In this New Year, protect yourself from scams and identity theft. Stay vigilant, never share personal information with unknown sources, and avoid clicking on suspicious links. Read "How I Avoided a Phone Call Scam in My First Week in the United States" or watch the SMMC recorded webinar "Identity Theft & Fraud" to learn best practices for safeguarding against fraud and scams.

Graduate and professional students, including online students, are invited to enter the 2025 Image of Research competition. Submit a photo related to your research, scholarship, or creative work, and a short (100-200 word) narrative to communicate how the work has impacted you or others. Images can represent your work either concretely or abstractly. Awards are given for first ($500), second ($300), and third place ($200) as well as people’s choice ($100). If you are looking for inspiration. See details.

DRES is providing a short, anonymous survey for graduate students with disabilities to learn about their needs; you do not need to be registered with DRES to participate. Disabilities may include (but are not limited to) learning disabilities, ADHD, mental health disabilities, such as anxiety disorders or depression, autism spectrum disorder, physical or sensory disabilities. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win one of eight $25 Amazon gift cards.

January 20 is the last day to cancel registration via Self-Service and receive a 100% refund. The refund schedule for Spring 2025 can be found on the Registrar's website. Students enrolled in non-standard part of term courses should refer to their graduate program for deadline information. Have questions about registration deadlines or submitting a Withdrawal/Cancellation form? Click here for an advising appointment!

By the 10th Day of Classes, Feb 3, graduate students should be correctly registered for Spring 2025. Check your registration on Self Service to make sure it is correct. Feb 3 is the last day to submit a form to audit a semester course, request "in Absentia" via the Graduate College Student Portal, add a semester course via Self-Service, and drop a semester course for a refund if reducing tuition range. Students enrolled in non-standard part of term courses should refer to their program for deadlines. Questions about deadlines or submitting a form? Click here for an advising appointment!

January 27 is the last day to add a Part of Term A course via Self-Service or drop a Part of Term A course and receive a refund if reducing assessment range; and to submit a form to elect to audit a Part of Term A course. Have questions about registration deadlines or submitting an Audit form? Click here for an advising appointment!

Do you want to get connected with new students and explore campus and the community? Sign up for International Education's signature program that is free to participate in and open to all current students! GLOBE connects students and teams them up in small and large groups to participate in various activities and events throughout the semester to meet new friends and develop intercultural communication and leadership skills. Submit your interest form here: https://go.illinois.edu/GLOBEInterestForm 

CampusWell provides health & wellness articles and videos for Illinois students. Topics incorporate the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, ranging from nutrition, mindfulness, time management, finances, etc. Utilize this free, online resource for your health, wellness, and overall well-being this semester. Teaching Assistants are encouraged to share this resource on their syllabi/classes.

The ability to craft an effective funding proposal is a skill that can reap a lifetime of rewards. As a graduate student, now is the time to hone your grantwriting proficiency. In this workshop, tailored for graduate students in the humanities and social sciences, you will learn how to identify funding opportunities, strategize the components of an effective proposal, and think like a grantwriter. Please register at the link below for this online workshop. 

🚀 Calling all UIUC STEM grad students! The Illinois Space Grant Consortium (ILSGC) is offering up to seven $10,000 fellowships for 2025-2026 to students pursuing STEM degrees aligned with NASA’s mission. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, enrolled full-time at UIUC or an ILSGC affiliate, and in good academic standing. Submit a Statement of Interest, resumé, transcript, and reference by February 1, 2025. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Learn more and apply

The beginning of the semester is a great time to evaluate your thesis goals! Take a look at our blog “New Year – New Thesis Goals” for advice on planning long-term and short-term projects, setting priorities, and holding yourself accountable. Keep an eye out for different events and resources to help you sharpen your skills and get off to a good start this semester! Some offices to learn more about include: the Writers Workshop; the Research Data Service; and the Scholarly Commons.

With the engineering career fair just around the corner, now is the time to fine-tune your skills and stand out to potential employers. Discover: strategies to craft an unforgettable elevator pitch, how to research companies and ask impactful questions, tips to leave a lasting impression and land interviews, etc. GradSWE with the UofI Career Center organize this lunch seminar. Don't miss this opportunity to boost your confidence and make the most of your career fair experience! Mark your calendar and take the first step toward your dream job. We’ll see you there—your future starts now!

Schedule in-person, video call, or written feedback appointments at the Writers Workshop to receive feedback on your writing. The Workshop provides tailored presentations for courses and student organizations by request, and we host presentations throughout the semester about common academic writing concerns. View our calendar for upcoming workshops and events!

Start the semester the "write" way! Our hybrid writing group provides grad students with dedicated time to make progress on any writing project in a supportive atmosphere. Each meeting consists of a short goal-setting conversation, quiet writing time, and a concluding reflection and wrap-up. You only need to register once with your U of I email to receive weekly email reminders all semester! 

Work on your academic English and pronunciation skills in ESL 504, which prepares students for the OEAI and fulfills the requirement for re-taking the OEAI. Open to all international graduate students. Small class size. Grading S/U. Limited space available in the following section: ESL 504 D 64514 03:00 PM - 03:50 PM MW (including regular live session). Designed to help the student function successfully in an English-medium academic environment and to train students to communicate in spoken English in a way that conforms to the conventions of academic discourse.

The C-U FIRST Lego League Robotics Sectional Tournament occurs February 1 at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building. Support young STEM-enthusiasts by volunteering as a judge, queuer, hosts, etc. No experience needed. Training provided. Register as a volunteer (select the Champaign/Urbana Sectional event). 

Professor Emeritus Kimiko Gunji will be presenting three unique New Year's and winter wagashi paired with three kinds of tea featuring recipes from her cookbook, Wagashi: Season by Season. Enjoy this special event at Japan House! Reservations required.

February Dance celebrates the fierce commitment to artistic innovation in the Department of Dance. Work by Associate Professor Paige Cunningham Caldarella and MFA alumna Anna Peretz Rogovoy (’24) features challenging partnering techniques, Professor Rebecca Nettl-Fiol offers a premiere set to the music of Grammy Award-winner Osvaldo Golijov, performed live by soprano Elena Negruta and the Illinois Modern Ensemble. Two MFA thesis works by Gabriel Gonzalez and Banafsheh Amiri investigate the collision of contemporary dance, media, and world politics as fertile ground for choreographic invention.

Back by popular demand, join us at our upcoming welcome/resource fair which will feature units such as - The Career Center - Chez Veteran Center - Counseling Center - Office of Financial Aid - Grainger Library - IDEA Lab - Off-Campus Community Living - New Student & Family Experiences - Office of Undergraduate Research - Writers Workshop - Speakers Workshop - MHC- Health Education. Our events are centered on the first-gen experience, but open to all students! Food will be first come, first served basis. 

Hey, Military-Connected Illini!  Ready to start the semester on the right foot? Join us for the Spring Semester Kick-Off!

The Illinois Center for Family and Community Engaged STEAMM invites you to the winter STEAAM Outreach and Public Engagement Network Luncheon and Discussion: “How will we know if we get it right?” Saturday, Jan 25 at Siebel Center for Computer Science. Connect with campus and community, organizations and individuals, with common interests in engaging the public in STEAMM activities and experiences. Lunch provided, limited seats. RSVP HERE

Please join UC Reproductive Justice at the Channing Murray Foundation (1209 W. Oregon St) for a film about the grassroots network Plan C built and their hope for the future of abortion access. Join us for a discussion after the screening.

At this free workshop, explore the beautiful world of bacteria, molds, and fungi through embroidery. Attendees will learn to embroider different stitches to artfully represent microorganisms. Attendees will be able to take home craft materials at the end of the workshop. 2/3 & 2/5 from 5:30-7 PM. Registration required. This event is sponsored in part by the Urbana Arts & Culture Commission.

Join us at Riggs Beer Company at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan 26th, to hear Dr. Karen Tabb Dina discuss her work identifying risk factors for morbidity and mortality among perinatal women. Hope to see you there! 

The AIFARMS Institute invites you to attend the "Seeing the Unseen: Modular Open-Source Ecosystem for GeoAI” hybrid seminar. Purdue University's Jinha Jung is developing an open-source online platform, Data to Science Engine (D2SE), to address big data challenges in UAS HTP data management. D2SE includes a full-stack web app and central catalog, enabling users to upload, manage, visualize, and share data products while collaborating with remote teams. Free to attend; registration closes January 27th. More details and registration info here.

McKinley Health Center serves on-campus students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

The University of Illinois Counseling Center provides mental health counseling and well-being education for students. 

If you or a student you know may need support with their basic needs or financial stressors, please reach out.