International Center Virtual Office – Summer 2021
Thursday, May, 20th, 2021 COVID-19 Hours of Operation International Center Events News and Updates
Summer 2021 hours start effective May 24, 2021.
For the Summer 2021 semester, the International Center is OPEN everyday except weekends and University holidays. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to support our international students and scholars through remote operations and online services. Our office locations at the Medford campus (20 Sawyer Avenue), the Fletcher School, and the Boston Health Sciences campus will be closed to walk-in traffic. All services will continue to be provided online.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we take steps to ensure the safety of our staff and members of our community. If there are any changes to our services, we will make announcements as necessary. We remain committed to supporting our community during these difficult and challenging times.
Please refer to the services described below and refer to our Hours of Operation and information about on-line advising appointments and drop-in hours. All advising sessions will be done remotely, using Zoom or similar means. To send us an email, use our e-mail contact form.
Services for International Students and Scholars
International Center student and scholar advisors are available for individual online advising appointments with students and scholars. Go to https://icenter.tufts.edu/contact/appointments to schedule your appointment using our online appointment scheduling system. All appointments are usually conducted using Zoom. However, if you prefer a phone appointment, you can indicate your preference when you schedule your appointment.
Go to our Appointments and Drop-in information page for information about drop-in virtual advising for Medford, Boston, and the Fletcher School.
Until further notice, the International Center is unable to provide in-person pick-up for documents and US mail. Students and scholars are strongly encouraged to use another US address for their mail as mail service to the International Center is only checked once a week. The International Center address at 20 Sawyer Avenue may be used only in emergency cases where no other US address is available.
30 Day Return Policy: You will be contacted at your Tufts e-mail or last known personal e-mail address if any personal mail is received for you at an International Center location. You will be given up to 30 days to contact us to make arrangements to have the mail re-delivered to another US or international address. If we do not receive re-delivery instructions from you within 30 days, the mail will be returned to the original sender.
Redelivery of Mail: If you want us to re-deliver mail to a US address, we will use:
- Campus mail: we will use Tufts campus mail if you are living in a campus residence or dormitory (Spring 2021) or have an on-campus department office that you can access
- US Postal Service for other US domestic mail (you must send a pre-paid USPS a pre-paid Click-n-Ship shipping voucher to internationalcenter@tufts.edu
- Express mail (US or international) for domestic shipments if you prefer, and for all international shipments
- You can request and pay for express mail using e-Ship Global; send an e-mail to internationalcenter@tufts.edu once you have submitted a request in e-Ship Global
Electronic Delivery of I-20s / DS-2019s: For the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Center has been approved to send electronic copies of I-20s / DS-2019s to students who need updated visa certificates for visa issuance, travel, and status purposes, including applying for on-campus employment or practical training. Where possible, we will send copies of any requested I-20 / DS-2019 forms electronically rather than through paper mail. If you prefer to receive a paper copy, or if a paper copy is required, the above mail shipments will be utilized
Delivery Times: Because the International Center remains closed for in-person operations, all documents and mail will be delivered either by mail or by e-mail. For hard copy paper documents, please allow additional wait times, as document re-delivery will only take place once per week.
F-1 students who need to travel outside the US should first consult with an international student advisor about travel plans. If you need a travel signature on your I-20, please refer to our Travel Signature page and submit an on-line request for an updated I-20 with a travel signature. Updated I-20s will be sent to you electronically by secure e-mail. You do not need a valid travel signature to leave the US.
Optional Practical Training
The International Center has resumed Optional Practical Training (including post-completion OPT and STEM Extension OPT) workshops by Zoom. Check our Events calendar at https://icenter.tufts.edu/about/calendar for details about dates and times.
J-1 Scholar Orientation
J-1 Scholar Orientations for scholars arriving at all Tufts campuses will be conducted on-line, every two weeks. Newly arrived scholars should attend the next available orientation following arrival. For a list of J-1 Orientations, go to https://icenter.tufts.edu/about/calendar.
Curricular Practical Training
Students may submit CPT requests through our online International Center Portal for internships and practicums for the Summer 2020 semester. However, given the current disruptions to both on-campus operations and off-campus employment, your International Center advisor may temporarily delay or defer processing of any CPT requests.
Optional Practical Training / STEM Extension of OPT
Students who are applying for post-completion Optional Practical Training or the STEM Extension of OPT should start the process through our online International Center Portal. The International Center is making every effort to prioritize processing of OPT / STEM Extension requests even as our physical locations are closed. Please plan extra time for us to arrange for delivery of our OPT documents to you, which we will coordinate on a case-by-case basis depending on your immediate circumstances.
Students are asked to take an on-line OPT workshop before starting the OPT application process. For a list of upcoming OPT workshops, go to https://icenter.tufts.edu/about/calendar.
Electronic Delivery of Documents
In most cases, once the International Center has processed an updated I-20 for either OPT or CPT, we will send you an electronic copy to you by email. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has confirmed that schools are authorized to send electronic copies of signed I-20s to students who need to demonstrate approval for CPT or who are in the process of applying for OPT.
[Updated August 24, 2020]
The International Center will continue to receive and process online requests for J-1 scholars. However, please be advised that current conditions stemming from COVID-19 may require delaying the arrival of new scholars depending on location and situation. Please contact your designated J-1 scholar advisor for more details about specific situations.
Departments seeking to extend the authorization of current H-1B employees should contact their designated H-1B advisor. At present, we are prioritizing H-1B extensions for current employees, and new H-1B employment to begin by Summer 2020. Departments that are interested in hiring H-1B employees with start dates prior to June 2020 should consult with your H-1B advisor regarding current immigration and travel conditions.
For fire, police, or medical emergencies contact Tufts University Police Department at 617-627-6911 or call 911 if you are off-campus.
For non-emergencies taking place outside of normal business hours, contact the Tufts University Police Department at the following contact numbers.
For other immigration (non-medical / police / fire) emergencies, call (617) 627-2478 and leave a voice mail, and someone will respond to you as quickly as possible.