Dear Students and Scholars,

Due to the anticipated bad winter weather on Sunday, we need to cancel the ISSS shuttle. We anticipate that flights scheduled to arrive at Bradley on Sunday could be rescheduled. The following information will help you to plan for your arrival to Connecticut.

Alternate Transportation Options

• Taxi – Look to the Bradley Airport Taxi stand to find available taxis. The current one-way rate from Bradley Airport to Storrs, Connecticut is $79.00 USD. Taxicab drivers are also tipped at a rate of 15-20% of the fare. You can tell the taxi driver the total amount you want to give them, including tip, when you arrive at your dorm/residence.

• Public Transportation – City buses provide cheaper transportation, but require cash. Depending on the severity of the weather, they may not be operating during the storm. Take the 30-Bradley Flyer bus from Bradley Airport to Union Station in Downtown Hartford (fare $1.75). Pick up is from Terminal A, and the International Arrivals terminal. Have exact change ready. https://www.cttransit.com/services/bradley-flyer

From the Hartford train station, take CT Transit Bus 913 to Storrs. The route schedule is posted here.  If you are a new student, you will need to have cash ($5.00). This hourly bus service runs from 6:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m. stopping in Manchester at Buckland Hills Mall and Union Station Bus and Train Station in Hartford.

Hotels at the Airport

If you are stuck at the airport due to the storm, there is a hotel at the airport – the Sheraton is connected to the airport. There are other hotels nearby that may be less expensive, with hotel shuttles that leave from the airport. Check at the airport information desk for information on other hotel options nearby.

We wish you all safe travels and sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

Check out our Gallery from WorldFest 2018 as posted in UConn Today!

Travel Signature Week Flyer FA 17_edit

Join ISSS for a cup of coffee, pizza, and spend time with other international students who may be missing home, too!

Write a letter (postage paid for by ISSS) and take a picture with our quintessential New England props to share with your family.

The University of Connecticut has approved a new student fee for eligible active UConn students on F-1 and J-1 visas.

When will the Visa Compliance Fee be applied?

To accurately capture which students have enrolled, the fee will be applied to bills in two batches. The first batch of  students will receive the Visa Compliance Fee on their bill the week of 7/10/2017, and the second batch of students will be charged on the 11th day of Fall semester, 9/11/2017. All students will receive an email notification once the fee has been applied to their bill.

What expenses will the Visa Compliance Fee cover?

This fee will cover expenses associated with the University’s sponsorship of F and J visas for international students. It is not a government fee, or a fee tied to your individual visa application. For international students to study on a student visa, the University must sponsor your visa. This means UConn is responsible for maintaining your SEVIS immigration record, assessing and processing your applications for immigration benefits, providing advising to help you maintain your immigration status while supporting your academic and career goals, and reporting regularly to the U.S. government on the status of your visa. This requires adequate staffing, resources, and professional training, which will be met through the Visa Compliance Fee.

What benefits will I receive from the Visa Compliance Fee?

Direct benefits of the fee to international students include:

-Increased advising immigration support staff to meet your immigration processing and advising needs.

-Full-time international advisors based at the UConn Stamford campus and in Hartford to serve the new UConn Hartford campus, Graduate Business Learning Center and School of Law.

-The ability to continue providing walk-in advising services at the Storrs campus.

-Improved application processing time.

-Improved email response time.

-Improved application services, including web-based applications.

The $350 fee is charged as part of the required University tuition and fees for each semester that a student is enrolled, Fall and Spring terms only. Students who have been charged the fee but will not enroll in the next semester will have the charge removed after day 10 of the next semester. Payment for the Visa Compliance Fee will be due on October 15 for the Fall 2017 semester (Spring semester payment deadline TBD).

Who should I contact with questions about the Visa Compliance Fee?

Please contact the Bursar with any billing related questions at bursar@uconn.edu. Contact ISSS with any further questions at international@uconn.edu.

Please be advised of recent fee changes associated with applying for F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) and J-1 Academic Training (AT).

1)      For F-1 students: USCIS will raise OPT filing fees effective December 23^rd, 2016. Applications postmarked or filed on or after December 23rd must include the new filing fee, or USCIS will reject your application. The filing fee for all I-765 applications for OPT (including pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT and OPT STEM extension) will be raised to $410 (from the current $380).

2)      For F-1 and J-1 students: The University of Connecticut will begin implementing a Post-Completion Training SEVIS Maintenance Fee for all F-1 and J-1 students who will apply for post-completion Optional Practical Training (F-1) or post-completion Academic Training (J-1). This fee will be assessed at the time that you apply for post-completion OPT or AT, and will cover expenses related to maintaining your SEVIS record after you have graduated from the University. This fee will not be assessed for applications for pre-completion OPT or AT.  The fee will be $150 per 12 months of practical training that you are requesting. For example, if you are applying for 12 months of post-completion OPT, you fee will be $150. If you are applying for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, the fee will be $300. Details on how to pay the fee are posted on the ISSS webpage OPT application instructions. For OPT applicants, this fee is in addition to the USCIS filing fee mentioned above. The Post-Completion Training SEVIS Maintenance Fee will be required for OPT and AT applications submitted for approval to ISSS on or after January 1, 2017.

Please contact ISSS if you have any questions about these important changes.

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