December updates from ISSS

 OIA Office hours- winter break During portions of winter break the OIA office will be closed. If you need assistance during these days, send an email to InternationalAffairs@chatham.edu We will periodically check this mailbox. Please plan accordingly.OIA will be closed December 23, 2012 – January 2, 2022We will reopen on our normal schedule on January 3, 2022.OIA will be available during normal business hours (9am -5 pm, Monday through Friday). The OIA office is located in Falk Hall, on the lower level (across from the Chatham copy center).You can contact us at InternationalAffairs@chatham.edu or by phone at +1 412 365 1388. To set up meetings please contact the appropriate individual:

• Ms. Kate Emory   K.Emory@chatham.edu . Immigration and international student services. PDSO/RO
• Ms. Karin Chipman  KChipman@chatham.edu Education Abroad, DSO/ARO
• Dr. Linh Phung, LPhung@chatham.edu Director English Language and Pittsburgh Pathways Program, DSO.

 A reminder: ALL F and J students must report to OIA:  

• Change of address within 10-days. This must be kept up-to-date on your SEVIS record.
  • Changing your address in Portal or MyChatham does not update your SEVIS record. You must update OIA directly.
• Change of Program- including change of Major, adding a second Major, or a minor.
• If your program end date is different than what is listed on your I-20. You must report this as soon as possible to update the I-20. * If you will be graduating in December, please double check your I-20!
• Change of name.
• If you plan to apply for CPT you must do so BEFORE you begin the internship or training experience. This includes paid and unpaid positions.
• If you will be graduating, and plan to apply for OPT, please contact OIA as soon as possible. OPT applications can take 2-4 months to process by USCIS.

You can report the above information through email.Spring Enrollment Reminders: Registration for Spring 2022 is currently open. Please register as soon as possible. If you are not fully registered by add/drop your F1 status may be terminated. If you are eligible for a reduced course load, please contact OIA.As a reminder in order to maintain your F-1 or J-1 student status, you must be enrolled as full-time student.  This means:

• If you are an undergraduate- enrolled for at least 12 credits.
• If you are a graduate student- enrolled for at least 9 credits.

Classes start January 5, 2022. The add/drop deadline is January 12, 2022. Questions about registration? Check out the FAQ’s on MyChatham.*If you have a hold on your student account, you will not be eligible to register for Spring classes. Please log into Portal to check your Account status. If there is a hold, take care of it now so that you do not have problems registering for Spring 2022Other updates: Please visit the  Chatham Covid-19 Response website, for university updates. Chatham provides weekly updates regarding operations and policies surrounding our covid-19 response.Are you missing any required immunizations? Make an appointment at the Allegheny County Health Department Immunization Clinic.  The clinic offers immunizations for all the required Chatham vaccines. They accept many insurances and are conveniently located in Downtown Pittsburgh.Travel updates! Updated as of December 16, 2021. (please read)Be cautious traveling- both within the United States, and internationally: At this time, we recommend students limit all non-essential travel, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you do need to travel, either internationally or out of Pennsylvania, you are responsible for following local, state, and national guidance. You may have to quarantine, or test for covid-19 before or after travel.Due to the covid-19 pandemic, travel guidance can change frequently, and students should follow-up with their travel agents, airlines, and the country resources for where they travel.Refer to guidance from the CDC, US State Department travel advisories and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for specific port-of-entry screening processes, as well as any travel restrictions.Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants.Recently the US government updated their travel policies for entry to the United States, and recommendations for covid-19 testing and quarantine.All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 1 day before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.Effective November 8, 2021, all non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers* to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated for covid-19 and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States.The CDC has also updated their recommendations, and those who are fully-vaccinated will not need to quarantine upon entry to the United States. It is recommended that international travelers take a covid-19 test 3-5 days after arrival in the United States.If you are not-fully vaccinated, and are eligible for an exception to enter the United States, you will be required to quarantine for at least 7-days.Chatham University follows CDC guidance, which includes:Spring Entry Testing In alignment with CDC guidance, Chatham will require spring entry term testing for any student or employee (vaccinated or unvaccinated) traveling internationally before coming to campus on 1.3.If you are traveling internationally over the winter break, please contact Student Health Services to discuss and schedule your spring entry testing prior to coming to campus or on 1.3 or 1.4.Please remember that Spring 2022 semester begins on January 5, 2022. If you travel internationally or domestically, please be aware of when you need to return for classes. Covid-19 Testing resources when departing the United StatesYou may need a negative covid-19 test in order to engage in international travel. A map of local testing locations is available on the Allegheny County’s website. You should plan testing carefully to make sure you meet any travel requirements to board your flight or enter the destination country. Please check with your travel agent, or the consular operations of your destination country for specific requirements.Some testing locations may offer free testing, others may charge you. We recommend checking the location for their requirements. You can receive a covid-19 test at many local pharmacies, doctors’ offices, or testing sites.The Curative van travels around the county weekly offering testing. The van schedule is updated every Monday for the week:https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Health-Department/Resources/COVID-19/Information-on-COVID-19-Testing.aspxhttps://alcogis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Nearby/index.html?appid=472bad5ba19f4247a094d55e712195c8 I-20 Travel Signatures If you will travel internationally, please check page 2 of your current I-20 for a travel signature from a DSO. Travel signatures are good for 1 year. If you do not have a signature, or the one you have is more than a year old, please contact OIA to set up an appointment for a travel signature. Be aware of our upcoming office closure!Resources for ImmigrationThe Department of Homeland Security offers a free resource to provide information on the rules and regulations for F-1 students in the United States: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/The Department of State provides J-1 Exchange Visitor’s with information on their programs at: https://j1visa.state.gov/basics/ICE: https://www.ice.gov/sevis/studentsCovid-19 Information: ICE: https://www.ice.gov/coronavirusCenter for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.htmlAllegheny County information:  https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Health-Department/resources/COVID-19/Covid-19.aspxIf you have questions, do not hesitate to contact us.Please check your Chatham email frequently to see all messages from OIA and Chatham University.Have a wonderful holiday season and see you in the new year!