Welcome, incoming students! OISS is here to support you. More information here!
Follow OISS on social media for events and programs (surf lessons shown here)
Remote Operation
OISS staff are currently working remotely. Advisors are available by email, phone, or zoom. Please email OISS to set up an appointment. J-1 Scholars, please email the J-1 Scholar advisors directly.
- OISS has a new website! We are continuing to work on it. If you encounter an error, please try again in a few hours. We appreciate your patience.
- New student? Welcome! Information on planning your first quarter at UCSB. Start preparing today with CALI Online, an online orientation for international students which includes information on your visa and immigration, as well as important tips about academic expectations in the United States. We also encourage you to attend or watch recordings of our pre-arrival video chats, where OISS advisors deliver pertinent information and answer questions from students.
OISS Stands with Our Campus Community
In light of recent incidents here in the U.S. and abroad, OISS stands in solidarity with our campus community and fellow citizens of the world. We practice tolerance, understanding and mutual respect for differences that contribute to the richness of humanity on this planet. We support one another, and are privileged to assist all of you in your academic pursuits and freedom of spirit. We remind you of our Principles of Community at UCSB and to report any act of bias here.
OISS strongly condemns the recent policies and rhetoric coming from the Trump administration. Alongside our other UC campus OISS offices and UC-wide representation in Washington D.C, UCSB OISS is committed to advocating on behalf of our international students to combat xenophobia and detrimental government policies. We always encourage respectful and safe engagement of our international students to join us in these efforts.
We also recognize the combination of political conflicts and COVID-19 are extremely stressful. Please practice self-care, support one another, and reach out to OISS or other campus resources such as CAPS. Other resources can be found here: https://wellbeing.ucsb.edu/.
We stand in solidarity with our international campus community.
OISS serves UCSB's international community as well as campus departments, faculty, and staff that work with international students and scholars.
Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive environment which supports international students academically, professionally and personally by providing holistic advising on immigration, employment and cultural matters.
BEWARE COVID-19 SCAMS
As COVID-19 cases grow in our community, the chances that you may have been near someone who has the disease is increasing. Because of the contagious nature of the disease, health officials use contact tracing to try to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus before they show symptoms. California has a contact tracing program called California Connected. Unfortunately, scammers have taken advantage of the program in an attempt to defraud you.
Scammers are impersonating contact tracers so that they can profit from the current public health emergency. Along with calls, scammers are sending out links in text messages about fictitious COVID-19 cases. Scammers may ask for information such as your social security number, financial information, and other sensitive information not required for authentic contact tracing. The Federal Trade Commission wants you to know:
- Real contact tracers will NOT ask you for money.
- Contact tracing does NOT require your bank account or credit card number.
- Legitimate contact tracers will NEVER ask for your Social Security number.
- Your immigration status doesn't matter for contact tracing, so real tracers won't ask.
- Do not click on a link in a text or email.
Legitimate contact tracers may call, email, text, or visit your home to collect information. They will only send you texts or emails indicating when they will contact you and will not ask you to click or download anything. The information a legitimate contact tracer may ask you for include: your name and address, health information, and the names of places and people you have visited.
You can find information about California Connected at https://covid19.ca.gov/
