International Center

February International Student Bulletin

Important updates for F and J student visa holders

Feb. 20, 2012

Please take a few minutes to read the updates and announcements below for F and J student visa holders. 

• International student news
• International student workshops
• MU and Community Announcements

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International student news

We invite you to join us for a cultural excursion to Kansas City during the spring semester.  On Saturday, March 10, the International Center will take a group of international students to Kansas City for an all-day excursion. Come with us to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, which offers visitors an opportunity to explore civilization through sculptures, paintings, and other various pieces of artwork. Other activities include attending the Saint Patrick’s Day parade and having free time at the Kansas City Plaza. Transportation is provided. Total cost is $13 per student. How do you sign up? Come to the International Center, bring your $13, and put your name on the “Kansas City Excursion" list. Only the first 100 students to sign up will be eligible to go!

Fall 2012 Grant-in-Aid. Information and applications for the fall 2012 MU Curator's Grant-in-Aid (GIA) Scholarship program are now available. The GIA scholarship is an award program that provides partial waivers of educational fees for eligible undergraduate and graduate international students pursuing degrees at MU. The award is based both on academic merit and financial need. MU international students must have completed two regular semesters at the time of the application deadline. The deadline for the fall 2012 award is 5 p.m. on Monday, April 2.

Address Updates. Immigration law requires international students to report any address change within 10 days of moving.  Please check your “Local” address in MyZou and update if needed.

Questions about Taxes? Please visit the Non-resident Alien Taxation website to learn information about filing your tax return forms and for Non-resident Alien Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (NRA VITA) coming up this spring.

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International student workshops

Optional Practical Training (OPT) Workshops. All F-1 students interested in applying for OPT work authorization are required to attend one of the upcoming mandatory OPT workshops. Workshops are scheduled once a week and will take place at the International Center. Participants will learn about the benefits of OPT and how to apply.

• Thursdays, from 4-5 p.m. (February 23, March 8, March 22, April 5, April 19, May 3, May 17, May 31)
• Wednesdays, from 10–11 a.m. (February 29, March 14, March 28, April 11, April 25, May 9, May 23)

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MU and community announcements

MISC International Welcome Party. Start the semester off right by joining the Missouri International Student Council in welcoming new students to campus. Come enjoy free ethnic food, music, and lots of fun. This is a great chance to make new friends from all over the world! The date for the welcome party has changed, so we hope to see you on Saturday, February 25, from 7-9:30 p.m. in the new Student Center.