Terra Dotta is an online solution to enhance the experience of UW-Madison’s international students, scholars, and employees. It will connect with UW-Madison’s Student Information System (SIS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for F-1 and J-1 visas.
The user friendly interface allows users to view their immigration record, request updates, and communicate with International Student Services (ISS) or International Faculty & Staff Services (IFSS).
Administrative offices including ISS, IFSS, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions, the Visiting International Student Program (VISP), inbound exchange offices, and department hiring units use the system to manage communication and services for international students, scholars, and employees throughout their time at UW–Madison. UW System hiring units and employees served by IFSS also use Terra Dotta to manage H-1B applications.
Students
Terra Dotta is your student immigration portal at UW–Madison. All F-1 and J-1 international students gain access to Terra Dotta after they have been fully admitted by their admissions office.
F-1 and J-1 student visa holders will access a portal to view immigration information, submit requests and updates, and receive important communications from ISS about your immigration status.
Tip: Add the Terra Dotta widget to your MyUW homepage for easy and secure access, or use the direct link terradotta.wisc.edu/
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Terra Dotta:
- Gives you access to your own student immigration portal using your NetID and password
- Allows you to monitor your immigration status with easy visibility
- Streamlines your immigration-related documents and requests in one online system
- Allows you to request electronic signatures on requests that require verification from UW–Madison staff
- Allows you to send automates email and SMS messages regarding your immigration status and store those messages in your Terra Dotta portal
- State important alerts and reminders when you log in
Terra Dotta does not:
- Replace the ISS website- we will still update important information at iss.wisc.edu, including how to submit your requests in Terra Dotta
- Replace ISS newsletters- we will still send important information and reminders in our bi-weekly newsletters
- Undergraduate Students– must be fully admitted and confirm enrollment deposit. Contact the Office of Admissions & Recruitment if you have questions.
- Graduate Students– must be fully admitted by the Graduate Admissions Office (not only your department). Contact your graduate program coordinator or Graduate Admissions if you have questions.
- Professional Students– must be fully admitted by your professional program admissions office. Contact your professional program admissions office if you have questions.
- Visiting and Special Students– must be fully admitted by Division of Continuing studies. Contact Division of Continuing Studies if you have questions.
Contact your admissions office to confirm:
- You are in admitted or matriculated status in the Student Information System.
- Your visa permit information is F-1 or J-1 with issuing authority “UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON”
- Your citizenship information has 2 rows (USA=”alien”; Enter country of citizenship on passport=”citizen” or “native”)
| Undergraduate Students | Office of Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment |
| Graduate Students | Graduate Admissions Office |
| Wisconsin School of Business (WSB) Graduate Students | WSB Admissions Office |
| Law Students | Law Admissions Office |
| Medicine and Public Health Students | School of Medicine and Public Health Admissions Office |
| Pharmacy Students | School of Pharmacy Admissions Office |
| Veterinary Medicine Students | School of Veterinary Medicine Admissions Office |
| Visiting International Students | Visiting International Student Program |
| Special/Non-degree Students | Visiting International Student Program |
| Exchange Students | International Academic Programs (IAP) |
J-1 Scholars
J-1 scholar visa holders will access a portal to view immigration information, submit requests and updates, and receive important communications from IFSS about your immigration status.
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Terra Dotta:
- Gives you access to your own scholar portal using your NetID and password
- Allows you to monitor your immigration status with easy visibility
- Streamlines your immigration-related documents and requests in one online system
- Replaces most IFSS paper request forms
- Utilizes a checkmark system to make it easy for you to submit a completed request to IFSS
- Enables you to upload scanned copies of required documents
- Allows you to automate email and SMS messages regarding your immigration status and store those messages in your scholar portal
- Allows you to view important alerts and reminders when you log in
Terra Dotta does not:
- Replace the IFSS website– we will still update important information
- Replace or integrate with Glacier, the international tax software
Employees
Employees with H-1B status will access a portal to view immigration information, submit requests and updates, and receive important communications from IFSS about your immigration status. Functionality for employees in E-3, TN, O-1 status, as well as Permanent Residency applications, will come at a future date.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Terra Dotta:
- Gives you access to your own employee portal using your NetID and password
- Allows you to monitor your immigration status with easy visibility
- Streamlines your immigration-related documents and requests in one online system
- Replaces most IFSS paper request forms
- Utilizes a checkmark system to make it easy for you to submit a completed request to IFSS
- Enables you to upload scanned copies of required documents
- Allows you to send automated email and SMS messages regarding your immigration status and store those messages in your employee portal
- Allows you to view important alerts and reminders when you log in
Terra Dotta does not:
- Replace the IFSS website– we will still update important information
- Replace or integrate with Glacier, the international tax software
Advisors & Coordinators
ISS accepts international student forms through the online immigration compliance and record management system called Terra Dotta.
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Terra Dotta:
- Enhances the international student experience
- Streamlines all immigration-related documents and requests in one online system (reduction of paper forms!)
- Collects electronic signatures from you on ISS forms that require your verification of a student’s academic status or eligibility (Reduced Course Load (RCL), Curricular Practical Training (CPT), I-20/DS-2019 Extension, etc.)
- Sends automated reminders and alerts to students
Terra Dotta does not:
- Replace the ISS website- we will still update important information at iss.wisc.edu
- Integrate with Advisor Notes System/Advising Gateway. ISS staff will still access and use Advising Gateway on a case-by-case basis.
- Integrate with Starfish, Handshake, or Salesforce
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Advisor Verification Email
A student who submits any of the immigration record requests below will need the verification of their advisor or coordinator before they can submit their completed immigration record request to ISS for processing.
- J-1 Academic Training (AT)
- Change of Education Level
- Correction of Status
- F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
- F-1 New I-20 Request (Return from Leave of Absence)
- Program Extension
- Reduced Course Load (RCL)
The student will be instructed to enter the name and email address of their advisor or coordinator after they have discussed the immigration record request. The specified staff member will receive an automated email from ISS (iss@studentlife.wisc.edu) with the subject line of “Recommendation Request from (student’s name) for Terra Dotta.” The email will contain a link to the verification form and a Recommendation ID. It will also tell you the type of request the student is seeking your approval for and the term that it will apply to.
Click on the link and enter your Recommendation ID and the last name of the student. Click the “Validate” button.
You will then be taken to the verification page. This page will explain any relevant information about the immigration record request that the student is making. The verification page is the electronic version of the “Advisor”section on our paper application forms. Once you have completed and verified the information, you will electronically submit the page. The submission will show as completed when the student logs in to their Terra Dotta profile to allow them to submit their completed immigration record request.
If you wish to access verifications that you have submitted in the past, you may create a Terra Dotta account by following the link in the email.
Admissions
New student data will flow from SIS to Terra Dotta to create a student portal.
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Terra Dotta:
- Collect information required for initial attendance and transfer F-1 I-20 and J-1 DS-2019 requests, integrating with SIS
- Enhance the international student experience
- Send automated reminders and alerts to students
Terra Dotta does not:
- Replace the ISS website- we will still update important information at iss.wisc.edu
- Integrate with Advisor Notes System/Advising Gateway. ISS staff will still access and use Advising Gateway on a case-by-case basis.
- Integrate with Salesforce
HR/Payroll
Hiring units will have access to a portal to view immigration information, submit requests, extensions and updates for J-1 scholars and H-1B employees. Training opportunities will be announced.
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Terra Dotta:
- Enhances the international scholar experience (please link to scholar section) and international employee experience (please link to employee section)
- Strengthens employee and scholar recruitment and retention:
- Employee and scholar portal facilitates access anywhere, anytime
- Employees and scholars upload their own information and documents
- Online, pre-arrival information can connect new employees and scholars to campus housing, health insurance, orientation information, and more
- Quickly transfer orientation content to a system that records electronic signatures and assesses understanding
- Streamlines all immigration-related documents and requests in one online system (reduction of paper forms!)
- Sends automated reminders and alerts to scholars and employees
- Sends automatic email reminders to users who have incomplete requirements
- Monitors immigration status with easy visibility by employees and scholars
- Integrates with HRS to ensure up-to-date information and reduced data entry
- Utilizes a checkmark system to make it easy for incoming employees and scholars to understand their requirements
- Manages your cases online – intake and assignment features let everyone track case status throughout the entire process
Terra Dotta does not:
- Replace the IFSS website
- Replace or integrate Glacier, the international tax software
- Replace the OHR approvals chart. Hiring Units should still consult with IFSS ahead of time to plan for needed amendments prior to the effective date in HRS.
International Services Contacts
Jennifer Taylor, Director, International Faculty and Staff Services (IFSS)
Katie Tollefson, International Faculty & Staff Services (IFSS)
Samantha McCabe, International Student Services (ISS)
Barbara Kluesner, International Student Services (ISS)