Skip to main content

Student Advising

ISEO’s Student Services advising team supports international students in F-1 and J-1 status who have accepted an offer of admission to UC San Diego, are currently enrolled in courses at UC San Diego, or are alumni participating in OPT, STEM OPT, or Academic Training.


Important Note:

Please be aware that ISEO is currently experiencing a high volume of requests. Expedites are not available, so we encourage you to plan accordingly.

ISEO processes requests on a first‑come, first‑served basis.  If your request is missing any items or does not meet the requirements, ISEO will follow up with you via email. Incomplete requests require additional follow‑up and will delay document issuance. ISEO understands how important these documents are and works to support all students as quickly as possible. 

CONTACT US  

UPCOMING OFFICE UPDATES:

  • Summer 2026 - Please note that ISEO is fully virtual in the summer and will re-open for in-person services at the start of Fall 2026.
  • Friday, July 3 -  ISEO will be closed for the 4th of July Holiday.

EMAIL: General Inquiries

EMAIL US THROUGH THE ISEO CONTACT FORM

General Questions and Complex Cases:

  • Submit a Contact Form with a thorough description of the topic/situation you would like to discuss.
  • An ISEO Advisor will either answer your questions or direct you to make an appointment.

Important Note:

iServices Requests and Processing Delays: Please be aware that ISEO is currently experiencing a high volume of requests resulting in delayed processing times. Our commitment to processing documents as quickly and efficiently as possible, while being available for advising support, remains our top priority.

ISEO can confirm that requests are processed in the order in which they were received. ISEO’s average processing time for a New Admit I-20 or DS-2019 Request is 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks).  Due to the high volume of requests, ISEO may exceed average processing times and request that students exercise patience as we are working diligently to process documents within the normal time frame. We understand the importance and urgency of your request and are working to process your requests as quickly as possible. 

Upon successful submission of the contact form, a ticket will be created for you! You will receive a separate email confirming creation of a Ticket Number. If you need to add more information or want to follow up on your ticket after submission, you can simply reply to the email. If you have a campus AD account, you can also go to the Service Portal and update your ticket there.

*Please note, standard response time is 7-10 business days. During peak times (April-August), response times may be delayed. We encourage you to thoroughly explore our website for detailed guidance, and plan ahead.  

 

SUBMIT CONTACT FORM

VIRTUAL: Appointments for Current Students and Alumni

VIRTUAL ADVISING APPOINTMENTS WITH ISEO ADVISORS

For complex visa-related questions, students can book a 20-minute Virtual Advising Appointment with an International Student Advisor at ISEO. Please see our available appointment schedule and book an appointment slot through the link below.

APPOINTMENT CANCELLATION POLICY

  • iServices Requests: Students who have questions regarding an iServices Request should utilize Email or iServices Technical Support. Appointments following up on iServices Requests (checking on status or requesting expedite) will be cancelled. 
  • Arrival Times: ISEO has limited availability for appointments each week. If you arrive more than 5 minutes late, your appointment will be cancelled. If your availability changes or you no longer need to meet with an advisor, please cancel or reschedule your appointment.
  • ISEO Cancellations: Provide as much detail when you book an appointment. Students who book appointments to follow up on their iServices Request (status or to request expedite), have questions that are not visa-advising related, or have questions that are better directed to a different unit on campus may have their appointments cancelled. ISEO reserves the right to cancel or reschedule your appointment as little as 1 hour prior to your booked appointment. 
  • New appointments become available one week in advance. If you don't currently see an appointment, please check back tomorrow. 
Friendly reminder!
Newly Admitted Students: At this time, our virtual front desk and drop-in advising services are for current F-1/J-1 students who are enrolled in classes at UC San Diego and F-1/J-1 alumni on post-completion work authorization. ISEO provides advising for newly admitted international students through Pre-Arrival Webinars , Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and the  iNewStudent.ucsd.edu sites. If newly admitted students have additional questions, they should submit theEmail Contact Form. 

 

VIRTUAL ADVISING: Student Drop-Ins

STUDENT DROP-INS ADVISING WITH ISEO ADVISORS

Please note that ISEO is fully virtual in the summer and will re-open for in-person services at the start of Fall 2026.

Student Drop-Ins are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. (All times are in Pacific Standard Time) 

*Check-ins submitted before 1:50 PM will NOT be added to the advising queue.
*During peak times, there may be longer than usual wait times and drop-in advising is not guaranteed.  Thank you for your patience.  

Friendly reminder!
Newly Admitted Students: At this time, our virtual front desk and drop-in advising services are for current F-1/J-1 students who are enrolled in classes at UC San Diego and F-1/J-1 alumni on post-completion work authorization. ISEO provides advising for newly admitted international students through Pre-Arrival Webinars , Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and the  iNewStudent.ucsd.edu sites. If newly admitted students have additional questions, they should submit theEmail Contact Form. 
Weekdays DROP-IN ADVISING HOURS

Monday

2:00PM - 3:30PM (Virtual, Sign-in Here)

Tuesday

No Drop-In Advising

Wednesday

2:00PM - 3:30PM (Virtual, Sign-in Here)

*No virtual drop-in on 07/08/26

Thursday

2:00PM - 3:30PM (Virtual, Sign-in Here)

Friday

No Drop-In Advising

Saturday/Sunday/Holidays Closed

 

VIRTUAL FRONT DESK SERVICES: General Information

FRONT DESK SERVICES WITH ISEO ADVISORS

Please note that ISEO is fully virtual in the summer and will re-open for in-person services at the start of Fall 2026.

Advising services are not offered at the Front Desk. Please see our  Student Drop-In schedule for virtual advising services. (All times are in Pacific Standard Time) 

*During peak times, there may be longer than usual wait times and front desk services is not guaranteed.  Virtual front desk services are offered on a first-come, first-basis. 

Friendly reminder!
Newly Admitted Students: At this time, our virtual front desk and drop-in advising services are for current F-1/J-1 students who are enrolled in classes at UC San Diego and F-1/J-1 alumni on post-completion work authorization. ISEO provides advising for newly admitted international students through Pre-Arrival Webinars , Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and the  iNewStudent.ucsd.edu sites. If newly admitted students have additional questions, they should submit theEmail Contact Form. 
Weekdays FRONT DESK HOURS

Monday

10:00AM - 12:00PM (Virtual, Sign-in Here)

Tuesday

10:00AM - 12:00PM (Virtual, Sign-in Here)

Wednesday

No Front Desk Services

Thursday

No Front Desk Services

Friday

10:00AM - 12:00PM (Virtual, Sign-in Here)

2:00PM - 4:00PM (Virtual, Sign-in Here)

Saturday/Sunday/Holidays Closed

TECH SUPPORT: iServices Assistance

EMAIL ISEO FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Students who are experiencing technical difficulties with iServices (such as issues logging in or submitting a request) after reviewing the iServices Instructions page are encouraged to email ISEO.

Note: Students must login using Active Directory, NOT Student SSO.

  • Include a detailed description of the issue and screenshots of any error messages.
  • Include your PID and UCSD email address.
  • An ISEO Advisor will contact you within 1-5 business days.

You will receive a separate email confirming creation of a Ticket Number. If you need to add more information or want to follow up on your ticket after submission, you can simply reply to the email. If you have a campus AD account, you can also go to the Service Portal and update your ticket there.

 

EMAIL ISEO FOR ISERVICES SUPPORT 

PHONE: Emergency Contact

BUSINESS HOURS - EMERGENCY PHONE LINE:

  • AVAILABLE:
    • Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
  • WHEN TO USE:
    • If you have an urgent situation, such as travel issues at the U.S. Port of Entry, or if you or a U.S. government official or law enforcement officer need to speak with an ISEO Advisor.
      • Please note that advising or general inquiry services are NOT offered from emergency phone line. 
    • If your situation is related to your I-20/DS-2019 travel signature, refer to information regarding the I-515A and plan accordingly.
  • PHONE NUMBER:
    • 858-534-3730

For a true emergency that is related to health or safety, call 911, or the UC San Diego Campus Police at 858-534-4357.

For questions related to your visa status that are not urgent or an emergency, please submit a Contact Form


AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY PHONE LINE:

  • AVAILABLE:
    • After hours and on weekends, university holidays, and during other announced closures.
  • WHEN TO USE:
    • If you have an urgent situation, such as travel issues at the U.S. Port of Entry, and you or a government official or law enforcement officer need to speak with an ISEO Student or Scholar Advisor. 
      • Please note that advising or general inquiry services are NOT offered from emergency phone line. 
    • If your situation is related to your I-20/DS-2019 travel signature, refer to information regarding the I-515A and plan accordingly.
  • PHONE NUMBER:
    • 858-534-4357 (UC San Diego Campus Police)

For a true emergency that is related to health or safety, call 911, or UC San Diego Campus Police at 858-534-4357


PRINTABLE EMERGENCY CONTACT CARD

You can download and print this card, or save it as a digital copy.

The  Emergency Contact Card can be printed for your wallet and/or kept with your immigration documents. This card has important phone numbers as well as tips on what to do if you are detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or are arrested by police.

FIND US ON CAMPUS

Physical Location and Address

OUR ADDRESS
 International Services and Engagement Office
Student Center B
9500 Gilman Drive #0018
La Jolla, California 92093-0018

 

 


Driving and Parking Directions

Driving Directions

  • ISEO is located off of La Jolla Village Drive on Interstate 5.
  • From Interstate 5, EXIT on La Jolla Village Drive WEST.
  • Proceed to the first light at the bottom of the hill and TURN RIGHT onto VILLA LA JOLLA DRIVE.
  • TURN LEFT onto GILMAN DRIVE.
  • At the third stop sign, TURN RIGHT onto MANDEVILLE LANE.
  • We are located in Student Center B, on the corner of Gilman Drive and Mandeville Lane 

Parking Information

  • The Gilman Parking Structure has visitor spaces (marked "V") available for parking by the hour, and is located 3 blocks east of our office at the Student Center B on Gilman Drive and Russell Lane.
    • Use the pay stations located on each floor to purchase your permit.
  • Parking lot P113 is conveniently located near Student Center B, it has 22 visitor parking spots with pay stations nearby. 
  • For more information on other parking options, visit the UC San Diego Transportation Services website.

Shuttle and Public Transit

Triton Transit

Triton Transit operates fare-free on- and off-campus service for students, faculty, and staff, including four primary service lines:
  • Shuttles – Fixed-route service between campus shuttle stops
  • Mobility – Door-to-door service for individuals with limited mobility
  • On Demand – On-Demand service between existing Triton Transit stops during evening hours and academic breaks when fixed route service is reduced or suspended
  • Charters – Support for campus events, academic and student organization field trips and athletic travel

For more information, please visit the Triton Transit webpage on the Transportation Services website.


Public Transit

Several mass transit routes serve the campus and surrounding area. UC San Diego offers different programs that provide discounted transit access for faculty, staff and students.

These include The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) buses who stop at the Gilman Transit Center, which is located on Gilman Drive just west of the Gilman Parking Structure, which is about two blocks from our office in Student Center B.

To plan your trip and get bus schedules please take a visit the San Diego MTS schedules page.

For more information regarding public transit at UC San Diego, please visit the Transportation Services website.