GREETINGS AND WELCOME - IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

To all our new and continuing International Students! We send our best wishes for a successful semester. Don’t hesitate to contact us or any of the other campus offices that are here to help you be more productive and content.

International Services ( I.S. ) is located in the Global Education Center at 22 Normal Avenue.
Phone: 973-655-6862
Email: intserv@montclair.edu

Crossmail is the official means of sending you important information that may effect your legal status or your academic life. Be sure to read each Crossmail thoroughly.

Remember - The official method of communication at Montclair State is through your Montclair email account. You are responsible for checking your email every day and responding when necessary.

NEW DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICES:

The Global Education Center recently appointed Victoria Donoghue as the new Director of the Office of International Services (OIS). The OIS manages all visa services for students, faculty and staff; represents the University before the Department of Homeland Security; provides direction and support for international students; serves as a
resource for issues concerning immigration law, including employment-based permanent residence; provides cultural programming to international students; and manages the International Living Community at the Village Apartments. Ms. Donoghue is an Immigration attorney with a background in higher education. She has taught and published widely on a variety of immigration related issues, and she is an Adjunct Professor in the Immigration Law Program at the School of Professional Studies, City University of New York.

ONLINE DOCUMENT REQUEST AVAILABLE:

If you require documents/letters from our office you can visit our website and request these documents online. Requests for Good Standing Letter, On Campus Employment Confirmation (Payroll) Letter, Social Security Letter, Request for Travel signature on I-20 or DS-2019, and Invitation Letter are available online.

Simply follow the instructions on the form, fill out the required information and submit online. You can then pick up the requested document from our office. Please allow at least 3 business days for requests to be processed.

Online Document Request is available on our website at www.montclair.edu/international and click on ‘Forms and Documents’ on the left navigation bar.

FULL TIME ENROLLMENT REQUIRED FOR F-1 AND J-1 VISA STUDENTS:

All students in F-1 and J-1 visa status are required by federal regulations to enroll full time each fall and spring semester. Full time is defined as 12 credits or more for undergraduate students and 9 credits or more for graduate students.

Do not withdraw from class(es) during the semester if it will put you below the required full time load as this will result in termination of your visa status. If you cannot enroll full time for any reason or you want to drop below full time load during the semester you must visit the International Services office immediately to discuss your situation.

OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT) WORKSHOPS FOR GRADUATING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:

If you have an F-1 visa and are planning on graduating in May, you may be interested in applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT allows you to work in your field of study in the US for approximately a year after graduation.

OPT information sessions will be held at the Global Education Center (22 Normal Ave.) during the spring semester. If you want to apply for OPT, you must come to one of these sessions.

WHEN: Friday, February 18th at 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 3rd at 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 30th at 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Friday, April 8th at 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Please Click Here to Register for this workshop.

WHERE: Global Education Center Conference Room, 22 Normal Avenue

CONNECTING ACROSS CULTURES:

Every Thursday from 3:00 - 4:00 pm in the Drop-In Center (the little house next to the Student Center) this group meets for conversation, snacks and an opportunity to make new connections and talk about multicultural experiences at MSU and beyond.

WHEN: Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Drop-In Center (House next to the Student Center)

TAX WORKSHOPS:

Tax season is upon us! If you lived in the US in 2010, you will need to file taxes this year. If you earned any income in 2010, the deadline for filing is April 15, 2011. If you did not earn any income, but still lived in the US, the deadline is June 15, 2011.

International Services can make the process easier for you by showing you how to use CINTAX, a web-based tax filing system for international students and scholars. If you are interested in learning how to use CINTAX, please attend one of the following workshops, Each workshop will last about an hour.

CINTAX is only appropriate for F-1 and J-1 students who have been in the US for 5 years or less, and for J-1 scholars who have been in the US for 2 years or less. If you have been in the US for longer than this, you must file taxes using the forms that Americans use.

Please note that staff at International Services are not qualified to advise you on your individual tax questions, but at this workshop we will show you how to get the answers you need.

WHEN: Wednesday, February 16th at 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Monday, February 21st at 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (FOR SCHOLARS ONLY)
Friday, March 4th at 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29th at 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Please Click Here to Register for this workshop.

WHERE: Global Education Center Conference Room, 22 Normal Avenue