This week, we are focusing on finance and budgeting. Please review USF's resources available to international students within this newsletter, and as always, if you have any immigration questions or concerns, please reach out to ISSS via email or make an appointment with your ISSS adviser online.

Office of Financial Aid

While USF students who are in the U.S. on a student visa should typically be funded by a sponsor or other means indicated at the time of the admission and visa application, sometimes situations arise where there is a need for additional funds during your studies. In some situations, international students may consider taking out a private loan or applying for scholarships outside of the university. The Office of Financial Aid can help you search and apply for scholarships and private loans. Their website also outlines some of the private loan and outside scholarship options for international students. Please note that private loans require that students have a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-sign for the loan. Also, ISSS does not endorse any loan companies, and students considering loans should be sure they fully understand the terms.

Office of the Dean of Students

The Office of the Dean of Students provides resources for students who may be experiencing challenges obtaining basic needs, such as food and housing. Some emergency funds are available to undergraduate and graduate students who are unable to meet immediate, essential expenses due to a temporary hardship related to an emergency situation that may jeopardize their health, safety, and/or academic performance. If you would like to discuss options in more detail, please reach out to the Office of the Dean of Students. 

The Koret Health & Recreation Center is looking for a  responsible, reliable, trustworthy Koret building supervisor who can work Monday through Friday, from 5:30–9:30 a.m., and on weekends. It pays $21/hr. Individuals applying for this position must have and be able to demonstrate the following: knowledge of customer service, proper phone etiquette, ability to multitask, acquire knowledge of membership information, building operations and procedures. Please submit your interest for this position here.

Call for Volunteers: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit will take place in San Francisco from Nov. 11–17, and they are seeking student volunteers to assist with access control, logistics support for meetings, directional guidance for locations, and more. For more information about the conference and volunteer application process, click here. Please note that all volunteers will need to undergo a background security clearance with the United States Secret Service and provide their social security number (SSN) in the clearance process. Students who do not have an SSN will need an on-campus job or CPT authorization to be eligible to apply for one. SSN application information can be found here. The APEC School Outreach Initiative is also seeking student volunteers to teach elementary school students about APEC. Students who are interested in getting involved in this project will need to complete this interest form.

If you are requesting an immigration document or letter from our office, remember that we request ten business days to process requests. Make sure you plan accordingly so you have enough time to receive your document before you need it. All ISSS requests should be submitted through the MyISSS student portal (click on requests on the left-hand menu). You can view our MyISSS Student Handbook for assistance with your submission.