Dear International Huskies,
This message is going out to all international graduate assistants at UConn as a reminder. If the the information does not apply to you now, it will be important for you to be aware of these limitations in the future. Federal government regulations allow graduate students on F-1 and J-1 visas to hold on-campus employment while they are pursuing their degree. If you will be a Fall 2026 graduate, you will no longer be pursuing your degree after your degree conferral on December 20, 2026 and you can no longer work on campus as of this date.
If you hold a Fall 2026 GA appointment at Storrs or a regional campus (excepting UConn Health), the final date of your appointment is January 6, 2027. If your degree is conferred in December and you hold an F-1 or J-1 visa and your assistantship appointment is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the Graduate Employee Union (GEU), the time between the degree conferral date and the appointment end date should be treated as time off. Please work with your supervisor to ensure that you finish the duties associated with your assistantship before your degree conferral date. You will still receive your full fall GA stipend.
In addition, ISSS will be updating your I-20 or DS-2019 program end date to December 20, 2026 if you are graduating in December and hold a GAship this term. This means your grace period to depart the U.S., or your first eligible date to begin post-completion practical training, will begin December 21, 2026. Please plan for this accordingly. ISSS will adjust your I-20 or DS-2019 end date automatically based on notification that you have applied for graduation, or at the time you apply for post-completion OPT (F-1 students) or Academic Training (J-1 students), whichever comes first. ISSS will notify you when your adjusted I-20 or DS-2019 is ready to download from your ISSS portal account.
Please reach out to ISSS at international@uconn.edu if you have any questions about this guidance as it relates to your visa status, I-20, grace period, or practical training timeline.
Leslie M. Shor
Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School
Arthur Galinat
Director, International Student and Scholar Services
