UCLA Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Student Announcements

As a reminder during this midterm season, please refer your international students to the  International Student Support Program (ISSP)  as needed. A quick overview of services provided to students, staff, and faculty appear below. Support for International Students The International Student Support Program provides confidential support to international students at no cost to them: 24/7 remote acculturation support and counseling from clinical advisors who  speak their language and understand their culture,  including the unique challenges they may face while studying in the United States Access to digital content which aims to support the well-being and retention of international students at UCLA Consultative Support for Faculty and Staff     ISSP provides direct support to faculty and staff at UCLA who work with international students. Please reach out to ISSP if you wish to consult with a multic...

This is the call for the 2018-19 Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association International Scholarships. There will be two awardees from UCLA, each getting a stipend of $2,000.   The application and faculty recommendation form are attached.   Selection criteria: a.      The award is intended for international students completing their graduate work.  At UCLA, preference will be given to students formally advanced to doctoral candidacy at the time of application and who plan to return to their home country upon completion of the degree.  Students are only eligible for one award (i.e., previous recipients cannot apply again).  b.     Awardees are expected to be returning to their home countries, preferably just after completing the degree. However, postdoctoral study has always been an area where some latitude has been permitted, especially where it is expected as “part of the degree” and/or is unobtainable in...

The Test of Oral Proficiency (TOP) Administration IV (2017-2018) will take place on Fridays, 5/11 and 5/18. If you are an international graduate students who is planning to work as a TA during Summer 2018 and have not yet passed the TOP, please register as soon as possible. International students who hold a Bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution do NOT need to take the test. You can find a link to the online registration here: https://top.oid.ucla.edu/#/app/registration Test spots fill extremely quickly; pleaseregister without delay. If you do not enroll before online registration is full but have a teaching appointment for Summer 2018, please contact the TOP Coordinators directly with proof of your upcoming appointment and they will help you register manually.

Dissertation Fieldwork Fellowship for International Studies APPLICATION PERIOD EXTENDED TO APRIL 27, 2018 The UCLA International Institute announces a series of International Dissertation Fieldwork Fellowships open to UCLA advanced doctoral students in good standing whose research focuses on one or more aspects of international or regional studies. These awards are targeted for research abroad. Applicants must have completed all coursework for the Ph.D. degree and must be advanced to candidacy prior to undertaking field research. Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply; there are no citizenship restrictions. International Institute Fieldwork Fellowship funds are limited and are thereby intended to be used as a supplement to other funding sources. Therefore, the Committee will only consider requests to cover travel to and from fieldwork sites – airfare and any necessary ground transportation only. Award amounts will vary, according to the project and...

International Student Support Program (ISSP) UCLA partners with Morneau Shepell to provide the International Student Support Program (ISSP) to international students.  The International Student Support Program provides confidential support to international students at no cost to them: - 24/7 remote acculturation support and counseling from clinical advisors who speak their language and understand their culture, including the unique challenges they may face while studying in the United States - Access to digital content which aims to support the well-being and retention of international students at UCLA How can students access the program? International students can access articles, tools, resources, and their Support Advisor through the app, website, and telephone. Students can speak to a Support Advisor for immediate or ongoing support through every ISSP platform: - Download the free My SSP app from the Apple or Android app store - Visit the website us.myissp.com - Dial 1.866.7...

Workshop:   Funding Opportunities for International Graduate Students Date:   Wednesday, 11/30 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm Location:   De Neve Commons Plaza Room B Looking to learn more about funding for your education as an international graduate student? Join the Dashew Center for a workshop on funding opportunities, tips about fellowship application processes, and information-sharing with your peers over dinner! Guest speaker from UCLA Fellowships and Financial Services, Cherie Francis, will be presenting and available for questions. Check out more information on Dashew’s website and   Register Now !

The Test of Oral Proficiency (TOP) Administration II (2015-2016) will occur Fridays, 11/6 and 11/13.   International graduate students who are planning to work as a TA during Winter 2016 and have not yet passed the TOP please register as soon as possible: http://www.oid.ucla.edu/training/top/exam/register     Test for Oral Proficiency (TOP) Website: http://oid.ucla.edu/training/top   Students who plan to work as a Teaching Assistant (TA) at UCLA and are non-US citizens must pass the TOP before working as a TA in any department at UCLA. All non-citizens are considered international students. This includes permanent residents.   Exemptions from the TOP are listed below: - You are a U.S. citizen or hold a Bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution, you are automatically exempt from taking the test; you do not need to take any further action. - Holding a Master's degree from a U.S. institution does not qualify for an exemption. - No alternatives to TOP are a...

TOP Exam Upcoming test dates: 9/15, 9/16, 9/17, 9/18 If you are an international graduate student planning to work as a TA and have not yet passed the TOP, please register as soon as possible.  International students who hold a Bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution do NOT need to take the test.  You can find a link to the online registration here: http://www.oid.ucla.edu/training/top   Registration fills up quickly; therefore, please encourage students to register without delay.

Self-Editing Strategies for Non-Native Speakers of English This workshop will provide concrete strategies and online tools to enable non-native speakers of English to make appropriate vocabulary choices and approach issues like article and preposition usage in their own writing projects. Friday, May 1st, 12:00-1:45pm Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)  

2015 International Institute Graduate Student Conference April 17th, from 8:30AM-4:15PM in Kerckhoff Hall Reception will follow UCLA's International Institute Graduate Student Conference will be held on April 17th, from 8:30AM-4:15PM in Kerckhoff Hall Grand Salon and State Rooms.  Numerous papers will be presented throughout the day by UCLA graduate students of all fields whose work is related to the international and transnational scope of the International Institute. Papers presented will primarily tackle issues of Regional and Area Studies, International Relations, International Development, Transnational Approaches to Domestic Issues, and the Humanities in a global context. The event will be open to the public, and all interested parties are encouraged to attend. A reception will be held following the conclusion of the event at 4:15PM. Please RSVP by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page. More info: http://web.international.ucla.edu/insti...

2015-16 Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association International Scholarship Intended for: International students who will complete their degree by Spring 2016.   Deadline: The campus deadline is 4pm, Wednesday, April 29, 2015.  All materials, including the two letters of recommendation, must be received by this time in 1228 Murphy Hall. Details: This is the call for the 2015-16 Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association International Scholarships. There will be two awardees from UCLA, each getting a stipend of $2,000 (an increase of $500).    Selection criteria: a.      The award is intended for international students completing their graduate work.  At UCLA, preference will be given to students formally advanced to doctoral candidacy at the time of application and who plan to return to their home country upon completion of the degree.  Students are only eligible for one award (i.e., previous recipients cannot apply aga...

TOP Exam Upcoming test dates: 4/17 & 4/24 If you are an international graduate student planning to work as a TA during Summer 2015 and have not yet passed the TOP, please register as soon as possible.  International students who hold a Bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution do NOT need to take the test.  You can find a link to the online registration here: http://www.oid.ucla.edu/training/top   Registration fills up quickly; therefore, please encourage students to register without delay.

REQUIRED COURSES (Academic Writing) Depending on your ESL Placement Exam results, international graduate students may be required to take one or both of the following academic writing courses. Please advise your students to complete this requirement now by enrolling for Winter Quarter. Please be aware that we will not be offering ESL 33B in the spring. ESL 33B: Intermediate English for Academic Purposes for Graduate Students LEC 1 TR 4:00-6:15pm Humanities A40 ESL 33G: Advanced English for Academic Purposes for Graduate Students LEC 1 TR 2:00-4:15pm Bunche 2168 LEC 3 MW 3:30-5:45pm Bunche 2181 ELECTIVES Some of your international graduate students may benefit from a course in either oral skills or academic reading and vocabulary. We have just opened the following two elective courses, which are open to both graduate and undergraduate students and will fill quickly. ESL 38...

The Dashew Center has transformed their quarterly International Coffee Breaks into the World Cafe! The World Cafe is a relaxing cafe environment with delicious and high-quality coffees from around the world.  They feature Italian espresso, American drip coffee, Israeli iced coffee, Vietnamese drip coffee and Cuban coladas.  They also have assorted teas from around the world if you prefer a non-coffee option, including Thai iced tea. You are welcome to come by any time from 1 PM - 3 PM on the 2nd floor terrace of Bradley International Hall.  Admission is FREE but please make sure to sign up below! When: October 16, 2014 1:00 PM ~ 3:00 PM Where: Bradley Hall 2nd Floor Patio Audience: Faculty/Staff Alumni/Friends General public Students Dashew Members Contact: intlprograms@saonet.ucla.edu Cost: Free Registration: September 19, 2014 ~ October 16, 2014 Register Now

The Dashew Center would like to alert you of continued cases of fraud targeting U.S. non-residents and their family members.  Reported cases involve individuals posing as immigration and tax officials requesting personal and bank information from non-residents in the U.S.  Please remember that the Dashew Center, IRS and U.S. immigration officials will never request your credit card number, Social Security number or banking information from you over the phone.  If you receive a phone call from any individual claiming to be a government official, and you have any question at all about the authenticity or propriety of the call, you should ask for a name and phone number to call the person back.  You may check with a counselor at DCISS before calling the individual back, if you wish.   Please ...