In this week's edition:

Happening at OGS (Spring Info, Closing Hours, Webinars and Review Sessions)
International Spouses and Partners Programs
University Life (Give a Violet Award, Diversity Fellowship and ISC Mentorship Program)
In and Around the City (Scholarship Opportunity)

Spring 2021 Information

The US government informed us this past week that their COVID-19 guidance for Fall 2020 will remain the same and in effect for Spring 2021. Inside Higher Ed has recently reported on this as well. Unfortunately, there is nothing official and public directly from SEVP/ICE regarding Spring 2021. We will update you as soon as we have more information, if any comes, and post to our COVID-19 and Emergency Information web page.

Upcoming closing and adjusted hours

Wednesday, December 23, OGS closes at 4:00 PM ET for the Winter recess. We reopen on Monday, January 4 at 9:00 AM ET. If anything comes up during this time, be sure to review our emergency information.

Traveling over Winter Break?

With the holidays and breaks ahead, we want to remind you about NYU’s policy on personal travel. Keep in mind that travel to restricted states or any other country will result in required quarantining. We urge you to keep in mind that travel restrictions can change rapidly with little notice. Depending on where you go, you may encounter challenges in departing a country or area, or face difficulties when you try to return. Should you need to conduct essential international travel, we are encouraging members of the community to plan on extra time for travel and register your trip with NYU Traveler to access Public Safety assistance while traveling. And if you do decide to travel, be sure to also review our travel page.

The programs listed below are highlights for the week of December 13th, 2020 and beyond. Check out the NYU Events Calendar for a comprehensive list of upcoming OGS events.

Full Listing of Upcoming OGS Events

Know Your Rights: Travel Webinar

9:30 AM ET | December 18 | Zoom

What are your rights when crossing through international customs and immigration checkpoints? What kinds of questions might you be asked and how should you answer them? How has the pandemic and updated government guidance affected what you may experience? Do you need to worry about the information on your electronic devices? Join us to learn strategies for crossing through US customs, resources at NYU to rely on, and tips to develop a plan for your next international trip.

You can also review a previously recorded session. The information presented in our previously recorded Know Your Rights: Travel webinar was accurate on the date that the webinar was recorded (9/11/2020) and is subject to change but is current as of today.

To access the recording, you must log in with your NYU ID and password using SSO (nyu.zoom.us). You cannot use an external email.
The recording will be available until the end of the Fall 2020 semester (12/21/2020).

For more information about your rights, check out the Know Your Rights webpage.

OPT Application Review Sessions

11:30 AM ET | December 16 | Zoom

2:00 PM ET | December 23 | Zoom

Once you've received your new OPT I-20 and your application is ready to send, you should attend this OPT application review session where an OGS advisor will go over all OPT application documents in detail, and you can make sure your documents meet the application guidelines. We've also got a recorded session to sit in on if the timings don't work for your schedule (be sure to sign into Zoom using NYU SSO to access the recording).

International Spouses and Partners English Program (ISEP)

ISEP, sponsored jointly by OGS and NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, provides non-credit English instruction for the spouses and partners of NYU’s international students and scholars. The classes, taught by graduate students from Steinhardt, focus on conversational English and American culture, and are offered in 12-week sessions during the fall and spring semesters. The cost is $99 per semester.

The Spring 2021 application and class schedule will be announced in January. All Spring 2021 classes will be held remotely through Zoom. Information will be available through our Programs for NYU International Spouses and Partners web page.

Give-A-Violet Award

Do you know an outstanding NYU administrator or staff member who has gone above and beyond their role? Someone who exceptionally demonstrates integrity, respect, adaptability, and more? Now is your chance to thank them! Learn more about the criteria used to reward a Violet, and be sure to submit your nominations by January 14.

Social Sector Leadership Diversity Fellowship Application & Info Session

Info Session: 12:00 PM ET | December 18 | Virtual

Application Due: January 17, 2021

The Social Sector Leadership Diversity Fellowship is an 18-month leadership development program for BIPOC graduate students across all schools at NYU. Through a combination of retreats, monthly workshops, individualized coaching, social events and annual leadership summits, fellows are equipped with the skills, knowledge and networks needed to make a lasting impact in their fields and communities. Must be a BIPOC graduate student graduating in or after May 2022. Apply for the fellowship.

International Student Council Student Mentorship Program

NYU ISC is launching their first International Student Mentorship Program that is designed for first year graduate and undergraduate students! This is our effort to help new incoming international students to adjust to NYU (especially during such an unusual semester). Every mentee will be assigned a mentor for the ISC Council who will check in with you once every two weeks to make sure you’re doing well and will always be available to help you when you have questions and may need some support.

Please fill out the Mentorship Interest Form to learn more!

ISV Scholarship

International Student Protection is partnering with International Student Voice to provide more scholarship opportunities to international students. 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, and that's especially the case for international students. ISV's photo contest scholarship provides an opportunity to showcase the joyful and diverse traditions that make the international community such a vital and vibrant part of higher education.

All international students studying in the USA for spring 2021 are eligible!