October 2023 SISS Newsletter
Information and Updates
Getting Settled at UC Davis
As fall approaches, you are probably preparing for the upcoming academic year. Whether you are a new or current student or scholar, we encourage you to connect with campus and build your community of support. SISS offers guidance and information about housing, settling in Davis, campus activities and clubs, transportation, nearby shopping and more.
Browse the International Student and Scholar Handbook
Scheduling an Appointment with Your SISS Advisor
SISS Advisors are available for in-person and virtual appointments. Schedule an appointment with your advisor in advance.
Find your advisor and schedule an appointment
Travel Signature Required for Winter Travel
If you plan to travel outside the U.S. during the upcoming winter break, please review the travel requirements for students and scholars. In addition to the other requirements noted on these pages, F-1 students will need a valid travel signature on their I-20 form, and J-1 students and scholars will require a valid travel signature on their DS-2019 form.
Learn more about travel requirements
Ask An Advisor
Matthew Kaminski-Lucas, International Student Advisor
Q: How can I find friends, clubs and activities at UC Davis?
A: Joining a student club or organization provides opportunities to connect with other students and offers fun things to do. This is a great way to develop your academic knowledge and professional skills, such as networking, leadership and teamwork, and discover experiences you could list on your resume/CV. There are over 800 clubs and organizations at UC Davis for all types of interests, including hobbies, community service and major/career related. Find a club of your interest through the Center for Student Involvement, and contact them via email or find one of their meetings or events to attend!
Changes to In-Person Class Requirement for F-1 and J-1 Students
The Department of Homeland Security has ended its COVID policy guidance for virtual classes for international students with F-1 and J-1 visa types. F-1 and J-1 students must now enroll in 12 units minimum each quarter, nine (9) of which must be in-person classes.
Read our announcement to learn additional details about this policy change
Keep Your Updated Address on File with SISS
Students and scholars with F-1 or J-1 statusmust keep their local address up to date with SISS. Updating your address in UCPath does not automatically update your information with SISS. Visit iGlobal to provide the current local address where you are living. This address cannot be a campus department or PO Box.
Visit iGlobal to confirm your local address
WarnMe and Aggie Alert Campus Messages
UC Davis sends WarnMe and Aggie Alert messages by text, email and the Everbridge Mobile App to provide faculty, staff and students with timely information during emergencies and other urgent situations.
Learn more and ensure your contact information is current
SISS Closed for Holidays in November
SISS will be closed on November 10 for Veterans Day and November 23–24 for the Thanksgiving holiday. SISS closes early, and services end at 2 p.m. on the business day before a long weekend or holiday. Please plan ahead to avoid delays.
Employment Workshops Available On-Demand
Are you interested in OPT or CPT? F-1 Employment Workshops are available online. Select your workshop to get started.
- CPT for Undergraduate F-1 Students
- OPT for F-1 Students (Part 1 of 3)
- STEM OPT Extension for F-1 Students
Programs and Events
University Global Coalition Annual Gathering
For this year’s Gathering, University Global Coalition (UGC) will host a global, virtual version of 17 Rooms, a process developed by The Brookings Institution and The Rockefeller Foundation. In 17 Rooms, participants select one of 17 groups representing each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Rooms will work to determine a deliverable from their discussion that can be presented during SDG Action and Awareness Week 2023. Inspiration sessions will open and close the week. Participation is open to students, faculty, and staff in any higher education institution and selected community partner organizations.
- Date: October 2–6, 2023
Learn more and register in advance
Samara Joy
Global Affairs is pleased to co-sponsor with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion a Mondavi Center performance by Samara Joy. Joy is a 23-year-old Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist who has taken the world by storm. Please join us for a remarkable evening!
- Date and time: October 4, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
- Location: Mondavi Center
Scholar Coffee Break
We invite international scholars (visiting faculty and researchers) to connect at the monthly SISS Scholar Coffee Break. Whether you are new to campus or have been here for several months, international scholars are invited to join SISS in this welcoming and virtual space.
- Date and time: September 7, 2023, 9–10 a.m.
UC Davis Global Learning Fair
Join us at the fair to learn about the variety of global opportunities available to you, including in-person global leadership opportunities, study abroad programs, global internships, post-graduate global opportunities and more!
- Date and time: October 5, 2023, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Location: West Quad
Apply for the Global Ambassador Mentorship Program
Incoming undergraduate international students, apply now to receive a peer mentor! Your mentor can be your go-to resource for information about student life at UC Davis and in the United States as well as campus resources and events. Meet other students and make new friends at our social events!
- Deadline: October 6, 2023
Seminar: Agriculture in Botswana
This seminar features a speaker series and is hosted by two outstanding scientists from the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Students can take this course for credit (PES 3001), but all are welcome to attend the seminar.
- Dates and times: Mondays, October 9–December 4, 12–1 p.m.
Pal Program Registration is Open
The Pal Program pairs up UC Davis undergraduate students for intercultural conversation experiences once a week for ten weeks. Participants can increase their world knowledge, improve intercultural communication skills, develop friendships and enjoy events together.
- Deadline: October 12, 2023
Artist Talk: Katya Grokhovsky
Global Affairs is proud to co-sponsor this event. Katya Grokhovsky is a Ukrainian-born, New York City-based multidisciplinary visual artist. Her work explores cultural identity, labor, body, history and the self in installation, sculpture, painting, drawing, fiber, video, and performance. Grokhovsky is a recipient of numerous awards and fellowships.
- Date and time: October 12, 2023, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
- Location: Manetti Shrem Museum of Art
Grappling With “America”: Perspectives from Turtle Island and Abya Yala for a Hemispheric Native American Studies
Global Affairs is proud to co-sponsor this hemispheric dialogue on Native American and Indigenous Studies. Inspired by UC Davis’s Native American Studies Department's founding vision of fostering understanding and solidarity between Indigenous Peoples in the north-south "American" hemisphere, we will highlight points of view from Abya Yala and Turtle Island. In particular, we will discuss how different forms of colonialism inform current analysis from Indigenous and Mestizo activists and academics.
- Date and time: October 13, 2023, 12 p.m.
- Location: Hart Hall, room 3201 or virtual via Zoom
Aggie Job Fair, Virtual Fall Career Fair and More
The Internship and Career Center offers several fairs this fall to help connect you with employers.
- Business and Public Services Career Fair (October 18)
- STEM Career Fair (October 19)
SISS Scholar Evening Discussion: Tipping Culture in the U.S.
Join Global Affairs staff and other scholars to discuss U.S. tipping culture. We will explore its history and origins and what some of the current norms are. This is a great opportunity to connect with other scholars as well as UC Davis staff and to ask questions in a welcoming space.
- Date and time: October 23, 2023, 5 p.m.
Test of Oral English Proficiency for Multilingual Graduate Student TAs
Graduate students who plan to work as Teaching Assistants (TA) or Associate Instructors (AI) while at UC Davis must meet the TA Language Proficiency Requirement. If you haven’t met this requirement yet, you can take the Test of Oral English Proficiency (TOEP) on campus in September to determine your eligibility.
Learn more about qualifying as a TA or AI
California Germany Agrivoltaics Conference
The first California Germany Agrivoltaics Conference will bring together corporates, policy-makers, researchers, developers and farmers to explore how agrivoltaics can contribute to both resilience and sustainability. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend.
- Date: November 1, 2023
- Location: Activities and Recreation Center (ARC)
Opportunities and Announcements
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Internship
The Global Affairs SDGs Internship provides an opportunity for UC Davis undergraduate students to actively contribute to campus engagement on the SDGs, gaining knowledge of organizational strategy, campus and external coordination, and communications and analytical skills to support this global agenda. Now accepting applications for fall quarter.
- Deadline: October 2, 2023
Getting Involved with a Student Organization
Students are encouraged to connect and engage with student organizations on campus. UC Davis has many options to get involved and make friends. Find a student organization through the Center for Student Involvement. Search by interest or schedule a virtual meeting to learn more.
Visit the Center for Student Involvement
Visit the ASUCD Pantry for Free Groceries
The ASUCD Pantry located in the Memorial Union offers free groceries and basic necessities to all UC Davis students, staff and faculty regardless of financial need. Order ahead online for nonperishables/basic necessities or come by anytime for a walk-in visit to get fresh produce. Everyone is welcome!
Welcome Dinner for Newly Arrived Visiting Scholars
Community Friends of Scholars is a local organization of volunteers, sponsored by International Students, Inc. (ISI), with staff and volunteers from area churches. They hold monthly Welcome Dinners for newly arrived visiting scholars. At the dinners, scholars have the opportunity to sign up for other activities, like Zoom cooking classes and farm tours.
For more information, email Simon Zeigler with ISI at szeigler@isionline.org
Universitas 21 (U21) Sustainable Micro-Internships
The U21 Sustainable Micro-Internships Program is a free, virtual two-week, project-based internship for undergraduate and graduate students. Work with students from across the globe, sharing knowledge and expertise while providing solutions to a challenge related to one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Deadline: November 15, 2023
Student and Scholar Spotlight
SISS Wins Best Poster Award
SISS and the Strategic Asian and Pacific Islander Retention Initiative have partnered to support international students navigating academic probation and dismissal. The task force recently created and presented a poster about their work and its impact on international students at an industry event where they won an award for best poster.