Category: - Int'l Student Organization

Improve your Leadership Skills this Summer

7/6/2017

The ability to lead is a very important skill, and highly valued by USA employers. For international students especially, it can appear difficult to think of ways to build and improve leadership skills.

One way to gain leadership skills is to obtain a leadership role on your school’s campus. You could be a Resident Adviser in your residence hall, or a president of a club you are involved with. You'll learn how to work with a team, mediate conflicts, and communicate better with others in these roles.

You could also think about taking a leadership course. Your school or a local organization might offer classes or seminars on leadership, and enhancing skills related to leadership such as speaking and writing.

Remember that you can build leadership skills even when you aren’t in a position of authority. Whatever job, club, or team you are a part of, challenge yourself to work on projects beyond your job description. You will learn new things, and others will notice when you take the initiative to start new projects.

Reviewing Insurance Options for Fall 2017

7/6/2017

Summer is the time when many schools release the insurance waiver requirements for their international students. To avoid being caught off guard with the requirements and deadlines, here’s how you can prepare.

Check the waiver requirements.This checklist gives you information about what kind of benefits and coverage dates you need to meet to have your school accept your insurance plan. It will also let you know by when you need to submit your waiver.

Regularly check your school’s international student office website or your advisor for more information about your waiver requirements and deadline

Once your school has released the requirements and you are allowed to waive out, look most at the insurance benefits of your alternative options. While the premium is important, the plan benefits takes precedence.

At ISO we always make it our duty to know waiver deadlines and requirements for respective schools. Give us a call or email us and we will be happy to assist you with navigating your insurance requirements and suggesting the correct plans.

Keep Your Mind Active During Summer Break

7/6/2017

Summer Hobby

Summer vacation has arrived and many of us want take this time to relax and give our brains a break from the rigorous mental exercise we have put it through during the semester. As tempting as this may sound, it is really important that we keep our minds active throughout vacation. Here are some fun ways this can be done.

Helping Hand

Giving back to those in needs can be a fulfilling experience. It’s a great way help others and making your summer memorable. Volunteering not only keeps you mentally engaged but emotionally and socially engaged, too. Put a smile on someone’s face this summer!

Fun Reading List

After spending most your school year reading material for classes, reading for fun may be the last thing you want to do this summer. As international students, this is a great way to build your vocabulary and comprehensive skills. Take some time out to check out your local bookstore or online and see the latest comic books, fiction or non-fiction books available.

Write It Out

Keep a journal and make an entry about your day or experiences. It helps your mind to remember details that can be easily forgotten and it improves your writing skills. It’s also a fun way to read about fond memories as time passes.

Tips on a summer healthy diet

5/26/2017

The warmer summer months are a great time to indulge in healthy choices. Produce is at its peak in the summer time, which means there are many kinds of fruits and vegetables that are fresh, delicious and so satisfying during the summer. Here are some tips for your summer diet:

Try a green smoothie. The easiest way to get a serving of vegetables in your diet is to mix it in a smoothie. Try a mix of spinach, banana, and milk—you won’t even be able to taste the spinach.

Put some peppers on the grill at your next barbeque. Peppers contain capsaicin, a natural metabolism booster.

Freeze the fruit. Fresh fruits like green grapes, or sliced peaches, make perfect frozen snacks for hot days. You can even use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes in your water bottle to keep your water cool.

Affordable Summer Activities

5/26/2017

Summer is the time to let your hair down and enjoy your time away from classes and exams.
Though you may want to relax and get some much needed rest, take this time to make the most of your summer while staying on budget and keeping your body active.

Healthy S'mores
One of the great American summer pastimes is going to the beach with a few of your friends and making S’mores by the campfire. S’mores include graham crackers, marshmallow and chocolate. Healthier and fun versions of this are Hazelnut Spread and Strawberry S’mores, Almond Butter S’mores or Frozen S’more Parfait!

Eat what you grow
Create your own little indoor herb garden this summer! This not only helps in cutting costs in your grocery bill but it’s more organic and it gives you an opportunity to be more mindful about what kinds of food you eat. A little goes a long way.

Yoga
Yoga is one of way to be de-stress especially after finals. If you live near a beach or a park, grab your yoga mat and spend some time with nature. It’s the best of both worlds.

Roller blading, beach volleyball and more
With the great weather that summer always promises, you now have opportunities to do new and heart pumping activities like beach volleyball, kickball, rollerblading, basketball and more. Break a sweat and have some fun!

Congratulations Class of 2017!

5/26/2017

Get Involved with Your School and Community

4/26/2017

One of the best ways to make new friends and to get to know your school is by being involved in student activities and organizations. Your school will typically have clubs for many different kinds of interest like hiking, cooking, and of course, there are organizations to help international student meet other international students

Joining student activities is fun, and can even help you build professional skills that will enable you to succeed in your career. For example, joining a student government can help you build leadership skills, or joining your school’s newspaper can help build writing and communication skills.

Volunteering and community service are also important parts of student life while in the US. When you volunteer and help out those in need, you feel pride in giving back to your community. Check out websites like idealist.org or volunteermatch.org for opportunities to give back.

CPT: Is it the right choice for you?

4/26/2017

You might be wondering if CPT is a good choice for you. However, what exactly is CPT? Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a form of authorization for training related to your field of study when you have not yet completed your degree. “Training” can include opportunities such as employment, unpaid or paid internship, and cooperative (co-op) experiences to name a few. CPT may be a good choice for you if you are seeking to gain valuable hands-on experience related to what you are studying. Some academic programs require CPT in order to graduate. You can check with your school advisor to confirm if it is a graduation requirement.

The process for receiving CPT varies by school. Generally you apply for CPT through your International Student office. If you are interested in participating in CPT, get in touch with your school advisor to start the process as there are very specific guidelines to follow—for example you must have an employment or placement offer already before getting CPT.

When considering CPT, be mindful of the fact that students who have engaged in 12 months or more of full-time CPT are not eligible for OPT. Watch your CPT hours and days carefully if you would like to remain eligible for OPT!

Boosting Your Mental Wellness

4/26/2017

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and often we forget to protect and strengthen it. As the end of the semester approaches and passing your finals become your main focus, here are some tips on how you can boost your mental health.

Sleep and Snooze

Fun Fact: Did you know that rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep helps us retain learned information, which is a great bonus during finals week! But remember, you do need to sleep enough hours to enter REM sleep cycles. In fact, lack of sleep can affect how much information you retain and influence your overall performance during your finals week. Hopefully, this will give you enough reason to aim to get rest especially during this hectic time. Give your body enough time to rest and be re-energized. So take some time out and catch a nice snooze.

Minimize Stress

This is easier said than done but it is always good to try and get your stress level under control. So if you feel overwhelmed, take a break and clear your mind and relax, even if it’s for 15 minutes. Your brain will thank you later.

One body

We’ve got one body and endless opportunities to protect and maintain it. Ensure that you are hydrated, eating healthy and exercising. All of this contributes to a healthy mind.

Know your limit

Sometimes we feel that we need to consistently push ourselves to achieve a goal or make the grade. Though self-motivation is good, it is important to know your limit and how much your mind and body can take. Ensure that you pace yourself and know when to take a break.

Are you required to get Obamacare?

4/3/2017

Q. What is PPACA (ACA) otherwise known as “Obamacare” ?
A. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which many people refer to as the “Obamacare” is the healthcare reform that President Obama introduced in March 2010 and implemented in 2014.

Q. Do I need to have a ACA plan as an international student?
A. This plan is not required by all. The ACA plan only applies to those who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents and resident aliens. Once you are an F, M, Q or J visa older, you may be exempt from being treated as a resident alien.
Exempt Individual - Who is a Student
A student is any individual who is temporarily in the United States on an "F, " "J, " "M, " or "Q " visa for the primary purpose of studying at an academic institution or vocational school, and who substantially complies with the requirements of that visa.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Exempt-Individual-Who-is-a-Student

What are the statutory exemptions from the requirement to obtain minimum essential coverage?
Income below the income tax return filing requirement. Your income is below the minimum threshold for filing a tax return. The requirement to file a federal tax return depends on your filing status, age and types and amounts of income. To find out if you are required to file a federal tax return, use the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant (ITA).

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision (Refer to item 6.4)
You may also speak with a school advisor to find out if your school requires its international students to have an ACA plan.

Q. What if I am an international student who has been in the U.S. for more than five years?
A. If you are an international who has been in the U.S. for more than five years, you may no longer be exempt.

When a Student is Not Exempt
You will not be an exempt individual as a student if you have been exempt as a teacher, trainee, student, Exchange Visitor, or Cultural Exchange Visitor on an "F, " "J, " "M, " or "Q " visa for any part of more than 5 calendar years, unless you establish to the satisfaction of the IRS that you do not intend to reside permanently in the United States, and you have substantially complied with the requirements of your nonimmigrant status.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Exempt-Individual-Who-is-a-Student

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision (Refer to item 6)

Q. If I do not need to have an ACA plan, what plans should I apply for?
A. As a full time international student, you are eligible to purchase our student insurance plans, which can be found from our website, www.isoa.org.

Q. If I am on OPT, what plans am I eligible for? Are we required to have the Obamacare plan?
A. As an OPT visa holder, you are still eligible to purchase our plans such as the OPTima Basic Plan and OPTima Enhanced Plan. You may be required to purchase an ACA plan if you are in the US for more than 5 years and/or your income is above the minimum threshold for filing a tax return. For more details regarding your status, please speak with a tax consultant for refer to the link below.

https://www.healthcare.gov/exemptions/

Q. If I am not exempt but decide not to purchase an ACA plan what will happen?
A. Most likely you will have to pay a penalty. The penalty is calculated one of 2 ways- percentage based or a flat dollar amount. If you don’t have insurance that qualifies as minimum essential coverage you'll pay whichever of these amounts is higher:

For more information, please refer to the IRS website:
https://www.irs.gov/affordable-care-act/individuals-and-families/aca-individual-shared-responsibility-provision-calculating-the-payment

Q. If I want to purchase an ACA plan, where can I obtain it?
A. If none of the exemption fits your visa status, you may visit HealthCare.gov to select a plan that is most appropriate for you. Or, you may consult with a tax advisor, in order to avoid being penalized when filing for tax.