COVID-19 Information

ISSS COVID-19 Information

Travel to the U.S.: COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Requirements

  • Non-U.S. citizens coming on temporary visas (including F and J visas) traveling to the U.S. must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine.
  • Read the full details about required testing and vaccination for COVID-19 for non-citizen, non-immigrant travelers, here.
  • Contact ISSS at international@uconn.edu with any questions about how these requirements apply to your situation.

In Person Study Requirements for International Students

The government has extended the March 9, 2020 guidance that allows schools and students some flexibility related to in-person and distance learning coursework for Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters. Based on this guidance, we can provide you the following update:
  • F-1 students who were enrolled at a U.S. school and have maintained F-1 status as of March 9, 2020: 
    • Must enroll full time each semester, and may have a mix of course modalities, including in-person, hybrid, or online.
    • May have a fully online course of study and maintain active SEVIS status.
    • If you are unable to return to the U.S., we may continue to keep your SEVIS record active while abroad, as long as you are enrolled on a full time basis as a UConn student (or through a UConn Experiential Global Learning program).
  • Students who arrived to begin their program after March 9, 2020, including incoming students for the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 semester:   
    • May only have one distance learning class per semester, up to 3 credits, count toward meeting the full time enrollment requirement. Distance learning courses are those listed as online, distance learning, or hybrid.
    • Exception: MS Business students may count hybrid courses as in-person courses, rather than distance learning courses.
    • If you study fully online outside the U.S. ISSS, cannot keep your I-20/SEVIS record active for you during that term.
  • All courses taken by J-1 students toward meeting full time requirements should be in-person (includes courses listed as in person or by arrangement). Courses taken beyond the minimum full time enrollment can be distance learning or online.  

Students on Post Completion OPT and STEM OPT Extension

  • Government COVID-19 guidance for students who were in F-1 status as of March 9, 2020 temporarily allows students on post-completion OPT who are engaged in OPT employment for less than 20 hours per week to be considered actively engaged in their OPT (does not count toward unemployment time).
  • This same guidance allows students on STEM OPT Extensions to work remotely without being required to submit an updated I-983 to report this change in work site.

Fall 2022 ISSS Support Letter

  • Link to Fall 2022 ISSS Support Letter
  • This letter can be used by students who wish to have extra documentation to support their visa appointment expedite request, visa appointment, or travel to the United States, and to confirm UConn's in-person operational status. However, your best documentation for these requests are your I-20 or DS-2019 form, and a print out of your in-person course enrollment.
  • We do not recommend that you present this letter when arriving to the U.S. unless you are specifically asked to demonstrate that UConn is operating in person.

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