Student Success
What is International Student Success?
At the ISSO, we bring our campus to the world, and the world to our campus. That’s why the success of all our international students is important. We host students from over 100 countries, enriching the UT Dallas campus. We want to produce global citizens who are excited to represent UT Dallas as their Alma Mater.
We believe in engaging and supporting our undergraduate and graduate students through proactive advising and programming to facilitate international student retention, and graduation from UT Dallas. We have a specialist who can assist students with a variety of issues and barriers they may experience.
The types of barriers the Student Success Specialist can assist you with:
| Academic issues | Academic probation, academic integrity issues, and suspensions/dismissals |
| Mental health | Addiction, depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation |
| Concerning behavior | Assault, domestic violence, harassment, stalking, theft, threats |
| Medical | Student accident, hospitalization, student illness, injury, death |
| Other | Homelessness, hunger, financial problems, legal trouble, adjustment/transition issues, family emergency |
Note, questions regarding CPT, OPT, and other current student inquiries should be directed to General Immigration Advising.
During your appointment with the Student Success Specialist, we will discuss the factors that are impeding your success here at UT Dallas and we will work together in developing an action plan to tackle those factors. We believe in holistic advising, which means we look at academic, social, and interpersonal choices as well as your identity, background, and your life experiences.
You can contact our Student Success Specialist by email or make an appointment at InternationalSuccess@utdallas.edu. Appointment times are Monday and Friday from 3-4 pm and Wednesdays from 10 – 11 am.
On-Campus Resources
Academic
Academic Calendar: UT Dallas’ academic year is based on three semesters: fall, spring, and summer. This academic calendar helpful dates such as the start and end of each semester, as well as payment and registration deadlines.
Catalogs: The catalogs list current academic policies, degree programs and other information pertaining to students’ studies at UT Dallas.
The Computer Science Mentor Center: The Computer Science Mentor Center (CSMC) welcomes students of Computer Science and Software Engineering who are studying Discrete Mathematics and Programming to augment and integrate their classroom learning.
The Naveen Jindal School of Management Labs: The Naveen Jindal School of Management offers various labs to undergraduate and graduate students in JSOM.
Student Outreach and Academic Retention (SOAR): Student Outreach and Academic Retention (SOAR) office provides academic advising to undergraduate students who are at-risk for academic suspension.
Student Success Center: The Student Success Center (SSC) is your portal to achieving academic success at UT Dallas.
Transcripts: Students and former students may order official transcripts by signing into Orion through the Galaxy webpage.
Career
Jonsson School Career Services: The Jonsson School Career Services department’s mission is to provide all ECS students with quality programs and resources that develop the essential skills needed to compete in the job market.
Naveen Jindal School of Management Career Management Center: The JSOM CMC supports students with professional development programs and coaching to ensure they are “employer ready” for internships and full-time opportunities.
University Career Center: The University Career Center offers a full range of services to help students determine their future goals and design their career paths.
General
Comet Card: The Comet Card is the official university identification card for all students, faculty, and staff.
Comet Cents: The Comet Cents Money Management Center provides free education to currently enrolled students on personal financial topics.
Comet Cupboard: The Comet Cupboard is a UT Dallas food pantry initiative dedicated to helping students in need.
Dean of Students: The Dean of Students is responsible for student policy oversight and serves as an information/referral source for students needing assistance in any situation.
The Galerstein Gender Center: The Galerstein Gender Center is a campus resource that fosters a safe and inclusive environment by advocating for gender equity and diversity.
Graduation Help Desk: The Graduation Help Desk is a one-stop resource within the Office of Undergraduate Education designed to help undergraduates overcome obstacles to a timely graduation.
Multicultural Center: The Multicultural Center (MC) provides cultural programs, support services, resources and cultural education programs.
Student AccessAbility: Student AccessAbility ensures that qualified students with documented disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in educational, recreational, and social activities at UT Dallas.
Student Organizations: Registered student organizations provide the major means by which students can connect to campus life at UT Dallas. There are over 400 student organizations at UT Dallas.
Financial
Bursars Office: The Bursar’s Office is responsible for the assessment and collection of tuition and fees for the university. You can also access Tuition Insurance here.
Office of Financial Aid: The Office of Financial Aid is available to assist students in obtaining funds to attend The University of Texas at Dallas. They also help with: Scholarships and Private Education Loans.
Student Technology Initiative: The goal of this program is to ensure that all students have access to the technology needed to be successful in their course of study.
Health
Center for Students in Recovery: The Center for Students in Recovery helps students with substance abuse disorders, unwanted behaviors, those affected by addiction, or individuals questioning or exploring the impact of potentially addictive behavior on their life.
Student Counseling Center: The Student Counseling Center is staffed by licensed psychologists, counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists who are available to provide mental health services to our students. Counseling services are completely confidential.
Student Health Center: The Student Health Center offers medical services and treatment to all currently enrolled students who have paid the medical services fee and are attending classes.
Student Wellness Center: The Student Wellness Center assists and encourages students to adopt responsible behaviors related to various health topics.
Housing/Transportation
Parking and Transportation: UT Dallas offers many forms of transportation available on and off campus.
University Housing: University Housing offers several on-campus living options for UT Dallas students who desire to live within walking distance to academic buildings, activity centers, dining options, and the library.
Libraries
UT Dallas is home to two libraries, the Eugene McDermott Library and the Callier Library.
Academic Advising: Knowledgeable professionals will help you navigate your degree program every step of the way. You can find all undergraduate and graduate advisors here.
Testing Center: The Testing Center provides students with a comfortable and secure testing environment for online/paper exams, quizzes, instructional testing and assessments.
Off-Campus Resources
The resources listed in this section may link to websites and resources not affiliated with UT Dallas.
Health
Dialing 211 can help you find free services in your area through Texas Health and Human Services.
Dental Resources through the Dallas County Dental Society
Free health care centers and clinics in Dallas County
Low-cost clinics in Collin County
Scams
Protect yourself by learning about the different types of scams that international students can encounter while inside the United States.
What To Do If You Have Been Scammed
If you believe you are a victim of a scam, you can take action to protect yourself.
- Stop all communication with the scammer.
- Change any passwords on any accounts that may be involved with the scam.
- Contact any financial institutions (banks, credit card companies) involved.
- Make a report to your local law enforcement agency. You can also contact the UT Dallas Police Department at 972-883-2222.
- Contact the ISSO for support.
- You can report immigration scams to USCIS here.
- You can also check the Scam Resources section below for links to report other types of scams.
Types of Scams
Immigration, Tax, and Government Scams
Students and others in the UT Dallas community have received phone calls from people claiming to work for the U.S. government. The callers can use fake caller ID information, so it appears they are calling from a U.S. government agency phone number or in this scam, a UT Dallas phone number. These calls often involve a request for students to provide personal financial information, including credit or debit card numbers, or for students to purchase gift cards to avoid being jailed/deported.
U.S. government agencies like USCIS, the U.S. Department of State, and the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) would NEVER ask for your bank information or immediate payment over the phone in the form of gift cards or money orders. When a U.S. government agency wishes to reach you, they will notify you in writing before a phone call.
If you do pick up a phone call and the person on the other line identifies themselves as someone who works for one of these U.S. government agencies, ask for the name of the person who you are speaking with and for their badge number. You can also ask to speak to their supervisor and their badge number as well. The ISSO can assist you in helping you identifying if the people you spoke to were from a U.S. government agency or if they were scammers. USCIS has a list of common immigration scams. We recommend you read this information so you can prepare and easily spot a scam.
If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from USCIS, you can forward to USCIS directly at USCIS.Webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov before responding.
More Info:
The FTC YouTube Page has many helpful videos about scams.
Listen to what a scam SSN call sounds like
Report Gift Cards Used in Scams
Read the Federal Trade Commissions article about “Scammers Go After International Students’ Money”.
Employment Scams
Employment scams begin with an unsolicited job advertisement that is sent to a student’s utdallas.edu email account. These emails appear to come from a professor or a legitimate employer on or off campus. The student is often told they will be paid up front for this position and they are instructed to deposit a fake check into their account. Students are told these funds are to pay for personal items or equipment needed to perform the job. What the student does not know is that the check is actually a counterfeit check and by the time their bank discovers the check is fraudulent, you have already spent your own funds for items that will never arrive or given your own money that you can never get back.
Need an example?
It has recently been brought to our attention that one of our prospective students received an unsolicited job offer that was sent to their utdallas.edu email account. This email appeared to come from a professor at UT Dallas and the offer letter had a UT Dallas letter head.
Please see the example of the offer letters the student received:
Employment scams, such as this one, are prevalent among international students. Students are told they will be paid up front for this position and are instructed to deposit a fake check into their account. Students are told these funds are to pay for personal items or equipment needed to perform the job. What the student doesn’t know is that the check is actually a counterfeit check and by the time your bank discovers the check is fraudulent, you have already spent your own funds for items that will never arrive. You will also most likely never get your own money back.
Below are two more employment scam emails that actual UT Dallas students have received:
The Federal Trade Commission also has information on their website about employment scams.
Tips to Identify an Employment Scam
- Look for unusual email addresses. No legitimate company would use a Gmail address to contact you. A UT Dallas ‘professor’ would use a UT Dallas email address, not a free email service.
- You are being offered too much money for the work being done.
- They want to pay you in advance.
- There is no job interview, you are being hired based on your LinkedIn Account/Handshake Account.
- Moving from one medium to another, for example: email to texting/WhatsApp
- Sense of haste.
It is important to remember that the majority of on campus jobs are listed through the University Career Center through Handshake. If you are unsure about a job or a job offer, please contact the ISSO. We will be happy to help identify if the offer is legitimate or not. Working without authorization can cause termination of your F-1 status.
We hope this information is helpful. Thank you for choosing UT Dallas, and we look forward to supporting your success in the upcoming semester.
Scam Resources
Common Immigration Related Scams
Common Scams in the State of Texas
Consumer Education in Multiple Languages
Federal Trade Commission – How To Avoid a Scam
IRS on Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts
Stay Informed for free scam alerts here
How to Report a Scam
Report Online Scams and Phishing Attempts with UT Dallas
Report Fraud with the Federal Trade Commission
Report Fraud with Homeland Security Investigations (ICE)
Report Fraud with the State of Texas
Door Lock Safety
Theft Prevention
On and Off Campus Safety
