semester. Please be aware that this is our last week in the office. ISSA will be fully remote next week and closed for the winter break from December 23 through January 2. We hope you have a restful break and a wonderful start to the new year ✨

If you are a current F-1 student planning to travel outside the US for the winter break, you must check page 2 of your I-20 to make sure that you have a valid travel signature. A travel signature is required in order to re-enter the US after international travel and is valid for one year, for multiple entries. If you do not have a valid travel signature, be sure to stop by our I-20 Travel Signature Pop-Up tomorrow in the Met!

Are you planning to do an internship this winter? You will need to register your internship with the Career Center by next Tuesday, November 29 ⏰ If you are an F-1 student, you will also need to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization in order to work while physically inside the US. See our website for more information about the process!

Are you an F-1 international student who will be traveling outside the US soon? ✈️ Don't forget to check page 2 of your I-20 to make sure that you have a valid travel signature. A travel signature is required in order to re-enter the US after international travel and is valid for one year, for multiple entries. If you do not have a valid travel signature, be sure to stop by one of our I-20 Travel Signature Pop-Ups!

Gain information and guidance on which visas might be available to F-1 visa holders after OPT! Immigration attorney, Eileen Morrison, will present visa eligibility details for visas such as the H-1B, O1, EB2, TN and more. Join us for this informative session and bring any questions that you have related to what you hope to do after graduation. ISSA will hold separate sessions specifically on OPT and the application process. This session is open to all US visa holders.

Sign up through the link in our bio- we hope to see you on Thursday!

Student Staff Spotlight ✨

We are very happy to introduce our new Office Assistants/International Cultural Programmers! We are lucky to have Sahil, Sara, and Roxy on our team and you may see them in our front office this semester. Swipe to read more and get to know our amazing student staff 😊

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. To those that celebrate, we wish you a blessed Yom Kippur.

Happy New Year to those that celebrate Rosh Hashanah!

Moving to a new country can be one of the most exciting, rewarding experiences- but it can also be very difficult at times. The ups and downs of culture shock may be familiar to many of us. Swipe to see what students have to say about living abroad 🌎

Sticky Note Saturday is a project aiming to highlight student voices, stories and experiences around topics like home, homesickness, studying abroad, international experience, culture, language, creative practices, art, and other topics related to RISD and the international community. Reply to our Sticky Note Saturday stories to have your anonymous response featured in the coming weeks! 😊

Food is often one of the first things that come to mind when we think about culture, home, and family. Just one taste of a familiar dish can bring such comfort and memories. Swipe to see some of our students' favorite foods from home!

Sticky Note Saturday is a project aiming to highlight student voices, stories and experiences around topics like home, homesickness, studying abroad, international experience, culture, language, creative practices, art, and other topics related to RISD and the international community. Reply to our Sticky Note Saturday stories to have your anonymous response featured in the coming weeks! 😊

Are you planning to do an internship this fall? You will need to register your internship with the Career Center by this Wednesday, Sept 14 ⏰ If you are an F-1 student, you will also need to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization in order to work while physically inside the US. See our website for more information!

Whether you are a new student just settling into your new life in Providence or a returning student, the concept of home can mean many things- it could be a person, a feeling, a place, or something else entirely. Swipe to see what other students think!

Sticky Note Saturday is a project aiming to highlight student voices, stories and experiences around topics like home, homesickness, studying abroad, international experience, culture, language, creative practices, art, and other things related to RISD and the international community. Reply to our Sticky Note Saturday stories to have your anonymous response featured in the coming weeks! 😊

ISSA wishes you a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival for those that celebrate!

Welcome and Welcome Back to our new and returning international community! We’re so happy to have you back on campus!

Work authorization is REQUIRED for any off-campus work in the U.S. as an F-1 student. Swipe to see the 3 types of off-campus work authorizations. You will need to contact our office in order to apply for these work authorizations. Eligibility requirements can be found on our website (link in bio)

If you work off-campus without work authorization (ex: freelance work, work at an institution other than RISD, projects/work with a faculty off-campus), you will be in violation of your F-1 student status.

A Social Security Number (SSN) is a government-issued number that is needed if you will earn income in the US. International students are eligible to apply for a SSN if they have a job offer (generally to work on-campus). See the steps above!

International students are eligible to work on RISD’s campus. If you are interested, follow the steps above!

Reminder: Although you are permitted to work on campus, any off-campus work will require work authorization. If you work off-campus without work authorization (ex: freelancing), you will be in violation of your F-1 student status.

Hello and welcome from International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA)! Formerly known as OISS, we are the go-to office for international students here at RISD 🌎 As advocates for RISD's international community, we offer support and services with immigration compliance, cultural and language adjustment and navigating US systems. We are so excited to welcome our new and returning students to campus for the fall!