ISSS knows that many international students may be wondering if they will be able to travel home for the summer as planned. Please consider the following information when making your decision for personal travel, especially if you are from a country that has been highly impacted by the coronavirus spread:
Traveling Home for Summer
If you are from a country highly impacted by coronavirus, there is a risk that flight, visa and entry restrictions could prevent your timely return to campus for fall semester. You must be prepared for this possibility, and communicate your plans and whereabouts to the University and to ISSS if you are unable to return by the first day of the semester.
If you are a current student considering travel to China or Iran, please note:
- Foreign national travelers who were in China or Iran within the 14-days before arrival to the U.S. are not currently allowed to enter the U.S. unless they qualify for an exception (for example, if you have a U.S. citizen spouse or child, or you are a permanent resident). We do not know when this travel restriction will be lifted. If it is not lifted before fall semester, you may not be able to return for the semester as planned.
- U.S. visa services in China are temporarily suspended. ISSS is aware of visa appointments currently available starting in late May. This temporary suspension could lead to a backlog of visa appointments this summer, and increased delays in getting an appointment. If you need to renew your visa in order to return, keep this in mind. If you are a graduate student or visiting scholar in a STEM field, you will have to consider the timeline for administrative processing of your visa in addition to possible delays in getting a visa appointment. While U.S. visa services are not offered in Iran, if the countries where Iranian students would normally apply for visas have also imposed an entry restriction for travelers from Iran, then it may be difficult to obtain a visa appointment.
Also, there may be countries in addition to China and Iran that impose their own outbound travel restrictions, or countries whose travelers may be restricted from entering the U.S. This could also delay your travel back to UConn.
If you traveled home to a high-risk country, you could also be subjected to a mandatory quarantine period upon return. You must plan your return travel to accommodate any quarantine period before classes begin.
Staying in the United States during summer
If you would normally travel home for the summer, but you are considering staying in the U.S. due to the coronavirus, here is basic information to help you plan your stay.
Immigration information
F-1 students are allowed to stay in the U.S. for your summer vacation as long as you intend to enroll as a student for fall semester. Make sure the program end date on your Form I-20 is not does not expire before December 2020.
Coursework
You are not required to take courses to maintain your visa status, unless your academic program includes a required summer term (most do not). However, you may take summer courses for enrichment or to get ahead in meeting your program’s degree requirements. UConn summer session registration begins March 23, 2020. During summer session, you may also take online courses, which would normally be restricted during summer. Also, the tuition rate for undergraduate courses during summer is the in-state rate!
Students who wish to enhance their academic English could consider enrolling in the summer intensive English program at UCAELI.
University of Connecticut American English Language Institute (UCAELI)
Working
International students may work in on-campus positions full time during the summer. To qualify, you must be working on-campus with UConn as your employer. You may also work for the Starbucks at the UConn Bookstore, or the restaurants in the Student Union. If you are unsure whether your employment is OK for your student visa, always check with ISSS.
To look for on-campus jobs:
Studentjobs.uconn.edu > JobX for UConn Students
International students may apply for “Student Labor” positions, not “Work Study” positions.
International students may NOT work in casual positions off-campus, or work for yourself (i.e. drive for Uber, deliver food for GrubHub, babysit, etc.). This is a violation of your student visa. If this will be your first time working in the U.S., you will need to apply for a Social Security Number. ISSS can assist you with this.
International students may also be able to do an internship in the U.S. over the summer off-campus. You must have either CPT or OPT authorization BEFORE you begin, and the internship must be directly related to your field of study. See your ISSS advisor for details. Even unpaid internships require CPT or OPT authorization. The UConn Center for Career Development provides internship listings, resources and counseling to help improve your internship search and experience.
Employment for International Students
UConn Center for Career Development
Housing
The University is exploring whether on-campus housing at the Storrs and Stamford campuses may be available in summer for current students who are unable to travel home due to coronavirus. International undergraduate students from countries highly impacted by the virus will soon receive an email survey regarding your summer plans– this helps the University to assess student need for housing and other on-campus services. It will be very important that you respond to the survey. If housing will be available on campus, we will let students know of the application process as soon as possible.
If you live off-campus, it will be important to know the terms of your lease, in-case you need to extend your rental period. If you will not be able to stay in your current rental, the UConn Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services office has resources to assist you with your housing search.
Changing addresses
Remember, all international students must notify ISSS if you are living at a different U.S. address over the summer. You must update ISSS within 10 days of moving. Update your address by logging into StudentAdmin and updating the “Current Local” address field. You must notify us of any address where you will stay 10 days or more. For more information on how to format your address, visit the ISSS Update Your Address webpage.
Health insurance
If you stay in the U.S. for the summer, you must ensure that your U.S. health insurance coverage is also extended! Contact your health insurance provider for details.