TECHnational News In

March 13, 2013

InTECHnational News is a bi-monthly publication from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) for all Georgia Tech international students and scholars. ISSS shares important updates including changes in immigration law and policies, important reminders, and upcoming events and opportunities. You should carefully review the newsletter each time you receive it and send any questions to info@oie.gatech.edu.

ISSS Walk-In Advising Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday Summer Paid Positions in OIE: International Welcome
8:30-11:30am & 1:30-4:30pm

Week Assistants
Apply to assist OIE in welcoming over 1,000 new international students to the GT campus for fall 2013. Applicants can apply to be the Welcome Week Coordinator, a Check-In Assistant, or both. All GA Tech students are welcome to apply as we seek to hire both graduate and undergraduate international and non-international students. Take advantage of this leadership opportunity to welcome new international students to Tech! Deadline: Friday, March 15th at 5pm. Applicants will be contacted by Friday, March 22nd to set up interviews. Please visit http://oie.gatech.edu/ISSS/oie-assistant-application for specific job details and to apply.

GA 500 State Tax Return Tutorial

ISSS will publish a web tutorial that includes the information provided at the GA 500 State Tax Workshops by the end of this week. Now you can choose to attend a GA 500 State Tax Workshop or view the information via the tutorial available on our Taxes website. Individuals who use the web tutorial will need to access the GA 500 forms on the Georgia Department of Revenue website and must have a complete federal tax return from in GTP in order to benefit from the tutorial.

ISSS Photo Contest: Just in time for Spring Break!

ISSS wants your photos! ISSS is excited to announce a photo contest for our international student population: send us your best photos of life at Tech, Atlanta landmarks, U.S. travel photos, spring break photos, etc. Photos must include GT students and GT gear. This can include clothing, Buzz, GT signs, etc. Submissions should be made with the understanding that ISSS will use these photos in promotional materials about GA Tech and ISSS. Please send submissions to: emily.dolezal@oie.gatech.edu. Deadline: May 15, 2013

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InTECHnational News

Upcoming Global Connections: 12pm-1pm Clough Commons

3/13: Culture Fest 2013 is comingget ready! The upcoming Global Connections session will cover the weeks events and you will learn more about Global Jackets, the student org. who coordinates this annual celebration of internationalization and multiculturalism. The end of the session will include a fun and interactive cross-cultural communication game. 3/20: ISSS advisors will be available to discuss complex issues that graduate thesis students face while completing their degree and applying for OPT. This session is specifically for graduate students working on their thesis who want to learn more about the OPT timeline and application. We will end with a group discussion and time for Questions & Answers. If you are planning on submitting your thesis in Spring, Summer or Fall please plan to attend.

Your Legacy at Georgia Tech Culture Fest 2013 is Coming!

Global Jackets is a student organization that works closely with the OIE to enhance the appreciation of cultural diversity at Georgia Tech. Each spring, Global Jackets hosts Culture Fest, a week-long celebration of internationalization and multiculturalism, with the purpose of bringing cultures from around the world to the Georgia Tech community. This year, Culture Fest will take place between 4/1-4/11 and will include a number of events sponsored by Global Jackets, Office of International Education, iHouse and several GA Tech culture/diversity organizations. Learn more about Global Jackets and Food Fest on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/Global-Jackets Get Involved: Global Jackets is looking for new members as well as volunteers to assist with Culture Fest. Want to get involved? Contact Meg Popick at Meghan.Popick@oie.gatech.edu Leave a legacy at GT by suggesting a new name for the bi-weekly newsletter from ISSS. This is the last week to submit ideas for the name change for InTECHnational News: get your submissions in now! Email emily.dolezal@oie.gatech.edu with your ideas or tweet us @gatechisss.

Time is Running Out in Tax Season!

There is only one more month to file taxes for tax year 2012 and ISSS and Global HR are here to help! Please keep in mind that all non-US citizens (who are not US green card holders) should identify their tax residency status prior to completing any tax forms. To determine if you are a resident or nonresident alien for tax purposes, log into your GLACIER account and access GLACIER Tax Prep(GTP). If you do not have a GLACIER account then email nra.ask@ohr.gatech.edu to get a GTP access code. GLACIER Tax Prep is a non-resident tax software that ISSS purchases to assist international students and scholars complete non-resident federal tax documents. Workshops are offered to help individuals who have already completed their non-resident federal return to complete a Georgia state tax return. Georgia 500 state tax workshops are held each week through April 12; the schedule and how to sign up is available at ISSSs Taxes Website. More information about accessing GLACIER Tax Prep and how to sign up for a Georgia state tax workshop in iStart can be found at ISSSs taxes website at http://oie.gatech.edu/isss/taxes. See the International Student and Scholar Tax FAQs for additional information. Questions? Email nra.ask@ohr.gatech.edu

International Student Leadership Award: Apps Available through iStart

The 7th annual International Student Leadership Award will honor an international GT student who has contributed significantly to the internationalization of the GT campus and has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills over the past year. Recipient will be honored at the annual GT Up with the Gold and White Ceremony. Qualifications: 1. Be in good academic standing with Georgia Tech 2. Be in status with your F-1 or J-1 visa 3. Be an active member of a cultural/nationality club at Georgia Tech 4. Hold at least one leadership position on campus 5. Attend at least one leadership seminar or conference while at Georgia Tech 6. Participate in at least one community service/service learning opportunity Applications are due by 4:30pm on Friday, March 15th through iStart.

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Extending Your I-20 or DS-2019

If your I-20 or DS-2019 will expire at the end of the upcoming spring or summer semester, but you will not graduate by that time, you should extend your immigration document as soon as possible. If your I-20 or DS-2019 expires and you continue to enroll in classes to complete a program of study, you are considered out of status. A program extension request can be submitted in iStart.

F-1 Undergraduate Out-of-State Tuition Waivers: Summer 2013

F-1 undergraduate students are eligible to apply for the undergraduate out-of-state tuition waiver upon experiencing unexpected financial difficulties. The purpose of this waiver is to offset the cost of tuition and is intended to address short-term financial needs for the upcoming semester. To be eligible, you must have been enrolled at Georgia Tech full-time for the two semesters prior to the semester for which youre applying and have a minimum 2.25 cumulative GA Tech GPA. Applicants should also be able to exhibit active involvement in student organizations and community engagement projects. For more detailed information and the application, please log into iStart and complete the e-form Undergraduate Out-of-State Tuition Waiver. Deadline for Summer 2013 Friday, March 29

Anne Robinson Clough Conference Grant

Have you attended or will you attend an academic or leadership conference this spring 2013 semester? If so, apply for the Anne Robinson Clough Conference Grant, sponsored by the Anne Robinson Clough International Student Endowment Fund. This grant was created to assist F-1 or J-1 students at Georgia Tech to attend domestic or international academic or leadership conferences. You are able to access the Anne Robinson Clough Conference Grant Application e-form within iStart: here you will find more detailed information, requirements, and the complete application. Deadline for spring 2013: March 15

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Body Image Committee Student Advisory Board
Get involved in promoting positive body images here at Tech by joining the Body Image Committee Student Advisory Board. This is a great opportunity to interact with GT faculty, staff, and other students interested in promoting healthy body images. EveryBody is welcome! Email bodyimage@gatech.edu with your name and contact information to get involved. Find more information at http://bodyimage.gatech.edu/ or GT Campaign for EveryBodys Facebook page.

Global Buzz
Do you work on campus? Do you plan to change your status to H-1B or apply for permanent residency in the future? The Global Buzz provides the latest updates and news for foreign national employees at Georgia Tech and employment related immigration. Subscribe via rss feed or by email today! http:// globalbuzzgeorgiatech.blogspot.com/

ESL Courses for International Spouses (F-2 and J-2)

The Language Institute at Georgia Tech offers English language courses for spouses of international students and scholars. There are courses of varying levels ranging from low to advanced and each course costs only $100. Please find more information at www.esl.gatech.edu.

Australian Rules Football team

The Atlanta Kookaburras Australian Rules Football team is set to begin their 2013 local league season and are looking for new players. No previous experience is required. The first matches begin this Saturday, March 16, and the season will run until May. For more information, check us out on facebook, Atlantafooty.com, or contact recruitment@atlantafooty.com.

Undergraduate International Student Survey

Consider taking this short survey to learn more about how international undergraduate students selected the college or university they attend and explore which factors they consider important in college choice. Participation in the study is completely voluntary. http://questionpro.com/t/AJcUzZPJkH Please contact Brian Ullman with questions: btu2u@virginia.edu

From Georgia Tech Memes Facebook