A new year and a new semester bring fresh opportunities to achieve academic success. Georgia State is excited to welcome our new and returning students for the spring 2021 semester. Review the checklist below to make sure you're ready for school.

https://www.gsu.edu/welcome-back-panthers/

We received information confirming that spring 2021 enrollment guidelines for international students will be the same as fall 2020.

Although this document is outdated, you may refer to the fall 2020 SEVP Guidance as a reference.

Please follow these general guidelines for spring 2021 registration:

1. Continuing students are defined as F-1 students who were enrolled in Fall 2020 (including U.S. transfer students and GSU students changing their degree level in spring):

a. Allowed to enroll in 100% online/blended coursework.

b. Must continue to be enrolled full time.

c. Can re-enter the U.S. for spring 2021 and pursue 100% online coursework if they departed in fall 2020

2. Newly Admitted Students Outside the U.S. are defined as students who were not enrolled in the U.S. in Fall 2020:

a. Can enter the U.S. for Spring 2021 if at least one course for credit is face-to-face, or blended.

b. If coursework is only offered 100% online, newly admitted students outside the U.S. would need to either enroll remotely or defer their admission to a later term

Please note: You can confirm the type of instruction for each of your classes in PAWS. Under the title of the course, there will be an icon that indicates if the instructional method is F (Face to face), B (Blended), or O (Online).

Please consult with the ISSS office if you are uncertain about your enrollment requirements.

Enrollment details, click >> HERE

For spring, the learning models are still Face to Face, Blended and Online. However, there will be more structured requirements with respect to the in-person, on-campus requirements in the blended courses. Faculty teaching blended courses will have regular in-person, on-campus meetings and will expect attendance in those sessions unless you are sick or have another legitimate excuse. Faculty will not permanently excuse a student from the in-person attendance requirement of a blended course unless the student has secured this accommodation formally through Georgia State’s Office of Access and Accommodation. Social distancing and safety measures will be preserved.

Be sure to check GoSolar for your registration day and time.

For more information >> https://ahead.gsu.edu/2020/10/23/spring-2021-registration/

The waiver period for Spring Semester 2021 will close on January 21, 2021.

The coverage begins on
January 1, 2021, and ends on July 31, 2021.

If your waiver request is denied and you wish to submit an appeal, you must submit your waiver appeal to United Healthcare Student Resources at: Waiververification@UHCSR.com.

All correspondence must include the University/School Name, Student’s Name, and Student’s Panther ID. Please provide your confirmation of coverage (COC) from your insurance provider that confirms your dates of coverage and specifies the benefits that meet the school’s requirements

Fore more information, please click here.

ISSS will provide more information about filing your U.S. Federal and State of Georgia Tax Returns in February, 2021. The tax‐filing deadline is April 15, 2021. What you need to know now is:

• DO NOT BUY Tax Prep Software: like TurboTax, H&R Block or any others! Those products were NOT designed for “Non‐Resident Alien” Tax forms.

• ISSS will provide free access to special software called “Sprintax” around early March to assist you with your Federal Return.

For more U.S. tax information and filing instructions, click here.

If your current travel signature is more than 6 months, Remember to have your form I-20 or DS-2019 signed before you depart the U.S for travel. Your I-20 will be digitally endorsed and emailed to your GSU student email. Note also that there are still international travel restrictions in place.

For details on this requirement and request process, please click >> here.

Tip: Don’t wait until the last minute!
All requests in iStart take 3-5 days to process.

It is very important to continue monitoring the CDC website, U.S. Department of State’s travel advisories, the ISSS website, and Georgia State Ahead for up-to-date information regarding travel to the U.S. and campus. Some countries have restrictions on entry into the U.S., and we highly recommend that you check the above resources on a regular basis and/or speak to the airline you plan to use before flying. GSU is offering free saliva-based testing to all students, faculty and staff at the downtown campus and perimeter campuses: https://ahead.gsu.edu/covid-19-resources/. You may take a test before returning to campus for spring classes.

Adopting positive behaviors to support your learning can help make a semester involving online learning successful. In the following link you can find resources and online learning tips curated by the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Online Education: https://cetl.gsu.edu/resources/resources-for-learning-remotely/getting-ready-for-learning-online/

ISSS is committed to serving you in the safest possible manner as we resume on-campus operations. To prioritize your health and safety, ISSS will continue to provide a variety of phone and virtual advising options to assist you.

NEW Phone/Virtual Advising Hours (F-1 & J-1 Students) are below.

Monday, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Noon)

Wednesday: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Thursday: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Friday: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Office Number: 404-413-2070

Limited in-person appointments for

exceptional circumstances must be scheduled in advance.

If you wish to schedule a virtual or in-person meeting with one of our advisors, please email your request and reason for visit to isss@gsu.edu